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Black Static
Black Static Issue 1
From the the mists of 21st century antiquity we bring you a back issue of the magazine that went on to win back-to-back British Fantasy Awards in 2011 & 2012. Six years ago (September 2007) the first issue of Black Static was printed but problems with that first print run delayed its arrival in the wider world until September. Hence August 2013 is an anniversary of sorts and we celebrate with a Kindle edition of Black Static's very first issue.
This issue contains stories by Simon Avery, Jamie Barras, Daniel Bennett, M.K. Hobson, Joel Lane & Tim Casson. Joel's story won the British Fantasy Short story Award in 2008. It also has columns from Christopher Fowler, Mike O'Driscoll, John Paul Catton and Stephen Volk. Peter Tennant's Case Note book review section begins with a feature on the fiction of Michael Marshall Smith and then moves on to reviewing six 'Books with Bite' and 7 more books which don't feature vampires. Tony Lee reviews ghastly events on DVD.
Black Static is essentially a fiction magazine containing short stories in the horror and dark fantasy genres. But it covers other aspects of the genre via reviews of books, movies, DVDs and TV.
Fiction this issue:
Bury the Carnival by Simon Avery
Pale Saints and Dark Madonnas by Jamie Barras
Acton Undream by Daniel Bennett
Votary by M.K. Hobson
My Stone Desire by Joel Lane
Lady of the Crows by Tim Casson
The issue's art is David Gentry's work.
Peter Tennant's Case Notes reviews include
A Michael Marshall Smith featurette, (on 'The Intruders') bibliography and interview plus reviews of
Hard Roads by Steve Vernon
Rain by Conrad Williams
Double Act by L.H. Maynard & M.P.N. Sims
Blood Red by James A. Moore
London Under Midnight by Simon Clark
The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter) by Laurell K. Hamilton
No Dominion by Charlie Huston
Parasite Positive by Scott Westerfeld
Fangland by John Marks
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Gothic Fiction: A Reader’s Guide To Essential Criticism by Angela Wright
I Want to Watch by Diego De Silva
Going Back by Tony Richards
Tony Lee's DVD reviews this issue:
The Return, Dark Corners, Karla, The Thirst, Dead And Deader, Dark Water, 28 Weeks Later, The Butcher
This issue contains stories by Simon Avery, Jamie Barras, Daniel Bennett, M.K. Hobson, Joel Lane & Tim Casson. Joel's story won the British Fantasy Short story Award in 2008. It also has columns from Christopher Fowler, Mike O'Driscoll, John Paul Catton and Stephen Volk. Peter Tennant's Case Note book review section begins with a feature on the fiction of Michael Marshall Smith and then moves on to reviewing six 'Books with Bite' and 7 more books which don't feature vampires. Tony Lee reviews ghastly events on DVD.
Black Static is essentially a fiction magazine containing short stories in the horror and dark fantasy genres. But it covers other aspects of the genre via reviews of books, movies, DVDs and TV.
Fiction this issue:
Bury the Carnival by Simon Avery
Pale Saints and Dark Madonnas by Jamie Barras
Acton Undream by Daniel Bennett
Votary by M.K. Hobson
My Stone Desire by Joel Lane
Lady of the Crows by Tim Casson
The issue's art is David Gentry's work.
Peter Tennant's Case Notes reviews include
A Michael Marshall Smith featurette, (on 'The Intruders') bibliography and interview plus reviews of
Hard Roads by Steve Vernon
Rain by Conrad Williams
Double Act by L.H. Maynard & M.P.N. Sims
Blood Red by James A. Moore
London Under Midnight by Simon Clark
The Harlequin (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter) by Laurell K. Hamilton
No Dominion by Charlie Huston
Parasite Positive by Scott Westerfeld
Fangland by John Marks
The Ruins by Scott Smith
Gothic Fiction: A Reader’s Guide To Essential Criticism by Angela Wright
I Want to Watch by Diego De Silva
Going Back by Tony Richards
Tony Lee's DVD reviews this issue:
The Return, Dark Corners, Karla, The Thirst, Dead And Deader, Dark Water, 28 Weeks Later, The Butcher
174 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2007
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25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 25, 2017
This was the first edition of a new magazine, dedicated to the twisted and bizarre type of horror that I quite enjoy!
