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The Joke is on Mankind
"There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man ... a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination."-Rod Serling13 cosmic horror-tinged tales by some of the best authors the indie horror world has to offer
291 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 5, 2025
6 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Dan Henk
11 books38 followersDan’s early career included a year-and-a-half stint drawing political cartoons for Madcap Magazine and Maximum Rock and Roll.
In 1997, after a violent car crash and a knife fight with a crackhead that severed the tendon on his left thumb, he attended art school. Receiving commercial and gallery acclaim for his artwork, he moved to New York City.
Immersing himself in the local hardcore scene, he produced artwork for the bands Shai Hulud, Indecision, Coalesce, Locked in a Vacancy, Beyond Reason, Zombie Apocalypse, Unsound, Kid Gorgeous, Neck, Lariat, The End, Compression, Koshari, and Proof of Purchase. In 2000, he started tattooing. A year later, in September 2001, he was stricken with brain cancer and underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
Three months after the surgery, he married fellow tattoo artist Monica Castillo. After a brief trip down south, which included owning a short-lived tattoo shop with the infamous Joe Truck, he returned to Manhattan. His work started appearing in a growing number of tattoo magazines and more fine art-influenced outlets such as Infected by Art, Aphrodisia, Cranial Visions, Eight Arms of Inspiration, Pint Sized Paintings, Excavate, Visions of the Virgin Mary, and The Tarot Project. Tattoo-related books such as No Regrets: The Best, Worst, & Most #$%*ing Ridiculous Tattoos Ever, Pandemonium, Tattoo Prodigies 1 , Tattoo Prodigies 2, Black and White Tattoos, and Inside the Tattoo Circus: A Journey Through the Modern World of Tattoos also included features. Tragedy struck again in 2007, as his wife of 6 years, Monica Henk, was killed by a hit-and-run driver. Despite extensive coverage in the local media and vigorous campaigns by both the tattoo and motorcycle communities, the culprit was never found. He moved to Austin, Texas, for three years and started doing the comic strip “Rollo & Me” for Tattoo Artist Magazine. Illustrations for Black Static Magazine and This is Horror followed suit. His first novel, The Black Seas of Infinity, was published by Anarchy Books in 2011. Deadite Press released the first book with a cover by Dan, a novel entitled “The Sopaths” by author Piers Anthony. A limited-edition chapbook, “Christmas Is Cancelled,” came out courtesy of Splatterpunk in 2013, and in 2014, he started columns for Tattoo Revue and Skin Art. A reissue of his debut novel was released by Permuted Press in April 2015, as well as a collection of his short stories, “Down Highways In The Dark…By Demons Driven”.
Continuing his work for independent magazines, he created illustrations for Black Static Magazine, Red Door Magazine, The Horror Zine, Litro Magazine, a slew of books by the imprint Out Of Step, and every issue so far of the British horror zine Splatterpunk. The books “Splatterpunks Not Dead “, “Splatterpunk Fighting Back“, “Past Indiscretions-The Very Best of Splatterpunk“, Insatiable, Bloodstains, Tales for Dark Hours, and a joint series by Marc Anthony May entitled “The Red Death” and “The Flood” all featured his covers.
His third book, “The End of the World,” debuted in March of 2018, followed in 2023 by the heavily illustrated anthology (courtesy of Dan Henk) “The Never Dead.
The 2024 and 2025 anthologies “Head Blown Off Too” and “Tumble Bleed” included his work, and 2025 saw the debut of his latest anthology “The Joke is on Mankind”.
In December of 2025, the anthology Horrorific Tales Volume 4, Eldritch Horror featured his story Northern Frontiers.
Join his email list on https://danhenk.com/newsletter/ if you want to be notified when he releases new work
"Life is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind."
-HP Lovecraft
In 1997, after a violent car crash and a knife fight with a crackhead that severed the tendon on his left thumb, he attended art school. Receiving commercial and gallery acclaim for his artwork, he moved to New York City.
Immersing himself in the local hardcore scene, he produced artwork for the bands Shai Hulud, Indecision, Coalesce, Locked in a Vacancy, Beyond Reason, Zombie Apocalypse, Unsound, Kid Gorgeous, Neck, Lariat, The End, Compression, Koshari, and Proof of Purchase. In 2000, he started tattooing. A year later, in September 2001, he was stricken with brain cancer and underwent surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
Three months after the surgery, he married fellow tattoo artist Monica Castillo. After a brief trip down south, which included owning a short-lived tattoo shop with the infamous Joe Truck, he returned to Manhattan. His work started appearing in a growing number of tattoo magazines and more fine art-influenced outlets such as Infected by Art, Aphrodisia, Cranial Visions, Eight Arms of Inspiration, Pint Sized Paintings, Excavate, Visions of the Virgin Mary, and The Tarot Project. Tattoo-related books such as No Regrets: The Best, Worst, & Most #$%*ing Ridiculous Tattoos Ever, Pandemonium, Tattoo Prodigies 1 , Tattoo Prodigies 2, Black and White Tattoos, and Inside the Tattoo Circus: A Journey Through the Modern World of Tattoos also included features. Tragedy struck again in 2007, as his wife of 6 years, Monica Henk, was killed by a hit-and-run driver. Despite extensive coverage in the local media and vigorous campaigns by both the tattoo and motorcycle communities, the culprit was never found. He moved to Austin, Texas, for three years and started doing the comic strip “Rollo & Me” for Tattoo Artist Magazine. Illustrations for Black Static Magazine and This is Horror followed suit. His first novel, The Black Seas of Infinity, was published by Anarchy Books in 2011. Deadite Press released the first book with a cover by Dan, a novel entitled “The Sopaths” by author Piers Anthony. A limited-edition chapbook, “Christmas Is Cancelled,” came out courtesy of Splatterpunk in 2013, and in 2014, he started columns for Tattoo Revue and Skin Art. A reissue of his debut novel was released by Permuted Press in April 2015, as well as a collection of his short stories, “Down Highways In The Dark…By Demons Driven”.
