Over the years… particularly the last few… I really haven’t read a ton of novels. Some history, superhero, horror, fantasy and supernatural material here and there, but generally, I veer towards articles, comics and graphic novels. With so much out there, I have endless lists of things I’d like to read, no matter its delivery. Then, of course, there’s television – offering a wide array of fandom for my nerd girl heart to pour over (YES!!). As it happens, it was TV that introduced me to what I now collectively refer to as The Christmasland Chronicles. From the deliciously horrific mind of Joe Hill, what began as a novel chock full of complicated, yet relatable characters, now spans across three mediums of chaos, fear and Strong Creatives (*WINK*) leaving this fan wanting more in every area. Each avenue offers endless possibilities giving one that, “Where do we go from here?”, feeling. To which, I dare any horror fan to take a peek at just one without developing a Manx sized appetite to devour the rest… LOL!! It’s with this in mind that I’d like to take a closer look at each platform. And though I came across these characters completely backwards – TV series, comics then novel – I’ll discuss each medium virtually spoiler-free (YAY!!) in order of their release while jingling all the way… LOL!!  

Following the road (mentally called an Inscape) for two main characters – Victoria “Vic” McQueen and Charles “Charlie” Talent Manx III – this novel does an excellent job of immersing the reader no matter the focus. Clocking in at a whopping 720 pages, I can honestly say the overall structure, makes it seem shorter than it truly is. Slipping back and forth from past to present as well as various character perspectives and locations, gives the pages a case by case feel. Hill is excellent when describing surroundings and is particularly detailed with private thought, allowing the reader to visualize and absorb the disgusts and delights seamlessly. Additionally, its pages are presented in a mostly mini-chapter format allowing one to engage in the intricacies in small, yet deeply disturbing horrific morsels. In general, the story tends to focus more on the protagonist Vic McQueen and spends considerable time fleshing out her psyche, as well as that of her lover Lou Carmody (God, I LOVE Lou!!) and their son Bruce Wayne (yep, that one!) Carmody. Both of which take center stage at some point allowing the reader to see things from their perspective quite often. Hill also does this on a smaller scale with many side characters, giving the overarch a wholistic and comfortable feel. And let’s not forget, as a life-long vampire fan, this is the most interesting take I’ve ever seen. “He believed in his own decency with all his heart. So, it was with every true monster, Vic supposed.” Manx – by far NOT the traditional blood sucker – is just as seductive and insidious. He’s also so self-righteous it’s downright annoying and somehow intoxicating at the same time! All necessary traits of ANY vampire, am I right?
​
Finally, the added supernatural elements allowing a Strong Creative, like Vic or Charlie, to wield a tangible object through an imaginary space in the mind, making it as real as the characters themselves, is amazingly diabolical. Yet, as Hill’s words flow off the page, surprising understandable as well. Further, Manx’s twisted version of saving children by way of kidnapping them and taking them to Christmasland is absolutely the delicious evil I didn’t even know I wanted. Ever the subtle background focus, Christmasland and all things Christmas are strung throughout the pages like a pair of dim lights just waiting to be turned up. Candy canes, ornaments, Christmas music and more serve as continuous reminders of evil and I LOVED IT!! It only makes sense that Hill would want to bring these visuals to the page. So… turn it up he did!!

Serving as a prequel to the NOS4A2 novel, this 7-comic series gives the reader considerable insight into the mind and moral make-up of Charles Talent Manx III. Not only do we get to see behind the curtain of this psychopath in his adult life before Christmasland and what led him there, but we also get a look at his upbringing – horrific on its own and chilling to say the least. We learn how Charlie finds his Inscape for the first time and just how warped his thinking became at a very young age. And it’s no surprise his mother, along with mental and physical abuse; play important roles. Beautifully written with layers upon layers of storytelling throughout, each volume tells us just a little bit more! There is no Vic, Bing, Maggie, or any other characters present in the novel. It’s all Charlie and it’s delicious!! The prologue and epilogue, inspiring my format now, round out Manx himself while the middle five comics take us into Christmasland nestled deep in Charlie’s mind in ways the novel cannot not – visually!!
​
Illustrated by Charles P. Wilson III, virtually every page (covers included) is full of quirky tidbits and somewhat exaggerated scenes in a kind of Dr. Seuss gone wrong sort of way… LOL! Pops of red appear throughout adding enhancement to a bloody scene, bloodshot eyes, pointy teeth, and of course, Christmasland. But what I truly love is all the detail provided in the background, particularly in Christmasland itself. Innocent enough from a distance, the deeper you get, the weirder… and creepier… it all becomes. From moving snowmen and a true man in the moon to severed heads and blood thirsty children, you read on with intrigue and fear… unable, or rather, unwilling, to look away!! Thankfully, the television series blends both novel and comic in two epic seasons of delectably chilling and visually stunning horror!!

