Stephen Jones (ed.) – Psycho-Mania!

Stephen Jones (ed.) – Psycho-Mania! (Robinson, Oct. 2013)

Les Edwards

Robert Bloch – Introduction

John Llewellyn Probert – Prologue: Screams In The Dark
Joe R. Lansdale – I Tell You It’s Love
Reggie Oliver – The Green Hour
Steve Rasnic Tem – The Secret Laws Of The Universe
Basil Copper – The Recompensing Of Albano Pizar
David A. Sutton – Night Soil Man
Brian Hodge – Let My Smile Be Your Umbrella
Scott Edelman – The Trembling Living Wire
John Llewellyn Probert – Case Conference #1
Robert Silverberg – The Undertaker’s Sideline
Joel Lane – The Long Shift
Brian Lumley – The Man Who Photographed Beardsley
Lisa Morton – Hollywood Hannah
Paul McAuley – I Spy
Mike Carey – Reflections On The Critical Process
David J. Schow    – The Finger
Lawrence Block – Hot Eyes, Cold Eyes
Jay Russell – Hush … Hush, Sweet Shushie
John Llewellyn Probert – Case Conference #2
R. Chetwynd-Hayes – The Gatecrasher
Robert Shearman – That Tiny Flutter of The Heart I Used To Call Love
Edgar Allan Poe – The Tell-Tale Heart
Dennis Etchison – Got To Kill Them All
Mark Morris – Essence
Michael Kelly – The Beach
Robert Bloch – Yours Truly, Jack The Ripper
John Llewellyn Probert – Case Conference #3
Ramsey Campbell – See How They Run
Conrad Williams – Manners
Christopher Fowler – Bryant & May And The Seven Points
Harlan Ellison® – All The Birds Come Home To Roost
Rio Youers – Wide Shining Light
Neil Gaiman – Feminine Endings
Peter Crowther – Eater
John Llewellyn Probert – Case Conference #4
Peter Crowther – Mr Mellor Comes To Wayside
Michael Marshall – Failure
Kim Newman – The Only Ending We Have
Richard Christian Matheson – Kriss Kross Applesauce
John Llewellyn Probert – Epilogue: A Little Piece Of Sanity

Case Notes

Blurb

WE ALL GO A LITTLE MAD SOMETIMES . . . When journalist Robert Stanhope arrives at the Crowsmoor asylum for the criminally insane to interview the institute’s enigmatic director, Dr Lionel Parrish, little does he realise that an apparently simple series of tests will lead him into a terrifying world of murder and insanity . . . In this chilling new anthology, compiled by multiple award-winning editor Stephen Jones, some of the biggest and brightest name in horror and crime fiction come together to bring you twisted tales of psychos, schizoids and serial-killers, many with a supernatural twist. Reggie Oliver revives Edgar Allan Poe’s wily French detective C. Auguste Dupin, there is a new “Bryant & May” London mystery from Christopher Fowler, child actor turned private eye Marty Burns investigates a quirky Hollywood case by Jay Russell, and international best-selling author Michael Marshall returns to The Straw Men conspiracy. With a never-before-published Introduction by Robert Bloch (author of Psycho), along with one of his most famous and iconic stories, this volume also features an original wraparound sequence in the style of the author by John Llewellyn Probert. Add classic reprints by R. Chetwynd-Hayes, Basil Copper and Dennis Etchison, along with original fiction by Peter Crowther, Brian Hodge, Richard Christian Matheson, Paul McAuley, Lisa Morton, Robert Shearman, Steve Rasnic Tem and many others, and you would have to be out of your mind not to take a stab at these stories!

