That's So Morbid
by dubs
Deep dive into the darker side of life to inspire your own works of art or fiction. Join author, Ashe Woodward, and artist, Marco Marin, as they delve into the history and symbolism of macabre topics – from momento mori and black metal to cadaver cults and illegal alchemy – to set your soul on fire and into creating mode. Expect not only to learn more about your favourite twisted tales but to gather inspiration and ideas about how to apply these to your own work in horror, noir and fantasy. This podcast also offers a rich online workshop space and works with a large community of creators.
Episodes
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Fighting Slop with Flow State and Steven Puri
How do we protect our creativity in a world designed to steal our attention? I’m talking with Steven Puri, former DreamWorks and Fox film executive, tech entrepreneur, and founder of SUKHA, about the psychology of flow states and what they can teach us about focus, creativity, and writing truly...
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Demon Seed Doomsday: How Scary Is the AI “Great Pause"?
AI was supposed to make our lives easier. So why does it increasingly feel like we’re living inside a horror movie? In this episode of the mini-series How Scary Is It?, we’re looking at the very real fears surrounding artificial intelligence, from the recent calls for caution and “pauses” in AI...
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Second Screening: How Scary Are Our Attention Spans for Horror?
Ever find yourself checking your phone during a horror movie? Looking away when something gross happens? Talking to your friend because you’re totally not scared? Congratulations: you’ve just discovered second screening. Second screening is the increasingly common habit of using a second device…
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Final Perimenopausal Divorced Girl: Who Really Identifies with the Final Girl
What happens when the girls who grew up watching Final Girls… become ...women? In this episode of Spooky Scholars, we look at one of horror’s most iconic tropes through a very specific lens: perimenopause, divorce, and Gen X finally being fucking done. Drawing on Carol J. Clover’s influential…
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Candyman & the Making of Monsters: Shadow Work Analysis of Storytelling
Gentrification, racism, horror, storytelling, and the making of monsters: Candyman (2021) asks who gets to tell a story and who gets turned into the villain. In this Part 2 shadow work analysis of Candyman (2021), I explore power, cultural appropriation, mythology, race, identity, and the...
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Candyman & the Collapse of Certainty: A Shadow Work Analysis of Betrayal
This episode is an exploration of what happens when the horror movie you loved as a kid turns out to be about the exact trauma you're living through! Buckle up, because this episode gets personal. Before we get into the 1992 horror classic Candyman, I’m dropping the tea on my divorce, betrayal…
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Gaslighting, Grief, and Psychological Horror with Author Claire Fuller
In this episode I’m with author Claire Fuller. We talk about her sixth book, Hunger and Thirst, (available now!), where she’s finally come over to the fully dark side even though she has quite an extensive horror background. In our conversation, Claire unpacks the darker side of ambition and...
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Monster Mentors: What Your Favorite Monster Says About You - Part Two
What if we thought of monsters as the self-help gurus of the goths?! In this part 2 on this premise, we explore what our favorite monsters can teach us about our shadows and how we can be better humans. I know, ewww. We get into how mummys remind us we need to stop tending to old wounds, how…
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Stories, Support, and Speculative Fiction with Author Dianna Gunn
This week, I’m joined by author Dianna Gunn to talk about writing across genres, finding inspiration in tabletop gaming and fantasy worlds, and why online communities remain such an important part of the literary ecosystem. We discuss the realities of indie publishing, creative burnout, weaving...
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Monster Mentors: What Your Favorite Monster Says About You - Part One
What if we thought of monsters as the self-help gurus of the goths?! In this episode we explore what our favorite monsters can teach us about our shadows and how we can be better humans. I know, ewww. We get into how vampires reveal our fear of mortality, how werewolves reflect the struggle to...
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What Shadows are Hiding in Horror’s Greatest Monsters? With Professor Shadow
What do classic horror icons reveal about us? In this episode, I’m with horror narrator and creator, Professor Shadow to explore the human shadow hidden inside classic monsters and those of his own creation. We talk about why horror continues to resonate across generations, how monsters embody…
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Society's Shadow Side: How Horror Takes Systems to Task
What does horror allow us to feel safely that everyday life often punishes? In this episode, we explore horror as an emotional classification system that shows us how socially forbidden emotions finally get permission to exist under certain subgenres of horror: possession films, body horror,...
