“HORRORS IN BATTLE, MONSTERS IN WAR” and More Terrifying True Stories! #WeirdDarkness

Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p96va25 IN THIS EPISODE: It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a very long while, and that’s bring you a Batman story. When I was in high school a book of Batman stories came out called “The Further Adventures of Batman: 14 All New Adventures of the Caped Crusader”. It was filled with short stories by several different authors, and it was different than anything else I’d read from the Dark Knight’s exploits, because this wasn’t a comic book – there were no pictures, just story after story. Somehow it kept my interest, and I remembered it today from back in 1989 when I read it for the first time – the year it came out. The first story was the one I remembered best, so it’s the one I bring to you tonight… it’s called “Death of the Dream Master” by Robert Sheckley. I’ve linked to the book it’s from below in the sources/references. SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Death of the Dream Master” by Robert Sheckley, from the book “The Further Adventures of Batman: 14 All New Adventures of the Caped Crusader” (edited by Martin H. Greenberg): https://amzn.to/4dcKoly Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: September 13, 2024 CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/BatmanDeathOfTheDreamMaster

Darkness Syndicate members get the commercial-free version with all artwork created for the YouTube and podcast thumbnails: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yyrmhxcb SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Forever Autumn” (“Murder of Crows”) by Weirdo family member Mark Towse (submitted at WeirdDarkness.com): https://twitter.com/MarkTowsey12 “I Was Hired To Murder Myself: by Thamires Luppi: https://www.creepypasta.com/i-was-hired-to-murder-myself/ “Are Those Monsters Real” by Weirdo family member Mike King (submitted at WeirdDarkness.com) “The Canada Geese of Lake Pleasant” by A.S. Lowe: https://www.creepypasta.com/the-canada-geese-of-lake-pleasant/ “The Hothfield Witches” by Weirdo family member Ken DaSilva (submitted at WeirdDarkness.com) Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: 2019

Darkness Syndicate members get the commercial-free version with all artwork created for the YouTube and podcast thumbnails: https://www.patreon.com/posts/111951690 IN THIS EPISODE: it’s the classic horror story, “The Call of Cthulhu” by H.P. Lovecraft.  Howard Phillips Lovecraft was an American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction. He is notable for blending elements of science fiction and horror; and for popularizing "cosmic horror": the notion that some concepts, entities or experiences are barely comprehensible to human minds, and those who delve into such risk their sanity – which describes well what you are about to hear. Lovecraft has become a cult figure in the horror genre and is noted as creator of the "Cthulhu Mythos," a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring a "pantheon" of nonhuman creatures, as well as the famed Necronomicon, a grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works typically had a tone of "cosmic pessimism," regarding mankind as insignificant and powerless in the universe – again, something you will hear in “The Call of Cthulhu”. Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, and his works, particularly early in his career, have been criticized as occasionally ponderous, and for their uneven quality. Nevertheless, Lovecraft’s reputation has grown tremendously over the decades, and he is now commonly regarded as one of the most important horror writers of the 20th Century, exerting an influence that is widespread, though often indirect. This is another episode in which I will be treating the source material as if I’ve been paid to narrate the audiobook – so I will be leaving all language by the author exactly as it was written. There are a couple of racist terms used in the story which I would never utter in my own conversations or even give my brain permission to think of as anything less than inappropriate, but they are used in the original text and I feel it is best to keep history as it is rather than trying to reinvent it, or cover it up. Just know that the words and thoughts are obviously not mine, but those of the author, H.P. Lovecraft, during a time almost 100 years ago when such terms were not as divisive as they are today. SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “The Call of Cthulhu” by H.P. Lovecraft: https://amzn.to/3cTCzUs Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: March 19, 2021 CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/callofcthulhu/

TRIGGER WARNING – This is a story NOT for the squeamish! A man on his deathbed tells his younger brother a horrifying story about what happened to him during the war… and about the beast that’s coming for him.  Darkness Syndicate members get the commercial-free version: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2ux23zmy SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “The Stygian Child” by Daren Salls: https://www.creepypasta.com/the-stygian-child/ Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: October, 2021 CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/stygianchild/

Darkness Syndicate members get the commercial-free version with all artwork created for the YouTube and podcast thumbnails: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4hnwcjfa IN THIS EPISODE: The bell rings, you answer the door, and you are met by two young boys. A normal event in the life of everyday people – but have those children on your doorstep ever had jet black eyes? (Real Accounts of BEK) *** A woman makes the mistake of letting one of these children into her home… and now she is dying. (I Let The Black Eyed Kids Inside, Now I’m Dying) *** More and more, reports are coming in about the after-effects of meeting BEKs – even years after the encounter. (BEKs and Cancer) *** Most BEK encounters are the children trying to get into your home – but there’s also a story of a normal child going door-to-door and one those doors is answered by a black-eyed adult! (Who Are The Parents of the Black Eyed Kids?) SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Real Accounts of BEK” by Donna Anderson: http://bit.ly/2Hs8j4y “I Let The Black Eyed Kids Inside, Now I’m Dying” by Greg Newkirk: http://bit.ly/2HO5JEW “BEKs Visit a Military Base” by Greg Newkirk: http://bit.ly/2QbY9rJ “Who Are The Parents Of The Black Eyed Kids?” by Greg Newkirk: http://bit.ly/2WYPfAq “BEKs and Cancer” by Greg Newkirk: http://bit.ly/2JvyD07 Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = (Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.) = = = = = "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = = WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: July 01, 2020 CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/iletinabek