Stephen Jones – The Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror 24

Coming in  October 2013

Stephen Jones (ed.) – The Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror 24   (Robinson, October 2013)

Cover: Vincent Chong

Stephen Jones – Introduction: horror In 2012

Neil Gaiman – Witch Work
Alison Littlewood – The Discord Of Being
Dale Bailey – Necrosis
Joe R. Lansdale – The Hunt: Before, And The Aftermath
Simon Kurt Unsworth – The Cotswold Olympicks
Lynda E. Rucker – Where The Summer Dwells
Ramsey Campbell – The Callers
Thana Niveau – The Curtain
Mark Valentine – The Fall Of The King Of Babylon
Terry Dowling – Nightside Eye
Helen Marshall – the Old and The New
Steve Rasnic Tem – Waiting At The Crossroads Motel
Glenn Hirschberg – His Only Audience
Claire Massey – Marionettes
Reggie Oliver – Between Four Yews
Gemma Files – Slick Black Bones And soft Black Stars
Evangeline Walton – The Other One
Joel Lane – Slow Burn
Stephen Volk – Celebrity Frankenstein
Robert Shearman – Blue Crayon, Yellow Crayon
Michael Kelly – October Dreams
Alison Littlewood – The Eyes Of Water

Stephen Jones & Kim Newman – Necrology: 2012
Useful addresses

Blurb
The World’s Longest-Running Annual Showcase Of Horror & Dark Fantasy

Here is the annual selection of some of the very finest, and most disturbing, short stories of horror and the supernatural published in the past year by both contemporary masters of horror and exciting newcomers, including Terry Dowling, Gemma Files, Joel Lane, Claire Masset, Thana Niveau, Lynda E. Rucker, Simon Kurt Unsworth, Mark Valentine, and a bewitching poem by Niel Gaiman.

The latest volume of the record-breaking and multiple award-winning anthology series also offers an in-depth introduction covering the year in horror, an informative Necrology of notable names who are no longer with us, and a useful contact directory that is an indispensable resource for every dedicated horror fan and writer.

The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror is the world’s leading annual anthology dedicated solely to showcasing the very best in contemporary horror fiction in all its many frightening forms.
`Yet another celebration of the diversity of the horror genre.’ – Locus
`A top-quality body of short stories.’ – Writing Magazine

See also the Best New Horror 24 thread on the Vault Forum

Thank you Sam! XXX

Stephen Jones – Best New Horror 23

Coming soon ….

Stephen Jones (ed.) – Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror 23   (Robinson, Oct. 2012)

Cover Illustration: Vincent Chong

Stephen Jones – Introduction: Horror In 2011

Ramsey Campbell – Holding The Light
Christopher Fowler – Lantern Jack
Paul Kane – Rag And Bone
Gemma Files – Some Kind Of Light Shines From Your Face
Joel Lane – Midnight Flight
Tim Lebbon – Trick Of The Light
Gregory Nicoll – But None Shall Sing For Me
Alison Littlewood – About The Dark
Daniel Mills – The Photographer’s Tale
Mark Samuels – The Tower
Peter Atkins – Dancing Like We’re Dumb
Simon Strantzas – An Indelible Stain Upon The Sky
Joan Aiken – Hair
Steve Rasnic Tem – Miri
Geeta Roopnarine – Corbeaux Bay
Michael Marshall Smith – Sad, Dark Thing
Robert Silverberg – Smithers And The Ghost Of The Thar
Reggie Oliver – Quieta Non Movere
Joe R. Lansdale – The Crawling Sky
Conrad Williams – Wait
Simon Kurt Unsworth – The Ocean Grand, North West Coast
Evangeline Walton – They That Have Wings
Thana Niveau – White Roses, Bloody Silk
John Ajivide Lindqvist – The Music Of Bengt Karlsson, Murderer
Ramsey Campbell – Passing Through Peacehaven
David Buchan – Holiday Home

Stephen Jones & Kim Newman – Necrology: 2011

Blurb
The latest volume of the world’s longest-running annual showcase of Horror and Dark Fantasy fiction.

Presenting a selection of the very best, and most chilling, short stories and novellas of horror and the supernatural by both established masters of horror and exciting newcomers.

