Panel: XENOPHILIA - Embracing Otherness in Cosmic Horror
What happens when dread of the unknown gives way to ecstatic acceptance, love ahd enthusiasm for monsters, elder gods and secrets man was not meant to know? How does embracing otherness and monstrosity change horror and fantasy and change ourselves? This panel explores work that paves the way for the future by embracing both the human and monstrous other and finding the horror and excitement in these tensions.
Peter Rawlik is a prolific author of Lovecraftian Fiction including the novels Reanimators and The Weird Company. His fiction often focuses on characters and events forgotten by Lovecraft and his successors. His latest novel is the Lovecraftian noir Reanimatrix, which tells the story of both Robert Peaslee and Megan Halsey, the second generation of Lovecraftian Heroes.
Joseph Scrimshaw is a filmmaker, writer, and comedian based in Los Angeles. His film, "The Narrator," starring Phil LaMarr won the Silver Award for Best Experimental short at the Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology. He’s delighted to be back at the H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival after showing his 2022 film, "Unboxing The Cosmos," and multiple appearances with Tim Uren as the comedy cultists, Chuck & Dexter. Joseph’s also written for television and radio, performed across the country as an actor and stand-up, and did a commercial with the monkey from Friends. A true highlight of a varied career.
Mike Davis is the founder and editor of The Lovecraft eZine, an online magazine which is published monthly and is a prime internet source for original Lovecraftian fiction (it has featured new works by W. H. Pugmire, Peter Rawlik, Molly Tanzer, Jeff Thomas, Mark Rainey, Ann K. Schwander, and Joe Pulver) and information about Lovecraftian films and audios, memorabilia, books, art, and happenings within the Lovecraftian community. Mike conducts weekly video chats and interviews on Sundays. Many notable Lovecraftians such as Robert M. Price, S.T. Joshi, and Ellen Datlow have been interviewed in the weekly video chats. Information regarding the weekly Lovecraft eZine video chats can be found online at: www.lovecraftzine.com/chat. Mike lives in Texas with his wife and son, 3 cats, and 1 dog.
Cody Goodfellow has written nine novels and five collections of short stories, and edits the hyperpulp zine Forbidden Futures, and has won three Wonderland Book Awards. His comics work has been featured in Mystery Meat, Creepy, Slow Death Zero and Skin Crawl. As an actor, he has appeared in numerous short films, TV shows, music videos by Anthrax and Beck, and a Days Inn commercial. He wrote, co-produced and scored the Lovecraftian hygiene films Baby Got Bass and Stay At Home Dad, which can be viewed on YouTube.