Into the Weird: Where Strange Tales Assemble

Revisiting The Gods of Bal-Sagoth : A Forgotten Gem of Sword-and-Sorcery. Thirty years. That’s how long it’s been since I last read Robert E. Howard’s The Gods of Bal-Sagoth. I was a teenager back then, devouring pulp fantasy like it was oxygen, and Howard’s tales were my gateway to a world of barbaric heroes, crumbling civilizations, and dark gods. But this particular story? It had faded into the recesses of my memory, overshadowed by the towering presence of Conan and Kull. Recently, I decided to revisit it—and let me tell you, it hit me in ways I wasn’t expecting. The Story: A Quick Recap For those unfamiliar, The Gods of Bal-Sagoth is a novella first published in *Weird Tales* in 1931. It follows Turlogh O’Brien, an Irish outlaw, and Athelstane, a Saxon warrior-turned-Viking, as they survive a shipwreck and find themselves on an ancient island ruled by the decadent city-state of Bal-Sagoth. The city is steeped in superstition and ruled by Gothan, a sinister priest who serves the da...

Looking back on my comic book collecting 'career', there are many nostalgic gems that spring into my brain at odd moments during these reminiscences. One such diamond in the rough is Gold Key Comics' Mighty Samson - a series that stands strong amidst the rubble of forgotten narratives, much like its titular hero. And today, my fellow weirdos, we're going to talk about it. Welcome to N'Yark: A Nightmare Playground Ah, the Big Apple, once a beacon of human achievement, but in the future, a festering wound on the face of a ravaged Earth. Welcome to N'Yark, the twisted remains of New York City, where Mighty Samson calls home. This isn't your run-of-the-mill post-apocalyptic wasteland; it's a fever dream of mutated monstrosities and warped remnants of a world long gone. Imagine the Statue of Liberty, that iconic symbol of freedom and hope, half-submerged in toxic sludge, her torch barely visible above the muck. Or Central Park, once a green oasis, now a laby...

Welcome to "Into The Weird," your thrice-weekly dispatch from the fringes of the imagination! If you've found your way here, chances are you're the kind of person who doesn't just read stories – you live them. You're the one who stays up until 3 AM because you simply must know how the latest sci-fi epic ends. You're the one who can quote obscure horror films and debate the finer points of superhero canon. In short, you're one of the weird ones – a dreamer, a night owl, a lover of magic and monsters and fictional worlds beyond our own. I'm thrilled you've decided to join our merry band of misfits on this journey into the heart of speculative fiction and cinema. Whether you're a seasoned veteran of the weird or a fresh-faced rookie taking your first steps into these fantastical realms, "Into The Weird" is here to be your guide, your confidant, and your partner in crime as we explore the vast landscapes of human imagination. What Awa...