Under the Hot Sun, Devils and Legends

Dear Weirdlings,

The heat envelopes us, summer grasping with motionless, sun-drenched days. Fans pulse in each room, only stirring the hot air. Bodies become heavy and languid in this heat, melting into the couch or patio chair.

Overwhelmed, power collapses into blackout. Everything silenced. Nothing but the weight of the hot sun and the slow passage of time.

In these heavy days, here are a few more flashes of news and reviews to distract you.

Movies

A Few of Our Favorite Devils in SFF (Tor.com)

The Devil has taken many forms in movies, TV, and games — from the charming to the comedic, to the horrifying. Here’s a list of some of the best devils to have graced the screen.

TV

Lovecraft Country Is a Radical Blend of Race & Sci-fi (Nerdist)

In a new series from HBO, a young Black man travels across the U.S. in search of his missing father. His search leads him to a family legacy of magic and horror in an already horrifying Jim Crow-era 1950s.

Games

Time-Bending Shooter ‘Deathloop’ Delayed to 2021 (Polygon)

Deathloop, a thriller being developed by Arkane Studios, will feature characters attempting to kill each other while trapped in a time-loop anomaly.

Lore

The Scariest Urban Legends from Each US State (Matador Network)

Every region comes with its own urban legends of mysteries and monsters in the night. This info-graphic provides a look at some of the scariest lore from each U.S. state — from radioactive hornets to goblins to gates to hell.

Literature

Exploring the Horrors of Being Human with Junji Ito (Andrea Blythe)

Junji Ito is a master of horror. In his latest work, No Longer Human, he combines his usual gorgeous artwork and unsettling imagery with a more grounded, character driven story.

Short of the Week

In “Instinct,” directed by Maria Alice Arida, a lonely gallery owner meets a dangerously seductive performance artist and discovers they have more in common than expected. It’s an elegantly crafted tale, showing the art world bathed in blood.

After watching “Instinct,” you may want to check out this discussion on the Horror Queers podcast, in which they discuss and analyze the film.