THE BLOG FROM THE BLACK LAGOON

THE ABC SATURDAY SUPERSTAR MOVIE “THE MAD, MAD, MAD MONSTERS” (ANIMATED FILM)

Release Date: September 23, 1972 (See Notes regarding setting)

Series: Mad Monster Party?

Horror Crosses: Frankenstein (Universal); Frankenstein (Rankin/Bass); Dracula (Universal); Wolf Man; Mummy (Universal); Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Universal); Invisible Man (Universal); Creature from the Black Lagoon; King Kong

The Story: When Dr. Henry von Frankenstein creates a bride for his monster, he decides to throw his creations a wedding.

Notes: Dear God, Henry! What have you done? Playing God. Reanimating the dead. Creating a Phyllis Diller. So this is a prequel to Mad Monster Party?, which came out in 1967, so this must take place before then. See my notes for Mad Monster Party? for my notes on the individual characters involved.

SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE # 51 “THE METALUNA MUTANT VS. THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON” (DENNIS DRUKTENIS PUBLISHING)

Release Date: June 2004 (Setting is 1953)

Series: This Island Earth; Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Story: The mutant creature from the planet Metaluna comes to Earth and arrives in the Amazon where he fights the Gill-Man.

Notes:The Metaluna Mutant is from This Island Earth. The Gill-Man is the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The Gill Man is brought in along with most Universal horror by Return of the Wolf Man. This story brings in the 50s horror/sci-fi film This Island Earth. ‘nuff said.

THE COLGATE COMEDY HOUR (TELEVISION SERIES)

SEASON 4 EPISODE 21

Release Date: February 21, 1954 (Contemporary Setting)

Horror Crosses: Invisible Man (Universal); Frankenstein (Universal); Creature from the Black Lagoon

Non-Horror Crosses: Abbott and Costello

The Story: There are various routines and sketches, but only one is relevant. Bud and Lou have been asked to guest host the Colgate Comedy Hour. They head to the Universal prop department in preparation for the show. There, in a room with life size figures of the classic Universal monsters, Lou encounters the very real Invisible Man, Frankenstein Monster, and Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Notes: Only the one sketch is part of the Horror Universe. The Invisible Man here is probably Geoffrey Radcliffe again. The Frankenstein Creature is likely the one created in Mad Monster Party. This is also probably not the same Gill-Man from the famous film, but another of the species. One might argue that these monsters are the models come to life, but this isn’t likely since there is a model of the Invisible Man in the background the whole time Lou is menaced by the real deal. Finally, there have been plenty of stories that demonstrate that these monsters exist in the same reality where the Universal films also have been made. Clearly in each instance, the events got told to somebody at Universal.

CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (FILM)

Release Date: March 5, 1954 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Story: A geology expedition in the Amazon uncovers the Gill-Man, the missing link between sea creatures and mammals. Things don’t go well.

Notes: The Gill-Man is brought in by Jeff Rovin’s Return of the Wolf Man. He is probably the last of the famous classic Universal monsters to be introduced. He returns in two official sequels after this: Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us. A remake is in development at the time of this writing. This film, due to its popularity, has been referenced and spoofed many times over the years.

REVENGE OF THE CREATURE (FILM)

Release Date: May 11, 1955 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Story: The Gill-Man has been shot (a lot) by bullets. But don’t they always survive? He is captured and brought to Florida to be studied, and it doesn’t go well.

Notes: This film follows Creature from the Black Lagoon and is followed by one more sequel, The Creature Walks Among Us, in 1956. This film has been “non-cross” referenced in films such as Jaws and Back to the Future Part III. It was also spoofed in the Naked Monster.

MAD MONSTER PARTY? (ANIMATED FILM)

Release Date: March 8, 1967

Series: Mad Monster Party?

Horror Crosses: Frankenstein (Rankin/Bass); Dracula (Rankin/Bass); Invisible Man (Universal); Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde (Universal); Frankenstein (Universal); Hunchback of Notre Dame (Universal); Mummy (Universal); Wolf Man; Creature from the Black Lagoon; King Kong

The Story: Dr. Boris Frankenstein summons the members of the Worldwide Organization of Monsters to announce he has come up with the final solution for world destruction. He also invites his nephew, who is oblivious of his Frankenstein heritage, because Boris plans on passing everything on to him.

