Tag: Exotica Moderne

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News Roundup: May 2026

Personal / Website News

Cavewoman: “Snow” Issue One

It is May going on to June, so it only seems fitting that the next review I am doing of Budd Root’s Cavewoman series is the four issue “Snow” miniseries.

Cover is all white, with blobs of snow falling. Meriem the cavewoman stands in the center, looking up. She has flowing hair. She has a white fur hood on (but not covering her head), a leopard print bikini top and bottom.
Personal copy of Cavewoman, Snow #1.

An early winter sets in Marshville, and Meriem, the titular Cavewoman, has to deal with brownouts, egotistical townsfolk, the bitter cold, an expedition to a tar pit, and so much more. My review for issue one of “Snow” can be read here.

Antonio Margheriti Jungle Films Boxset

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of Italian director Antonio Margheriti. I’ve been collecting his work for years, did my masters thesis on his film, Castle of Blood, and continue to write about his movies every so often.

Boxset with three black-cased Blu-ray/4Ks.
The Antonio Margheriti & The Jungles of Doom boxset.

Imagine my excitement when Severin Film put out a boxset of Margheriti’s Raiders of the Lost Ark knockoffs! Just for fun I dug out my old VHS and DVD copies of these films and put them side by side with the new Severin release. Check that out here.

Exotica Moderne #31 Released

Physical copies of Exotica Moderne #31 are officially out! This issue contains my interview with Alex Lamb and Max Well, the filmmakers behind the documentary, The Donn of Tiki.

Cover shows a blonde pinup girl, earring a tiki top and skit. She is holding a cocktail glass in her right hand. She is leaning against a palm tree. She is on the beach, with a wave crashing behind her and a mountain in the distance. The sky is blue-green with a few clouds. There is a parrot flying toward her. At her feet are some shells.
Exotica Moderne #31

Issues, as well as bundles with this issue, can be purchased at the House of Tabu website. Here is the product link.

Troy UHD/Blu-ray Release from Arrow Video

I always get excited when a neo-peplum film gets a new release. Arrow Video officially announced on Friday the 29th that they are putting out a limited edition of the Wolfgang Petersen epic film, Troy, in both UHD and Blu-ray formats this August.

A Blu-ray slip case. It has a black border with a gold trim of waves. The center is red and shows a wooden horse head (Trojan Horse) on fire. Behind that is a Blu-ray case proper that shows the top half of the release, it shows Brad Pitt and Eric Bana clashing swords. To the right of that is a booklet with brad pit on the cover. Below that is a stack of three discs of the movie.
Product photo of Limited Edition of Troy from Arrow Video.

I am double exited about this release because I got to contribute to it in a small way! I was able to provide some Troy ephemera that is being reprinted in the booklet and I get to be credited as a release contributor in the notes. In other words I get to be part of a bonafide sword and sandal release! I am beyond stoked!

That, of course, means I got to spread the word. Definitely pre-order this edition of Troy. It has the theatrical cut, director’s cut, and loads and loads of extras. It can be pre-ordered at the Arrow Video web store.

Panthans Journal #347

The April issue of the National Capital Panthans Journal has been published. This issue contains a reprint of my review of issue nine of Vanya: The Lost Warrior. The original can be read here.

A future issue of Panthans will see a reprint of my interview with Tom Simmons and Mike Dubisch about their comic book adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ I am a Barbarian.

Cover is deep in the jungle. Tarzan knees on a large tree branch with Jane behind him. They look like they are scouting.
National Capital Panthans Journal #348. Cover by Mark Wheatley.

Paraphrased from the zine: The National Capital Panthans Journal is a monthly publication issued as a .PDF file on the Saturday before the first Sunday of each month. Contribution of articles, artwork, photos, and letters are welcome. Send submissions to the editor: Laurence G. Dunn at laurencegdunn AT gmail.com in a Word document for consideration.

Sincere appreciation to Laurence for the opportunity to have my work published in the journal.

The New Peplum Reviewed

A new review of The New Peplum pops up!

The New Peplum book. The cover is a scene from the Rock version of Hercules - it shows Hercules and his companions and small army behind him.
Cover art for The New Peplum

The Midwest Book Review has published a positive review of The New Peplum at their website, which can be read here. Check it out, and if the review moves you, consider plucking up a copy at McFarland.

Scholars from the Edge of Time – Hercules (1983)

For the May episode of Scholars from the Edge of Time, Nicholas and Michele go back to the Italo-Disco 80s and watch the Lou Ferrigno Hercules!

Standard Blu-ray case. Cover art shows Lou Ferrigno Hercules, holding a sword and a shield. With the shield he is repelling a laser blast from a robot dragon. Cassiopeia has an arm around his left though. Behind them is Sybil Danning holding a sword.
Personal copy of Hercules ’83 on Blu-ray.

I liked it! Michele… not so much. Want to hear what we have to say? Give it a watch on YouTube.

Publishing Recap

Below is a recap of my external publishing endeavors so far in 2026.

Cover shows a blonde pinup girl, earring a tiki top and skit. She is holding a cocktail glass in her right hand. She is leaning against a palm tree. She is on the beach, with a wave crashing behind her and a mountain in the distance. The sky is blue-green with a few clouds. There is a parrot flying toward her. At her feet are some shells.
Exotica Moderne #31

“Tellers of Tales: Interview with Alex Lamb and Max Well on The Donn of Tiki” in Exotica Moderne #31, May 2026.

Product page at House of Tabu.

Cover is by Mark Wheatley and called "The Beasts". It is red hued. It shows Tarzan riding atop of an elephant. Below the elephant are two gorillas and a lion. Behind them is a tree and a setting sun.
National Capital Panthans Journal #344.

“All E.T.’s Aren’t Nice: Vanya 06” reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #344, January 2026.

Original can be read here.

Cover by David Michael Beck. It's a drawing of Tarzan atop an elephant, with 2 axes in front.
National Capital Panthans Journal #345.

“The Prehistoric Purge: Vanya 07″ reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #345, February 2026.

Original can be read here.

