This May is Weird Western Month at Screaming Eye Press!!!

Saddle Up for Supernatural Adventure!

Written by Chauncey Haworth

Genres: Weird West

This May, ride into the enigmatic world of the Weird Western at Screaming Eye Press! Discover a genre where gunslingers and ghosts collide, sheriffs wield mystical powers, and moonlit showdowns might involve werewolves.

In the vast expanse of the Wild West, where dusty trails wind through rugged terrain and the sun sets on untold secrets, lies a genre as enigmatic as the landscape itself—the Weird Western. A fusion of the Old West and the supernatural and science fiction genres that were popular in pulps at the time, the weird west genre delivers exactly what you’d expect.

The roots of the Weird Western genre dig deep into the soil of American folklore and mythology. Legends of encountering ghosts, battling creatures of the night, and delving into the occult have been whispered around campfires for generations. However, it was in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that these tales found a new medium—the pulp magazines. Many adventure genres found a home in these low-quality pages, and it was just a matter of time until some serious crossing over started happening.

Imagine riding through the desert at twilight, only to stumble upon a ghost town where the spirits of the past still roam. Picture a gunslinger facing off against a werewolf under the light of a full moon; a sheriff wielding mystical powers to maintain law and order. In the Weird Western, anything is possible, and that’s the fun of it. It is very much a genre that blends genres to see if it can. It’s a beautiful exercise in art, a true example of art for art’s sake.

Another thing that makes Weird Western tales so unforgettable are the solid tropes and hero’s journeys. From the stoic gunslinger with a haunted past to the cunning outlaw seeking redemption, these archetypes often resonate with readers on a primal level. Themes of justice, revenge, and the eternal struggle between good and evil permeate the genre, lending it a timeless appeal. But this natural draw to traditional storytelling gives us something else too. It gives the author the chance to subvert our expectations at any turn.

While the heyday of pulp magazines may have come and gone, the influence of the Weird Western is still just over yonder. From novels and comics to films and television shows, the genre continues to captivate audiences. Writers like Stephen King, Joe R. Lansdale, and Neil Gaiman have all put their own spin on the Weird Western, keeping the tradition alive for a new generation of readers.