Happy Birthday to the Dark Hearted EDGAR ALLAN POE

Edgar Allan Poe

It may be cold in most places, but today we can open our black little hearts to remember the birthday of a true horror icon, Edgar Allan Poe. On January 19, 1809 the one and only literary author was born and from there he became a legend in the written word.

With a movie coming in 2012, and his works continually being made into short subjects, he is going to be around much longer than his death in 1849.

So in memory of a legend a Black Hearted Happy Birthday to the one and only Edgar Allan Poe

Courtesy of WIKIPEDIA (for more visit Wikipedia:
Born Edgar Poe, January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.

He was born as Edgar Poe in Boston, Massachusetts; he was orphaned young when his mother died shortly after his father abandoned the family. Poe was taken in by John and Frances Allan, of Richmond, Virginia, but they never formally adopted him. He attended the University of Virginia for one semester but left due to lack of money. After enlisting in the Army and later failing as an officer’s cadet at West Point, Poe parted ways with the Allans. His publishing career began humbly, with an anonymous collection of poems, Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827), credited only to “a Bostonian”.

Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals, becoming known for his own style of literary criticism. His work forced him to move among several cities, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. In Baltimore in 1835, he married Virginia Clemm, his 13-year-old cousin. In January 1845 Poe published his poem, “The Raven”, to instant success. His wife died of tuberculosis two years after its publication. He began planning to produce his own journal, The Penn (later renamed The Stylus), though he died before it could be produced. On October 7, 1849, at age 40, Poe died in Baltimore; the cause of his death is unknown and has been variously attributed to alcohol, brain congestion, cholera, drugs, heart disease, rabies, suicide, tuberculosis, and other agents.

Poe and his works influenced literature in the United States and around the world, as well as in specialized fields, such as cosmology and cryptography. Poe and his work appear throughout popular culture in literature, music, films, and television. A number of his homes are dedicated museums today.

Grimm Fairy Tales – The Ugly Duckling

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

The Grimm Fairy Tales

When a young unattractive teen is tormented by her high school peers she makes a deal with Belinda and seeks out her own form of revenge. Now, ten years later, the once ugly duckling turned swan is living a successful life as a top model. However, on the night of her high school reunion, she’ll find that the deal she made many years ago is about to come to bite her.

He couldn’t have her as his own, so he killed her. In fact he killed many of ‘her’. Over and over and over, the swan killer has struck and he cannot be stopped. Events were set in motion years ago by Belinda, and now the psycho she helped create is loose and on the prowl. While stalking a new beautiful woman from afar, we learn of his past which will lead up to his next victim’s murder. She must die and he knows that he cannot stop himself – but maybe something else can.

Grimm Fairy Tales 36 Part 2

Those wacky people over at Grimm Fairy Tales have taken the much beloved children’s story The Ugly Duckling and twisted it for our entertainment. Actually they took the beloved story and have broken it into two parts. The first part, in issue 28, is a twist of The Ugly Duckling. The second part, The Swan is retold in issue 36. Put these two together and you have one grand twisted tale of revenge, murder and psychos – what more can a  Deadite wish for.

If you’ve never picked up a Grimm Fairy Tale, I implore you to do so. The thing I like about this series is how a innocent child’s tale can be twisted and folded and bent and come out the other side completely the same yet completely different. These books reminds me of a paper version of The Twilight Zone or Tales from the Darkside which are quite entertaining to watch. And like those TV shows, Grimm Fairy Tales continue to be quite entertaining to read.

Strange Embrace #1 – Review by RFR Casket Crew Denise

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

Strange Embrace by David Hine

Strange Embrace has been labeled a modern gothic psycho-sexual tortured romance and is not for the nervous.

I’m not too sure about the above description. Having only read the first issue, I can honestly say that I’m not sure what Strange Embrace is really all about. I can tell you that after reading the first issue, I want more!

Strange Embrace has a mysterious undertone in its opening story. As I said, I’m not sure what the mystery is, but it intriqued me enough to keep flipping the pages. However I can say that I think this series is going to be a psychological thriller.

This series and specifically the first issue introduces us to Sukumar, a young man who helps in his parents’ shop after school. There are two things that I picked up very quickly about this character. The first is that he is in a loving family dynamic relationship, and second, he’s somewhat of a loner since we don’t see any interaction with friends or class-mates.

