The medium’s father is killed, torn apart, and Wills is forced to flee the suspicious and bloodthirsty townsfolk. Was that a head? And were those pointed eats, or part of a headdress? I told myself determinedly that this was a clever illusion, successful despite my precautions. It shifted against the dim light from the windows, and I had a momentary impression of something erect but misshapen-misshapen in an animal way. The pallid mist was changing shape and substance, too, and growing darker.

It might have been a tired dog or other beast. Even as I fixed my gaze upon it, I heard something that sounded like a gusty panting. Otto Zoberg insists will convince him once and for all of the supernatural’s existence.Īlmost as soon as Wills and Zoberg sit down to a séance with the a beautiful medium and her father, things go horribly wrong.īefore and a little beyond her, something pale and cloudy was making itself visible. When he takes a trip to West Virginia to witness what he regular debating partner, Dr. Instead, it’s the tale of Talbot Wills, a magician who’s abandoned the stage in order to dedicate his life to disproving claims of the supernatural. Pursuivant isn’t the main character here, not even showing up until at least half through.

He would go on to appear in three more solo adventures and make appearances in several other Wellman stories. If the title doesn’t make it clear, it’s a werewolf story. He made his debut in the three-part novella, “The Hairy Ones Shall Dance.” It appeared in Weird Tales (Jan, Feb, March 1938) under one of Wellman’s numerous pseudonyms Gans T Field. The first of his investigators is Judge Keith Hilary Pursuivant. While Wellman is best known for his rural Appalachian-set tales of John, roving balladeer and fighter-of-fokloric-evil, he also wrote about two urbane paranormal investigators as well as straight-up horror. As the Halloween season is upon us, it only seemed right to go back to some of his spookier tales. He also wrote for the comics, of particular note for Captain Marvel and the Spirit when Will Eisner was drafted. He wrote mysteries, histories, and young adult adventures. Manly Wade Wellman (1903-1986) is one of the greatest pulp writers, leaving his mark on heroic fantasy, horror, regional writing, and even science fiction.

Who fears the devil manly wade wellman