Black Static Issue 27

2.5/5 ( ratings)

'Black Static' is stuffed with horror & dark fantasy fiction and this issue, #27 – Feb/March 2012, has stories from Simon Bestwick, who is a British Fantasy Society Short Story Award nominee for 2012, Gord Sellar, Jacob Ruby, Stephen Bacon and V.H. Leslie. Also present are the innovative artwork, hard-hitting features and expert book & DVD reviews readers have come to admire. Author Alison Littlewood is interviewed and her first novel 'A Cold Season' is reviewed.

Black Static is the successor to The Third Alternative magazine, which was founded in 1994. When TTA Press acquired Interzone in 2005 it was no longer necessary to publish science fiction and fantasy in The Third Alternative. So its replacement was titled Black Static and now its contents are original horror/dark fantasy fiction and illustrations plus related news and reviews of books, movies and DVDs. It is not celebrity oriented. This edition has the text and illustrations of the print edition but some graphics and advertisements are not present.

The title and strapline reference 'electronic voice phenomenon' , the noise found on recordings which some people interpret as the voices of ghosts. The film White Noise, starring Michael Keaton, could more accurately be called Black Static. What makes the title even more suitable is that 'Black Static' is also the title of Paul Meloy's British Fantasy Award winning story from The Third Alternative.

The Third Alternative was never afraid to push the envelope, and nothing has changed in that regard. Black Static has earned much praise for its style, bravery, editorial and fiction content. Its stories are innovative and daring, never afraid to shock or disturb, yet always entertain.

The magazine publishes some of the finest Horror writers working today: Christopher Fowler, 'Afterlife' creator/writer and 'The Awakening' scriptwriter Stephen Volk, Lisa Tuttle, Nicholas Royle, Conrad Williams, Tony Richards, Scott Nicholson, Steve Rasnic Tem, Cody Goodfellow, Mélanie Fazi, Matthew Holness , Michael Marshall Smith, Simon Clark, Graham Joyce, Gary McMahon, Alexander Glass, Joel Lane, to name just a few. Alongside these is a dazzling array of new talent such as Aliette de Bodard, Daniel Kaysen, Shannon Page, Roz Clarke, Ray Cluley, Sarah Totton, James Cooper, Nina Allan, Eric Gregory, Alison Littlewood and many more.
A unique fiction magazine requires unique presentation and Black Static delivers on this front too, thanks to the extraordinary original artwork of artist like David Gentry and Ben Baldwin along with a design that delights in breaking rules.

Every issue contains a striking news feature called White Noise, compiled by Peter Tennant. Pete also supplies all the magazine's book reviews in his Case Notes column which runs to at least fourteen pages and includes interviews, sidebars and factoids. Tony Lee reviews the latest DVD/Blu-ray releases in his Blood Spectrum Column. Christopher Fowler, Stephen Volk and Mike O'Driscoll supply thought-provoking comment columns, and every print issue gives away lots of free stuff.
Black Static is published bimonthly, in alternate months to Interzone . You can subscribe to the print version using the TTA Press website's shop.