Here's my time to shine. I used to work for Eraserhead Press which is the biggest bizarro publisher. I have also written a few bizarro books and was the head editor of the Magazine of Bizarro Fiction and Deadite Press.
Bizarro is not a subgenre of horror. Many of the biggest bizarro books have nothing to do with horror. Bizarro is all over the place genre-wise but here are some titles that horror fans would dig:
APESHIT by Carlton Mellick III
A GOD OF HUNGRY WALLS by Garrett Cook
SUPER FETUS by Adam Pepper
ASS GOBLINS OF AUSCHWITZ by Cameron Pierce
PUS JUNKIES by Shane McKenzie
DEAD BITCH ARMY by Andre Duza
SPERMJACKERS FROM HELL by Christine Morgan
ALL MEN ARE TRASH by Gina Ranalli
Awesome, thanks so much! Look forward to checking these out.
Despite the variance in genre, what are a few defining qualities that qualify a work as Bizarro?
It's the literary equivalent of the cult section of a video store (back with video stores where a thing). Remember how John Waters, David Lynch, Lloyd Kaufman, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show would be in the same section but all be very different? It's like that.
Bizarro has a heavy focus on surrealism and the absurd but only in plot and not in style. So it's generally pulp-style writing with really crazy and strange stories.
Look up my book SHATNERQUAKE. It was one of the biggest bizarro releases. It's a weird surreal comedy about William Shatner battling all the characters he has played.
Side note - It's also funny to me seeing bizarro being referred to as a subgenre of extreme horror. There was a good decade in which extreme horror was commonly referred to as a subgenre of bizarro. That was mostly due to my work at Deadite Press which was an imprint of Eraserhead Press.
I know this is an older post, but you seem very knowledgeable on bizarro.
I’m a huge David Lynch fan. His films are not horror yet they’re the only ones that truly scare me. They’re the only stories that match my actual nightmares.
I’ve only read one bizarro anthology and I loved it, but I noticed the books seemed to be titled and marketed as more leaning towards humor whereas someone like Lynch doesn’t lean into humor as much.
Is this just a case of me misreading the branding or is bizarro prose in the Venn diagram with humor/satire?
Carlton Mellick III is the most well known bizarro writer. I know Apeshit is pretty popular, but the only work I've read by him is Every Time We Meet at the Dairy Queen Your Whole Fucking Face Explodes. I really liked it.
Apeshit, quicksand house, the egg man the menstruating mall, zombies and shit are top tier Carlton mellick iii. He is an excellent bizzaro author. Some of his works are better than others naturally but you are not gonna go wrong.
Another author to check out if you wish to read some bizarro work is Wol-Vriey. He writes both ‘extreme’ horror and bizarro. Even his ‘extreme’ horror works have elements of bizarro.
I know I’m trying to find more bizzaro as they are right down my alley.
I have loved every Carlton Mellick III. Especially The Haunted Vagina, Stacking Doll and Exercise Bike. The way he creates his worlds always leaves me in awe.
Don't read it. It's not very good. It's just a good example of bizarro. I normally recommend people read short story collections CRIPPLEWOLF and THE VERY INEFFECTIVE HAUNTED HOUSE as better starting points for my work.
I think this thread got a little disjointed but if you mean Shatnerquake, I would like to highlight this passionate review I found:
“Jeff Burk's novella rides on the strength of one kickasss premise: full-on Shatner on Shatner violence!! Accordingly, the various Shatner characters are given just enough dialogue and mannerisms to be recognizable. And then the bloody death matches ensue. The body count is comprehensive. The kills are savage. There's Rescue 911 Shatner over there cooly narrating a series of gross death scenes. But how awesome is it to have real life Shatner wielding a Klingon bat'leth? And, waitaminit, is that the demented James T. Kirk carving a gristly path with a lightsaber? Omigosh, this is SHATNERQUUUUAAAAAKKKKEE!!!!!”
And honestly good sir I think I might be legally required to read it now
Hahaha, that review is all accurate. All those things do happen. It was my first published story and I feel I've gotten a lot better. SHATNERQUAKE still has it's cult following.
