A brief interlude from our usual weirdness to bring folk up to speed. We’re looking forward to the second outing of Occult Detective Quarterly, and here’s some official news.
We’ve had terrific reviews for Issue One, and a whole raft of new submissions for the next few issues. In fact, we’ve had more stories than we can possibly print, so there is fierce competition for space. Sam Gafford, the old reprobate John Linwood Grant and Dave Brzeski have been reading around the clock, assisted by our professional readers. And they’re getting there.
The magazine is planned to go to layout in early April, with printing at the end of the month – if the batteries hold out on the electric pentacle. Occult Detective Quarterly Issue Two should therefore be available to purchase (and for despatch to subscribers), in early May 2017. This time, the print edition should be available to purchase through Amazon as well, as ODQ expands its distribution.
Note: The eformat version of Issue One is now available as a packed pdf from Electric Pentacle Press. Click the link on the right-hand sidebar to get your copy.
Here’s a more detailed look at what you can expect in Issue Two. Note that this is only what we’ve picked out so far, though we expect to have at least nine thrilling new stories in the final magazine.
FICTION
We have another exciting and different blend of fiction this time round, from the Edwardian period to the present day. And our protagonists range from Brandon Barrows’ classic occult detective Thomas Carnacki, through Steve Liskow’s Deputy Sheriff Pamela Ironwood, to Kelly A Harmon’s Assumpta Mary-Margaret O’Connor, to name but three.
Already planned to appear are:
The Arcana of the Alleys by Brandon Barrows. A younger Carnacki the Ghost Finder gets himself caught up in the affairs of opium lords in Boston, Massachusetts, and finds an unlikely ally.
The Black Tarot by Mike Chinn. A series of cursed papyrus fragments, and a Tarot deck, lead occult adventurer Damian Paladin into danger.
Light from Pure Digestion Bred by Kelly A Harmon. A demon-marked woman and her rather dapper (but hellish) companion discover that something on the menu of a Baltimore coffee shop may not be as agreeable as it looks.
Death and the Dancing Bears by Steve Liskow. When grisly death comes to a carnival, one of the police officers involved must draw on her Native American background to search out the truth.
Grabberman by Tim Waggoner. A psychologist who know the Dark only too well must come to the aid of a young woman whose nightmares threaten to become real.
Plus…
Occult Legion Part 2 by Joshua M Reynolds. The next instalment, a story in its own right, building on Part One by Willie Meikle in the last issue.
NON-FICTION
Our expert in occult detective fiction returns with a new article, and we look at another comic book character, the urban, doom-laden John Constantine.
Doctors of the Strange by Tim Prasil. The erudite scholar of ghost-hunters explores the tradition of the occult physician – tracing the historical origins of this medical wing of occult detection.
The Constant Englishman by Danyal Fryer. An introduction to the background of John Constantine, of Swamp Thing and Hellblazer fame – his upbringing, his nature and his English roots.
Reviews by Dave Brzeski and James Bojiacuk
ART
We’ve been very fortunate with our artists once again, and expect to be showing off the work of illustrators from the United States, the United Kingdom and Argentina. As last time, some of the B/W interiors are being produced exclusively to illustrate stories in the issue.
Cover by award-winning artist Alan M Clark, who greydogtales interviewed last year concerning both his art and his dark historical fiction.
Interior illustrations by Luke Spooner, Sebastian Cabrol, Mutartis Boswell and more
And that’s where we are at moment. We’ll share more news during April as we finalise the contents, so stay tuned…
Someone should do an article on Sheridan LeFanu and his Dr. Heselius series: Fiction about a physician specializing in the occult, who according to the narrative died around 1819. LeFanu, an eccentric Irishman, was writing in the 1860’s. I find him creepier than Lovecraft, because the occult elements in his stories are built up from things which are individually believable.
A good point, thanks. As it happens, Tim Prasil is writing an article (for Occult Detective Quarterly 2) about the general concept of the occult physician, which includes mention of Dr Heselius. His piece is called ‘Doctors of the Strange’. We might one day have an article devoted to LeFanu’s creation in particular.