See also the Best New Horror 23 thread on the Vault forum

Stephen Jones – Zombie Apocalypse! Fightback (October, 2012)

Coming in October

Stephen Jones  (Creator) – Zombie Apocalypse! Fightback  (October, 2012)

JoeRoberts.co.uk

Jo Fletcher – Tabloid Tales
Christopher Fowler – From Prof. Margaret Winn
Christopher Fowler – From Simon Wesley #1
Reggie Oliver – Lord Of The Fleas
Jo Fletcher – The Hobbs End Horror
Christopher Fowler – From Simon Wesley #2
Brian Hodge – Morphogenesis
Jo Fletcher – Hard News
Paul Finch – Dead Air
Amanda Foubister – Consent Form
Christopher Fowler – From Simon Wesley #3
Christopher Fowler – The Well Of Seven
Christopher Fowler – From Simon Wesley #4
Anne Billson – Paris When It Sizzles
Guy Adams – Pages From A British Army Field Manual
Sarah Pinborough – Peace Land Blood
John Llewellyn Probert – ZZ Experiment Camp
Neil Gaimon – Down Among The Dead men
Simon  Strantzas – #zOmBEY
Paul McAuley – Rendition
Brian Hodge – Fright Club
Peter Crowther – The World According To Bernie Maughmstein #1
Pat Cadigan – In The Cloud
Peter Crowther – The World According To Bernie Maughmstein #2
Peter Crowther – Corpse Gas
Peter Crowther – The World According To Bernie Maughmstein #3
Michael Marshall Smith – Getting It Right
Peter Crowther – The World According To Bernie Maughmstein #4
Roz Kaveny – A Shamble Of Zombies
Lisa Morton – Day Of The Dead
Amanda Foubister – To Serve Man
Peter Atkins – You Are What You Eat
Peter Crowther – The World According To Bernie Maughmstein #5
Robert Shearman – The Play’s The Thing
Peter Crowther – The World According To Bernie Maughmstein #6
Lisa Tuttle – Island Life
Peter Crowther – The World According To Bernie Maughmstein #7
Nancy Holder – My Fellow Americans

Picture credits: Reggie Oliver, Les Edwards, (MM) Smith & (S) Jones, Leonardo da Vinci & ‘Thomas Moreby’, Simon Strantzas, Shuttercock com.

Blurb:
Science Fiction
THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FEAR ITSELF …. AND ZOMBIES!
Following the outbreak of Human Reanimation Virus — more commonly known as “The Death”— from a hidden crypt beneath a south London church, the centuries-old plague quickly spreads throughout the world, turning its victims into flesh-eating zombies.

As we learn more about the mysterious Thomas Moreby — “Patient Zero”— the surviving members of the human race begin their fightback against the legions of the walking dead, and the Infected themselves begin mutating into something … different.

Told through interconnected eyewitness accounts — emails, text messages, reports, diaries, found video footage, and graphic adaptations — the remnants of humanity battle to survive in a world gone mad.

Forthcoming Mammoth publications from Constable-Robinsons. October & November 2012.

Forthcoming Mammoth publications from Constable-Robinsons. October & November 2012.
Stephen Jones (ed.) – Zombie Apocalypse: Fightback (Robinson, October 2012)

Sequel to the bestselling Zombie Apocalypse! – 18,000 copies sold in the UK

This long-awaited follow-up to Zombie Apocalypse! is once again a ‘mosaic novel’ that weaves together contributions from big-name horror writers in the form of essays, reports, letters, official documents and transcripts to create a coherent and compelling narrative. In volume one, old-school, flesh-eating zombies spread ‘The Death’ around the world. Now, the fightback begins, spearheaded by an equally stellar line-up of contributors, from Neil Gaiman, Sarah Pinborough and Michael Marshall Smith to Lisa Tuttle, Roz Kaveney and Christopher Fowler, and master-minded by multi award-winning horror anthologist Stephen Jones.