Notes: This is a fun homage to the Universal monsters, even with putting up with Phyllis Diller as the Bride of Frankenstein. However, it’s unlikely any of the monsters here can really be the original versions from the classic movies. Dr. Frankenstein here is Dr. Boris Frankenstein, and at least the storyline acknowledges the family legacy theory. The story also names him as the creator of this monster and bride. However, in the prequel, The Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters, it is a Henry von Frankenstein who is shown to have created them. This is not the same Henry from the 1931 Universal film. Henry and Boris seem identical, and may be twins, or perhaps the same person (Henry Boris von Frankenstein). This helps explain the appearances of a Universal style monster (and sometimes bride) during the period of 1948 - 1998 when the actual Universal Monster is trapped in La Mirada. The werewolf is unnamed here, but in the prequel is named Ron Chanley , a tribute to the actor who played Lawrence Talbot, Lon Chaney. The Invisible Man here could be Geoffrey Radcliffe, though if so, he’d be a bit older (though sure doesn’t look it). In the prequel, he is shown to have settled down and has an invisible family. The Doctor Jekyll here is likely one of the many of the Jekyll family over the years to continue the research of the Hyde formula. This mummy isn’t Imhotep or Kharis, but it might be Klaris. Or it may just be another mummy. The Gill Man is likely another of the same species, and not the same from Creature from the Black Lagoon. The Hunchback also can’t possibly be the original. And the giant ape referred to as “It” can’t be the late King Kong, but is likely another of the same species. In the prequel, he is named Modzoola. Dracula is the only one who could be the same, if not for being so damn goofy. Let’s call this a soul clone. The prequel shows that this Dracula has a son. All the monsters die at the end, but that’s never stopped a good monster before from making a comeback. This film has been “non-cross” referenced in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Cleavagefield, and Hewy’s Animated Movie Reviews.

THE MONSTER SQUAD (FILM)

Release Date: 1987 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Monster Squad

Horror Crosses: Dracula (Universal); Frankenstein (Universal); Wolf Man (Universal); Mummy (Universal); Creature from the Black Lagoon (Universal); Dracula (novel) [see Notes for all]

Non-Horror Crosses: Back to the Future

The Story: In 1887, Van Helsing uses an amulet to try to banish Dracula into the void. He failed. Exactly 100 years later the talisman ends up in an unnamed town that appears to be Hill Valley, California. So does Van Helsing’s notebook, that is needed to perform the ritual again. A group of kids must work together to stop Dracula, who has come to town as well, with a group of monster lackeys, to perform his own ritual and bring Hell on Earth, with him as ruler.

Notes: The monsters are all meant to be the Universal monsters (based on the director commentary). This was also the case with Van Helsing, and as with Van Helsing, we have to assume they are not. But at least in the case of this film, we are closer to the original film versions. The Dracula of this film uses the alias Alucard, as did the Dracula from Son of Dracula. Thus, I presume that this is the same vampire from that film, rather than Armand Tesla. The Frankenstein Creature of this film can’t be the one from the Universal series, who is in suspended animation in La Mirada, Florida at this time. But there certainly have been plenty of other creatures out there created by the Frankenstein family. The Wolf Man of this film claims to be Larry Talbot, but since the Universal Wolf Man is also in suspended animation in La Mirada, this must be his son, Larry Talbot Junior. The Mummy here likely isn’t Kharis, but it might be Klaris who did survive the events of Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy as revealed in Return of the Wolf Man. On the other hand, the Gill-Man present could be the same from the original films, or at least the same species. The Van Helsing in this film only appears in an 1887 scene. It may be Abraham from Bram Stoker’s novel. The downtown set used for the town setting is the same used for Back to the Future. There’s nothing to contradict it indeed being Hill Valley. That would bring the Back to the Future trilogy into the Horror Universe. A remake of this film is in development at this writing. This film has been referenced as fiction or paid homage to in numerous other films and on television.

SCOOBY-DOO AND THE GHOUL SCHOOL (ANIMATED FILM)

Release Date: February 1988 (Contemporary Setting, maybe….see Notes)

Series: Scooby-Doo (1980s animated film series)

Horror Crosses: Dracula (Hanna-Barbera); Frankenstein (Hanna-Barbera); Creature From the Black Lagoon; Godzilla

The Story: Shaggy, Scooby, and Scrappy take jobs as coaches at an all-girls school that turns out to be an all-girl monsters school.

Notes: Each Scooby series is taken separately for inclusion. The crosses with Godzilla and the Creature from the Black Lagoon bring in not only the 80s Scooby movies, but also the Hanna-Barbera versions of Dracula and Frankenstein. If this film were set in the time it aired, 1988, Shaggy would be in his late 30s by this point and Scooby and Scrappy would be fairly old, especially for dogs. (And with Scrappy still claiming to be a puppy.) Either the trio are immortal, or this story actually takes place in the 1970s, at a point where Shaggy is still in his early to mid 20s. As for explaining Scooby and Scrappy, see my notes on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! Still, this does not explain why people aren’t surprised when they encounter talking animals. I could blame it on Sunnydale-itus, the phenomenon where rational people tend to dismiss anything out of the ordinary, but this solution still leaves me slightly unsatisfied. The Dracula and Frankenstein Monster here are the Hanna-Barbera versions, likely another soul clone and copycat creation, respectively. Their daughters are on the school’s volleyball team. At the end of the film, two new students are females from the same species as both the Gill-Man (Creature from the Black Lagoon) and Godzilla. Note that there must be more than one of the Gill-Man species, and in fact, there are in-story references that state that the Gill-Man is the same as the Deep Ones of Innsmouth and the Silurians from Doctor Who. As for Godzilla, it would seem that there is also more than one of this species. In fact, in the classic series of films, it’s stated that the Godzilla from the original film was destroyed, and the one from the rest of the films was a second one. This film follows Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers and is followed by A Pup Named Scooby-Doo. This film is referenced in the 2012 Hotel Transylvania. In both animated films, the werewolf’s daughter in named Winnie.

ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES (ANIMATED SERIES)

SEASON 1 EPISODE 3 “TOMATOES FROM THE BLACK LAGOON”

Release Date: September 22, 1990 (Contemporary Setting)

Horror Crosses: Creature from the Black Lagoon

Non-Horror Crosses: Hulk (Comic)

The Story: This week’s adventure takes the heroes (and villains) to the Black Lagoon, and there is an encounter with the Hulk at the airport.

Notes: This cross with Creature from the Black Lagoon brings the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes films and cartoon into the Horror Universe. It also brings the comic book version of the Hulk in. The TV version is brought in via a crossover with Kolchak.

RETURN OF THE WOLF MAN (NOVEL BY JEFF ROVIN)

Release Date: 1998 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Wolf Man (Universal)

Horror Crosses: Frankenstein (Universal); Dracula (Universal); White Zombie; The Deadly Mantis; The Monolith Monsters; Werewolf of London; Creature from the Black Lagoon; Man Made Monster; The Mad Monster; Night Key; Invisible Man (Universal); Mummy (Universal)

Non-Horror Crosses: Abbott and Costello

The Story: Caroline Cooke inherits a castle in LaMirada, Florida. The town ends up soon being threatened by a monster as Larry Talbot has returned, after having been frozen in suspended animation for 50 years.

Notes: This novel brings together pretty much all of Universal Horror into the Horror Universe, and is a sequel to Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein. Both Talbot and the Frankenstein monster had been in suspended animation in LaMirada for the past 50 years, negating the possibility of any Talbot or Monster appearances being related to the Universal characters during that time frame.

SECTION ZERO (GORILLA COMICS)

Release Date: June - September 2000

Series: Section Zero

Horror Crosses: Creature from the Black Lagoon

Non-Horror Crosses: The Lost World; Doc Savage; X-Files

The Story: Section Zero is a United Nations created team that has existed since the1960s. It’s mission is to investigate things that all governments are unified in denying, such as UFOs, monsters, lost civilizations, time travel, ancient gods, prehistoric survivors, and you get the picture. In fact, the United Nations does not recognize the existence of the team itself.

Notes: The team leader is Titania “Doc” Challenger, implied granddaughter of Professor Challenger from the lost World. Her ex-husband and teammate is Sam Wildman. Another team member is a grey alien. Though grey aliens are part of 20th century UFO lore, at the time of this series, they were regularly featured as a part of the ongoing storylines of the X-Files. The final member is a Gill-Man, of the same species as that seen in the Creature from the Black Lagoon.

DISNEY ADVENTURES # 200008 “SOCIETY OF HORRORS: THE WRAITH NEXT DOOR” (DISNEY)

Release Date: August 1, 2000 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Society of Horrors

Horror Crosses: Creature from the Black Lagoon; Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Dracula (Universal); Frankenstein (Universal); Wolf Man; Mummy (Universal)

Non-Horror Crosses: You Can’t Do That On Television

The Story: A Gill-Man, a headless horseman, and an alien are roommates, who have to deal with a wraith neighbor.

Notes: The monster roommates have portraits of the Universal versions of Dracula, the Frankenstein Monster, the Wolf Man, and the Mummy hanging in their apartment. They also have green slime, like that used on Nickelodeon shows but first introduced on You Can’t Do That On Television.

BONEYARD # 1 - 28 (NBM)

Release Date: 2001 - 2009 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Boneyard

Horror Crosses: Frankenstein (Boneyard); Creature from the Black Lagoon; The Raven; The Screwtape Letters; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Dracula (novel); Evil Dead; Frankenstein (novel); The Wolf Man; Zatanna; Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Friday the 13th; Hellboy (comics); King Ghidorah; Mothra; Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

Non-Horror Crosses: The Tempest

The Story: Michael Paris inherits a graveyard inhabited by friendly monsters. Hilarity and adventure ensue.

