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Post Oaks and Sand Roughs: A first trek to Howard Days

Post Oaks and Sand Roughs: A first trek to Howard Days

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The Howard Home in Cross Plains, Texas, home of Howard Days 2025

I’m two hours out from Cross Plains, Texas, and my thoughts are, much like the proceeding 20 hours, ruminating over the pair of fantasy authors named Howard that died far too young that led me on this trek.

I’m on my way to Howard Days 2025, the two-day celebration of the life and work of the godfather of sword-and-sorcery himself, Robert E. Howard. It’s been mecca for his fans and successors for almost four decades, and every sword-and-sorcery devotee I know hopes to make pilgrimage at least once.

The other is Howard Andrew Jones, who passed away from cancer this past January, and whose absence still festers like an open wound. Recently, it’s because we’d made plans to both attend our first Howard Days last year, and I’d had to pull out at the last moment. He’s described it as a spiritual experience, and I promised to meet him back this year at Howard Days this year. I don’t give oaths to lightly, or break promises to friends.

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Goth Chick News: Fear Dome Las Vegas is Gambling on Our Nightmares

Goth Chick News: Fear Dome Las Vegas is Gambling on Our Nightmares

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We are so here for this news.

As you may or may not have noticed, recent years have seen Sin City embracing the era of mega, year-round haunted attractions, and the newest, Fear Dome, is here to stake its claim.

Following Universal’s lead with Universal Horror Unleashed, a permanent 110,000 ft² horror experience set to debut this August at Area15 in Las Vegas and another planned for Chicago in 2027, the trend is clear: immersive horror is evolving beyond seasonal frights into full-blown entertainment districts. Long-running events, from Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights to pop-up mazes, are giving way to permanent monstrosities like Los Angeles Haunted Hayride, and these “horror parks” are meant to terrify year-round.

If there’s one thing we here at Goth Chick News appreciate, it’s an over-the-top haunted attraction. And if said attraction also happens to be housed inside a massive, blacked-out inflatable dome that looks like it crash-landed from a Cenobite dimension? Well, sign us up and take our money.

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Goth Chick News: Something Wicked (and Corporate-Funded) This Way Comes

Goth Chick News: Something Wicked (and Corporate-Funded) This Way Comes

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Universal Horror Unleashed

In a move that has us polishing our Doc Martin boots and doing a goth happy dance, Universal Destinations & Experiences has officially announced plans to unleash its first-ever year-round horror destination in the Midwest. It’s called Universal Horror Unleashed: Chicago, and it’s set to rise from the bones of the old Tribune Distribution Center at 700 W. Chicago Ave; somewhat ironically, only footsteps from the new Bally’s Casino, which is generally populated by zombies. Groundbreaking kicks off in early 2026, with doors creaking open in 2027.

So, what is Universal planning? Consider it a haunted house on performance-enhancing drugs. We’re talking about over 110,000 square feet of immersive horror experiences, ghoulish bars, monster merch, and interactive stage shows. According to Universal’s promises (which we’ll hold them to, with pitchforks if necessary), this isn’t just a walkthrough attraction; it’s an ever-evolving horror campus that pulls from both classic monsters and modern nightmares.

Why did Universal choose Chicago you ask (besides our weather being a horror in itself)? Good question. Chicago isn’t exactly known for year-round scream parks, unless you count the CTA Red Line after midnight.

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Goth Chick News: BGPCZ Solos into the Unknown at the Haunted America Conference

Goth Chick News: BGPCZ Solos into the Unknown at the Haunted America Conference

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Haunted American Conference

By Black Gate Photog Chris Z

So, sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip…..

It was just another typical Friday night in the Goth Chick News bunker filling out expense reports for her Gothness when a call came in over “Zuni” (Goth Chick’s version of “Alexa”). It was the “Big Cheese” John O informing me that since GC is out on assignment (attending Gothicon… don’t laugh it’s a real thing) I would need to fill in on a ghostly adventure traveling to an exotic locale. Before I could even react, a puff of air, a prick on my neck and darkness.

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Goth Chick News: Exploring GalaxyCon’s Newest Addition – Nightmare Weekend

Goth Chick News: Exploring GalaxyCon’s Newest Addition – Nightmare Weekend

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Nightmare Weekend Chicago 2025

One of the most entertaining aspects of working for Black Gate is hitting the road with Photog Chris Z to cover horror-themed events in the Midwest. Though many people think about Halloween during the fall months, there is an enormous subculture of vendors, artists, and fans for whom the spooky season never ends. This year, Chicago was not only the site of an entirely new show just for this audience but also the first city to host it—and we had a front-row seat on opening night.

GalaxyCon, LLC, founded in 2006 by Mike Broder and based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is one of the leading organizers of pop culture conventions in the United States. Initially focused on comic books, anime, and broader fan engagement, GalaxyCon has successfully expanded its portfolio to include horror-themed entertainment with its Nightmare Weekend series.

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Oof. Yet Another WorldCon Controversy

Oof. Yet Another WorldCon Controversy

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Good afterevenmorn, Readers!