This will be a must-have for the many fans of the first book as well as the ever-expanding legions of zombie and horror fans..

Stephen Jones (ed.) – Best New Horror 23 (Robinson, October 2012)

New volume in a series now into its 23rd year and winner of the World Fantasy Award, British Fantasy Award and International Horror Guild Award

Every single horror writer of note has contributed at some point to the Best New Horror series, compiled by internationally acclaimed horror anthologist Stephen Jones and dedicated to presenting the best in contemporary horror and dark fantasy fiction.

This year’s darkest, most exceptional tales of terror showcase new short stories from both contemporary masters of the macabre as well as exceptional newcomers. With top-name contributors – such as Joan Aitken, Ramsey Campbell, Christopher Fowler, Joe R. Lansdale, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Robert Silverberg, Michael Marshall Smith and Evangeline Walton – a comprehensive overview of the horror year, a necrology of recently departed luminaries and an exhaustive list of indispensable addresses, this series remains the world’s leading annual horror anthology and the key event in the horror calendar for all horror fans, young and old.

Peter Normanton – The Mammoth Book of Slasher Movies (Robinson, October 2012)

A classic gorefest for all horror lovers – the most gloriously gory slasher and splatter horror movies of the past sixty years.

You can scream all you want, but it won’t make them stop in this compendium of more than 60 grisly, gruesome years of slasher and splatter movies – from genre-hopping Danny Boyle’s first horror film, 28 Days Later, to gore-meister Lucio Fulci’s Zombie Flesh Eaters. Here you will find the low-down on some 250 movies, with entries from 23 different countries – assembled by born-again slasher fan Peter Normanton.

This wonderfully macabre compilation is a definite must-have for all aficionados of the slasher and splatter movie sub-genres and general horror fans alike. The index, which includes every movie mentioned in the A–Z and accompanying notes, runs to 540 movies. The book includes the full list of video nasties that the UK government has attempted to ban.

Marie O’Regan – Mammoth Book Of Ghost Stories By Women (Robinson, November 2012)

A mesmerizing spin on the modern dark tale – 25 haunting stories showcasing writing by women on the supernatural and the macabre

Ghost stories are a perennial favourite, and British Fantasy Award-nominated horror and dark fantasy writer Marie O’Regan has put together this unforgettable selection of dark, sensational, horrifying stories by acclaimed female writers.

Alongside a handful of reprints, both classic and contemporary, are spectral tales by outstanding talents, such as Kelley Armstrong, Muriel Gray, Nancy Holder, Nancy Kilpatrick, Sarah Langan, Gail Z. Martin, Elizabeth Massie, Yvonne Navarro, Sarah Pinborough, Lilith Saintcrow, Lisa Tuttle among others.

This haunting anthology is subtly beguiling, yet brings a new sense of daring to the modern dark tale and a hard-edged twist to traditional horror.

Details and, most likely, individual threads on each to follow over coming days/ weeks/ months. Five very exciting prospects, i’m sure you’ll agree.

Stephen Jones – Mammoth Best New Horror #21

Stephen Jones (ed.) – Mammoth Book Of Best New Horror #21 (Robinson, 28 October 2010)

Vincent Chong

Stephen Jones – Introduction: Horror in 2009

Michael Kelly – The Woods
Joe Hill & Stephen King – Throttle
Barbara Roden – Out And Back
Ramsey Campbell – Respects
Simon Stranzas – Cold To The Touch
M. R. James & Reggie Oliver – The Game Of Bear
Chris Bell –  Shem-El-Nesime: An Inspiration In Perfume
Michael Marshall Smith – What Happens When You Wake Up In The Night
Nicholas Royle – The Reunion
Simon Kurt Unsworth – Mami Wata
Richard Christian Matheson – Venturi
John Gaskin – Party Talk
Terry Dowling – Two Steps Along The Road
Mark Valentine – The Axholme Toll
Robert Shearman – Granny’s Grinning
Rosalie Parker – In The Garden
Stephen Volk – After The Ape
Brian Lumley – The Nonesuch
Michael Kelly – Princess Of The Night

Stephen Jones & Kim Newman – Necrology: 2009

Useful Addresses

As far as i’m aware you’ll have to wait a few weeks for this to hit the shops although i gather it was pre-launched at FantasyCon over weekend. To the best of my knowledge this is the first time the contents have appeared online, so don’t forget not to give Vault a credit when you rip it off for your site/ blog/ messagebore, etc.