Notes: One of the inhabitants is Brutus, who is a creature of the Frankenstein model. Brutus’ wife is a Gill-Woman named Nessie. Edgar is a raven who claims to have been the inspiration for Edgar Allan Poe’s story. The Boneyard has its own elected official, Mayor Wormwood. Mayor Wormwood is supposed to be Satan, but this Satan is kind of an idiot. I’ve stated elsewhere in this guide that not all appearances of the devil are the same guy. The name carries weight, and so it seems that many lesser demons may pose as the top dog. In the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, Wormwood is a poor excuse for a demon who is eaten by his uncle. But of course, what happens when a demon dies? They return to Hell. So this may be the same Wormwood. The vampire named Abby seems to be of the vampiric variety seen on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Remember that in the Horror Universe, there are several strains of the “vampire virus”, which create varying types of vampires with different traits, strengths and weaknesses. Abby refers to Michael as her “Renfield”. That could be a pop culture reference, but considering the number of other horror crosses, and that Dracula is real in the Horror Universe, I’m inclined to count it. There are “Xandorian” demons which I believe to be an intentional misspelling of Kandorian demons from the Evil Dead series. Somebody refers to the original Dr. Frankenstein. That same person makes a reference to that guy with the stick which may be Larry Talbot, whose cane is famous. At a bar is Zatanna Zatara and a Gill-Man. An Old One appears, who is friendly! His name is Haz’aroth, which may be an intentional misspelling of Azathoth, but I’m not sure Azathoth would be so nice. Perhaps he’s a nicer guy around other monsters. Abby is hired by the government to stop a slasher at a summer camp called Camp Waterlake. Though the slasher turns out to really be Lilith, she has taken the form of Jason Voorhees. This isn’t the first time Camp Crystal Lake has changed its name. In the film series, it did so to try to avoid the bad reputation it has gained. When Abby has to attend a banquet for supernatural beings, she takes Michael as her date. The waiter is Ariel from Shakespeare’s the Tempest. Hellboy is in attendance. So are King Ghidorah and Mothra. The Space Kook is also there. Though the Space Kook was just a man in a mask in Scooby Doo, Where Are You!, most of those villains took on the identities of figures from legends and folklore. So this must be the real Space Kook that inspired the man in the mask who was exposed by Mystery, Inc.

THE LOST CULT (NOVEL BY E.E. KNIGHT)

Release Date: August 2004 (Setting is after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq)

Series: Tomb Raider

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Creature from the Black Lagoon

Non-Horror Crosses: Sherlock Holmes

The Story: Lara Croft discovers the existence of the Deep Ones.

Notes: This Lovecraftian tale brings Lara Croft into the Horror Universe. The Deep Ones are the “fish men” of Innsmouth. The Deep Ones are said to be led by Uhluhtc. (Spell it backwards.) Lara also consults Von Junst’s Unaussprechlichen Kulten. Von Junst is likely a misspelling of Von Juntz. This book is also from Lovecraftian lore. The Deep Ones are said to resemble the Creature from the Black Lagoon. It’s possible that they are the same species or a closely related species. Lara also quotes from Sherlock Holmes. Since Holmes’ existence is concrete in the Horror Universe, she is clearly quoting a real historical figure, rather than a fictional character.

SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE # 53 “THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON VS. THE WOLF MAN” (DENNIS DRUKTENIS PUBLISHING)

Release Date: January 2005 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Creature from the Black Lagoon; the Wolf Man (Universal)

Horror Crosses: Werewolf of London

The Story: Larry Talbot continues to search for a cure. After failing to find any ancestors of Wilfred Glendon, he heads to the amazon and encounters the Gill-Man.

Notes: The Gill-Man of this story may be the original Creature from the Black Lagoon, or another of the species. This Larry Talbot is the original Wolf Man, not one of his sons, since this occurs after Return of the Wolf Man. Wilfred Glendon was the Werewolf of London.

MONTHLY SHONEN SIRIUS “MONSTER PRINCESS” (KODANSHA)

Release Date: July 2005 - April 2013 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Princess Resurrection

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Dracula (Universal); Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Creature From the Black Lagoon; Invisible Man (Universal); Invasion of the Body Snatchers; The Fly; Evil Dead

Non-Horror Crosses: Day of the Triffids; Angry Red Planet; Back to the Future; Star Trek; It Conquered the World

The Story: In Japan, a young man is hit by a car. As he lay there dying, he is resurrected by the princess of the Monster Realm. Not only is he brought back from death, but he becomes nearly immortal, with great power, but must serve the princess as her warrior and protector.

Notes: The series has had many links to existing series, including the ones above. I admit there are probably more that I have missed. The “Monster Realm” is probably what the Watcher’s Council (from Buffy) would refer to as a Hell Dimension.

FRANKENSTEIN VS. THE CREATURE FROM BLOOD COVE (FILM)

Release Date: October 4, 2005 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Frankenstein (Universal); Creature from the Black Lagoon

Horror Crosses: Them

The Story: A mad scientist creates a gill-man and finds one of Frankenstein’s creations. His goal is to use both in the war on terror.

Notes: This is an homage to the Universal films. Though there’s no actual connection to the Creature from the Black Lagoon directly, the creature created is indeed a Gill-Man in almost every way. Because this is a Universal style film, I consider this a cross with the Universal Frankenstein. This may be the original monster, considering his revival in 1998. It certainly can’t be the alternate Universal version created by Boris Frankenstein (as seen in Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters). He was sucked into a Hell dimension in Monster Squad. There is a mention of the giant ants in the Mojave.

