I'm thrilled to introduce guest essayist, Bryce Raffle, and his discussion on Dreadpunk which he defines as "gothing horror with an edge." Raffle marks the history of punk fiction as a genre and the development of its subgenres: cyberpunk, steampunk, dieselpunk, and dreadpunk. This essay was originally published on Threads That Bind. You can find more of Raffle's work at Deadsteam.

I'm so excited to introduce this essay by Valek Akechi which discusses religious readings of Dracula and their interpretations of characters who represent the conflict between Christianity and the religion of "the other." In particular, this essay studies the suppression of folk religion, magic, and superstition as Christianity spreads outward in the context of the nineteenth century. It also details the role that Gothic literature plays in critiquing the faults of religious while embracing the asthetic and the folk superstitions underlying varoius Christian traditions. This essay was originally published on Scorpio Assassin Studios. It can also be found on Neobook. I hope you enjoy!

Written by Raymond A. Villareal, A People's History of the Vampire Uprising is a work of socio-political satire and mystery-laced fantasy. This book tells the story of a CDC investigation into a new virus through documentary accounts such as news articles, research papers and diaries, legal and government documents, interview transcripts and the like.

Spider-man has long been a fan favorite. Fans of the superhero genre love debating which actor has best portrayed the character, and Spider-man memes run rampant on the internet. It makes sense that Spider-man would be so popular. He's relatable, personable, and funny. Despite having a second life as a masked crime-fighter, he deals with issues that are typical for a young adult like dating, chores, and navigating relationships with family. Due to his popularity, there is an abundance of Spider-man content out there, so today, I'm going to focus on The Amazing Spider-Man movies based on the comic book series of the same name.

I'm sure you'll notice that I'm reviewing a lot of children's books these days. Honestly, it's because I'm excited for all the stories I now get to read to my new Little One. It's taken time and effort to curate a small collection of books that I think he will not only enjoy, but also find uplifting and powerful forms of representation. I'm certain there will be times that being born to interracial, interabled, Queer parents isn't easy, and I want him to have aspects of himself and his family represented in the books he reads -- especially because he is unlikely to find many people in his circles who share his experiences at home.                   

If you've been following me, you may already know that I have a history of chronic illness. COVID wasn't kind to me, and it left me with functional neurological disorder, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and small fiber neuropathy. These are all conditions that will probably never go away, but I'm working toward improved symptom management.

I've been spending some time putting together a small collection of children's books for our son. He's only four weeks old, but our household likes to read, so we are readying our home for one more reader. On nights when he gets a little fussy, I pull one of the books off the shelf to read to him. The most recent one I read was Black Boy Magic by Tex Stanly.

As of writing this, All Boys Aren't Blue has been banned or challenged at least 86 times! Let's take a few mintues to explore some of the themes discussed by this book.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is a popular, live-action Marvel miniseries that introduces Sam Wilson as the next Captain America and his journey to taking on the mantel. It's been recognized for it's efforts to address the nuances of being a Black American and a superhero. But there's another character named in the title. Although it's rarely addressed, the Winter Soldier also represents certain minority groups - disability and queerness. In this essay, I discuss how The Falcon and the Winter Soldier deals with these two communities -- if at all.

** Please note that this essay most definitely contains spoilers for the 2024 television miniseries, The Penguin.

***Please note, this essay most definitely contains spoilers for the mini series, Agatha All Along.

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo A. Anaya won the Premio Quinto Sol National Chicano Literary Award and is considered a classic work of Chicano literature, but it has also consistently made the American Library Association’s list of most frequently banned books. At least one ban of this book resulted in the burning of this book. In this essay, I share some of my thoughts about Bless Me, Ultima, and I welcome you to share your own thoughts. Please be respectful in the comment section. Thanks!