​Across all three platforms, the stories of Charles Manx and Vic McQueen are dirty. Not gritty like a cowboy story. Dirty like real life. Messy and imperfect. And most of all, beyond the thrilling supernatural elements, plausible. It’s absolutely inspiring to know that at various times throughout the mediums, I liked one character portrayal more than another only to come back round again at some point. While the novel created Charlie, the comics made him believable, and the TV series made him real. It’s now virtually impossible for me to see one portrayal without thinking of another. Same goes for Bing (and his creepy rhyming… LOL!!), Vic, Maggie, Lou, Wayne and all the rest. But the sheer force behind all three platforms is Christmasland. Aesthetically pleasing on the surface and morbidly cold in detail, it’s absolutely stunning to witness the perversion of something, for all intents and purposes, so wholesome. For me, it says something deeper about our fascination with Christmas and the general commercial and superficial nature of it all. This feeling is unapologetically carried across all three mediums though each has the power to stand alone and with absolute force, I might add. But when blended together, one could spend hours comparing and contrasting which is exactly what I challenge you to do!! Don’t forget the hot cocoa and candy canes… LOL!! *WINK* And finally, if you truly just can’t get enough… looking ahead, or looking back depending on your perspective (LOL!), I’ll be giving a breakdown of each of the 7 comics in the coming weeks so stay tuned!! In the meantime, follow this link for a collection of the NOS4A2 television series episode reviews from our Editor-in-Chief and horror extraordinaire here at Nerds That Geek, John E. Betancourt or reach out to me on Twitter @obi_juanita with your questions or comments. Until next time… remember; ”Fantasy was always only a reality waiting to be switched on.”  

With Black History Month underway, I would like to take a moment to honor some amazing African American women who paved the way for today’s actors. It is important to take a look back so that we can continue to strive for better, and to not let the voices of those who have passed, ever be forgotten. It’s very easy to look at the past and brush it off as something that happened “forever” ago. When in reality, many of these issues are still being fought over today. That is why this, and every, Black History Month is so important. We cannot forget that these issues are still relevant today and we must not allow history to be rewritten for the comfort of those who reject this history.

Without further ado I would like to discuss a woman who not only broke barriers but is a native to this beautiful state of ours, Hattie McDaniel. Hattie was born in Denver, Colorado in 1893, and she’s most known for her role in Gone with the Wind. McDaniel did actually win an Oscar for this role, becoming the first African American to ever win one, and the first African American Woman to win Best Supporting Actress. What many may not know, is McDaniel wasn’t even allowed at the film’s premiere, due to it being at a “Whites Only” theater. A concept that not only boils my blood to this very day but sickens me on a level I cannot fully describe in words. During her win and speech, McDaniel was separated, and held in a private room of the hotel. As it was, she almost wasn’t allowed to attend, but an exception was made as a favor for the director of the film. While her win was groundbreaking, her role in the film itself was the topic of controversy among African Americans at the time. Her win was met with plenty of backlash from both African American and White viewers. McDaniel would go on to appear in over 300 films but would only get credit for 83 of them. While her accomplishments in film are great, and shorted, she should also be remembered as a singer/songwriter. Hattie broke many barriers, but unfortunately, she never got to see the end of segregation. Her accomplishments should never be forgotten.

An actress, singer, and Jazz performer, Ethel Waters had many firsts’ in her life. She was also the highest paid African American recording artist from 1921-1923, the first African American woman to integrate into Broadway, and in 1939 she broke history by being the first African American Woman to host her own television show, and the first African American to be nominated for an Emmy. She also became the second African American to be nominated for an Academy Award. Later in her career, she became the first African American woman to lead in a television series. Sadly, Waters would not win any awards for her hard work, but many of her songs would make it into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Much like McDaniel, Waters would get a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the early 2000’s, long after she had passed. Waters, like many African American’s that made performing arts a career, faced many challenges, but she would live to see a lot of change in her lifetime, including the end of segregation.

Breaking further boundaries would continue for African American singers, songwriters, and actors/actresses, but none would quite break barriers like Nichelle Nichols, who in 1966 became a sci-fi legend when she took the role of Lieutenant Nyota Uhura on Star Trek. Despite wanting to quit after the first year, Nichols stayed and became a household name to all those who fell for the show. Nichols paved the way for African American women in a whole new genre. But that was not the first groundbreaking moment for Nichelle. Later in 1968 she would share the first interracial kiss to be broadcast on American primetime television. While Star Trek would eventually transition from the little screen to the big screen and then eventually give way to The Next Generation, Nichols would go on to have a singing career and star in many other programs. However, it is my opinion that her greatest contribution; was the program she ran with NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration does not have the best reputation when it comes to representation, however with the help of Nichelle, NASA started a program to help encourage African American woman to join the agency.

