2/31 THE NEIGHBORS. When a family moves from the city to a rural area full of odd people, their teenage daughter goes through a sudden personality change in this fresh take on the changeling tradition #31DaysofHorrorComics

1/31 PLAGUE HOUSE. A trio of ghost hunters find that some evil leaves marks that extend behind place, and wounds are not always physical in a story that redefines “haunting.”

You know what tomorrow means? The start of my annual #31DaysofHorrorComics. Each day of October, I'll post one of my favorite horror comics I read this year. This will be the seventh year of the tradition (RIP to my Twitter account), and I can't wait to get started

All those negative YT comments are really coming in handy for this piece I'm writing on public scholarship, and it's giving me a perverse sense of joy. Thanks, trolls!

Busted out my professor voice (and overhead projector) for this quick Monster Theory 101 episode. It's basically a recap of why I study what I do and why research into monstrosity is so important. youtu.be/vUwRaWLEZnk?...

Well, according to my kid, he can "hear" Halloween coming, and it sounds like "skeleton." THE TIME IS NEAR, PEOPLE.

Now that the ink is dry, I'm writing a book y'all! Get ready for a global exploration of cryptids, featuring gorgeous illustrations. EEK

I love a good mystery and the Flatwoods Monster is certainly strange. See the latest Monstrum and let me know what you think happened in the woods! youtu.be/Pex7x4Z9htw?...

A bit bummed my “I love sharks cause they’re funny looking” quote didn’t end up in here, but in all seriousness, Jaws changed the game. 💕🦈

Welp, my kid is obsessed with Halloweentown and picked out his first antique (a goofy ceramic owl) so I think we are doing this right so far 🎃

Name a horror movie that physically changed how you lived your life. I’ll start: Final Destination 2; Them (2006); Contagion.

I've done a lot of interviews, but this quote might be my favorite yet: "...a lot of other cryptids have more nefarious purposes...But nightcrawlers are just some little dudes out there walking around." fresnoland.org/2025/05/01/t...

When I extend a deadline for my students until end of day (11:59pm) I call it "Cinderella rules" and now they ask for Cinderella time for extensions and it gives me immense joy.

Sincere apologies to author and artist ​Matthew Meyer (@yokai.com) for using his images uncredited in the bake-kujira episode. My production team is human and made a human error. We’ve ​​changed the description to properly attribute the work and will be more diligent moving forward.

Whales are awesome. Vengeful ghost skeleton whales? Not so much. Find out their purpose in the latest Monstrum episode. youtu.be/AgV4AxpRBCk?...

The Monstrum slasher episode got some international recognition, and long story short we are taking a “Final Girls” tour to Spain! Crowdsourcing here: Madrid or Barcelona? And why?

I am obsessed that *the most* controversial comment made in class discussion about the symbolism and rhetoric in Kendrick's halftime performance was "His bellbottoms are hideous." The literal gasps and immediate arguments...

Happy Hearts Day! Fun fact: Mary Shelley kept her husband Percy’s heart (or what she presumed was his heart) after his death. It was found in her desk, wrapped in one of his poems.

Fresno Nightcrawlers, the harmless "walking pants" cryptids, launch the new season of Monstrum. We've got a refreshed set and a new style, which means even more unhinged bloopers of me 🙃. youtu.be/QrGcxeyIPx4?...

The horror movie news this week…returning Ghostfaces? Final Destination? New horror video game titles? THE BUFFY REBOOT?! I have *academic thoughts* about this but from a spooky lover perspective—I’m just excited!

This may sound primitive and unscientific, but through the fairies, we COULD ask Mothra for help

Sooo can I include in my next annual review that students were offered money to drop my class so they could take it? Very weird and very flattering.

This episode on changelings is heavy but demonstrates the continued importance of monster scholarship. youtu.be/LMO3ULhkz2M?...

AHHHHHHHH

Honestly, annual review is a mix of pride and frustration given how much research I manage to produce as an Instructor with a 100% teaching load. Solidarity to all the academics out there for keeping up all the balls we have to juggle 🖤

31/31 TERROR TRAIN. College co-eds who pulled a horrible prank on a pledge years before celebrate the end of the year with a costume party—on a train. It's an excellent slasher with great use of masking. #31DaysofWinterHorror

30/31 POOKA! After an actor takes a gig as a costumed version of a new toy, he increasingly experiences hallucinations and bouts of violence. A very dark look at consumerism and fatherhood. #31DaysofWinterHorror

29/31 DREAD THE HALLS. A fun, spooky collection with a little something for everyone that brings in familiar faces and some global Yule folklore. #31DaysofWinterHorror

28/31 ANTLERS. A surprisingly decent take on the windigo that deals with generational trauma and addiction. Intense and dark with some excellent monster design (minus the antlers). #31DaysofWinterHorror.