Cover is called "The Land that Time Forgot" by Mark Whetley. It shows a man, crouched on one knee, holding a rifle, with safari attire, but shirt open. Next to him he has a barking dog that kinda look like Benji. Behind there is a roaring T-rex, a triceratops, and pterodactyls flying.
National Capital Panthans Journal #346.

“Journey to Agharti” reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #346, March 2026.

A black and white cover. It shows a four armed alien holding swords and a bow. Next to it is an alien gorilla.
National Capital Panthans Journal #347.

“Warpath and Rampage: Vanya 08” reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #347, April 2026.

Original can be read here.

Cover is deep in the jungle. Tarzan knees on a large tree branch with Jane behind him. They look like they are scouting.
National Capital Panthans Journal #348. Cover by Mark Wheatley.

“The Chaos Continues: Vanya 09″ reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #348, May 2026.

Original can be read here.

Calls for Papers/Proposals

Here are some new pop culture CFPs that have crossed my path or I am sharing on behalf of my colleagues. Links to these will also be in the CFP page on the navigation bar.

NEPCA Monsters & the Montrous Area 2026

The Monsters & the Monstrous Area of the Northeast Popular Culture Association (a.k.a. NEPCA) seeks proposals for inclusion in NEPCA’s 2026 annual conference.

The event will run as a virtual conference from Thursday, October 15th, through Saturday, October 17th. Virtual sessions will take place via Zoom throughout the day on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Registration will open up in mid-July. The registration fee is expected to be around 50 USD.

The Monsters & the Monstrous Area welcomes proposals that investigate any of the things, whether mundane or marvelous, that scare us. Through our sessions, we hope to pioneer fresh explorations into the darker sides of the intermedia traditions of the fantastic (including, but not restricted to, aspects of fairy tale, fantasy, gothic, horror, legend, mythology, and science fiction) by illuminating how creative artists have both formed and transformed our notions of monsters within these sub-traditions in texts from various countries, time periods, and media and for audiences at all levels. Our primary goal is to foster a better understanding of monsters in general and to examine their impact on those who receive their stories as well as on the world at large.

In addition, as a component of the Northeast Popular Culture Association, the Monsters and the Monstrous Area is also especially interested in fostering discussion and debate on the monsters and the monstrous of the Northeastern United States (here defined as New England and New York). Topics might include the Borden Family Murders, the Bridgewater Triangle,  the Legends of Sleepy Hollow, the New England Gothic tradition, the New England Vampire Panic, the New England Witchcraft Hysteria, and the life, works, and legacies of local Gothic/horror authors such as Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Joe Hill, Shirley Jackson, Stephen King, and H. P. Lovecraft. 

NEPCA prides itself on holding conferences that emphasize sharing ideas in a non-competitive and supportive environment. We welcome proposals from graduate students, independent scholars, disciplinary professionals, junior faculty, and senior scholars. NEPCA conferences offer intimate and nurturing sessions in which new ideas and works-in-progress can be aired, as well as completed projects.

The call will be open until Monday, June 15, by 5 pm EDT. Submissions should be made directly at https://www.northeastpca.org/call-for-papers. This site offers full information on the submission process and a link to send your proposal to us. If you have any questions about the conference, please reach out to the Executive Secretary, Lance Eaton (northeastpopculture@gmail.com).

Questions on the Monsters & the Monstrous Area can be directed to the area chair, Michael A. Torregrossa (popular.preternaturaliana@gmail.com). The area maintains a series of blogs that offer resources and potential topics. Please access them at Popular Preternaturaliana: Studying the Monstrous in Popular Culture (https://popularpreternaturaliana.blogspot.com/).

Rest in Peplum: George Eastman

On May 19th legendary Italian cult film actor George Eastman (Luigi Montefiori) passed away. A true end of an era of Italian genre and exploitation cinema. He didn’t really do much peplum (Fellini Satyricon [1969]) as he arrived on the scene after that filone has passed. He started in the spaghetti westerns.

However in the 80s, Eastman was in many pasta-pocalypse films and sword and sorcery flicks, all featuring strong men, gladiators, barbarians, etc. etc. Basically, 80s pepla.

  • Ironmaster (1983)
  • The New Barbarians (1983)
  • 2020 Texas Gladiators (1983)
  • The Barbarians (1987)
Blu-ray of Ironmaster.
Personal copy of Ironmaster.
Blu-ray of The Barbarians.
Personal copy of The Barbarians.

I’ve watched numerous films Eastman has been a part of (Emanuelle Around the World [1977] probably being my favourite). Michele and I have talked about a few of his films on Scholars from the Edge of Time:

A true #RestInPeplum for this icon!

News from Friends

Cool kids I know have been busy lately! Here are some signal boosts I’d like to give out.

New Ride the Stream Episodes

New episodes of Michele Brittany and Travis Lakata’s vidcast, Ride the Stream, are online. The duo continue their episode by episode commentary of the series Dark Winds.

First is their discussion of episode two from season two:

Here is episode three from season two:

And episode four from season two:

Episode five:

And finally episode six:

Make sure to subscribe the Ride the Stream YouTube channel to see when new episodes drop. There is also a BlueSky social media as well.

New Fan2Fan Episodes

Brand new episodes of the Fan2Fan podcast are now online. Pete and Bernie continue their Monster Mania with these episodes:

Monster Mania: Cryptids Trivia:

Monster Mania: Cryptids Trivia – Fan2Fan Podcast

And Monster Mania: 1980s Movie Monsters:

Monster Mania: 1980s Movie Monsters – Fan2Fan Podcast

Followed by Monster Mania: Stranger Things Tales of ’85:

Monster Mania: Stranger Things Tales of '85 – Fan2Fan Podcast

And concluding the month with Monster Mania: Top 3 Classic Fiends and Giant Freaks:

Monster Mania: Top 3 Classic Fiends and Giant Freaks – Fan2Fan Podcast

Older episodes of Fan2Fan can be found at its Libsyn page or via your podcast app of preference. There is also the Fan2Fan Facebook page.

