Unreal, Volume 3, January 2020

“Dead Monster Walking” by Bruce Golden

“Thor Meets Captain America” by David Brin (reprint, not reviewed)

“Gilgamesh in the Outback” by Robert Silverberg (reprint, not reviewed)

“Samsara and Ice” by Andy Dudak (reprint, not reviewed)

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

The only original story in this issue is “Dead Monster Walking” by Bruce Golden. The narrator is the creature featured in the low budget horror movie The Hideous Sun Demon. As in the film, he is an ordinary man by night, but becomes a scaly mutant when exposed to sunlight. In the story, however, he’s not really a killer, but only plays that part in a movie. Years after his only film role, he murders a monster movie fan who stalks him. The story takes the form of his memories as he awaits execution for his crime.

This tale takes place in a universe where many other monsters from 1950’s B movies really exist, and play themselves in films. The references to these campy cinematic chillers will amuse fans of such movies, but otherwise there is not much to the story.

Victoria Silverwolf has seen The Hideous Sun Demon.