While out making a delivery for the shop, Sukumar meets Alex, a strange man himself. Alex takes Sukumar into his world if only to introduce him to the fact that he is somehow “special” – just like him. And just when the story really starts pumping…the first issue is done and gone.

Who knows what the next issue brings, but if it has the same eerie undertones as the first, you will find me on my nice soft comfy couch breaking in the pages.

Strange Embrace #1 was written and illustrated by David Hine. It is published by Image Comics.

Comic Book Divas Launched Their Online Store for Your Horror Comics

Ginger-Stein

Comic Book Divas now has their own online comic book store; in the past the only place fans could purchase their favorite Comic Book Divas titles was at conventions but now Comic Book Divas is proud to announce the opening of the Comic Book Divas Store.

The Comic Book Divas Store will be the place to buy all your favorite Comic Book Divas titles from “Goldilocks In Zombie Land” to the Comic Book Divas collaborations with Legends Of Heroes And Villains “Taffy Love Is Not A Laughing Matter” and the Iron Dead Studios Dennis Willman “Ginger Stein Rise Of The Undead” series; the website will also offer digital download comics of their titles, plus customers will also be able to purchase prints and artwork of the comics.

The site will also offer Comic Book Divas Store exclusives that will include variant cover, digital comics, prints and t-shirts that will only be available on the store website and no where else.

Comic Book Divas

In addition the store will also carry other small press comic book publishers that work in partnership with Comic Book Divas, such as Scattered Studios, Legends Of Heroes And Villains, and Iron Dead Studios; fans can purchase these publishers titles, digital download comics, prints and much more.

To kick off the launch of not only the Comic Book Divas Store opening but also the debut of the Comic Books/IronDead Studios Dennis Willman’s “Ginger Stein Rise Of The Undead” GingerStein.com website, Comic Book Divas is offering free download edition of “Ginger Stein Rise Of The Undead” #0.

The free download will be available throughout the Labor Day Weekend September 4th- September 10th; be sure to download to a computer, smartphone, or other portable device in time for the release of Dennis Willman’s “Ginger Stein Rise Of The Undead” #1.

To check out all the Horror Graphic Novel and Comic Fun visit them at: www.ComicBookDivas.com

Gil’s All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

Welcome to Gil’s All Night Diner, where zombie attacks are a regular occurence and you never know what might be lurking in the freezer…Duke and Earl are just passing through Rockwood county in their pick-up truck when they stop at the diner for a quick bite to eat. They aren’t planning to stick around-until Loretta, the eatery’s owner, offers them $100 to take care of her zombie problem. Given that Duke is a werewolf and Earl’s a vampire, this looks right up their alley. But the shambling dead are just the tip of a particular spiky iceberg. Seems someone’s out to drive Loretta from the diner, and more than willing to raise a little Hell on Earth if that’s what it takes. Before Duke and Earl get to the bottom of the Diner’s troubles, they’ll run into such other worldly complications as undead cattle, an amorous ghost, a jailbait sorceress, and the terrifying occult power of pig-latin. And maybe-just maybe-the End of the world, too.

Fried Green Zombie Please

Gil’s All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez reminds me a lot of Fried Green Zombies by John Allen. Just some good ol’ boys that always find themselves up against a brik wall.

Duke the werewolf and Earl the vampire are unlikely friends that find themselves needing to save the world. This is a fun and humorous story that reminds us all that even the undead can have hearts of gold.

Grimm Fairy Tales Annual #1 – Review

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

What if nursery rhymes and fables fell into the wrong hands? Would story-time ever be the same? The first ever Grimm Fairy Tales Annual features six nursery rhymes and bedtime stories retold with the same terrifying twists.

For horror fans, Grimm Fairy Tales is an absolute gem. We’ve all heard that the original Grimm Brothers tales were dark stories; they meant to scare more than anything else. And now we have Grimm Fairy Tales.

Grimm Fairy Tales Annual from Zenescope

In this annual issue, we have Jack and Jill who find that sometimes the term “undying love” should be taken literally. The Old Woman in the Shoe finds her years of dishing out torment might come back to bite her while Peter Pumpkin Eater is just a simple man so in love with his wife he will do anything to keep her. Little Boy Blue realizes tht betraying those near and dear can have dire consequences.

Grimm Fairy Tales enters a world where fairy tales and nursery rhymes will never be the same…again.

