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Weird Tales ~ 1 ® The weird art of Richard Kirk { page 16 } Sample file Winter 2012 ~ WEIRD TALES ~ 1 ® SUBSCRIBE AT WWW.WEIRDWTALIEnSMTAGEARZI N2E0.C1O2M weIrd tales was the first storytelling Weird Tales magazine devoted explicitly to the realm of the dark and fantastic. fIcTIon & poETRy Founded in 1923, weIrd tales THE TASTIEST PART OF THE BRAIN | Emily Jiang provided a literary In which fine distinctions are pondered. 9 home for such diverse wielders of NOTES FROM THE APOCALYPSE the imagination as Stephen Graham Jones | In which we find the scientific 26 H.P. Lovecraft method is useful for survival. (creator of Cthulhu), Robert E. Howard THE MAGICIAN’S APPRENTICE | Tamsyn Muir (creator of Conan In which a hard day’s work builds up a good appetite. 36 the Barbarian), Margaret Brundage SampleFIVE fileFILMS REVIEWED BY FRANKENSTEIN’S (artistic godmother CREATURE | Evan J. Peterson 46 of goth fetishism), In which cinematography is in the eye of the beholder. and Ray Bradbury (author of The THE ONE THAT’S WORSE THAN MINE Illustrated Man and Tom Underberg | In which we sometimes get what we want. 48 Something Wicked This Way Comes ). WATCHER | Leena Likitalo In which the grass is always greener . on the other side. today, O wondrous 58 reader of the 21st WAITING FOR THE THAW | Joel Lane century, we continue In which some things are better left out in the cold. to seek out that 62 which is most weird BAND, RESURRECTED | Keith Schaffner and unsettling, for In which rock & roll will never die. your own edification 67 and alarm. f/8 | Conrad Williams In which we learn that the camera never lies. 68 ann VanderMeer Paula Guran EDIToR-In-chIEf stepnheonn Hf.I csTeIgoanl, MEDaIrTyo rRo b inette Kowal All writers ART KDIeRnEnceTtho RHSit e tessa Kum, condToRmIBinuiTk IPnaGr iEsiDeInT, oaRla n swirsky EDIToRIAL ASSISTAnTsS teven archer, conTRIBuTInG ArRiTchISaTrdS K irk, Matt Mills of suc h stories Nth dimension Media puBLIShER are prop hets nonfIcTIon Interview: Laird Barron 10 In which the writer shines a light on some of his darkest fears. Interview: Richard Kirk 16 In which the artist finds the beauty in the grotesque. K R I K D Weird Music Sample file R A H In which we are offered music as C 22 I R an appetizer to the weird. Y B K R O W T R A | Issue 359 DEpARTMEnTS voL. 66, no. 3 WEIRD TALE S ® is published by Nth Dimension Media, Inc. Postmaster and 5 | THE EYRIE | a salute to our weirdos and a changing of the guard others: send all changes of address and 6 | THE LIBRARY | strange fiction new, old, and interactive other subscription matters to 525 West End Avenue 12E, New York, NY 10024. 72 | LOST IN LOVECRAFT | exploring HPl’s science fictional realm Single copies, $7.95 in U.S.A. & posses - sions; $10 by first class mail elsewhere. Subscriptions: 4 issues $20 in U.S.A. & possessions; $40 elsewhere, in U.S. funds. Single-copy orders should be addressed | “Phist” by Matt Mills to WEIRD TALES at the address above. Copyright © 2012 by Nth Dimension covEWRW WI.LSULSuPISCITOURSLAYCTOLIoORn FULGORILLA.COM Media , Inc. All rights reserved; repro- duction prohibited without prior permis - sion. Typeset & printed in the United States of America. WEIRD TALES ® is a registered trademark owned by Viacom International Inc. Sample file the eyrie MATTERS EDIToRPIAL ette, along with work in this issue by Conrad williams, Joel lane, and stephen Graham Jones. with the aid of Weird Tales creative director oddspeed, Weird Tales stephen segal during my first couple of years, we ran many memorable theme issues, including the “85 By Ann vAnDERMEER weirdest storytellers” issue to celebrate 85 years of publication (which included a very extensive online discussion), an “Uncanny Beauty” issue, a steampunk HIs edItOrIal Is BIttersweet as it will issue and an international fiction issue. In fact I pub - be myR last in these pages, although I will still lished work by contributors from over 20 countries t be involved in Weird Tales. during my five years with the magazine, more than when I was approached to take over as fiction ed - any prior editor—including from New Zealand, itor back in 2006, I was thrilled and honored at the Canada, spain, Bulgaria, Philippines, Israel, serbia, opportunity to be a part of this