Boston Metaphysical Society Vol 3 Kickstarter

Madeleine Holly-Rosing has a new Kickstarter campaign going for her long running Boston Metaphysical Society comic series.

Cover is purple-ish. in the center is a wooden building with 2 antenna coming from the top and lightning bolts radiating from it. There is a border of gears around the cover. Four circular portraits of the main characters, one in each corner.
Mock up of cover of Boston Metaphysical Society vol 3 by Claudia Ianniciello.

The Kickstarter campaign can be found here.

Quo Vadis at Bible Films Blog

Matt Page at the Bible Films Blog has a new article at his website, this one on the 1925 version of Quo Vadis.

Poster shows a naked dude, grabbing a bull by its horns, while a blonde naked lady lays atop the bull.
Quo Vadis (1924) movie poster (from IMDB).

His write up can be read here.

New Michele Brittany Crafting Video

Michele has a new video up at her YouTube channel, this one recapping all her loot from going to the Brass Armadillo over in Goodyear, AZ. Check it out here or in the player below.

Abandoned Asylum Kickstarter

James Chambers and Raw Dog Screaming (aroooo) Press are launching a Kickstarter on June 2nd to fund an anthology called Abandoned Asylum.

Chambers has edited some great anthologies (Even in the Grave and Under Twin Suns), and Raw Dog Screaming Press has published some awesome books (Bestial Mouths by Brenda S. Tolian, Attack from the 80s, Beyond the Bounds of Infinity, many more). You’ll definitely want to check Abandoned Asylum. The campaign can be followed here.

Categories
News

News Roundup: April 2026

Personal / Website News

I did not get much published at my website in April, but that does not mean a lot of news didn’t happen!

GosT/Perturbator Concert Archival Write Up

James Lollar, the mastermind behind the dark/synthwave band GosT passed away earlier this month. He was a pioneer of the retrowave genre.

GosT in a skeletal mask, behind a cloth covered table, playing electronic instruments.
GosT performing.

I was lucky to have seen GosT perform with Perturbator back in 2017. I did a concert write up that was published at Heathen Harvest, but that website is long since dead. Since it has been on my radar to bring some of my old articles back online and host them here, and I want to do what I can to help keep Lollar’s memory eternal, I’ve gone ahead and dug up my concert report and put it online. I’ve also included more photos than the original publication.

My republished write up can be read here. Enjoy!

Exotica Moderne #31

It has been a few years since my last piece being published in Exotica Moderne, but I am back!

Cover shows a blonde pinup girl, earring a tiki top and skit. She is holding a cocktail glass in her right hand. She is leaning against a palm tree. She is on the beach, with a wave crashing behind her and a mountain in the distance. The sky is blue-green with a few clouds. There is a parrot flying toward her. At her feet are some shells.
Exotica Moderne #31

Back in November 2025 I had the honour to interview Alex Lamb and Max Well, the filmmakers behind the documentary The Donn of Tiki. That interview will be published in the next issue of Exotica Moderne, which is issue #31. In fact, orders for that issue are already being taken at the House of Tabu website (product link).

I have other article ideas that have been on the back burner for Exotica Moderne, such as an essay on Secret of the Incas. It is probably a good time to realize them. Exotica Moderne has always been a great periodical and one of the best venues I have ever written for.

Vanya #10 Compendium

The neo-jungle girl comic series Vanya: The Lost Warrior (which I’ve covered extensively at my website here) had a successful Kickstarter this month to fund issue ten.

Banner says "Vanya: the lost warrior - cover D by Ignacio Noe. Launching April 14th on Kickstarter". The banner shows Vanya, holding a vine in her left hand, looking kind of angry, as a T-rex rampages in the jungle behind her. In the distance a volcano erupts.
Vanya 10 Kickstarter Banner

One of the items every backer will receive with their pledge is a digital compendium that includes supplemental material, such as character bios, universe lore, a short story, and even a recap of what transpired from issues one to nine to allow folks a quick way round catch up in the story.

I was humbled and honored to be asked by the Bad Bug Editor in Chief, and writer of Vanya, Mike Tener, to write this summary to be included in the compendium! So, keep an eye out here, or the various Bad Bug outlets (Facebook link here) for news on how the development of issue ten goes.

Panthans Journal #347

The April issue of the National Capital Panthans Journal has been published. This issue contains a reprint of my review of issue eight of Vanya: The Lost Warrior. The original can be read right here.

A black and white cover. It shows a four armed alien holding swords and a bow. Next to it is an alien gorilla.
National Capital Panthans Journal #347.

Paraphrased from the zine: The National Capital Panthans Journal is a monthly publication issued as a .PDF file on the Saturday before the first Sunday of each month. Contribution of articles, artwork, photos, and letters are welcome. Send submissions to the editor: Laurence G. Dunn at laurencegdunn AT gmail.com in a Word document for consideration.

Sincere appreciation to Laurence for the opportunity to have my work published in the journal.

Fan2Fan Podcast Appearance

I had the honour to appear on two episodes of the Fan2Fan podcast that were published this month.

First, Michele and I are both guests on the episode where the topic is the 90s monster film, The Relic.

Thumbnail with a big monster on it that has teeth and looks rubbery. It says "F2F - New Fan2Fan Podcast! Monster Mania! The Relic"
Fan2Fan Podcast Thumbnail for The Relic episode.

It is a good movie, and a unique monster in that decade between the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11. The episode can be streamed at the Fan2Fan website here or in the player below:

Monster Mania – The Relic – Fan2Fan Podcast

Next up there is an episode where I talk generally about the different Lovecraft monsters out there, from Cthulhu to Azathoth.

Banner says: F2F New Fan2Fan Podcast! Monster Mania! Lovecraft Monsters.
Fan2Fan – Lovecraft Monsters

That episode can be streamed here or in the player below.

Monster Mania: Lovecraft's Creatures – Fan2Fan Podcast

Sincere appreciation to Bernie and Pete of Fan2Fan for having Michele and I on as guests!

Scholars from the Edge of Time

For Scholars from the Edge of Time for April Michele and I went old school via new school and watched the new Deathstalker film. To sum it up: it ruled.

