Black Static Issue 55

by Andy Cox (Editor), Martin Handford (Illustrator), Stephen Volk

The November–December issue contains new dark fiction by Stephen Hargadon, Lisa Tuttle, David Hartley, Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, Simon Avery, and Jeff Bowles. The cover art is by Martin Hanford, with interior illustrations by Ben Baldwin, Richard Wagner, and George C. Cotronis. Features: Coffinmaker's Blues by Stephen Volk (comment); Notes From the Borderland by Lynda E. Rucker (comment); Case Notes by Peter Tennant (book reviews, including an in-depth interview with V.H. Leslie); Blood Spectrum by Gary Couzens (DVD/Blu-ray reviews).


Cover Art:


Catharsis by Martin Hanford


Fiction:


McMara's Rock by Stephen Hargadon
illustrated by Ben Baldwin


A Home in the Sky by Lisa Tuttle
illustrated by Richard Wagner


Pigskin by David Hartley


Something Deadly, Something Dark by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam


A Very Lonely Revolution by Simon Avery
illustrated by George C. Cotronis


Vaseline Footprints by Jeff Bowles


Features:


Coffinmaker's Blues by Stephen Volk
(Steve's 60th and final column for Black Static)


Notes From the Borderland by Lynda E. Rucker


Reviews:


Case Notes: Book Reviews by Peter Tennant
Releases from Fedogan Bremer, plus books by V.H. Leslie accompanied by an in-depth interview


Blood Spectrum: DVD/Blu-ray Reviews by Gary Couzens
32 of the latest and forthcoming horror films

Magazine

First published November 1, 2016

Reviews

[Des Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A serendipitous coda for this symphony of fiction works as well as a fine ostensibly Powysian madcap standalone story telling of a man who seems to be on the edge of becoming a stigmatised saviour, but if I tell you the exact circumstances it would be like telling you this brief story myself and spoil the effect. Meanwhile, his feet are his pets, his fused appendages of his thoughts like Michael’s cats, whose cross was a split rock, the scintillants of Avery, the gratuitous animal words like Hartley’s. Hard to explain, but read all these stories and see them fused here like Stufflebeam’s trees. Mad-mystic, the only way to face out the something deadly and dark of our days, our morphing world. And women in the cupboard as if in a Tuttle home.

The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.

[Dyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great stories in this one.

[Sharlene Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love this mag i will keep on buying
by-monthly the short stories are original varied dark and disturbing