Novelspot Gazette

Horror Quarterly was the most extreme online venue for those freaks and weirdos interested in the more outlandish expressions of the art and words of the horror genre. Only now is the world mourning its loss.

Oxford, UK, March 2008 — Writer-artist Mike Philbin had published a few short stories and interviews in online UK horror zine Terror Tales (back when John B Ford was at the reins), mostly as the wacky alter-ego Hertzan Chimera.

In its dying days, Terror Tales had lost its focus and the content was drying up. John knew about Philbin’s very strong opinions of his zine and one writer-gathering night in a pub in London asked him if he’d like to take over the running of the zine.

Thus Horror Quarterly was born (Philbin did try to keep the name Terror Tales at first but it needed something even fresher and more professional sounding as a flagship horror title). Horror Quarterly was all about theme – it contained not only fiction but also interviews, articles and features.

Issue one’s theme was Body Horror – all the stories and articles related to aspects of body mutilation, body horror in the media, genetic freaks.

Issue two’s theme was Fcuk Horror – this was an intentional ploy on Philbin’s behalf as editor, there came back many ‘interpretations’ of the fcuk-horror theme and I never explained myself, just published the most gut-wrenching work.

Issue three’s theme was Blood Horror – diseases of the blood, fiction of the blood, menstruation for men.

As Philbin put it, “There is something very liberating about being an editor, and something even more liberating about being a publisher. You get to not only choose the best, but also mould the best of the submissions to your editorial ideal. And the writers have been only too willing to polish and reconsider themes, endings, beginnings of their works when they know it’s for the good of the whole.”

In this best of HORROR QUARTERLY (the first three issues), there’ll be a best article, best interview, best ‘metal’, five of the best stories and the classic three-part article from Quentin S Crisp exploring Japanese Horror to end each issue.

STUNNING TABLE OF CONTENTS:

ISSUE ONE – Body Horror
ARTICLE: THE GLORY IN BODY MUTATION – Ugly Shyla
INTERVIEW: BRUCE CAMPBELL – Destiny West
METAL: GORE ROTTED – Destiny West
FICTION: A FIVE-PART DISSECTION – Kurt Newton
FICTION: MODIFICATION OF A STUPID CUNT – Alex Severin
FICTION: THE WRONG GUY — Edward Lee
FICTION: THE MANEATER – D Harlan Wilson
FICTION: ANYTHING GOES — Destiny West
ARTICLE: JAPANESE HORROR 1/3 – Quentin S Crisp

ISSUE TWO – Fcuk Horror
ARTICLE: 120 DAYS OF BUNNY – polycarp kusch
INTERVIEW: INGRID PITT – Destiny West
METAL: LAMB OF GOD – Destiny West
FICTION: THE CURE – Rickey Windell George
FICTION: DEVIL’S GOLD – James Havoc
FICTION: BUTTER RED AND DIAMOND EYES – Kurt Newton
FICTION: CHAMPAGNE ROOM – Cody Goodfellow
FICTION: INSIDE WANTS OUT – John Fowora
ARTICLE: JAPANESE HORROR 2/3 – Quentin S Crisp

ISSUE THREE – Blood Horror
ARTICLE: MENSTRUATION FOR MEN – Lucy A. Snyder
INTERVIEW: LIVING DEAD DOLLS – Destiny West
METAL: ORANGE GOBLIN – Destiny West
FICTION: LITTLE RED – Mark Dunn.
FICTION: SPIDER-BOY – Scott C Carr
FICTION: THE PINK COFFIN – Vera Searles
FICTION: THE SWEET SPOT – Charlee Jacob
FICTION: THE BLOOD BLOG – Alex Severin
ARTICLE: JAPANESE HORROR 3/3 – Quentin S Crisp

Mike Philbin
http://www.mikephilbin.com – official website
http://www.lulu.com/chimericanabooks – store front