I have been out of the writing world loop for a bit, being wrapped up in my own personal stuff (it’s a terrible combination of absolutely no time whatsoever, “out of sight, out of mind,” and having my head in the clouds as I’m neck deep in the first draft of a book), so I’m quite late to the party. Apparently, World Con has once again landed itself in some controversy.

Let me fill you in if you are like I was just two days ago; utterly clueless about it all.

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Goth Chick News: The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo Breaks Records for Nerdy Goodness

Goth Chick News: The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo Breaks Records for Nerdy Goodness

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C2E2 mailing insert with our Expo passes

Though Black Gate photog Chris Z and I have affectionately referred to ourselves as “horror nerds” almost from the beginning of working together, I was never quite sure if the term “nerd” was offensive to others. Therefore, in making a small nod to Big Cheese John O’s constant plea to not embarrass him, we only said “nerd” (and “geek” for that matter) in private or in hushed tones.

Then suddenly, either due to the term being liberally employed on the Netflix hit Stranger Things, or because compared to the rest of the world right now “nerds” are downright endearing, being one is akin to being a cool kid. So it’s no surprise that I absolutely loved the mailing insert that accompanied our Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo passes this year.

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Windy City Pulp & Paper 2025 – ‘If Bob Were Here…’

Windy City Pulp & Paper 2025 – ‘If Bob Were Here…’

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“You’re the second guy I’ve met within hours who seems to think a gat in the hand means a world by the tail.” – Phillip Marlowe in Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep

(Gat — Prohibition Era term for a gun. Shortened version of Gatling Gun)

It’s an early A (Black) Gat in the Hand, as I got my Pulp on week before last, at Windy City, in Chicago.

I managed to resist the impulse to grab the microphone in the Dealers Room and proclaim, “Finally….The Bob…has come back…to Windy City.” A little classic Rock for you there. And in not doing so, I wasn’t evicted and had a great time.

Doug Ellis puts on the Windy City Pulp and Paper Convention annually at the Lombard Westin, in the suburb an hour west of Chicago. I last attended in 2019. Of course, COVID hit in 2020, along with some other life changes. I made it to my first Howard Days in 2022, and headed over to Pittsburgh the last two years for Pulp Fest. Windy City just didn’t quite happen. But I made sure it did in 2025.

There’s an auction, some panels, an art show, and a massive Dealer Room. I’ll share my purchases here in a minute. But hands down, the best part of Windy City for me, is hanging and chatting with people. I see lots of online friends and some folks I’ve met before. I even make new friends. Sort of.

Walking around the Dealer Room and getting into conversations on pulp or paperback favorites is a blast. I find somebody to chat Nero Wolfe, or Jo Gar, or Solar Pons, or Solomon Kane, or Bail Bond Dodd, or…you get the idea. I found myself showing my Civil War shelfie to someone, as they talked about Shelby Foote.

There are always folks sitting around the lobby. I’ve met new friends just sitting down and working into the conversation. Saturday night, Ryan Harvey, Chris Hocking, James Enge, and I, spent over two hours just riffing through movies and writers. Ryan’s knowledge of multiple movie genres is staggering. And what those three knew about movie soundtracks left me soaking it in.

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Goth Chick News Debuts: GalaxyCon’s Nightmare Weekend Invades Chicago, While Haunted America Ectoplasms All Over Alton

Goth Chick News Debuts: GalaxyCon’s Nightmare Weekend Invades Chicago, While Haunted America Ectoplasms All Over Alton

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It’s been a while since we’ve had the chance to bring you a brand-new convention offering, and in 2025 we’re bringing you two. First up is one of the biggest celebrations of all things spooky, creepy, and downright chilling heading to Chicago for the first time this May. GalaxyCon, the powerhouse of fan events, is bringing its first-ever Nightmare Weekend to the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, from May 2-4, 2025 — and it’s shaping up to be an unforgettable fright fest.

“We’re thrilled to deliver our unique fan experience to Chicago,” says Mike Broder, GalaxyCon’s founder and president. “Our events have brought millions to local economies, and we can’t wait to make a positive impact in this area too.”

Translation? A weekend of scares and a boost to local businesses. Win-win!

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Goth Chick News: Days of the Dead Chicago, Spring Edition

Goth Chick News: Days of the Dead Chicago, Spring Edition

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Days of the Dead Chicago

Fittingly, last week Black Gate photog Chris Z and I attended the Days of the Dead convention in Chicago for our thirteenth year. This is one of our favorite shows as the hotel venue is more intimate and less daunting than some of the mega-conventions, and the celebrities aren’t sequestered behind curtains unless guests pay. Though it is smaller and less frantic, it still attracts an interesting, albeit local crowd, and we never fail to meet memorable people.

Arriving a tad early from our respective day jobs, we kicked off this outing in our standard fashion. It stands to reason that upping our blood alcohol levels before wading in offers some measure of protection from the potential of infection that naturally comes with crowded hotel conference rooms – and it’s so much more fun than antibacterial.

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