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Monster Men: Masculinity in Horror with Author Eric Miller
How is horror handling masculinity? In this episode, I’m with horror author Eric Miller for a fascinating deep dive into masculinity, vulnerability, trauma, loneliness, and why horror may be the perfect genre for exploring all of it. Together, we dissect iconic male characters, examining the…
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Shadow Selves of Horror: Facing Your Dark Side & Surviving It
We're back after a two month break of processing a... nightmare. In this personal, solo episode I'm sharing what I've learned about dark nights of the soul and shadow work, through the lens of horror. And you're gonna want to hear this! I share what I’ve been moving through with divorce…
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La Fulci Vida: A Love Letter to an Italian Horror Auteur with Matt Rogerson
Lucio Fulci is often remembered as the “Godfather of Gore” or the director of ruptured eyes, melting flesh, and apocalyptic endings. But my guest today says we don’t really know the real Fulci, and there’s so much more to this important figure in horror. Matt Rogerson has written extensively on...
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Wild Women with Expert Cinda Gault
In this episode we’re with Canadian historical fiction author, Cinda Gault. Cinda schools us on incredible Canadian women of history we all should know more about and how she is remedying that with her fiction. We also discuss the roots of the horror genre, slaying vampires, 18th century final...
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Robot Replacement: The Horror of Artificial Intimacy
Are we (already) letting AI replace us? In this episode, I explore the growing cultural shift toward AI companionship, AI relationships, and emotional automation. Artificial intelligence is increasingly over-stepping into our world and now, even into roles once reserved for real human intimacy…
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Liminal Horror and Lived Experience: Inside Darkest Margins with Matt Rogerson
Let's explore liminality, trauma, and coming-of-age horror through the lens of my newest project as part of Darkest Margins, curated and edited by our guest, Matt Rogerson. We get into more of what to expect from a much-needed contribution to horror scholarship and a little of what Matt went...
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Artistic Expression or Exploitation? A Serious Call Out of Violence Against Women in Horror with Kimberly Pinzon
Joined in this episode by author, friend, and returning guest, Kimberly Pinzon, to critically examine how sexual assault is portrayed in horror films and why these depictions are so often shaped by male directors. She's got some stuff to say! We specifically look at rape revenge horror and…
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Nostalgia Horror: Rose-Colored Memories with Wendy Dalrymple & Grace Reynolds
They’re calling 2026 the year we go back to analog. And in this first episode of Season 6, I’m joined by authors Wendy Dalrymple and Grace Reynolds, the editors behind a new anthology of nostalgia horror that digs into our first precious memories of the genre we all love. We explore how modern...
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Ritual Roulette: Bro Trip Horror with Horror Roulette Podcast
A nightmare team collab episode that unpacks modern masculinity in lad/bro holiday horror, all by random selection with Horror Roulette Pod. During the month of Movember we watched a film that examines how traditional ideas of masculinity are challenged, and sometimes reinforced, when men seek...
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Hand-Picked Horror: Inside MOMETU’s Anti-Algorithm Approach
Mometu is carving out a rare space in the (FREE) streaming world: a platform that refuses to let algorithms decide what audiences see. In this episode, president of Mometu, Bryan Louzil, joins me to discuss the philosophy behind hand-picking films, the challenges of curation in an automated...
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Afterlife Architecture: Gothic Liminality in the 'Flatliners' Universe (Episode 100!)
To celebrate our 100th episode, we’re diving straight into my newest writing project: an exploration of the Flatliners universe and how its gothic architecture, liminal spaces, and resurrection imagery mirror the film’s trauma narrative and each character’s desperate push toward restoration and...
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The Darkness of Divergence: What Horror Reveals about Dyslexia with Russel Von Brocklen
Ever noticed how many horror characters and plots mirror the experience of neurodivergence? Think Carrie channeling raw emotion into telekinesis, Percy Jackson reframing dyslexia and ADHD as signs of his power, or how just the disorientation and misreadings in Evil Dead echo the anxieties baked...