Trisha Telep – Love Bites: Vampire Romance 2

Trisha Telep (ed.) – Love Bites: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Robinson, 2009)

Cover design: JoeRoberts.co.uk

Jordan Summers – Paris After Dark
Deborah Cooke – Coven Of Mercy
Karen MacInerney – Cirque De La Nuit
Caitlin Kittredge – Perdition
Dina James – Deliver Us From Evil
Camille Bacon-Smith – Blood And Thyme
Rosemary Laurey – Into The Mists Forever
Patti O’Shea – Blood Feud
Angie Fox – Love Bites
Caitlin Kiernan – Flotsam
Jamie Leigh Hansen – The Murder King’s Woman
Carole Nelson Douglas Butterfly Kisses
Diane Whiteside – Crimson Kisses
Jaye Wells – Vampsploitation
Stacia Kane – Trust Me
Jennifer Ashley – The Scotsman And The Vamp
Justine Musk – I Need More You
Jennifer St. Giles – Point Of No Return
Dawn Cook [Kim Harrison] – With Friends Like These
Nancy Holder – Blood Gothic
Larissa Ione – Eternity Embraced
Jeanne Stein – The Ghost Of Leadville
Tiffany Trent – The Vampire, The Witch, And The Yenko
Ann Aguirre – Circle Unbroken
Devon Monk – Skein Of Sunlight

Blurb:
A wonderful variety of compellingly original vampire stories, many of them wholly unexpected, from award-winning, New York Times bestselling authors. There are typical vampires who would be right at home in a horror story or a gothic romance; historical vampires; contemporary, gritty, urban vampires; fang-in-cheek comedy; boy-meets-girl sweetheart stories (if a little bloodier!); and erotic tales of inhuman passions and midnight pleasures. Look out, too, for stand-alone stories relating to existing series and characters of contributing authors, or stories which develop more fully characters who have only walk-on parts in those authors’ longer fiction. Includes writing by big-name authors such as Jennifer Ashley, Kim Harrison writing as Dawn Cook, Caitlin Kittredge, Diane Whiteside and Eileen Wilks.

Much better cover! i’m almost certain it’s a Joe Roberts job – Mammoth Book Of Vampire Romance certainly was and he’s been responsible for many of the best Robinsons in recent years. Nancy Holder’s Blood Gothic first appeared in Stephen Jones’ Mammoth Book Of Vampires (Robinson, 1992) via Charles L. Grant’s Shadows 8.

Stephen Jones – Mammoth Best New Horror 20

Coming in October 2009!

Stephen Jones (ed.) – Mammoth Book Of Best New Horrror #20 (Robinson, October, 2009)

 

Cover design: JoeRoberts.co.uk Cover artwork: Vincent Chong

Stephen Jones – Introduction:  Horror in 2008

Peter Crowther – Front Page McGuffin And The Greater Story Never Told
Simon Strantzas – It Runs Beneath The Surface
Lynda E. Rucker – These Things We Have Always Known
Neil Gaiman – Feminine Endings
Gary McMahon – Through The Cracks
Tim Lebbon – Falling Off The World
Paul Finch – The Old Traditions Are Best
Ramsey Campbell – The Long Way
Michael Bishop – The Pile
Tanith Lee – Under Fog
Christopher Fowler – Arkangel
Ian R. MacLeod – The Camping Wainwrights
Reggie Oliver – A Donkey At The Mysteries
Steve Duffy – The Oram County Whoosit
Stephen King – The New York Times At Special Bargain Rates
Sarah Pinborough – Our Man In The Sudan
Mark Samuels – Destination Nihil by Edmund Bertrand
Albert E. Cowdrey – The Overseer
Pinckney Benedict – The Beginnings Of Sorrow
Brian Lumley – The Place Of Waiting
Steve Rasnic Tem – 2:PM The Real Estate Agent Arrives