MEAN STREETS “THE DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES” (SHORT STORY BY SIMON GREEN)

Release Date: January 6, 2009 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Nightside

Horror Crosses: Stephen King Universe; Creature from the Black Lagoon; Frankenstein (See Notes); Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde

Non-Horror Crosses: Green Hornet; Maltese Falcon; Bran Mak Morn

The Story: Private investigator John Taylor takes a case for a woman who can’t remember the past 24 hours.

Notes: Seen on the streets of the Nightside are the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty driven by Kato and Stephen King’s Christine, with a deceased fellow behind the wheel. If there is one place where the Horror Multiverse may connect and overlap, it’s the strange place known as the Nightside, located within London, yet much larger than London. It is a place where magic and advanced technology exist. Numerous divergent timelines seem to coexist and time anomalies are a regular occurrence. This cross with the Stephen King Universe brings the Nightside series into the Horror Universe. At the bar called Strangefellows is a Creature from the Black Lagoon. One of Frankenstein’s female creations appears at the bar as well. As noted in a previous Nightside entry, Taylor has encountered numerous members of the Frankenstein family and their creations, so this cross could be with any of the Frankenstein versions previously seen to exist in the Horror Universe. Drug dealer Harry Fabulous is still selling a variation of the Hyde formula as seen in previous Nightside stories. In the story, John Taylor makes a comment that he doesn’t chase the Maltese Falcon. The Falcon gets mentioned in several Nightside stories. And apparently there is some kind of Nightside sex thing that involves the Worms of the Earth, first seen in the Bran Mak Morn story by Robert E. Howard. Bran Mak Morn is another of Howard’s sword and sorcery heroes. Other of Howards warriors, such as Conan and Kull, also exist in the Horror Universe’s past.

HOUSE OF THE WOLF MAN (FILM)

Release Date: 2009 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Wolf Man (Universal)

Horror Crosses: Frankenstein (Universal); Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Dracula (Universal); Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Story: A mad scientist invites five guests to his home to hold a contest to see who will inherit his estate by a process of deadly elimination.

Notes: This film was made as an homage to the classic Universal films and acts as a sequel to the series. The mad scientist is Dr. Bela Reinhardt, but that’s his assumed name. He is really Bela Frankenstein, the son of Peter Frankenstein (from Ghost of Frankenstein) and a gypsy girl who was sister to Bela Blasko, the werewolf who bit and turned Larry Talbot. Reinhardt possesses Larry Talbot’s famous wolf’s head cane. The poem that beings “Even a man who’s pure of heart…” is recited. A Frankenstein monster is released in the home during the contest, probably a new creation of Reinhardt based on family notes. The lab contains one of Dr. Pretorius’ homunculi from Bride of Frankenstein. The library contains a copy of Alhazred’s Alchemy of Transmutation. This may be a reference to the Mad Arab who also authored the Necronomicon. Dracula and his brides also show up. The lab also contains a fossilized hand of a gill-man.

JUST ANOTHER JUDGEMENT DAY (NOVEL BY SIMON R. GREEN)

Release Date: December 29, 2009 (Contemporary Setting, likely just after The Unnatural Inquirer)

Series: Nightside

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Frankenstein (see Notes); Frankenstein (all of them, every version); The Picture of Dorian Gray; Shoggoth’s Old Peculiar; Them!; Creature from the Black Lagoon; Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde

Non-Horror Crosses: Doctor Who; Secret Histories; Doctor Syn; Solomon Kane; Deathstalker; Beowulf

The Story: The Walking Man is the embodiment of the wrath of God and he has come to the Nightside. Nightside’s new authorities hire John Taylor to stop him.

Notes: The Walking Man is shown to be so powerful that he can easily destroy a Lovecraftian horror while walking down the street without even slowing down. (I guess God trumps Cthulhu after all.) Shoggoth’s Old and Very Peculiar appears again. Zhang the Mystic, a member of the Adventurer’s Club, is said to have battled Elder Gods. John Taylor and Suzie Shooter fight an evil Victor Frankenstein from a mirror universe. This is not the same Victor Frankenstein from the main Horror Universe timeline. Taylor mentions that Frankenstein is a common name in the Nightside and that he has encountered many of Victor’s descendents and their creations. This supports my theory (adapted from the theories of Mark Brown and Chuck Loridians) that many of the Frankensteins and monsters seen in fiction are Victor’s family and their numerous monsters, rather than always being the same Victor Frankenstein and one single monster. The mirror Victor finds a way to control the citizens of the Nightside by learning that the actions of people in one reality dictates the actions of their doppelgangers. Taylor compares this to Dorian Gray’s picture, where Dorian’s actions are reflected within the portrait. The sewers of the Nightside have giant ants, like those from the film Them! The Adventurer’s Club has a stuffed Creature from the Black Lagoon. Jacqueline Hyde is at the Adventurer’s Club. In the previous Nightside novel, she was mentioned in the Unnatural Inquirer as being in love with her male Hyde alter ego. There is an old Victorian drinking song called “Dr. Jekyll’s Locum”. One of Suzie’s neighbors is Sarah Kingdom, a character who first appeared on Doctor Who during the first Doctor’s run. Janissary Jane, a character from Green’s Secret Histories, appears at the Adventurer’s Club. The Walking Man mentions the Drood family from Secret Histories. Past members of the Adventurer’s Club include Dr. Syn, Salvation Kane (likely meant to be Solomon Kane) and Owen Deathstalker from Green’s futuristic sci-fi Deathstalker series. At a gun shop is the Darkvoid Device, also from the Deathstalker series. (Remember that the Nightside exists outside normal time and space.) The Adventurer’s Club also has an arm of Grendel, who was slain by Beowulf.