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Dementia Dames: Hagsploitation with Jessica Rose
In this episode, I chat with one of my co-authors from our upcoming publication, Darkest Margins: 24 Essays on Liminality and Liminal Spaces in Horror, which is set to be one of the most extensive horror essay anthologies on liminality EVER published! Jessica and I discuss our contributions to…
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Rebellious Roots: Punk Rock Vampire Horror with Author Steve Sxaks
Steve Sxaks’s novel, Invasion of the Punk Rockers, Who Drink Blood! taps into and explores how counter-culture is a key part of horror history. His horror narratives about punk rock vampires, get to the heart of punk and goth culture and what it means to be part of a group and part of the system....
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Dollar Baby Dreams: Bringing Stephen King's 'Popsy' to Life with Filmmaker Jon Mann
Join us for a conversation with the talented Jon Mann, a filmmaker from New Brunswick, Canada. We're so honoured to discuss his gripping adaptation of Stephen King's short story, "Popsy," and his journey in the Dollar Baby Program that has been pivotal for so many new filmmakers. We discuss the...
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Indie Horror Insights with Director George Miranda
A conversation with emerging indie horror director, George Miranda, where we scrutinize the indie horror film industry and highlight the important role that horror creatives play. We'll explore his unwavering passion for the iconic A Nightmare on Elm Street and how it has influenced his unique...
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Cutting Through 250 Slashers with Director Chris Kelly
Chatting with horror film director Chris Kelly about his newest project, Bishop's Day, and his inspiration from over 250 slashers. He's here to share the formulaic secrets behind crafting iconic horror villains that we, the horror community, are ready to gobble up! Discover his latest project,...
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Selling Screams: BTS of a Halloween Funhouse with Long Island Haunted Firehouse
Every Halloween we willingly put ourselves at the mercy of Haunted Funhouses and their antics. But ever wondered what really goes into building a terrifying and thrilling haunted funhouse that sends thousands running and screaming ... and then coming back for more? In this episode, we chat with...
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Hellraiser and the Human Experience with Hypnotist Amethysta Herrick
Former chemist turned hypnotist, Amethysta Herrick, joins us to discuss Clive Barker’s Hellraiser. We explore how in its 'puzzle', the film may hold some answers to our questions about society’s categorical systems of gender, identity, pain, and pleasure. Together we examine how conformity is its...
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If It Bleeds, It Leads with Journalist and Author Chris Riker
We’re back and jumping right into the scandalous worlds of storytelling and journalism with former CNN International journalist, Chris Riker. Join us as we dissect the gripping themes of the Australian sci-fi horror, Monolith (2022) and the allegory that calls out and rips open the dire state of...
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Ask Alice Part 2: First, Final, and Favourite Girls.
In this episode we explore Alice of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as part of the final girl ancesty. We take into account Lewis Carroll's questionable legacy and what that means for how Alice was presented, constructed and how we conceive of this legacy after all Alice has influenced today....
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Ask Alice Part 1: Lies, LSD, and the Literary Hoax That Fooled a Generation
Go Ask Alice was a seemingly innocent diary-style narrative that took America by storm, sold millions of copies, and rocked a generation by pointing out the dangers of drugs. Too bad it was all a lie! In this episode we uncover the baffling connections between the iconic 70s novel, its...
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Killer Keys: The Power of the Piano in Horror
Have you ever noticed the power the piano holds in horror films? From its haunting minor or off-key melodies that evoke anxiety and fear to its imposing presence symbolizing intimidation in the Gothic, the piano serves as a captivating character in itself. In this 88th episode (no coincidence!)…
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Monsters, Myths, & Modern Iran with Reza Rajebi
Iranian-American sci-fi author Reza Rajebi (pen. Daiko Hazhir) joins us to explore the thin, often terrifying line between imagined monsters and real-world horrors. Get a mini lesson in Iranian culture, an overview of the brutal realities of the U.S.-Iran conflict, and also a reminder of the...
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The Monstrous Elite: What We Learn from Eat the Rich Horror
We’re meeting the moment that is 2025, where the fight against power seems to be playing out both in the streets and on our screens. Together we'll dissect the subgenre, of "Eat-the-Rich" horror that oozes out much more when there's unrest among the common people, and more tax breaks for the...