Graphic novel is hardback and has a wraparound of the original movie poster. The Blu-ray shows all the characters collage together with mountains behind them.
Deathstalker the graphic novel and the Deathstalker remake on Blu-ray.

Listen to our musings about this reinterpretation of a classic 80s S&S series on YouTube.

Publishing Recap

Below is a recap of my external publishing endeavors so far in 2026.

Cover shows a blonde pinup girl, earring a tiki top and skit. She is holding a cocktail glass in her right hand. She is leaning against a palm tree. She is on the beach, with a wave crashing behind her and a mountain in the distance. The sky is blue-green with a few clouds. There is a parrot flying toward her. At her feet are some shells.
Exotica Moderne #31

“Tellers of Tales: Interview with Alex Lamb and Max Well on The Donn of Tiki” in Exotica Moderne #31, May 2026.

Product page at House of Tabu.

Cover is by Mark Wheatley and called "The Beasts". It is red hued. It shows Tarzan riding atop of an elephant. Below the elephant are two gorillas and a lion. Behind them is a tree and a setting sun.
National Capital Panthans Journal #344.

“All E.T.’s Aren’t Nice: Vanya 06” reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #344, January 2026.

Original can be read here.

Cover by David Michael Beck. It's a drawing of Tarzan atop an elephant, with 2 axes in front.
National Capital Panthans Journal #345.

“The Prehistoric Purge: Vanya 07″ reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #345, February 2026.

Original can be read here.

Cover is called "The Land that Time Forgot" by Mark Whetley. It shows a man, crouched on one knee, holding a rifle, with safari attire, but shirt open. Next to him he has a barking dog that kinda look like Benji. Behind there is a roaring T-rex, a triceratops, and pterodactyls flying.
National Capital Panthans Journal #346.

“Journey to Agharti” reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #346, March 2026.

A black and white cover. It shows a four armed alien holding swords and a bow. Next to it is an alien gorilla.
National Capital Panthans Journal #347.

“Warpath and Rampage: Vanya 08” reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal #347, April 2026.

Original can be read here.

Calls for Papers/Proposals

Here are some new pop culture CFPs that have crossed my path or I am sharing on behalf of my colleagues. Links to these will also be in the CFP page on the navigation bar.

Dragon Age: Worlds of Power and Play

Edited by Adam Crowley (Husson University) and Daniel Reardon (Missouri University of Science and Technology) 

The Dragon Age franchise (BioWare, 2009–present) stands as one of the most narratively and philosophically ambitious bodies of work in contemporary role-playing games. Across its major titles, the series constructs a world shaped by conflict, belief, and consequence—where institutions govern bodies, identities are contested, and player choice operates within systems that both enable and constrain action. 

This edited collection invites scholars to examine Dragon Age as a site of meaning-making across narrative, mechanical, cultural, and philosophical dimensions. We seek contributions that engage the series not simply as a set of texts, but as a structured system in which power, identity, agency, and belief are produced, negotiated, and experienced. 

This collection takes a comprehensive view of the franchise, including Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. At the same time, Dragon Age operates as a transmedia world rather than a closed set of game texts. We therefore welcome contributions that engage the broader narrative and paratextual ecosystem of the series, including novels, comics, strategy guides, codices, and reference works such as The World of Thedas volumes, as well as screen-based media such as Dragon Age: Redemption and animated adaptations. Essays may focus on a single game, trace developments across multiple titles, or examine how meaning emerges through the interaction of game systems and transmedia storytelling. We are particularly interested in work that attends to the relationship between narrative, system design, and player experience across these materials. 

Areas of Interest 

1. Power, Authority, and Institutions 

Essays in this category may examine the structures that organize and regulate life in Thedas, including the Chantry, the Circles of Magi, the Templar Order, and the Inquisition. Approaches may include political theory, rhetorical analysis of governance, institutional critique, and studies of legitimacy, surveillance, and control.

2. Identity, Embodiment, and Otherness

This section invites work on race, gender, sexuality, and the body within Dragon Age. Topics may include the construction of elven, Qunari, dwarven, and human identities; representations of difference and marginalization; romance and intimacy systems; and the relationship between player identity and character embodiment. 

3. Systems, Choice, and Player Agency 

Contributions may explore how Dragon Age structures player action through dialogue systems, branching narratives, and moral decision-making frameworks. We welcome analyses of agency, constraint, consequence, and the role of the player as a co-creator within designed systems. 

4. Lore, Worldbuilding, and Transmedia Storytelling 

This category focuses on the narrative architecture of Dragon Age across games, codices, novels, comics, and other media. Topics may include paratexts, environmental storytelling, worldbuilding practices, and the role of distributed narrative in shaping player understanding. 

5. Ethics, Belief, and Moral Philosophy 

Essays may address the ethical and philosophical questions at the heart of Dragon Age, including justice, faith, sacrifice, and moral responsibility. We invite work that engages the series’ treatment of belief systems, divine authority, and the player’s role in navigating complex moral landscapes. 

Please submit proposals by June 1, 2026. Drafted chapters will be due September 15, 2026. 

Submission Guidelines

  • Abstracts: Maximum 750 words 
  • Include: Title, abstract, and brief bio (100–150 words) 
  • Format: Word document (.docx) 
  • Email submissions to: reardond@mst.edu 

New Sword and Sandal Acquisitions

The ever growing peplum research library grows with these recent sword and sandal acquisitions.

Goliath and the Barbarians and Goliath and the Vampires

Michele and I went down to Tucson in mid-April to catch the Ray Harryhausen exhibit (that write up is forthcoming!) but also explore a little bit of the city. We wound up going to Booksmans on Speedway and one of the treasure I found in the cult movie section was this Goliath double feature.

Clear DVD Case. Top says "A Goliath Spectacular Double-Feature Program!" The bottom says "Another great double bill from Wild East". Center of the DVD sleeve shows two posters, one for each film. Goliath and the Barbarians shows Steve Reeves in shackles, with a fleet of horse back riders under him, and a woman in a red skirt holding a torch. Goliath and the vampires shows two strong men wrestling in a case. Two women look on, a man in a crown in the back holds a thunderbolt. A silhouette is at the cave entrance.
Personal copy of the Wild East 2 movie set of Goliath and the Barbarians and Goliath and the Vampires.