WITCH DOCTOR (SKYBOUND ENTERTAINMENT)

Release Date: 2011 - Ongoing at time of writing (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Witch Doctor

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Story: Dr. Vincent Morrow is a scientist who views the supernatural in scientific terms.

Notes: There are a lot of references to Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, viewing them as natural and scientific, though perhaps alien and beyond known science. This is compatible with several stories that occur within the Horror Universe that view the supernatural in scientific terms. This is another story that conflates the Deep Ones of Lovecraft with the Gill-Men of Creature from the Black Lagoon.

HACK/SLASH/EVA: MONSTER’S BALL (DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT)

Release Date: May 25 - November 2, 2011 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Hack/Slash; Eva, Daughter of Dracula

Horror Crosses: Frankenstein (Universal); Creature from the Black Lagoon

The Story: When Dr. Pretorius teams with Mary Shelley Lovecraft to destroy reality, monster hunters Cassie Hack and Eva must team-up.

Notes: Hack/Slash and Eva are already independently brought into the Horror Universe. Dr. Pretorius is from Universal’s Bride of Frankenstein. Pretorius has a Gill-Man contained in his lair. There is no indication that Mary Shelley Lovecraft has any real connection to Frankenstein or Lovecraft despite the connotation created by the name.

LEGION OF MONSTERS # 1 - 4 (MARVEL COMICS)

Release Date: October 12, 2011 - January 12, 2012 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Legion of Monsters

Horror Crosses: Morbius the Living Vampire; Bloodstone; The Living Mummy; Creature from the Black Lagoon; Werewolf by Night; Tomb of Dracula; Son of Satan; Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The Story: Elsa Bloodstone learns that not all monsters are evil and that some fight for good.

Notes: The Legion of Monsters was a team of Marvel’s monsters that first appeared in 1976. The original team members were Morbius, Werewolf by Night, Ghost Rider, and Man-Thing. The current team members from this series are Morbius, Bloodstone, the Living Mummy, Manphibian, and Werewolf by Night. Morbius originated as an enemy of Spider-Man. Elsa Bloodstone was previously brought into the Horror Universe in the Bloodstone mini-series. The Living Mummy was also brought in via the Bloodstone mini-series. Manphibian originated from the original Legion of Monsters series, as Marvel’s take on the Creature from the Black Lagoon. The Manphibian is an alien, but so may be the Gill-Man, who was conflated with the Silurians of Doctor Who in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Jack Russell is the Werewolf by Night, who has many previously established Horror Universe crossovers. Dracula also appears, and is of course the Marvel version from Tomb of Dracula. Also appearing is Damon Hellstrom from Marvel’s Son of Satan. This story brings Son of Satan into the Horror Universe. Finally, and the only reason this gets an entry, Jack Russell refers to a doorway to Hell as a Hellmouth, a term that originated on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

A HARD DAY’S KNIGHT (NOVEL BY SIMON R. GREEN)

Release Date: December 27, 2011 (Contemporary Setting, immediately after the Good, the Bad, and the Uncanny)

Series: Nightside

Horror Crosses: Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Creature from the Black Lagoon; King in Yellow; Hawk & Fisher; 1408; Frankenstein (all of them); The Enquiries of Doctor Eszterhazy; The Wicker Man

Non-Horror Crosses: Secret Histories; Shadows Fall; The Door in the Wall; The Teletubbies (no, you didn’t misread); Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser; Alice in Wonderland; Doctor Who

The Story: John Taylor receives the legendary Excalibur in the mail and decides to deliver it to the descendants of the original Knights of the Round Table who reside in London. Along the way, Taylor finds himself in a dark mirror universe where England is called Albion and Merlin chose a different path and became the Anti-Christ.

