BFS Journal #26: Nature in Fantasy

In this special issue on the Nature of Fantasy, we have a fecundcross-section of scholarship and discussion. Alongside our RegularFeatures, where Oliver Holingdale discusses the creation of his shortfilm, The Green Knight, I explore eco-activism and 'The Art of Revolt'through the form of the graphic novel with the help of the remarkabletalents of Luke Oram in our special preview strip 'The Gest of LobBarleycorn and the Guizers', we have Special Features on how tabletoproleplaying games provide a ludic, democratic space for exploringenvironmental issues through the rise in ecogames in Chloé Germaine'sarticle on 'Fantasy, the Anthropocene, and Tabletop Gaming; and in'Fear's Messenger: Monstrous Nature' by Eilís L. Phillips we look athow the increasingly frequent extreme weather events of anthropogenicClimate Change are 'monstered'. Embracing the full spectrumof Fantasy in all of its myriad forms, we go to the theatre to discussthe development of the play celebrating the neglected figure of Maryde Morgan in 'The Vegan Tigress' by Claire Parker. In 'Awakeningthe Goddess: Neo-Animism, Eco-Spirituality, and Ritualistic Carein Harvest Moon' by Sam Campbell, we look at how an example ofecoFantasy can explore resonant themes and belief systems. Finally,in our Reviews we focus on primarily works that have a green aspectof some kind: Tiger's Work by Ben Okri, Scuttler's Cove by DavidBarnett, Silver in the Wood and Drowned Country by Emily Tesh,The Vegan Tigress by Claire Parker, Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings,and The Chronicles of Future Earth Player's Guide by Sarah Newton.Among our other Regular Features Anna Milon looks at filmingin LARP, Katy Soar delves into the ancient roots of Horror, AlexandraBeaumont considers the ecological aspects of Folk Horror,Lauren McMenemy takes a bite at the vampire in the first of a3-part series, and PS Livingstone considers the hag, the crone, andthe monstrous feminine in folklore, popular culture, and fiction.We also have some other 'miscellaneous' features: one on thebiography of Conan author, Robert E. Howard; and another of whatI hope will be a regular series: In Conversation With, where I inter-view writers of Fantastika. This issue we meet the amazing Grimdarkauthor, Anna Smith Spark.