Looks like the company who put this out, Wild East, closed their doors earlier this decade. They seemed to have specialized in spaghetti westerns, with this Goliath and the Barbarians / Goliath and the Vampires DVD being their sole sword and sandal output. This looks like a lot of fun!

Rest in Peplum: Gerry Conway

At the end of April comic book legend Gerry Conway passed away. Conway appeared at many of the comic book conventions in the LA area and I had the honour to meet him a few times. Here is a picture of the first time I met him back in 2014:

Nick Diak and Gerry Conway at Gerry's Booth. We both have on glasses. He has short, red hair. We both have black shirts on, and an open over shirt over those.
Meeting Gerry Conway at a 2014 Long Beach Comic Expo.

Conway is probably best known for co-creating the Punisher, but I revered him for his contributions to the sword and sorcery genre. He wrote Conan the Destroyer (1984) and the Ralph Bakshi animated Fire and Ice (1983).

Standard blu-ray case. The sleeve is the poster art for the film. At the top is says Fire (in red) and Ice (in blue). There is an axe wielding barbarian standing on a cliff edge. In front of him is an amazing lady with a purple bikini top and black hair. There is a blonde warrior holding a dagger. Lunding at them looks to be a goblin or orc.
Personal copy of Fire and Ice Blu-ray autographed by Conway, Gordon, and Tataranowicz.

One of my prized sword and sorcery possessions is my Blu-ray of Fire and Ice signed by Conway, and artists/animators Steven E. Gordon and Tom Tataranowicz.

A true, sincere rest in peplum to Conway.

News from Friends

Cool kids I know have been busy lately! Here are some signal boosts I’d like to give out.

New Ride the Stream Episodes

New episodes of Michele Brittany and Travis Lakata’s vidcast, Ride the Stream, are online. The duo continue their deep dive into the sci-fi series Falling Skies.

Here is their discussion on season one episode seven:

Episode eight:

Episode nine:

And episode ten:

After this Ride the Stream pivots to talk about Dark Winds. Here is their analysis of season one episode one:

Make sure to subscribe the Ride the Stream YouTube channel to see when new episodes drop. There is also a BlueSky social media as well.

New Fan2Fan Episodes

Brand new episodes of the Fan2Fan podcast are now online. Pete and Bernie continue their discussions on different monster movies. Aside from the two monster movies episodes mentioned above, here are the others that dropped in April.

First they have an episode on Pumpkinhead:

Monster Mania: Pumpkinhead – Fan2Fan Podcast

And then one on Godzilla:

Monster Mania: Godzilla – Fan2Fan Podcast

Followed by another Godzilla episode:

Monster Mania: Godzilla Versus – Fan2Fan Podcast

And finally, an episode titled “When Monsters Lose Their Mojo“:

Monster Mania: When Monsters Lose Their Mojo – Fan2Fan Podcast

Older episodes of Fan2Fan can be found at its Libsyn page or via your podcast app of preference. There is also the Fan2FanFacebook page.

The Many Worlds Interpretation of Azure Cove by Ian Welke

Author Ian Welke has a new book that just came out! It is called The Many Worlds Interpretation of Azure Cove and it is a loose sequel to The Azure Cove Assignment which came out last year. The cover art is done by Kelly Lyon-King.

Cover is a square within a circle. The circle has obelisks jutting out of it and from those there are tree branches. Inside the square are leaves and 4 eyes. It looks like a burst of water is happening behind the odd sigil type thing.
The Many Worlds Interpretation of Azure Cove by Ian Welke (photo provided by Welke)

The Many Worlds Interpretation of Azure Cove can be found on Amazon.

Beyond Thirty: A World Reborn by Jeffrey J. Mariotte

Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. announced that pre-orders are now open for the brand new ERB Universe novella, Beyond Thirty: A World Reborn. This book is penned by the prolific Jeffrey J. Mariotte, the guest of honour at last year’s Edgar Rice Burroughs Circle of Friendship.

Cover shows a woman in Native American attire, holding a rifle, standing on a cliff made of debris, next to a lion.
Beyond Thirty: A World Reborn cover by Daren Bader.

The product page for all the different editions of this novella can be found here at the ERB website.

Categories
News

2022 Accomplishments

Happy 2023 everyone!

As with 2021, 2022 was a crazy year. Lots of life stuff: got a new job after 16 or 17 years at my previous job, and bought a house – first house ever! It’s been quite a process and these last few months busy with cleaning, packing, and moving. However, that is all done (well, except unpacking and furnishing) and Michele and I get to start 2023 off in a home with our cats.

I did a 2021 Accomplishments List and looking back on those, I actually got most of them done! Some projects have been delayed, and of course I have items and reviews on my to do list that have been pending for a while.

Now that I’m all settled in in the new house, with my own office, and library of research material close at hand, I look forward to taking a big bite out of 2023!

2022 Accomplishments

Podcast Accomplishments

Publication Accomplishments

  • 5 physical/print publications
  • 19 articles at my website
    • 10 comic book/book/movie reviews/write ups
    • 6 interviews
    • 3 cocktail articles
  • I also made short film called Dinosaur Joke

Conference Accomplishments

  • Co-chaired with Michele the 5th year of the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference
    • This is also the final year we chair this conference
  • 1 Conference Presentation
    • AnnRadCon
  • 1 Convention Appearance

I’d like to give a shout out to the following folks who have given me platforms to share what I’ve been working on or given me venues to contribute to:

  • Bernie Gonzalez and Pete Charbonneau (Fan2Fan Podcast)
  • Hercules Invictus (Voice of Olympus Network)
  • Ken Holewczynski (Exotica Moderne)
  • James Chambers, Carol Gyzander (Galactic Terrors)
  • Jonathan Maberry (Weird Tales)
  • Kevin Wetmore (Twilight Zone book)
  • Hal and Dee Astell (CoKoCon)
  • Michele Brittany (partner in crime)

You are all greatly appreciated!