Continuing his work for independent magazines, he created illustrations for Black Static Magazine, Red Door Magazine, The Horror Zine, Litro Magazine, a slew of books by the imprint Out Of Step, and every issue so far of the British horror zine Splatterpunk. The books “Splatterpunks Not Dead “, “Splatterpunk Fighting Back“, “Past Indiscretions-The Very Best of Splatterpunk“, Insatiable, Bloodstains, Tales for Dark Hours, and a joint series by Marc Anthony May entitled “The Red Death” and “The Flood” all featured his covers.
His third book, “The End of the World,” debuted in March of 2018, followed in 2023 by the heavily illustrated anthology (courtesy of Dan Henk) “The Never Dead.
The 2024 and 2025 anthologies “Head Blown Off Too” and “Tumble Bleed” included his work, and 2025 saw the debut of his latest anthology “The Joke is on Mankind”.
In December of 2025, the anthology Horrorific Tales Volume 4, Eldritch Horror featured his story Northern Frontiers.
Join his email list on https://danhenk.com/newsletter/ if you want to be notified when he releases new work
"Life is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind."
-HP Lovecraft
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 23, 2025
The Joke is on Mankind is an exceptional anthology comprised of 13 dark tales by some of the most talented authors in indie horror and magnificent original artwork by Dan Henk. These are stories with a cosmic horror bent, some subtly and other full-on. They range from the compelling dark humor of Jeff Strand’s twisted tale “The Cosmic Mouth that Wanted to Eat the World” to the engrossing suspense and horror of Robert Essig’s “Buggin’ Out.”
Cody Goodfellow’s character-driven “Cavity Creeps” is incredible cosmic horror suspense—much more sophisticated and chilling than the title suggests. And Dan Henk’s “Washington, DC” is a complex and driving cosmic horror story, a modern tale of classic Lovecraftian theme with a wicked unexpected twist.
There’s the almost bizzarro “About that Buzz” by Merrill David, which has a subtle and interesting subtext; Tommy Clark’s “Dedwadnot,” a riveting and brutal sequel to his cosmic horror novella Bella’s Boys; and Ryan C Thomas’s phenomenal sci-fi cosmic horror tale, “Earl of Imprudence,” an absolute must-read.
Dicey Grenor’s “Goddess of the Apocalypse” is a brilliant, poignant, tension-filled tale of cosmic horror apocalypse. Patrick Lacey’s “Graveside Journals” delves into the mystery and danger of messages from beyond the grave. And Christine Morgan’s compelling cosmic horror story “Lullaby of the Spheres” goes from intriguing to chilling so smoothly you can feel your guts clenching as the story progresses.
There’s “Pictures of my Former Self” by Terry Campbell, a story of deep mystery and profound horror; “Playground” by Nathan Robinson, a quasi-dystopian tale of the horrifying monster that is war; and Lucas Mangum’s provocative and intensely disturbing “The Liminal Dead,” an immersive and powerful story that lingers in my thoughts.
The Joke is on Mankind is a deep, dark, and disturbing reading experience and a fantastic book to behold. The stories are incredible, and the artwork is absolutely amazing; the images intricate and resonant—and be sure to check out the author bios and caricatures. A highly recommended 5-star book.
A Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2025/06/23/the-joke-is-on-mankind/
Cody Goodfellow’s character-driven “Cavity Creeps” is incredible cosmic horror suspense—much more sophisticated and chilling than the title suggests. And Dan Henk’s “Washington, DC” is a complex and driving cosmic horror story, a modern tale of classic Lovecraftian theme with a wicked unexpected twist.
There’s the almost bizzarro “About that Buzz” by Merrill David, which has a subtle and interesting subtext; Tommy Clark’s “Dedwadnot,” a riveting and brutal sequel to his cosmic horror novella Bella’s Boys; and Ryan C Thomas’s phenomenal sci-fi cosmic horror tale, “Earl of Imprudence,” an absolute must-read.
