My Horror Icon: Emma Alice Johnson
Welcome to the second instalment for a new special feature at Divination Hollow Reviews! Horror is filled with iconic, memorable people, and through this series we hope to highlight those who have made an impact. Starting with our contributors, we’ll be highlighting the folks who inspire them, from scream queens to writers, filmmakers to musicians, cosplayers to reviewers and beyond! Today, contributor Madison talks about her horror icon, Emma Alice Johnson.
The first time I read an Emma Alice Johnson story, I was shocked and appalled. I can’t remember which one it was; the tale initially struck me as colourful, kooky, and fun. But as it ratcheted up the gross-out and horror, it crossed a line into not-fun. I thought myself a reasonably seasoned gorehound, but the imagery here produced a revulsion that felt entirely new.
This was my introduction to bizarro, a surrealist subgenre that melds shocking content with experimental structures, infused with the spirit of exploitation and cult fiction, pop art, and punk rock. It’s a style that pushes boundaries and keeps readers on their toes.
Emma Alice Johnson is one of the scene’s best, her boundless imagination and visceral power anchored by humour, impeccable suspense, and sharp psychology. Once you acclimatize to the weirdness, you can’t help but notice the insight and empathy Johnson has for her characters, even as she writes them into nightmares. Her most recent works are especially lovely and heartfelt, without sacrificing her trademark inventiveness.
Cattle Cult! Kill! Kill! (StrangeHouse Books, 2015)*
An armed-to-the-teeth clan wages war on the rural cult that kidnapped one of their own. But the showdown turns into a suicide mission when the farmers successfully summon a bovine beast from the beyond.
Cattle Cult! Kill! Kill! is folk-horror-sploitation with a side of Mad-Max-on-tractors action, building into a phantasmagorical creation myth. Consider yourself warned, the violence in this book is extreme, but the climax boasts some of Johnson’s most awe-inspiring imagery.
Sick Pack (Bizarro Pulp Press, 2015)*
This novel follows a Fabio-esque model on a seedy journey through L.A., in search of his iconic set of abs that have gained sentience and escaped his body. His livelihood reliant on romance novel covers, Fabulo is lost without his famous physique – and the more he learns about his abs’ strange adventures, the more he fears for their safety.
This disgusting body horror tale has a sweet core. Initially presented as vapid and narcissistic, Fabulo is a surprisingly endearing character; you’ll root for him as he falls in love and learns to love himself.
Lake Lurkers (Severed Press, 2016)*
A woman buys her dream home by a lake, just in time for freakish, man-eating monsters to emerge from the water. Less surreal than her previous books, this is one of Johnson’s most straightforward works of horror. But where she really pushes boundaries is the gore: the visceral extremes of bizarro are concentrated entirely within the monster attacks, which are prolonged and sadistic. (Seriously, I was almost sick.)
Under the surface is an intriguing character study: the protagonist, who survived an unstable childhood, simultaneously displays a pathological fear of commitment and a fanatical attachment to her house, and the way she ranks bricks and mortar above flesh and blood is both disturbing and pitiable.
*The preceding three novels are individually out-of-print, but are collected in Johnson’s Bizarro Classicks from Freak Tension Books.
Unicorn Wasteland (Everybody Press, 2021)
A trans woman embarks on a quest to lay her old self to rest, traversing a hostile desert on the back of her loyal unicorn. A stylistic departure from Johnson’s previous work, Unicorn Wasteland fuses weird western, fairy tale, and post-apocalyptic fiction. (Of course, it also boasts a handful of horror sequences that’ll have you squirming with suspense).
What really makes this tale stand out, though, is its contemplative tone. It’s a melancholy but magical journey of self-acceptance.
All My Darling Danzigs (Freak Tension Books, 2024)
Another example of Johnson’s range: her latest is Danzig fan fiction in the form of a romance novel. The wacky premise (heavy metal crooner Glenn Danzig quits music to star in a gothic soap opera) forms the backdrop for a tender love story. When a curse plagues the production, Danzig’s assistant seeks help from her horror author ex-wife. The book’s spookiness and affectionate humour pair nicely with the couple’s gradual reconciliation.
(Full disclosure, I was one of the beta readers for this and received a copy from the author).
With an output ranging from bizarro horror to naturalistic non-fiction, Emma Alice Johnson is the author of dozens of books, short stories, chapbooks, and zines. She’s a two-time Wonderland Award recipient, winning for her collection Berzerkoids in 2016 and novel Dungeons & Drag Queens in 2014. She’s also known as the founder of Weirdpunk Books, co-editing (along with Sam Richard) their punk-themed anthologies Hybrid Moments: A Literary Tribute to the Misfits and Blood for You: A Literary Tribute to GG Allin. Her next collection, Love Skull, will be published by Weirdpunk in 2024.
An avid conservationist, she runs Emma’s Wildflower Farm in Wisconsin.
By Madison McSweeney
Twitter: @MMcSw13
Instagram: madison.mcsweeney13