2023 Projections

Three days into 2023 and projects are already lining up. Some are carryovers from 2022. Some have been legacy to dos. Some will be brand new. We’ve already been in touch with folks for future episodes of H. P. Lovecast, so expect lots of cool stuff there. I got some looming deadlines for essays for anthology editors, so time to get to work!

Things to look forward to in 2023

  • Publishing of the debut issue of the Footage Fiends zine which contains my essay on the Mario Bava cosmic horror/exotica film, Caltiki: The Immortal Monster.
  • A Hero Will Endure: Essays at the Twentieth Anniversary of Gladiator is slated to be published this February. This contains my essay on industrial bands that sample the film. This book has been a long time in coming, so I am extremely excited to see it published!
  • My CFP for the Emmanuelle / Black Emanuelle project will be open until the spring. Submit, submit, submit!
  • Essay to be published in Weird Tales. Proof was done and turned in.
  • New episodes of H. P. Lovecast Podcast
  • Appearances on the Fan2Fan Podcast
  • Appearance on the Scaredy Cats podcast discussing the film The Final Girls.
  • Being on panels for CoKoCon 2023.

Projects I’ll be starting in 2023

Projects I anticipate to be starting/working on in 2023:

  • Essay on peplum cats for a project for Simon Bacon about cats in cinema (due early spring!)
  • Essay on the Front Line Assembly album Implode and how it samples the films Mimic and Event Horizon (passion idea project)
  • Crossing fingers – get enough submissions for the Emmanuelle project to procure a publisher and get that book off the ground
  • Turning my Acylum/Vikings presentation in a journal article
  • And other legacy items on my to do list…

Thank you to everyone who has been with my on my academic journey, who has read and shared my material or given me platforms. You all rock socks!

Categories
News

News Roundup W/E 2022-08-07

Personal / Website News

Exotica Moderne 16 Is Out

Issue 16 of the tiki magazine Exotica Moderne has been published!

Cover art by James Owens.

This issue contains my review of the forthcoming coming bizarro novel Dead Monkey Rum by Robert Guffy. This issue can be ordered at its product page at the House of Tabu website.

Republishing Zeena Schreck Interview/Review

I am working on consolidating my writing I’ve done for other websites and my old neofolk blog into one location. This also gives me an opportunity to edit or remove content as well.

The first article I’ve brought over is from 2020 and it is my interview with Zeena Schreck about her debut EP, Bring Me the Head of F. W. Murnau, that also has a review as well.

The interview/review can be read at this page.

Current Projects

Back in June (on my birthday!) I did a recap of all the projects I’m juggling. Almost all those projects got completed/released, so it’s time to show what I am working on currently:

  • CoKoCon Prep – CoKoCon will be over Labour Day Weekend. Michele and I were asked to be on a panel about pre-code horror films. That means through August we are going to [re]watch some classic films to get some refreshers. We are also going to double stack and use one of the films we watch as a topic for this month’s Scholars From the Edge of Time episode.
  • H. P. Lovecast – New episode will drop this upcoming weekend and an interview episode at the end of the month. Our August focus is on Douglas Wynne’s new collection, Something in the Water and Other Stories.
  • Acylum/Vikings Sampling Essay – Still working on this presentation to turn it into journal format.
  • Exotica Moderne – My next submission for the tiki magazine will be a write up on the video game Call of the Sea. Michele and I will also use this as a subject for a future H. P. Lovecast episode.
  • Writing Consolidation – I’ll be moving my Awen interview/review over to this website this Wednesday.
  • Sylvia Kristel Book Review – This will be the next book review I’ll published here. I’m 2/3s done reading it, I’ve been reading a chapter a night.

General Neo-Peplum News

Those About to Die Series

Roland Emmerich is working on a series for the Peacock streaming service called Those About To Die, which is about gladiators. Deadline has a full article about it.

Recent Acquisitions

Went to Zia’s over the weekend which is always a fun get away that also turns up interesting treasures. My haul on music and movies was really light this time, despite being prepared with an actual list!

Aside from plucking up an MCD single (remember those?) of [:SITD;]’s Laughingstock (side note: check out my write up of the music projects that sample the original Candyman movie, which [:SITD;} is one of), I found a vinyl release of the original Hercules soundtrack and a budget DVD of Demetrius and the Gladiators (I believe Twilight Time put out a nice edition a while back, but it is way OOP).

Categories
News

News Roundup W/E 2022-07-03

Personal / Website News

New episode of H. P. Lovecast Podcast

Our monthly end of the month Transmissions episode is now online!

Thumbnail made by Michele Brittany

This is a middle grade/young adult focused episode. We interview Lora Senf about her debut, The Clackity, and Robert P. Ottone about The Triangle, the first book in his The Rise Trilogy.

HPLCP Transmissions – Ep 13 – Lora Senf and Robert P. Ottone – H. P. Lovecast Podcast

The episode can be streamed at our Buzzsprout page, the embedded player above, or via your podcast app of preference.

CoKoCon 2022 Appearance

CoKoCon is a Phoenix speculative fiction conference that is being held over Labour Day weekend.

Michele and I will be in attendance as panelists. Programming is still being solidified, but keep an eye out at the CoKoCon website or Twitter as news comes in.

The New Peplum Citation

The New Peplum appears in the bibliography of the edited collection La Strada: The Cinema and Cinematographers of Italy, edited by Alexander A. Sinitsyn.

I’m not sure which specific essay(s) in the collection cites The New Peplum, or what specifically from The New Peplum has been cited, but you can see the bibliographic entry in the uploaded paper “Antiquity in the Cinema of Italy in the 1910s – 1930s” by Alexandra Solovyeva, which happens to include the bib for the entire book.

Very cool. I’m always humbled and honored to see other academics referencing The New Peplum.

Exotica Moderne Book Review

Turned in a book review to be published in an upcoming issue of Exotica Moderne (hopefully the next one!). In the meantime, check out the publisher, House of Tabu, who has various mugs, pins, and the latest issue, #15 with the Shag cover, still for sale.