RIP Olivia Hussey, one of the original and best final girls. variety.com/2024/film/ob...

27/31 THE WINTER PEOPLE. Loss and memory are at the center of this ghost/revenant story that wanders in places but comes through with eerie winter vibes. #31DaysofWinterHorror

26/31 HUNTER HUNTER. A trapper and his family discover a horrible secret in the woods while they hunt a wolf stealing their catches. It's a slow burn that pays off. While it's not technically winter, as an AZ lady, the mittens, isolation, and woods work for this time of year. #31DaysofWinterHorror

25/31 THE LODGE. Kids are terrifying. So is surviving a cult. Throw the two together, add in isolation, and you have a truly scary premise. #31DaysofWinterHorror

24/31 BLACK CHRISTMAS. Y'all probably saw this one coming, but it's a slasher classic for a reason. A group of sorority sisters try to survive through the holidays as an unknown assailant stalks them. Jess, the pregnant final girl (I'll fight you on this), is plucky and smart. #31DaysofWinterHorror

23/31 ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE. The Christmas zombie musical you didn't know you needed. Heartfelt, good special effects, some laughs...a must-watch. #31DaysofWinterHorror

Excited to have my latest article in Humanities’ Special Issue: Reimagining Classical Monsters where I examine The Invisible Man’s legacy in a post-#MeToo era. www.mdpi.com/2076-0787/13...

22/31 THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS. Revenge, respect, and restitution feature heavily in this fantastic book. You'll feel very differently about elk—and basketball @sgj.bsky.social #31DaysofWinterHorror.

21/31 RARE EXPORTS. Researchers let a malevolent force out of his frozen tomb, where he had been placed for good reason. And yes, there is a lot of nudity, and the ending is really messed up. #31DaysofWinterHorror

One of my all-time favorite movies

20/31 DEAD SNOW. Med students looking to unwind on a ski trip are surprised to find themselves fighting Nazi zombies (who are more akin to dragur btw). The sequel is also awesome. #31DaysofWinterHorror

19/31 BLACK STARS ABOVE. A mysterious ladder into the sky and an unusual package lead Eulalie on a strange journey as she flees from a forced marriage across a hard winter landscape. #31DaysofWinterHorror

18/31 THE RETREAT (2020). I would consider a backpacking trip in winter scary enough without drugs, possible cannibalism, and psychosis in the mix. Def. some problems with the windigo lore but as a one-time New Englander, I could feel this cold. #31DaysofWinterHorror

17/31 CARNAGE FOR CHRISTMAS. A fresh take on the Xmas slasher that blends in elements of Nancy Drew and true crime. Unique kills and the sassy protagonist made this for me. #31DaysofWinterHorror

16/31 A comic book writer investigating a notoriously brutal Christmas crime from decades earlier realizes the convicted killer may be innocent…just as a new wave of similar killings arrives. From the prolific @jamesthefourth.bsky.social #31DaysofWinterHorror

15/31 BETTER WATCH OUT. A home invasion with a twist. Excellent acting and gruesome HOME ALONE references included. The less you know going into this one the better. #31DaysofWinterHorror

14/31 DEVOLUTION. A tech-dependent community finds themselves stranded after the eruption of Mt. Rainier. To make things worse, a clan of Sasquatches attack their enclave. Another great read from @maxbrooks.bsky.social #31DaysofWinterHorror

13/31 KRAMPUS. Christmas Vacation vibes but make it horror. Some terrifying Krampus helpers and generational trauma round out this black comedy.

12/31 ISOLATION. An Irish creature feature—with cows. Themes of genetic modification and motherhood are explored along with some WTF imagery that will linger after the snow melts... #31DaysofWinterHorror

The weirder the monster, the better. And Kallikantzaros are pretty high up there. Take a look (and help me make my Greek mother-in-law proud). youtu.be/kYCjxLK_gkg?...

11/31 WEREWOLVES WITHIN. An amazing cast makes this video game adaptation stellar. A competent (but very bewildered) forest ranger tries to solve a series of murders amid rising panic. Also includes one of the best WONDERFUL LIFE references of all time. #31DaysofWinterHorror