As noted in the editorial, Issue # 3 of Surreal Magazine might well be described as the interview issue. Several outstanding interviews are featured in this issue including Joe R. Lansdale, and Charlaine Harris of the Southern Vampire series. Surreal is aptly name as much of its fiction isn’t easily definable with labels. Horrific, sure, but also dark, experimental, and dramatic.
The interview with Lansdale is nicely done. Among the subjects he discusses are the cult hit “Bubba Ho-Tep”, the new Showtime Horror anthology series “Masters of Horror” as well as a new book, “Drive-in 3”. If you’ve never read Lansdale’s “The Drive-in” graphic novel, I heartily recommend it. The interview with Charlaine Harris also features a review of each book in her enormously popular “Southern Vampire” series.
Jason D’Aprile has a fantastic article on the boom in horror geared toward younger readers from kids to teens. His article features an interview with three of the top writers in this genre: James A. Moore of the “Serenity Falls” series, Lynne Hansen of the “Heritage of Horror” series, and Christopher Golden who has written numerous Buffy the Vampire Slayer novels as well as the “Body of Evidence” and “The Hollow” series. The three share their thoughts on this ever-growing segment of readers including some of the nasty mail they’ve received from parents and religious groups accusing them of corrupting children.
The fiction, as mentioned, is very diverse. “Marathon Days” by Mikal Trimm is a short piece about people infected with some type of virus or disease that makes them run…and run…non-stop. “Controls” by Steven Prete is a fantastic modern urban fantasy of a teenaged introvert, terrified by a spectral crow outside of his bedroom window and the psychological battle that takes place between the two. Simply a wonderful story! James Walton Langulf’s “Apple Jack” is another dark fantasy about a little girl endlessly tormented by an evil sprite-like creature called Apple Jack. Other featured fiction is contributed by Bryn Tracy, Kealan Patrick Burke, Jack Kincaid, and Scott William Carter.
Other features include a review of “The Suffering: The Ties that Bind” video game, a sequel to the horror hit and Shannon Riley takes a look at Thomas Harris’ character Hannibal Lecter through the books and films.
One thing I especially love about Surreal Magazine is the artwork. The art accompanying the fiction is just fantastic and complements it very well. Too often art is just a throwaway feature in many mags but the people at Surreal seem to really get the fact that great art can truly make a story that much better. Well Done! Surreal is 80 pages with color, cardstock covers and B&W interior pages.
– Tim Janson
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
