#skelos

Skelos: The Journal of Weird Fiction and Dark Fantasy, Volume 1; Number 4, edited by Mark Finn, Chris Gruber, Jeffrey Shanks, and Frank Coffman, Skelos Press, Fall 2020.  Interior illustrations by Gustave Doré, Mike Dubish, Victor Hugo, Rachek Kahn, Allen Koszowski, Mark Maddox, Jim Pitts, Michael H. Prince, Andrea Rushing, Jeffrey Shanks, Timoty Truman, George E. Tyrner, Bill Willingham. Cover art by Edmond Dulac, back cover by Alfred Kubin, info: Facebook.

Skelos: The Journal of Weird Fiction and Dark Fantasy returns with its long-awaited fourth issue. And what a return it is! In a special tribute to legendary late Texas author Bill Crider we present one of his pulpiest and wildest adventure tales. Bill Willingham, award-winning creator of Fables, makes his Skelos debut with an illustrated fantasy yarn. Adrian Cole delves back into antediluvian times with a full-length novelette featuring Henry Kuttner’s Elak of Atlantis. Peter Rawlik takes us through the Gates of the Silver Key with a Lovecraftian sword-and-planet story. Charles R Rutledge’s occult detective Carter Decamp investigates the pages of Skelos for the first time. Milton Davis returns with the first installment of a multipart sword-and-soul novelette. Cynthia Ward invites us to dwell amidst wonder and glory for ever in the depths of the Pacific. Chris Gruber concludes his bloody, gripping weird western novelette. Issue 4 will feature many more dark tales and macabre verse that will test the limits of your sanity, with short fiction by Amanda DeWees, Darrell Grizzle, Mary Marshall Highet, and Cliff Biggers; poetry by Chad Hensley, Shannon Connor Winward, William Patrick Murray, Frank Coffman, and Darrell Schweitzer. Special features including an interview with Dracula expert and Bram Stoker descendent, Dacre Stoker; an illustrated classic gothic ballad by Michael H. Price and George Turner; non-fiction essays by Scott Connors, Karen Joan Kohoutek, and Weird Tales legend Donald Wandrei; reviews by Bobby Dee, Dave Brzeski, and Mike Hunter. And to top it off, amazing illustrations by Timothy Truman, Bill Willingham, Jim Pitts, Andrea Rushing, Mark Maddox, Allen Koszowski, Mike Dubisch, and others.

Short Fiction Among the Antropophagai – Bill Crider Corner Table in the Back – Bill Willingham The Ghost Stones of Mthura – Peter Rawlik Dreams of Salt – Cynthia Ward Born in Strange Shadow – Charles R. Rutledge The Most Frightening Story in the World – Amanda DeWees Under the Blood – Darrell Z. Grizzle Fetch – Marshall Highet Postcards from Lovecraft – Cliff Biggers

Novelettes Revenge of the Sorcerer – Adrian Cole Risen – Part 1 – Milton J. Davis Dead River Revenge – Part 2 – Chris Gruber

Poetry The White Trash Black Wizard – Chad Hensley Eve. Awakening. – Shannon Connor Winward The Night Angel – Will Murray Beyond the Veil – Frank Coffman Romance – Darrell Schweitzer

Essays Wieland: Charles Brockden Brown's American Horror Story – Karen Joan Kohoutek Wandrei on Clark Ashton Smith: An Introduction to "Emperor of Dreams" – Scott Connors Emperor of Dreams – Donald Wandrei

Special Features Innsmouth Bus Driver – Frontispiece by Mark Maddox Skull Session – Editorial by Mark Finn and Scott Cupp By Crom! – Rachel Kahn Curteous King Jamie – Matthew Gregory Lewis. Illustrated adaptation by George E. Turner and Scott Cupp Dracula's Descendant: An Interview with Dacre Stoker – Anthony Taylor Contributors

In a tradition dating to the 1600s, the departing municipal officials of High Wycombe in England are weighed each May to assess whether they have literally gained off the fat of the land, perhaps at public expense. If not, a macebearer cues their constituents to cheer by proclaiming, “And no more.” In the 1800s, Thomas Nast caricatured the typically portly Boss Tweed as disingenuously protesting he was “too thin” to have pocketed kickbacks from New York City contractors.

Given that girth has long been a measure of ill-gotten gains, perhaps it’s fitting that the Supreme Court is reconsidering the legal scope of official corruption in a case that began with a dietary supplement.

On its face, the case may seem straightforward: Did Bob McDonnell, the former governor of Virginia, personally gain by promoting the product while in office? In 2014, a federal jury concluded that he did.

The outcome of Mr. McDonnell’s appeal, which may be announced as early as this week, is being monitored by defense lawyers, particularly in New York, where the two former leaders of the State Legislature were granted reprieves in reporting to prison this summer pending the court’s decision this month.