Dicey Grenor’s “Goddess of the Apocalypse” is a brilliant, poignant, tension-filled tale of cosmic horror apocalypse. Patrick Lacey’s “Graveside Journals” delves into the mystery and danger of messages from beyond the grave. And Christine Morgan’s compelling cosmic horror story “Lullaby of the Spheres” goes from intriguing to chilling so smoothly you can feel your guts clenching as the story progresses.
There’s “Pictures of my Former Self” by Terry Campbell, a story of deep mystery and profound horror; “Playground” by Nathan Robinson, a quasi-dystopian tale of the horrifying monster that is war; and Lucas Mangum’s provocative and intensely disturbing “The Liminal Dead,” an immersive and powerful story that lingers in my thoughts.
The Joke is on Mankind is a deep, dark, and disturbing reading experience and a fantastic book to behold. The stories are incredible, and the artwork is absolutely amazing; the images intricate and resonant—and be sure to check out the author bios and caricatures. A highly recommended 5-star book.
A Bibliophilia Templum review
https://bibliophiliatemplum.wordpress.com/2025/06/23/the-joke-is-on-mankind/
October 8, 2025
Great compilation of stories and the artwork was phenomenal, as always with Dan Henk.
August 12, 2025
The joke is definitely on humans with this anthology of short stories by multiple authors. This anthology features multiple well known authors and a few I had never heard of until recently. Each story gives its own flair to the irony of how the world sometimes works. Here are a few of my favs.
“Cavity Creeps” by Cody Goodfellow is a story of a man who lives in a storage unit with all of his worldly possessions stacked as high and the unit will allow. He was once a great man with an amazing gift, but life took a turn for him leaving him desperate and alone- at least until he discovers the Creeps.
“Buggin’ Out” by Robert Essig is a story of a family on a trip who have an unexpected run in with ….. something? They are on a schedule to meet up with someone selling wares on FB Marketplace and press on to get there in time. Reports of people going missing in the area are still active, so they have to be careful as they navigate to their destination.
“About That Buzz” by Merrill David is a fun story about a group of young men captivated by this woman on the beach. She is all that and a bag of chips and she knows it. Will they get her attention and possibly get lucky?
“Dedwadont” by Tommy Clark is a story about two brothers that encounter some strangers in the middle of a blizzard in Upstate New York. The brothers have been raised on this land and their family has owned it for generations. The strangers meet this beautiful woman in a bar and think they might get lucky with her. The storm is getting worse and the strangers must rely on the brothers for help. This is a continuation story to one of Clark’s prior novella’s Bella’s Boys. It is a stand alone story, but the reader gets more understanding after having read the novella first.
“Lullaby of the Spheres” by Christine Morgan is a story about a young couple about to have a baby. The receive a gift from a relative of the solar system that is just perfect for the nursery. The lullaby it plays is a pleasant memory for her and she hopes it will be for her baby too.
“The Liminal Dead” by Lucas Mangum is a creepy story about a man who has returned home after many years away serving in the military. Home is familiar, yet different and he just can’t put his finger on what it is.
Go grab this book and check out these stories for yourself! It was a fun read for sure.
“Cavity Creeps” by Cody Goodfellow is a story of a man who lives in a storage unit with all of his worldly possessions stacked as high and the unit will allow. He was once a great man with an amazing gift, but life took a turn for him leaving him desperate and alone- at least until he discovers the Creeps.
“Buggin’ Out” by Robert Essig is a story of a family on a trip who have an unexpected run in with ….. something? They are on a schedule to meet up with someone selling wares on FB Marketplace and press on to get there in time. Reports of people going missing in the area are still active, so they have to be careful as they navigate to their destination.
“About That Buzz” by Merrill David is a fun story about a group of young men captivated by this woman on the beach. She is all that and a bag of chips and she knows it. Will they get her attention and possibly get lucky?
“Dedwadont” by Tommy Clark is a story about two brothers that encounter some strangers in the middle of a blizzard in Upstate New York. The brothers have been raised on this land and their family has owned it for generations. The strangers meet this beautiful woman in a bar and think they might get lucky with her. The storm is getting worse and the strangers must rely on the brothers for help. This is a continuation story to one of Clark’s prior novella’s Bella’s Boys. It is a stand alone story, but the reader gets more understanding after having read the novella first.
“Lullaby of the Spheres” by Christine Morgan is a story about a young couple about to have a baby. The receive a gift from a relative of the solar system that is just perfect for the nursery. The lullaby it plays is a pleasant memory for her and she hopes it will be for her baby too.
“The Liminal Dead” by Lucas Mangum is a creepy story about a man who has returned home after many years away serving in the military. Home is familiar, yet different and he just can’t put his finger on what it is.
Go grab this book and check out these stories for yourself! It was a fun read for sure.
September 13, 2025
Rounded down for total lack of effort - I mean, OK, the drawings were decent, but they can't improve on a crappy story, if the author of the story can't be bothered. And too many people involved here couldn't be bothered, the editor included. One good+ story does not compensate for pages upon pages of barely literate drivel.
October 14, 2025
I enjoyed this look into Bella’s history. The ending was a whopper. Going back and forth was a little tough for me, if I had time to read all at once it would have been easier, but life. Creepy and well done.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews