Synopses & Reviews
Expanding on the concept behind Byron Preiss's Weird Heroes from the 1970s, George R. R. Martin's Wild Card series, and Michael Chabon's McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales, The Darker Mask is a collection of original prose stories recalling the derring-do of the beings we call Superheroes and the worlds they fight to save. But unique to The Darker Mask stories is that these plots and characters color a literary universe outside of what has been predominantly white, idiosyncratic, and male in previous homages to pulp. This is the stuff of urban legends, new mythos, and extraordinary folks who might live in a soon-to-be-gentrified ghetto, the dreary rust-belt of the city, or in another dimension. The Darker Mask offers an eclectic mix of popular fiction writers exploring worlds gritty, visceral, and fantastic. Including stories by: Walter Mosley, L. A. Banks, Naomi Hirahara, Lorenzo Carcaterra, Tananarive Due and Stephen Barnes, Mike Gonzales, Gar Anthony Haywood, Ann Nocenti, Jerry Rodriguez, Reed Farrell Coleman, Doselle Young, Mat Johnson, Peter Spiegelman, Alexandra Sokoloff, Christopher Chambers, Gary Phillips, Victor LaValle, and Wayne Wilson.
Synopsis
Wildly fantastic superhero stories by a cross section of today's cutting-edge urban fantasy and crime writers.
Expanding on the concept behind Byron Preiss's Weird Heroes from the 1970s, George R. R. Martin's Wild Card series, and Michael Chabon's McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales, The Darker Mask is a collection of original prose stories recalling the derring-do of the beings we call Superheroes and the worlds they fight to save.
But unique to The Darker Mask stories is that these plots and characters color a literary universe outside of what has been predominantly white, idiosyncratic, and male in previous homages to pulp. This is the stuff of urban legends, new mythos, and extraordinary folks who might live in a soon-to-be-gentrified ghetto, the dreary rust-belt of the city, or in another dimension.
Dream Knights; L. A. Banks
Trickster; Steven Barnes and Tananarive Due
The Strega's Last Dance; Lorenzo Carcaterra
Avatar; Christopher Chambers
Accidentally, Like a Martyr; Reed Farrel Coleman
The Whores of Onyx City; Michael A. Gonzales
Heatseeker; Gar Anthony Haywood
Tat Master; Naomi Hirahara
Henchman; Mat Johnson
The Angel of Loneliness; Victor LaValle
The Picket; Walter Mosley
Switchback; Ann Nocenti
And What Shall We Call You?; Gary Phillips
Dred; Jerry A. Rodrigues
The Edge of Seventeen; Alexandra Sokoloff
In Vino, Veritas; Peter Spiegelman
The Messenger; Wayne L. Wilson
Housework; Doselle Young
The Darker Mask offers an eclectic mix of popular fiction writers exploring worlds gritty, visceral, and fantastic.
Synopsis
"The Darker Mask" is a collection of original prose stories recalling the derring-do of the beings called Superheroes and the worlds they fight to save.
Synopsis
Wildly fantastic stories by a cross section of today's cutting-edge urban fantasy and crime writers
About the Author
CHRISTOPHER CHAMBERS is the author of Sympathy for the Devil and A Prayer for Deliverance. He is currently working on a historical novel titled Yella Patsy's Boys, about the African-American experience during the American Revolution. GARY PHILLIPS is the author of the Ivan Monk series and the Martha Chainey series, as well as Bangers and the Perpetrators. His short fiction appeared most recently in Los Angeles Noir and Hollywood and Crime. He lives in Los Angeles, California.