venerable magazine’s Italy, slovakia, Czech republic, France, the Nether - history. My goal when I took over was to bring Weird lands, Brazil, Finland, singapore, and sweden. Tales into the twenty-first century while still keeping I also published many, many new or up-and-com - the same spirit of the original magazine, publishing ing writers, including: ramsey shehadeh, Jeff John - work that is unique and pushed the boundaries of son, Matthew Pridham, Karin tidbeck, leena weird fiction. I’d like to take this time to look back likitalo, tamsyn Muir, tom Underberg, Peter at - but also look to the future with anticipation aSamplend ex - wood ,file l.l. Hannett, alistair rennie, Kelly Barnhill, citement. Micaela Morrissette, Jonathan wood, Gio Clairval, First, I would like to thank all the readers for rochita loenen-ruiz, amanda downum, Catherine coming along on this adventure at Weird Tales with Cheek, and N.K. Jemisin. me, and trusting me to find the kind of stories that during my tenure, this iconic magazine was not you love. thanks also to the writers and artists for only nominated for but won the Hugo award for the trusting me to take good care of your work and to first time in its 80-plus-year history. and Weird Tales present that work to the world. I had the opportunity also truly entered the twenty-first century, by regu - to bring to your attention some great short fiction larly producing the One-Minute weird tales videos, while also helping further the careers of a lot of up- mixing in more art, comics and profiles on provoca - and-coming writers. tive artists of all kinds and reaching out to a wider I am proud of what I have accomplished these audience to embrace the many ways there are to tell past five years. I worked hard to publish a wide vari - a story. It was a great ride, but now it’s over. I am ety of weird fiction. In addition to work from Weird still dedicated to seeking out the best of weird fiction Tales ’s stalwarts like tanith lee and darrell wherever it is and bringing it to you (I will still have schweitzer, I published a new elric novella by a hand in here at Weird Tales selecting an original Michael Moorcock, and new fiction from brilliant story each issue in a section titled Odd). and now I writers like Kathe Koja, Jeffrey Ford, Michael turn the reins over to the new editor—Marvin Kaye— Bishop, Norman spinrad, J. robert lennon, Ian who I am sure will continue to make this your first Macleod, Karen Hueler, Felix Gilman, sarah Mon - go-to magazine for the best in weird fiction. y Winter 2012 ~ WEIRD TALES ~ 5 tBy hpAuLeA G uRlAn ib rary BookS, ToMES & GRIMoIRES The Mystical, the Mysterious, and the Multitudinous This issue The Library simply takes a looSamplek at a few file books the HRead Librarian, nonfiction editor Paula Guran, wishes to offer for your consideration. THE SILENT LAND Graham Joyce Doubleday | $23.95 and the suspense builds. the couple is not, at first, all that endearing. their relationship seems both wrItteN wItH PreCIse clarity and vivid descrip - self-centered and rather too good to be true, but tion, this short novel begins with Zoe and Jake, a gradual revelation, clever but believable repartee, happily married couple, on a skiing holiday that is Zoe’s intrepid curiosity and Jake’s philosophical ac - quickly altered by an avalanche. after digging out, ceptance soon make them people the reader cares they return to their luxurious hotel and find both it for. the reader will likely come up with theories as and the surrounding resort village deserted. Phones to what is going on before the characters do, but that don’t work. at first they think the area has been merely adds to the tension—and whatever postula - evacuated, but then notice meat left out in the tions are made, even if close to correct, will not pro - kitchen is not spoiling and candles don’t burn down. vide all the answers. the mystical and mysterious leaving the village by car or on skis simply returns becomes a reasonable milieu while losing neither the them to where they began and a compass does not enigma of the former nor the intrigue of the latter. work. whatever is going on—or not—feels ominous Joyce has a gift for writing moving stories that re - 6 ~ WEIRD TALES ~ Winter 2012.
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