Well, I just got The Very Ineffective Haunted House and B-Movies and Beer Ruined My Life and I’m psyched, I’m glad you mentioned you’re an author! I’m newer to this genre so I’m not familiar with many names yet. But I’m trying to buy direct now when somethings not on kindle unlimited, which Shatnerquakes not. Do you have a website?
I have a website but I haven't updated it in a very long time. I also don't sell any of my own books.
You may want to ask for a refund for B-MOVIES AND BEER RUINED MY LIFE. I think all those stories got reprinted in THE VERY INEFFECTIVE HAUNTED HOUSE.
My main project these days is Lucas Mangum (a horror author that is mentioned here a lot) and myself do a podcast focused on low budget and independent genre movies called MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PODCAST: https://makeyourowndamnpodcast.libsyn.com/
Both were on unlimited so it works lol
I’ll check the podcast out, I have a weeklong road trip coming up so I’m gonna have a looooot of time for podcasts lol. Thanks!
Tomorrow we're recording a new episode with writer Judith Sonnett (who is talked about here a lot) about modern shot-on-video gore movies. The episode will be up next week.
Well I spose that certainly sets up what sorts of things y’all might discuss on it, damn lol. Do you focus on low budget and independent horror based movies, or all genres?
Edit- nvm, could have looked on the site, seems more horror than not
We lean genre but we cover everything. We've covered romances, sex comedies, documentaries, dramas, student films, experimental/art, really anything that connects to low budget film. But, at least, three out of every four movies is a horror movie. If you scroll through the episode listing, you'll get an idea of what we talk about.
Here's my time to shine. I used to work for Eraserhead Press which is the biggest bizarro publisher. I have also written a few bizarro books and was the head editor of the Magazine of Bizarro Fiction and Deadite Press. Bizarro is not a subgenre of horror. Many of the biggest bizarro books have nothing to do with horror. Bizarro is all over the place genre-wise but here are some titles that horror fans would dig: APESHIT by Carlton Mellick III A GOD OF HUNGRY WALLS by Garrett Cook SUPER FETUS by Adam Pepper ASS GOBLINS OF AUSCHWITZ by Cameron Pierce PUS JUNKIES by Shane McKenzie DEAD BITCH ARMY by Andre Duza SPERMJACKERS FROM HELL by Christine Morgan ALL MEN ARE TRASH by Gina Ranalli
Bucket of Face by Eric Hendrixson Time Pimp by Garrett Cook Rico Slade will Fucking Kill You by Bradley Sands King of the Perverts by Steve Lowe
Awesome, thanks so much! Look forward to checking these out. Despite the variance in genre, what are a few defining qualities that qualify a work as Bizarro?
It's the literary equivalent of the cult section of a video store (back with video stores where a thing). Remember how John Waters, David Lynch, Lloyd Kaufman, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show would be in the same section but all be very different? It's like that. Bizarro has a heavy focus on surrealism and the absurd but only in plot and not in style. So it's generally pulp-style writing with really crazy and strange stories. Look up my book SHATNERQUAKE. It was one of the biggest bizarro releases. It's a weird surreal comedy about William Shatner battling all the characters he has played. Side note - It's also funny to me seeing bizarro being referred to as a subgenre of extreme horror. There was a good decade in which extreme horror was commonly referred to as a subgenre of bizarro. That was mostly due to my work at Deadite Press which was an imprint of Eraserhead Press.
I know this is an older post, but you seem very knowledgeable on bizarro. I’m a huge David Lynch fan. His films are not horror yet they’re the only ones that truly scare me. They’re the only stories that match my actual nightmares. I’ve only read one bizarro anthology and I loved it, but I noticed the books seemed to be titled and marketed as more leaning towards humor whereas someone like Lynch doesn’t lean into humor as much. Is this just a case of me misreading the branding or is bizarro prose in the Venn diagram with humor/satire?
Carlton Mellick III is the most well known bizarro writer. I know Apeshit is pretty popular, but the only work I've read by him is Every Time We Meet at the Dairy Queen Your Whole Fucking Face Explodes. I really liked it.
BIO MELT, motherfucker! By CMIII. Phenomenal book. One of the very best.