Notes: Like most of the Nightside stories, this one is loaded with numerous Lovecraft references. Taylor passes a sushi stall run by “something from a black lagoon”. There is graffiti in the Nightside that includes the Yellow Sign from the King in Yellow. The train runs to Haven from Green’s Hawk & Fisher series. Hawk and Fisher themselves also appear in the story. In the mirror reality, King Arthur hides in room 1408 of the castle. At a bazaar, there is tattooing using Frankenstein blood. I’m not sure if this means the blood of a Frankenstein or a Frankenstein monster. Previous Nightside stories have confirmed that many of the Frankenstein family have created numerous monsters, thus confirming one of the major crossover connection rules of the Horror Universe. In the mirror reality of Albion, the streets are lined with Wicker Men filled with dead men. Green again makes numerous references to his Secret Histories series. The Nightside train also runs to Shadows Fall, as also seen in previous Nightside stories. Shadows Fall is another Green series. The only entrance to the castle of the knights is a green door, which may be a reference to H.G. Wells’ The Door in the Wall, in which a green door is a portal to a magical garden. At the bar called Strangefellows, there are four fuzzy little creatures with working televisions implanted in the stomachs. These would be the Teletubbies. They are said to be post-nuclear apocalypse mutants. Thus, we may assume that the Teletubbies exists in one possible alternate timeline of the Horror Universe. The Nightside exists outside of time and space, so it’s easy for visitors from other time periods to show up. John and his partner Suzie pass the Bazaar of the Bizarre from the Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser series. John and Suzie visit the dormouse. The dormouse has several doors that work as portals to other places, including Shadows Fall and Carcosa. Carcosa is a city that once existed. It is mentioned in the King in Yellow, though it’s first literary appearance was in Ambrose Bierce’s 1891 “An Inhabitant of Carcosa”. The fictional city may have been inspired by a real city, Carcassonne (Carcaso in Latin), that was in medieval France. There is also a door to Scytha-Pannonia-Transbalkania from Avram Davidson’s The Enquiries of Dr. Eszterhazy. Taylor mentions that his portable timeslip only works in time and space but not dimension. He adds that it’s not a TARDIS.

CABIN IN THE WOODS (FILM)

Release Date: April 13, 2012 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Cabin in the Woods

Horror Crosses: Alien; Half-Life; Evil Dead; Poltergeist; Frankenstein (Universal); Child’s Play; Creature from the Black Lagoon; Corpse Bride; Killer Klowns from Outer Space; Stephen King Universe; Killjoy; Devil’s Rejects; Clownhouse; Drive Thru; Funhouse; Amusement; Circus of Fear; Clown Camp; Demonic Toys; Demons; Night of the Demons; Supernatural; Charmed; Gremlins; Ghoulies; Creeps; Troll; Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; Frankenstein (novel); Dr. Giggles; The Human Centipede; House on Haunted Hill; The Dead Pit; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; The Strangers; Underworld; Attack of the 50 Foot Woman; Troll Hunter; Anaconda; Python; Mega Snake; Snakes on a Plane; Resident Evil; Hellraiser; Cannibal Holocaust; Creepshow; Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Attack of the Jack-O-Lanterns; Pumpkinhead; Frankenfish; The Mummy! Or a Tale of the Twenty-Second Century; The Mummy (Universal); The Hills Have Eyes; Wrong Turn; Chernobyl Diaries; 28 Days Later; Signal; the Works of Quentin Tarantino; Left 4 Dead; Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Re-Animator (film); Siren; The Exorcist; The Exorcism of Emily Rose; Reptillicus; Jurassic Park; Abomidible Bigfoot; The Legend of Boggy Creek; Ape Canyon; Curse of Bigfoot; Night of the Bloody Apes; Wendigo; Night Beasts; Night of the Scarecrow; Scarecrows; Husk; Scarecrow Gone Wild; The Scarecrows Walk at Midnight; The Town that Dreaded Sundown; The Craft; Witches of Eastwick; Hocus Pocus; Jack Frost; Hellboy (film); Rumplestilskin; Lephrechaun; Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters; Gingerbread Man; The Vampyre; Dracula (novel); Nosferatu; The Wolf Man; An American Werewolf in London; The Howling; Wolf; Texas Chainsaw Massacre; Friday the 13th; Night of the Living Dead; Return of the Living Dead; F.E.A.R.; The Blob; Feast; Horrors of the Wendigo; Frostbiter; Ghost; Bram Stoker’s Dracula (film); The Cyclops; Cyclops Giant; Nightbreed; Leeches!; Attack of the Giant Leeches; Rows of Teeth; The Birds; Killing Birds; Birdemic: Shock and Terror; Silent Hill; Attack of the Killer Lane Gnomes; Alligator; Lake Placid; Them!; Legion of Fire: Killer Ants!; Ants; Empire of the Ants; King Kong; Centipede Horror; The Giant Claw; The Ring; Attack of the Giant Gila Monster; The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms; Tarantula; Eight Legged Freaks; Jaws; Frogs; Lord of Darkness; House of the Dead; The Grudge; Chopping Mall; BlinkyTM; The Kraken; Kraken: Tentacles of the Deep; Octopus; The Beast; Deep Rising; It Came From Beneath the Sea; Tentacles; Eye of the Beast; Mega Shark; Giant Octopus; Castle Freak; Tokyo Gore Police; Septic; Mutants; Ogre; Blood Pool; Legend of the Ogre; Killing Floor; Little Shop of Horrors; The Breed; Hatchet; Phantasm; See No Evil; Thinner; Monster House; Attila; Dead Snow; Frankenstein’s Army; Manhunt; The Monster in the Closet; Killer Eyes; Demomata; CSP-682; Parasite Eve 2; Dead Space; Night of the Lepus; Creature from the Haunted Sea; Tremors; Hostel; The Collection; The Butcher; Dead Rising; My Bloody Valentine; The Exterminator; Willard; War of the Worlds; Signs; Lollipop Chainsaw; Ghost Ship; Curse of the Pirates; Jolly Roger; Lead Soldiers; Vampire Vikings; The Witch; Blair Witch Project; The Village; The Thing; Vampire Breath; Goosebumps; Angel; King Cobra