General Neo-Peplum News

Blog Entries at DMR Books

Here a listing of genre relevant blog articles at DMR Books this past week, both are author interviews:

Recent Acquisitions

My autographed copy of Matt Page‘s 100 Bible Films has arrived from across the sea!

Personal copy now in the peplum library.

Copies can be procured from Bloomsbury or via Amazon. Also, be sure to check out my interview with Page.

Categories
News

News Roundup W/E 2022-01-09

Personal / Website News

Cover Reveal: Exotica Moderne #14

Here it is, the cover of the next issue of Exotica Moderne:

This issue contains my interview with the wonderful stockings pinup, Miss Corsair Debonair, who was gracious to provide exclusive photos. If you’d like a sneak peek of one of them, here you go:

Photo by Miss Corsair Debonair

Keep an eye on The House of Tabu website when the magazine becomes available for ordering. I’ve had the honour to write for all 14 issues of Exotica Moderne so far, but alas, I will have to skip issue 15 since that will be focused on the huge Tiki Caliente event. But no worries, I got lots more articles in the pipeline for the magazine. I appreciate all the folks who’ve read my interviews, reviews, and essays that have appeared in the magazine so far.

“Magnificent Maleficarum”

I recently did a write up on unboxing The Witches’ Bundle version of Severin Films’ new folk horror boxset, All Haunts Be Ours.I also did a mini interview with Howard David Ingham who contributed to the set (tarot cards and documentary).

The article can be read here.

Things in the Well Closing Shop

Small press publisher Things in the Well looks to be closing shop in a few weeks. This means two of their anthologies that I have short stories published in will be going OOP:

Amazon links to buy both books are in the links above. Thank you all who have been curious about my fiction work and who have bought these books. I’ll find a home for these short stories in the future.

Highlander Call for Papers

Michele has an active CFP on the Highlander franchise. She is looking for essays on the Highlander movies, the television show, comics, everything.

If you’re interested, check out the CFP at her website and please share with others. With a possible reboot on the horizon, this is definitely a book you want to be a part of. 

Unofficial Emmanuelle / Black Emanuelle CFP

Sometime in the latter half of 2022 (after I am finished with AnnRadCon 2022) I plan on publishing an official CFP calling for essays on Emmanuelle and its sequels and spinoffs, Black Emanuelle and its sequels, and all other Emmanuelle knockoffs. I already have an interested publisher, but I want to present to them a fully laid out TOC for an ambitious collection as this.

Though my CFP will not go live until later 2022, if you have any interest in being a part of this collection, let me know! Send me an email or social media message (see my about me page for contact info) to let me know your interest. If you have an abstract already, even better.

General Neo-Peplum News

La Nativité Write Up

Matt Page has a new write up/review at his Bible Films Blog.

It’s on the Biblical silent proto-peplum film La Nativité from 1910. The review can be read here. Check it out!

Categories
News

2021 Accomplishments

2021 was definitely a crazy and hectic year. The global Covid-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world with multiple variants. Michele and I continue to play it safe: we mask up, limit us going out, and received our vaccines, though we need boosters soon. The move from Orange to Phoenix also required some normalization. There was also personal ailments, family issues, work woes, and lots of anxieties. 

Despite all this, 2021 was a successful year on many fronts. I didn’t have any books published and outside my regular contributions to Exotica Moderne, nothing else saw physical print. However, Michele and I really ramped up the focus on our H. P. Lovecast Podcast. We launched an additional show and tweaked the format a little bit and the results so far have been quite positive. In 2022 we are going to concentrate on growing our audience, which right now as a cult following. But with 30 episodes published this year plus other podcast appearances, we were both successful on this front, and we hope the books and authors we featured also received a spike in promotion.

Vanity shelf at the end of 2021

What follows is a break down of all major 2021 accomplishments. 

2021 Accomplishments

Podcast Accomplishments

  • 50 podcast appearances

Publication Accomplishments

  • 6 physical/print publications
    • 4 articles for Exotica Moderne
    • 2 book contributions
      • Mark My Words
      • StokerCon 2021 Souvenir Book (co-written with Michele)
  • 16 articles at my website
    • 7 interviews
    • 3 book reviews
    • 6 articles/essays
  • Essay published at Academia Letters

Conference Accomplishments

  • Co-chaired with Michele the 4th year of the Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference
  • 2 Conference Presentations
    • AnnRadCon
    • Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association

For some of the above accomplishments I’d like to give a shout out to: Brenda S. Tolian and Joy Yehle (Burial Plot Podcast), Sherri (Scaredy Cats Podcast), Hercules Invictus (Voice of Olympus Network), Ken Holewczynski (Exotica Moderne), Josh Viola (Hex Publishers), and Lee Murray (Mark My Words) who all gave me platforms and opportunities. I sincerely appreciate you all. Of course I have to think Michele for being my biggest supporter and partner in crime in these endeavors.

2022 Projections

Only a few days into the new year and 2022 is already filling up with new projects, opportunities, and publications!

Things to look forward to in 2022

  • Publication of Kevin Wetmore’s The Many Lives of the Twilight Zone: Essays on the Television and Film Franchise which contains my essay “Strange Realities: Twilight Zone-sploitation in Encounter with the Unknown”
  • Publication of Rachel Corazo’s untitled Gladiator book which contains my essay “Dance or Dēcēdere: Gladiator and Industrial Music Sampling”
  • Issue of Exotica Moderne that contains my interview with New Zealand Pinup model Miss Corsair Debonair
    • Other Exotica Moderne appearances will happen
  • Essays and interviews co-written with Michele for the 2022 StokerCon souvenir book
  • Co-chairing and presenting at the Fifth Annual Ann Radcliffe Academic Conference
  • Secret magazine article (due at the end of January)
  • More episodes of H. P. Lovecast
  • More articles and interviews at my website

Projects I’ll be starting in 2022

Projects I anticipate to be starting on or working on in the next year:

  • Composing a Highlander essay for Michele’s Highlander Book (see CFP here)
  • My first monograph (which will be on Lovecraft and Rene Girard)
  • Publishing a CFP for the Emmanuelle and Black Emanuelle films
  • Editing my Acylum presentation into a journal article proper
  • And others tbd! 