Stephen Jones & Kim Newman – Necrology: 2008
Useful Addresses
Blurb:

The Twentieth Anniversary Edition of the World’s Premier Annual Showcase of Horror and Dark Fantasy fiction.

The year’s best – and darkest – tales of terror, showcasing the most outstanding new short stories and novellas by both contemporary masters of the macabre and exciting newcomers, including lain R. MacLeod, Sarah Pinborough, Mark Samuels, Albert E. Cowdrey, Peter Crowther, Paul Finch, Gary McMahon, Reggie Oliver, Simon Strantzas, Tim Lebbon and Steve Rasnic Tem.

As ever, this acclaimed anthology also offers the most comprehensive annual overview of horror around the world in all -its incarnations, a comprehensive necrology of famous names, and a list of indispensable contact addresses for the dedicated horror fan and writer alike.
The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror remains the world’s leading annual anthology dedicated solely to presenting the best in contemporary horror fiction.

`The Best New Horror series continues to break from the herd, consistently raising the bar of quality and ingenuity.’ Rue Morgue Magazine
`If you want to see who’s up and coming in the genre, then this is your book.’ Publishing News

www.constablerobinson.com

Thanks to Sam and Georgie for their continued kindness and support!

Robinson Mammoths: Coming soon

These most caught my eye amongst the forthcoming batch. Judging from the amount of hits it receives on WordPress, several people found The Mammoth Book of Werewolves difficult to get hold of so full marks to the team for commissioning what looks like a revamped version. Wolf Men is due for publication in November.

Memo to Robinsons: The Mammoth Book Of  Best New Horror has won the BFS award more recently than 2002. How about last year, when it narrowly triumphed over the mighty Black Book Of Horror?!!!

Stephen Jones (ed.) – The Mammoth Book of Wolf Men (Robinsons, November 2009)

Find the beast that lurks within, in these 23 tales of terror and transformation

• Publication to coincide with release of the big-budget film of The Wolf Man (Universal’s classic monster revamped), starring Benito Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins.
• From an award-winning anthologist – Stephen Jones’ The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror won the 2002 British Fantasy Award for Best Anthology He is also a winner of the World Fantasy Award and the International Horror Guild Award.

This is the ultimate werewolf anthology, with terrifying tales from classic pulp novellas like Manly Wade Wellman’s The Hairy Ones Shall Dance and The Whisperers by Hugh B. Cave, to modern masterpieces such as David Case’s The Cell, Clive Barker’s Twilight At The Towers and the award-winning Boobs by Suzy McKee Charnas. Also collected are memorable stories by contemporary masters Ramsey Campbell, Les Daniels, Stephen Laws, Scott Bradfield, Dennis Echison, Karl E. Wagner and many, many more.

Praise for The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror, also edited by Stephen Jones
‘The one essential collection people should be forced to read at gun point.’ – Time Out
‘Horror’s last maverick.’ – Christopher Fowler.

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The annual fright-fest. You already guessed the name contributors, but you may not have seen the cover..

Stephen Jones (ed.) – The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror 20 (Robinsons, October 2009)

Special 20th-anniversary edition of the world’s premier annual showcase of horror and dark fantasy fiction

• The series has won the World Fantasy Award, British Fantasy Award and International Horror Guild Award
• From the world’s most acclaimed horror anthologist
• Anticipated annual event for horror fans, young and old – perfect for Halloween.