Grimm Fairy Tales Annual #1 was written by Christian Beranek, Tommy Castillo, Raven Gregory, Linda Ly, Ralph Tedesco and JC Tyler. The art was by Tommy Castillo, Mark Dos Santos, Daniel Leisfer, Tone Rodriguez, Nei Ruffino and Ed Sherman. This book was published by Zenescope.

A Mother’s Love

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

Jack’s mother was sick. Sick of all of it. After a number of warnings and pleas, she knew she wasn’t being taken seriously. Now was the time to act. To take action.

A Mother's Love

Jackie paced around the small kitchen. She was absolutely furious. The magazine lay on the round wooden table turned to the back pages. Columns of ads adorn the two pages facing each other. One was circled in red. It was a simple ad. Just three simple words. ‘I can help.’ followed by a telephone number. Jackie left the kitchen.

Walking into the simple living room, Jackie sat heavily on the worn brown couch. A small blume of dust rose from the cushion. She hit the back of the couch and more dust rose up into the air before disbursing over the other seat cushions. She grabbed the TV remote and click the red button before the batteries fell out. The television hummed to life, but the sound of the soap opera didn’t ease the storm brewing in her heart nor the final decision racing through her thoughts.

Well, now was the time to do something about it. Jackie rose from the couch, slapped the button on the face of the TV and returned to the kitchen. She grabbed the magazine, folded it in half and walked to the corded phone hanging loosely on the yellow stained wall. She lifted the receiver and heard a distinct hum echo into the silent clean kitchen. Without hesitation, Jackie punched in the numbers and listened as the phone rang.

“Hello.” A gruff man’s voice answered on the third ring.

“Hello,” Jackie said weakly, “I need some help. I don’t know what else to do.”

“I can help,” the man reassured her.

Jackie talked with the unseen man for the next hour. She talked and he listened, interupting only to ask essential questions. Jackie answered them all. She gave him all the info. She even went to the corner store to fax a photo the man had requested.

Returning to the apartment, Jackie leaned against the front door. It groaned against her weight and she thought she heard a small crack. She sighed with relief. She had done it. She had hired a hit man.

Jackie returned to the living room and clicked on the TV. She sat down with satisfaction. Being a mother meant dishing out tough love sometimes. That’s just how it is. After all, Jack was warned not to fail another math test.

The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

The Strain by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan

A Boeing 777 arrives at JFK and is on its way across the tarmac when it suddenly stops dead. All window shades are pulled down. All lights are out. All communication channels have gone quite. Crews on the ground are lost for answers, but an alert goes out to the CDC. Dr. Eph Goodweather, head of their Canary project, a rapid response team that investigates biological threats, gets the call and boards the plane. What he finds make his blood run cold. In a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem, a former professor and survivor of the Holocaust named Abraham Setrakian knows something is happening. And he knows the time has come, that a war is brewing. So begins a battle of mammoth proportions as the vampiric virus that has infected New York begins to spills out into the streets. Eph, who is joined by Setrakian and a motely crew of fighters, must now find a way to stop the contagion and save his city – a city that includes his wife and son – before it is too late.

The Strain was written by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. This is the first in a triology story.

The Strain is not your typical vampire story. Think of it more as a vampire story mixed with a little bit of alien technology mixed into the fray. You could also consider it a little bit of a whodunnit or crime drama. It’s certainly an interesting mix.

The story starts with an airplane that has gone “silent.” We quickly are introduced to Dr. Eph Goodweather and Nora. These two work in the CDC, in a special branch where Dr. Eph is the team leader. As these two try to put the pieces together, we get a glimpse into the life of Abraham Setrakian. A holocaust survivor with a mysterious past.

When these three eventually team up, we start to get a distinct visual of these new vampires. They are ones that eventually are turned by a simple bite. While this is the tradional vampire lore with exception – their tongues.

These vampires tongues are really a separate organ itself. It almost operates separately from the body. Maybe it’s the tongue that is large and in charge.

Eventually the story climaxes with the ultimate battle between mortals and vampires, good verus evil. Is there a clear victory. Well…you just have to read it for yourself.

