Theme Announcement:
COVID Suspenstories


_Tragic tales of true terror! Spine-tingling stories of sickness and suspense! Fearful flights of feverish fancy! Prepare yourself, dear reader, for...COVID Suspenstories!

_The (at time of writing, still ongoing) global pandemic has been a source of not only literal death and suffering, but also one of anxiety, isolation, depression, and identity-crises. Life under quarantine dragged to the surface many of the ugly truths which we had allowed to be buried, and created entirely new social and digital realities that we couldn’t have expected, and may not be able to contain when the pandemic is over (if, indeed, that day ever comes).

_This truly strange time is therefore fertile ground for Hypermodern Horror. With countless souls locked away in isolation, or forced to take their life in their hands every time they walk out their door, many of the horrifying, degrading and exploitative aspects of the contemporary, neoliberal world have come into sharp focus. Many systems have been strained past their breaking point, yet been forced to carry on regardless in a state of chaos, trauma and despair. The pervasive anxiety which runs just beneath the surface of capitalist, globalized society has clawed its way to the surface, spilling out in countless different forms, only some of which relate directly to the pandemic.

_That is the focus of COVID Suspenstories, our theme for the next two months. To explore not only the pandemic itself, but also everything which it exacerbated, unearthed, reframed, tore down or built up. Anxiety, isolation, crisis capitalism, the politics of labour and more will all be fair game. Our latest additions to the archive will lead you from the everyday horrors of the world-of-the-now to the dizzying depths of digital worlds, and bring you face-to-face with the dread that awaits you in your own reflection. So once again, dear viewer, steel yourself for a shot in the arm, and roll up your sleeve as we prepare a fresh dose of unbridled fear.