Here are the year’s darkest tales of terror, showcasing the most outstanding new short stories and novellas by contemporary masters of the macabre including Ramsey Campbell, Michael Bishop, Christopher Fowler, Tim Lebbon, Brian Lumlley, Ian R. MacLeod, Gary McMahon and Sarah Pinborough. Featuring the most comprehensive yearly overview of horror around the world, an impressively researched necrology and a lot of indispensible contact addresses for the dedicated horror fan and aspiring writer alike, this is required reading for every fan of macabre fiction.

Praise for The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror series:

‘The must-have annual anthology for horror fans.’ – Time Out
‘One of horror’s best.’ – Publisher’s Weekly
‘If you only buy one horror collection, make sure It’s this one” – Morpheus Tales.

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One for all you Paranormal Romance fans .

Trisha Telep (ed.) – Love Bites (Robinsons, August 2009)

From the biggest names in vampire romance, 24 tales of titillating bloodlust

• One of the fastest-growing genres in fiction
• Top names include Jennifer Ashley, Dawn Cook, Caitlin Kittredge, Diane Whiteside and Eileen Wilks.
• Compiled by an expert in the genre, a follow-up to The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance and The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance.

This bloodthirsty new selection of vampire short stories — compellingly original, wholly unexpected, from award-winning New York Times bestselling authors — features the specialist skills of Jennifer Ashley, Dawn Cook, Caitlin Kittredge, Diane Whiteside, Eileen Wilks and many others. Within these pages you’ll encounter vampires who’d feel right at home in a horror story or gothic romance; historical vampires and contemporary, gritty, urban vampires; fang-in-cheek comedy, boy-meets-girl sweetheart stories (if a little bloodier!) and erotic tales of inhuman passions and midnight pleasures. Look out too for short stories based on existing, familiar series; fantasy that develops more fully those characters whom you’ve only met before in walk-on parts.

David Kendall – Mammoth Book of Zombie Comics

David Kendall (ed.) – The Mammoth Book of Zombie Comics (Robinson, 2008)

Cover image: Carlos Kastro
Cover design: Pete Rozycki

Blurb:

The Undead are heading your way – 18 of the greatest zombie comics ever.

You can’t keep a good (or bad) corpse down, and they rise up in spectacular form in this new collection. These days zombies are the rock and roll of horror monsters.

Presenting a mix of voodoo victims, creepy somnambulists, and flesh eating deadheads, This collection brings you the best the graveyard can yield up, including:

Vince Locke’s first ever Deadworld comic, Black Sabbath, in which a little window-shopping turns out to be a big mistake.

Scott Hampton’s awesome adaptation of R. E. Howard’s slice of Southern Gothic, Pigeons From Hell.

Darko Macan’s short E.C.-style shocker The Immortals.

Askold Akishin’s The Haunted Ship, in which shipwreck survivors discover an apparently abandoned vessel.

Steve Niles’ modern twist on the traditional back-for-revenge story, Making Amends.

If it’s dead, moving and hungry, you’ll find it here!

“The mindless, shambling zombies of yesteryear are rapidly being replaced by sprinters and runners with an insatiable appetite for human flesh …. “

Unlike the other Mammoths mentioned in this section, … Zombies doesn’t delve back into pre-code days – presumably any pre-nineteen eighties zombies are now far too mouldy to resurrect! I’ve not had time to study everything at length, but as there’s been much response to the recent Robert E. Howard threads, Pigeons From Hell seemed as good a place as any to dip in, a very dark, claustrophobic strip with no dialogue whatsoever. Artist Scott Hampton remains faithful to REH’s original throughout, but perhaps it helps if you know the story or you might struggle to make sense of what’s going on. It’s early days yet, but so far I’ve been most taken with Buddy Scalara’s epic, Necrotic: Dead Flesh On A Living Body from 2001 which answers that big question i’m sure we’ve all put to ourselves at one time or another: can the walking dead still enjoy a love life and if so, what happens when they get …. carried away?