Horror's new life

The Boston Phoenix notes that horror is experiencing a renaissance of sorts, after a lengthy drought that followed the mid-'80s explosion. In a timely turn, the paper points out that a new generation of writers is "moving away from the standard widow’s-peaked vampires, moon-howling werewolves, and decaying zombies." Here's Chiaroscuro webzine's Paul Tremblay:

"The direction of horror I see is little bit more ironic, a little less cliché. The characters come first. They might not be likable or be normal, but they represent how real people deal with tragedy — not how they deal with being eaten by a werewolf."

Occasional comics writer Christopher Golden also is interviewed about his varied resume, which includes everything from teen thrillers to adaptations of licensed properties.