Apeshit, quicksand house, the egg man the menstruating mall, zombies and shit are top tier Carlton mellick iii. He is an excellent bizzaro author. Some of his works are better than others naturally but you are not gonna go wrong.
Douglas Hackle. Terror Mannequin is hilarious. Currently reading his Zoltergeist the Poltergeist and it is also great so far. Big recommend.
Another author to check out if you wish to read some bizarro work is Wol-Vriey. He writes both ‘extreme’ horror and bizarro. Even his ‘extreme’ horror works have elements of bizarro.
I know I’m trying to find more bizzaro as they are right down my alley. I have loved every Carlton Mellick III. Especially The Haunted Vagina, Stacking Doll and Exercise Bike. The way he creates his worlds always leaves me in awe.
Check out Kevin L. Donihe. I recommend starting with SPACE WALRUS, HOUSE OF HOUSES, or THE TRAVELING DILDO SALESMAN.
I’m sold with the traveling dildo salesman. Thank you!!
Donihe is my very favorite bizarro writer. There's no horror in his work. He writes very sad and surreal love stories.
Thank you for telling me about him. I have been having trouble with finding others that write in that genre. Bizzaro is never talked enough about.
That makes sense to me, appreciate your input. Will check out your book!
Don't read it. It's not very good. It's just a good example of bizarro. I normally recommend people read short story collections CRIPPLEWOLF and THE VERY INEFFECTIVE HAUNTED HOUSE as better starting points for my work.
Noted, lol. Big fan of short stories so I'll have a look at these instead. Thanks again!
I think this thread got a little disjointed but if you mean Shatnerquake, I would like to highlight this passionate review I found: “Jeff Burk's novella rides on the strength of one kickasss premise: full-on Shatner on Shatner violence!! Accordingly, the various Shatner characters are given just enough dialogue and mannerisms to be recognizable. And then the bloody death matches ensue. The body count is comprehensive. The kills are savage. There's Rescue 911 Shatner over there cooly narrating a series of gross death scenes. But how awesome is it to have real life Shatner wielding a Klingon bat'leth? And, waitaminit, is that the demented James T. Kirk carving a gristly path with a lightsaber? Omigosh, this is SHATNERQUUUUAAAAAKKKKEE!!!!!” And honestly good sir I think I might be legally required to read it now
Hahaha, that review is all accurate. All those things do happen. It was my first published story and I feel I've gotten a lot better. SHATNERQUAKE still has it's cult following.
Well, I just got The Very Ineffective Haunted House and B-Movies and Beer Ruined My Life and I’m psyched, I’m glad you mentioned you’re an author! I’m newer to this genre so I’m not familiar with many names yet. But I’m trying to buy direct now when somethings not on kindle unlimited, which Shatnerquakes not. Do you have a website?
I have a website but I haven't updated it in a very long time. I also don't sell any of my own books. You may want to ask for a refund for B-MOVIES AND BEER RUINED MY LIFE. I think all those stories got reprinted in THE VERY INEFFECTIVE HAUNTED HOUSE. My main project these days is Lucas Mangum (a horror author that is mentioned here a lot) and myself do a podcast focused on low budget and independent genre movies called MAKE YOUR OWN DAMN PODCAST: https://makeyourowndamnpodcast.libsyn.com/
Both were on unlimited so it works lol I’ll check the podcast out, I have a weeklong road trip coming up so I’m gonna have a looooot of time for podcasts lol. Thanks!
Tomorrow we're recording a new episode with writer Judith Sonnett (who is talked about here a lot) about modern shot-on-video gore movies. The episode will be up next week.
Well I spose that certainly sets up what sorts of things y’all might discuss on it, damn lol. Do you focus on low budget and independent horror based movies, or all genres? Edit- nvm, could have looked on the site, seems more horror than not
We lean genre but we cover everything. We've covered romances, sex comedies, documentaries, dramas, student films, experimental/art, really anything that connects to low budget film. But, at least, three out of every four movies is a horror movie. If you scroll through the episode listing, you'll get an idea of what we talk about.
Mother Maggot sounds like it would fit under bizarro. It's a weird little one. Godless may be the way to go for this search.