Non-Horror Crosses: Harry Potter; Wizard of Oz; Great Expectations; Batman; Labyrinth; Land of the Giants; The Wrath of Paul Bunyan; Dreamscape; Last of the Mohicans; Blood Meridian; Scalps; Savage Sam; Sin City; Kevin Spencer; We Need to Talk About Kevin; Jacob’s Ladder; Doctor Who; Black Swan; Pan’s Labyrinth; Nutcracker; Blade Hunter; The Chronicles of Narnia; Time Bandits; The Princess and the Frog; Pirates of the Caribbean; Futurama; The Incredible Shrinking Man; Pee-Wee’s Playhouse; Red Planet; Terminator; Zathura; Hardware; Robot Wars; Bacterial Contamination; Firefly; Clash of the Titans; Team Fortress; Man from Planet X; Starship Troopers; Silence of the Lambs/Hannibal; Twisted Metal

The Story: A group of teens head out for a weekend in a cabin in the woods, not knowing that they have been chosen as sacrifices to an ancient deity in order to save the world from his wrath.

Notes: This film exposes the secret truth behind modern horror. Behind it all is a secret organization, chosen to sacrifice youth to ancient gods. All of the above named crossovers have been linked in this film, and revealed to be part of this secret conspiracy. Most of the crossovers above come from the monsters and artifacts contained in the facility. While some of the monsters and artifacts are clearly from certain films above, many are based on certain types of horror films, in which case I included the more well-known of these film types. I recommend the well-researched Cabin in the Woods Wiki for a more detailed listing of the monsters and their inspirations. Note that I included in the above crossovers some monsters that only appeared in the official novelization and the official Universal Theme Park attraction tie-in. With this film, I break one of my major rules of crossover connecting. Though some of the crosses are direct crosses, like Evil Dead and Left 4 Dead, most of them are only connected because the films represent the more well-known films of the trope from which a certain monster comes. Normally, I would not count something that is “like something from”, but there is dialogue within the film that makes me break my rule. In one scene, referring to the monsters, security officer Daniel Truman says “They’re like something from a nightmare.” Lin, a head scientist, responds, “No, they’re something nightmares are from.” She goes on to explain that these monsters are the creations of the Ancient Ones, having been around since the beginning, and different cultures have told stories that interpret them in different ways. Thus, in the instance of this film, “like” is enough because of the author’s intent. And thus my love/hate relationship with Joss Whedon, for expanding the Horror Universe dramatically but making me do a lot of work to write this entry. Note that this film ends with the start of an apocalypse, so the end must veer into a divergent timeline. We must presume in the main Horror Universe, the virgin shot the fool. And if you haven’t seen the movie, that last sentence probably seems very bizarre. This film has been referenced as fictional in South Park, The Cinema Snob, Scary Movie 5, and Doc of the Dead. It is also paid homage to in Red Dawn when Chris Hemsworth and his friends once more wind up in a cabin in the woods. The film has also been spoofed in Robot Chicken and Scary Movie 5.

JIM BUTCHER’S DRESDEN FILES: GHOUL GOBLIN # 1 - 6 (DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT)

Release Date: January 1 - August 2013 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Dresden Files

Horror Crosses: Creature From the Black Lagoon

The Story: Dresden heads to Louisiana to help the Talbot family, who suffer from a family curse.

Notes: The story opens with Dresden fighting a creature who had indeed migrated from the Black Lagoon. The Talbots of this story seem to have no relationship to Larry.

PROPERTY OF A LADY FAIRE: A SECRET HISTORIES NOVEL (NOVEL BY SIMON R. GREEN)

Release Date: June 3, 2014 (Contemporary Setting)

Series: Secret Histories

Horror Crosses: Nightside; Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos; Frankenstein (novel); Frankenstein (Simon R. Green); Judge Pursuivant; Frankenstein (Universal); Creature from the Black Lagoon

Non-Horror Crosses: Nun Areala; Excalibur (Marvel); Alice in Wonderland; An Inhabitant of Carcosa; The Time Machine

The Story: Eddie searches for Lady Faire, an omnisexual creature who was one of the final creations of Victor Frankenstein.

Notes: Most of the crosses here are the same crosses already discussed from previous Nightside and Secret Histories novels by Green. Lady Faire is an original version of the Frankenstein monster created by Green. One character is a graduate of the Deep School, from the Judge Pursuivant story “The Letters of Cold Fire”. At the Vatican, Eddie is pursued by warrior nuns, which may be a reference to Nun Areala.