Thank you everyone who has been along with me on my academic journey. 

Categories
News

News Roundup W/E 2021-11-21

Personal / Website News

Eaters of the Dead

Kevin Wetmore’s newest book, Eaters of the Dead: Myths and Realities of Cannibal Monsters, has just been published by Reaktion Books.

We interviewed Dr. Wetmore about this book on episode 6 of our H. P. Lovecast: Transmissions podcast, which can be streamed at Buzzsprout. Michele and I are honored that we are both mentioned in the acknowledgments of the book – thank you so very much Dr. Wetmore!

Exotica Moderne #13

Issue #13 of Exotica Moderne is out now!

This contains my review of the book Cuban Cocktails. The magazine can be ordered at the House of Tabu website.

General Neo-Peplum News

Nidhoeggr Arise Review

Hal C. F. Astell has reviewed the new Nidhoegger album, Arise, at his Apocalypse Later website.

Nidhoegger sounds like a mixture of folk metal and Viking metal. Since I’ve just got done doing my Vikings presentation at MAPACA, I am kinda in a Viking metal mood, so I’ll definitely be checking this out.

Fascist Receptions of Antiquity in Metal Music

Dr. Swist gave a talk at Harvard back in October called “Fascist Receptions of Antiquity in Metal Music.”

That presentation has been uploaded to YouTube can be be watched here or in the embedded link above.

The Bible on Film 40th Anniversary Retrospective

Matt Page will be doing a retrospective on Richard H. Campbell and Michael R. Pitts book, The Bible on Film: A Checklist 1897-1980 at his Bible Films Blog. He’s planning a series of posts to celebrate the book, including an interview with one of the authors, so keep checking his website.

Recent Acquisitions

While at Barnes & Noble today I plucked up two items of interest.

The first is a National Geographic issue devoted to gladiators, which should be an interested research piece.

The next is a hardback edition of Lore Olympus. I became aware of the webcomic way back in 2019 when I was covering the Eisners for Fanbase Press (my overview of the webcomic Eisner nominees can be read here) and I fell in love with the neo-peplum aspects and the art style. However, I only read it back in 2019 but lost track. Now with this hardback I can submerge myself with the comic.

Categories
News

News Roundup W/E 2021-08-08

Personal / Website News

Podcast News

H. P. Lovecast Podcast kicks off its King in Yellow August with a brand new episode. Live now is our deep dive into two short stories from the brand new anthology from Hippocampus Press, Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign: “The Yellow Crown” by Carol Gyzander and “Found and Lost” by Meghan Arcuri. The episode can be streamed on our Buzzsprout website or via your podcast app of preference.

In other podcast news, Michele and I were interviewed by Brenda S. Tolian and Joy Yehle for their Burial Plot Horror Podcast. This episode will be published later on, but I strongly encourage a listen to their catalog of episodes which can be found at their Buzzspout website or via your podcast app of preference.

Exotica Moderne #12

The newest issue of Exotica Moderne is now out! This issue contains my write up of the video game The Touryst. So far, I have still be in all issues of Exotica Moderne, and I hope to keep it up.

The issue can be ordered from the House of Tabu website. The product page can be found here.

Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association Conference

I have been accepted to present a paper at the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Popular/American Culture Association conference in November. My paper is titled “Victory over Valhalla: Violence via Vikings Sampling in Acylum’s Kampf Dem Verderb” and continues my research of industrial bands that sample peplum/historic epic texts into their music. This will be the first time presenting at MAPACA, thought I have presented many years at the SWPACA. I’m excited for the opportunity. Time to get to work on that presentation!

Gladiator Book

On the subject of industrial bands that sample peplum films, the Gladiator book that contains my essay about industrial bands that sample Gladiator, is looking to be published in early 2022. Cross fingers!

General Neo-Peplum News

Drunk Mythology Gals Podcast

Discovered a podcast called Drunk Mythology Gals described as “Two gals spike and spill the divine tea from Olympus to Valhalla.” Their newest episode dropped August 3 and is a second part of a discussion on the Olympics of antiquity.

Categories
News

News Roundup W/E 2021-07-18

Personal / Website News

The Supernatural Media Virus

Friend, colleague, and AnnRadCon alumni Rahel Sixta Schmitz has their debut book, The Supernatural Media Virus: Virus Anxiety in Gothic Fiction Since 1990, being published by transcript Verlag.

Cover image from the publisher’s website

Schmitz’s book cites her essay, “Mapping Digital ­Dis-Ease: Representations of Movement and Technology in Jim Sonzero’s Pulse and Stephen King’s Cell” and Frazer Lee’s “Koji Suzuki’s Ring: A World Literary Perspective” both of which appeared in Horror Literature from Gothic to Post-Modern: Critical Essays. I am honored to be mentioned in the acknowledgments.

The book can be purchased at the publisher’s website or at any major online bookstore.

Exotica Moderne #12 Cover Reveal

Issue 12 of Exotica Moderne will be out soon! The cover of a Tiki Statue fighting a shark makes me recall Lucio Fulci’s Zombi 2:

Exotica Moderne #12 Cover

This issue contains my write up of the video game “The Touryst” published by Shin’en Multimedia. Here’s an interview preview that shows a bit of my article:

I’ll admit, I’m proud of the pictures in this one, they were convoluted to get! I played the game on the Xbox One, which allows screen captures. However, I don’t have a Microsoft cloud storage, so I wound up posting screenshots to Twitter from the Xbox and downloading them from there.

The magazine will be able to be ordered at the issue’s product page at House of Tabu.

General Neo-Peplum News

Dr. Kara Cooney Podcast Appearance

Dr. Kara Cooney will be appearing on The Ozymandias Project: Ancient Office Hours podcast on July 21. Episode listing at their website.

Neo-peplum Short Story Submissions

Black Ink Fiction has an open call for 2-5K neo-peplum short stories for an anthology called Shadows Over Olympus. Details can be found at the publisher’s website.