Speaking of NASA and their past, let’s talk about the true story behind the film Hidden Figures. The film is loosely based off the novel, Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race. This is the real story of how three African American women helped send a man into space. Talk about breaking down walls and barriers, these women did that. In 1958 Mary Jackson became the first African American Engineer to work for NASA. Dorothy Vaughan was the first African American woman to become a supervisor, overseeing a staff of in 1949. Kathrine Johnson is noted as being the first African American scientist at NASA, but it was her work as a mathematician that made space flight possible. These women paved the way for Mae Jemison, who in 1992 became the first African American woman to go into space.

These women did more than just look pretty and smile, they broke barriers, tore down boundaries, and fought for their place in history. Black History is all of our history, and we must strive to do better and continue fighting until we are all free. We must not allow the continuation of systemic racism and blatant oppression to continue. And we can no longer accept the omission of African Americans from American History.

If there is one thing that horror fans and cinephiles everywhere can agree upon, it would have to be that Night of the Living Dead is a cinematic masterpiece. Simply because it really does feature a perfect story, in every sense of the phrase. For it features a compelling plot, one that offers up a flawless three act structure and is complete with compelling dialogue and dynamic characters and of course, it is one of the finest horror films ever made. Because the whole notion of the dead returning to life to feast upon the living was revolutionary at the time and their unwholesome actions in this tale, are one of the many reasons that this movie remains relevant today, despite being released in 1968.
​
But while it is good to know that this film’s solid foundation has allowed for it to endure the test of time and even be inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry program, there are some other key elements that make this movie worth revisiting time and time again. Such as the fact that it has a lot to say about our modern world. Specifically, how our inability to put our egos aside and work as one in the middle of the crisis causes more harm than good and how we have yet to conquer racial inequality since some of the images present in this film, could be ripped from a daily headline. But while those are all important points to discuss in regard to this motion picture, there is one in particular that doesn’t get discussed enough and that’s what we are going to focus upon today… the fact that an African American actor was able to play the lead in a 1960s horror film. 

Which is no small feat, one that truly deserves more recognition and praise, especially when one considers that initially… the character of Ben was meant to be something quite different. For early drafts of NOTLD featured a man that was the polar opposite of the final product. One that was not well-spoken in the slightest and likely would have been forgettable. But when actor Duane Jones was cast, not only did he help to influence the formation of this character into the bold and dynamic man we see in the finished product, but he outright made history. After all, an African American man playing the lead in a horror film, or a film in general really, was a rarity in 1968 and while that alone is worth pouring over on a consistent basis, it’s what Duane and his character accomplish on screen that provide this historic moment with an enduring legacy.

Because in essence, Duane’s portrayal of Ben and the changes made to the character, allow for Ben to serve as the anthesis to the often negative portrayal of African Americans on the silver screen. Which means that so many of the awful stereotypes that we tend to see in relation to African Americans in film, simply aren’t present here. For Ben isn’t a sidekick or full of awful one liners and comedic relief. He’s an outright hero in this story and he’s well-spoken and educated and he takes charge in this story and leads a group of innocent people on a quest for survival and whether he succeeds at that or not is irrelevant. Because this is the stuff we simply weren’t seeing back then and sometimes don’t see now, in regard to Hollywood and the small screen, and the significance of this, doesn’t end with this positive portrayal. 
​
For despite the film’s racial overtones and commentary on the civil rights movement that was raging during its release, Ben is actually viewed as an equal by the folks he’s trapped with. Granted, there is a power struggle between he and Harry Cooper as the film progresses, but that’s for different reasons not related to race. No instead, the conflict exists simply because Cooper is an egotistical know-it-all who thinks he is somehow qualified to lead in a crisis. But outside of his ego trip, Tom and everyone else take Ben’s lead on a great many issues and trust him and work alongside him and that too, is a big deal. Because that’s what representation in film and television should look like, where the disagreements are fundamental instead of being racially motivated and few movies have ever rivaled or matched what this film accomplishes in regard to that and believe it or not, there are still more significant moments to be found in this movie, revolving around Ben.

Because he is also an outright action hero in the movie as well, since he’s the one with the gun and the fortitude to fight the dead and he’s also the man that brings forth the solution for defeating these ghouls. Since he’s the first one in canon to damage the brain and really in the end, all of these elements add to the enduring legacy of Night of the Living Dead and make it one of the most influential motion pictures to ever grace the silver screen. Because this one really was ahead of its time and it opened doors in ways, we never thought possible and that’s a wonderful thing for certain and it needs to be celebrated and discussed more often. Simply because… we still have a long way to go. For representation in film and television still needs a lot of work and it would behoove a great many to look to this film and its revolutionary decisions as a blueprint for the future.