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Native Nouveau: Indigenous Sci-Fi & Horror with Drew Hayden Taylor
Mind-bending and culture-crossing things are happening in Indigenous horror and sci-fi literature and film today and we need to know more! If you've never explored this creepy corner of our genre before, let's get started with acclaimed author Drew Hayden Taylor. In this special Canada Day…
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Manic Pixie Dream Girl: A Horror Reject
In this episode, we trace the rise (and backlash) of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope and explores why this character rarely survives in horror. Unlike the indie rom-coms that birthed her, horror has no use for a paper-thin catalyst character. Here, the “manic” gets dialed up to maniacal, the...
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Adventures in Anxiety: The Mental Health Benefits of Dark Tourism
In this episode we are steeped in spooky adventures as therapist and author, Chad Scott, shares his insights and unforgettable experiences at haunting cemeteries and captivating locations steeped in history. Not only that, but good news for us frequent travellers of darkness: Chad explains how...
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Zombie Business: ZOMBIE AWARENESS MONTH EP.4
Welcome to our wrap-up of Zombie Awareness Month! In this finale episode, we dissect the dark tech world of zombie data, zombie businesses, and zombie networks and how these lurk in the shadows of our modern society. This special episode is a true reflection of the impact of zombies in our…
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Zombie Zeitgeist | ZOMBIE AWARENESS MONTH EP.3
For our third installment in our series for Zombie Awareness Month we look at more ways that the zombies have shaped our culture. Journey back with us to 17th/18th colonial France to uncover how Voodoo spirituality transformed this infamous monster from folklore to film. We’ll trace the zombie’s...
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Reliving Romero's 'Dead Part Two | ZOMBIE AWARENESS MONTH EP.2
Join us as we journey through the last three 'Dead' films by the legendary George Romero, uncovering their sharp political commentary on a post-9/11 world. From "Land " to "Survival" to "Diary," we experience Romero's clever use of zombies to confront societal fears and anxieties that plagued the...
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Reliving Romero's 'Dead' Part One | ZOMBIE AWARENESS MONTH EP. 1
In this first gruesome episode in our zombie movie series for Zombie Awareness Month (yes, it’s a real thing!) we’re looking at none other than George Romero’s 'Dead' series: Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1978), and Day of the Dead (1985). We'll dive into how each entry…
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Horror Vs. Climate Change with Planet Bonehead
Just when you thought horror couldn't get more political, we join the fight against climate change! Bobby Donohue is the creator and host of Planet Bonehead, where horror characters are part of fun, unforgettable lessons for kids (and horror nerds) about one of the scariest realities we...
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The Horror of Cults with Cultimatum
Ever wondered what it's like to escape a religious cult? Have you ever been curious about why so many horror movies feature cults and how that reflects our real anxieties of being duped? In this eye-opening episode, we delve into the harrowing experiences of an ex-cult member and co-host of the…
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Forgetting Fallout: Retrofuturism BONUS Track
In this BONUS EPISODE on retrofuturism we dive back in to the fascinating intersection of old-fashioned aesthetics and futuristic dreams in the dystopian series, Fallout. We look at how the show places the past on a pedestal in the shelters from the uniformity to the propaganda. But then, what is...
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Retrofuturism: Making the Future Past Again
Retrofuturism is an art form, a philosophy but it’s found its way into film as a subgenre of science fiction. Think spacecraft and high technology mixed with mid 20th century 'values' like traditional gender roles and life before the civil rights act. While sci-fi is horror’s nerdy sister, retro...
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Pulp Politics: Comic Book Code with Michael Storm
Are your favourite comic book characters being altered to fit political agendas? Join me and comic book store owner, Michael Storm, to explore how politics and censorship shape the superhero narratives we've come to love. Discover the hidden battles between comic creators and the Hollywood (read:...
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Sitting Down with Satan and Michael Harbron
Today I’m talking with horror author Michael Harbron of the Interview with the Devil series. Writing religious, supernatural horror takes time and creepy, deep dive research. So not only do we discuss his chilling six-book (so far) series, but we also talk about Satan himself and the very real…
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About this show
Deep dive into the darker side of life to inspire your own works of art or fiction. Join author, Ashe Woodward, and artist, Marco Marin, as they delve into the history and symbolism of macabre topics – from momento mori and black metal to cadaver cults and illegal alchemy – to set your soul on fire and into creating mode. Expect not only to learn more about your favourite twisted tales but to gather inspiration and ideas about how to apply these to your own work in horror, noir and fantasy. This podcast also offers a rich online workshop space and works with a large community of creators.
Hosted by
dubs
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