Of the 7 short stories, only one really stood out for me and got 5* - and that was 'Bury the Carnival' by Simon Avery - a sort of follow up to Pinocchio, with the woodcarver having to unmake his puppets, so of who don't realise what they are. Told from the perspective of a journalist, I found it an intriguing read, and wanted to know more about this world, expertly built in just a few pages.
My summary and stars of 5:
- 'Bury the Carnival' by Simon Avery *****
- 'Pale Saints and Dark Madonnas' by Jamie Barras **
- 'Acton Undream' by Daniel Bennett ***
- 'Votary' by MK Hobson ***
- 'Japan's Dark Lanterns' by John Paul Catton *
- 'My Stone Desire' by Joe Lane ***
- 'Lady of the Crows' by Tim Casson ***
The art accompanying the stories was suitably disturbing and I have to say that I did love the cover.
I don't often bother with the non-fiction columns, or only skip through it, but I did find myself reading 'Night's Plutonian Shore' by Mike O'Driscoll - in it he discusses how the news and 'popular' media create fantasies around stories - in essence making up the drama through supposition just to keep the ratings up. It's something I agree hugely on and why I rarely watch more than the headlines of any news programme. But a couple of lines stood out for me.
Baring in mind this was written in 2007, one sentence does make you cringe - the author uses the disappearance of Madeline McCann, which had only just happened, as an example, and says "By the time this piece sees print, we will probably know the outcome of this story." 10 years later and we don't - which goes someway to show how all the fantasies devised by the media are worth nothing.
"The media speculates and calls it 'truth'; it creates fantasy in order to fulfil our need to understand, to rationalise, compartmentalise and ultimately forget. News becomes entertainment."
"It is fantasy, of a kind, but less honest than that given us by Del Toro or Nolan. It is a fantastic beast at the centre of whose empty heart, nothing can be seen or heard except black static."
Of the 7 short stories, only one really stood out for me and got 5* - and that was 'Bury the Carnival' by Simon Avery - a sort of follow up to Pinocchio, with the woodcarver having to unmake his puppets, so of who don't realise what they are. Told from the perspective of a journalist, I found it an intriguing read, and wanted to know more about this world, expertly built in just a few pages.
My summary and stars of 5:
- 'Bury the Carnival' by Simon Avery *****
- 'Pale Saints and Dark Madonnas' by Jamie Barras **
- 'Acton Undream' by Daniel Bennett ***
- 'Votary' by MK Hobson ***
- 'Japan's Dark Lanterns' by John Paul Catton *
- 'My Stone Desire' by Joe Lane ***
- 'Lady of the Crows' by Tim Casson ***
The art accompanying the stories was suitably disturbing and I have to say that I did love the cover.
I don't often bother with the non-fiction columns, or only skip through it, but I did find myself reading 'Night's Plutonian Shore' by Mike O'Driscoll - in it he discusses how the news and 'popular' media create fantasies around stories - in essence making up the drama through supposition just to keep the ratings up. It's something I agree hugely on and why I rarely watch more than the headlines of any news programme. But a couple of lines stood out for me.
Baring in mind this was written in 2007, one sentence does make you cringe - the author uses the disappearance of Madeline McCann, which had only just happened, as an example, and says "By the time this piece sees print, we will probably know the outcome of this story." 10 years later and we don't - which goes someway to show how all the fantasies devised by the media are worth nothing.
"The media speculates and calls it 'truth'; it creates fantasy in order to fulfil our need to understand, to rationalise, compartmentalise and ultimately forget. News becomes entertainment."
"It is fantasy, of a kind, but less honest than that given us by Del Toro or Nolan. It is a fantastic beast at the centre of whose empty heart, nothing can be seen or heard except black static."
April 25, 2020
The sample I read was very good. Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews