As part of their 85th anniversary commemoration, Weird Tales conducted a poll to see who their readers considered the weirdest storytellers of the last 85 years, and they posted the Top 85 yesterday on their website*. They specifically asked folks not to limit their nominees to fiction writers, which resulted in such wonderful additions as Jim Henson, the Cirque de Soleil, David Bowie, and M.C. Escher, as well as the writers you’d expect like Tanith Lee, Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, and H.P. Lovecraft.
It’s a great list. And it started me dwelling on other weird artists. Topping my list of weird-storytellers-not-in-WT‘s-85, I’d have to say is Don Hertzfeldt. While he’s a relative newcomer, I don’t think anyone can argue that his works aren’t sufficiently weird. And, of course, he’s brilliant. Billy’s Balloon needs to be shown alongside The Red Balloon to school kids.
*There’s also an “85 Weirdest Storytellers” article in their 85th anniversary issue (#349).
Writing Stuff
The audio podcast of “The Tiger Fortune Princess” is now up at Drabblecast, read by Norm Sherman, who did an absolutely fabu job. *squee!* I lubs hearing my stories read aloud. Go listen, yo!
Don Hertzfeldt does have a delightfully odd take on reality.
I took the liberty of telling readers of Weird Tales about Don Hertzfeldt and his website on Weird Tales’ “Share Your Weird” page:
http://weirdtales.net/wordpress/2008/03/25/share-your-weird/
Coolness! More people must be introduced to the weirdness which is Don Hertzfeldt…
I like the weird diversity! Thanks for the info and the recommendations.
Always glad to pass along the weird!