For more on the book visit them at: www.TheStrainTrilogy.com

Express Train to Hell

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

Express Train to Hell

Uncle George knew old Cletis who just mysteriously disappeared one day. When Uncle George went to investigate, he met an old stationmaster who told him Cletis’ story. According to Uncle George, Cletis was a homeless rambler who spent many days hanging around Newark Central Station. The stationmaster kept running him off but old Cletis kept coming back. He would run up to the other patrons shouting, “It’s coming for me! It’s coming!” When the patrons asked Cletis who was coming, he would cry, “I done wrong! I killed a man that cheated me at cards and now I’m going to pay!”

The stationmaster finally had enough and took Cletis aside and threatened to call the police if he didn’t quit harassing the other patrons. Old Cletis rolled his eyes and cried out, “The Express Train for Hell is coming for my soul! You gotta help me!” Cletis pulled away from the stationmaster and ran for the door. It was two minutes to midnight.

Suddenly, at that exact moment, a new sound introduced itself. A long whistle blew once. Twice. Three times. Cletis was standing at the edge of the platform frozen. He stared down the tracks in sheer terror. The stationmaster ran or Cletis and tried to pull him out of harm’s way.

The train whistle sounded again. Just then a warm rush of air blew against everyone near the platform and the stationmaster heard the roar of an invisible train passing directly in front of him. He heard the hiss of the steam and the screech of flanges against iron rails. But he saw nothing.

Cletis screamed and wriggled underneath the grip of the stationmaster. Then Cletis was gone and the roar of the invisible train faded into the distance and then ceased. The stationmaster looked at the station’s clock. It was midnight.

People standing around the platform began to murmur, “Good lord, he was right.” The stationmaster pulled out his old red handkerchief and wiped his sweating bald head. A trembling man standing nearby approached the stationmaster.

“Sir, what was that?” he asked.

The stationmaster stared blankly at the tracks and then turned to the man. “Son, I believe that was the Express Train to Hell.”

Then the stationmaster pushed his way back through the station door and then turned to address the frightened passengers. “Nothing to worry about folks,” he said, “It was just an express train passing through. The next train will be here in five minutes.” The stationmaster’s reassuring manner calmed everyone. People turned away and settled back into their seats.

The stationmaster returned to his office, closed the door and poured himself a stiff drink to calm his nerves.

“Well, that’s one for the books,” he muttered. “I wonder if I should put it on the schedule. 12am – Express Train to Hell.”

Shaking his head, the stationmaster gulped down the remaining liquid and then went back to work.

Never Mind Them Watermelons – An Alabama Ghost Story

by: RFR Casket Crew Denise

One of my grandfather’s relatives owned all the land south of the Black River in Alabama before the Civil War. It was before the war and life was good; especially for Dale Simmons.

Beware of this Cabin in the Woods

Now old Dale was an older man with strong beliefs. You see Dale Simmons didn’t believe in ghost. Not one bit.

Now the townsfolk knew the old log cabin set way back in the woods was haunted, but old Dale Simmons just laughed when the subject came up. Then one day the blacksmith made a bet with Dale Simmons.

The blacksmith told Dale Simmons that he would buy him a whole cart load of watermelons if he spent the night in the haunted cabin. He just had to stay there until dawn.

Well sire, watermelon were Dale’s favorite fruit. In fact, watermelon were Dale’s absolute favorite fruit, so he accepted the dare at once. He packed his matches and pipe and skipped over to the cabin.

Dale went into the cabin, started a fire, lit his pipe and settled down in the cabin with an old newspaper. As he read the newspaper, Dale whistled a little lively tune until he heard a creaking sound coming from the rafters.

Dale looked up and saw a little creature with glowing red eyes, a long fork tail and two horns watching him. The creature jumped from the rafters and sat down beside him

“There ain’t nobody here except you and me tonight,” the creature said. It had a voice like the hiss of flames and a mouthful of sharp pointed teeth.

“There ain’t nobody here but you tonight,” Dale said before leaping out the nearest exit which happened to be the window. He hi-tailed it down the lane lickety-split. In fact he ran so fast that he past two jack rabbits being chased by a hungry coyote.

Soon Dale heard the sound of running feet behind him. He turned his head and saw the little creature hot on his heels.

“You’re making pretty good time and speed for an old man,” the creature hissed.

“Oh, I can run faster than this,” Dale said and put on a burst of speed. Soon he had left the little creature in the dust and as he ran past the blacksmith’s shop, he yelled, “Never mind about them watermelons.”

Dale Simmons ran all the way home and hid under his bed for the rest of the night. After that night, Dale was a firm believer in ghost and never went near the cabin in the woods again.