Episode 587 - I Am Legend - Part 2

There was an anthology book written in tribute to Matheson titled He Is Legend. There are lots of entertaining spins on Matheson’s work in there (including a very entertaining sequel to The Distributor and a collab between Stephen King and his son) but there is also a *prequel* to I Am Legend in it. It was I Am Legend, Too and to my memory it’s actually about this neighbor/coworker guy. Don’t have the copy anymore but I thought it was worth sharing now that Matheson is on the table

Incaptivity

What does vampire poop smell like? Is asparagus still an issue?

Andrew Brown

The bit about the “large bugs” in California reminded me of when I had just moved to Texas from California and there was a “cricket migration” through the greater Austin area. There was an absolute BIBLICAL number of crickets around for a couple of WEEKS. It was horrible and gross and loud. This is a once in a decade or more event, not actually normal. So I’m at work, with my coworker who’s from Bastrop, and his wife is from the same part of Southern California as I. We were in a second story, interior, room and I’m complaining about how we were still beset by multiple random crickets popping up in desk drawers and stuff… how did they get there‽ My coworker was like, “Oh, that’s right! You’re from California. The maaaagical laaaaand where there are nooooo buuuuugs!”

Michelle Elbert

Short and sweet is how I like my horror fiction these days. Writers like Harlan Ellison and Matheson awe and inspire me with their clever turn of phrase and way to spin a yarn.

There's part of me that finds the scientific explanation for vampires fascinating, and part of me that is repelled by it. Matheson is a skilled enough writer to pull it off and he still manages to get a lot of the folkloric weaknesses in, avoiding that post-Anne Rice thing about vamps that scoff at crosses or garlic. But still, I like my folklore, I like the supernatural in my supernatural stories. Kind of reminds me of that Asimov elf story, or Poul Anderson's elves who he gave scientific explanations for allergy towards iron and sunlight. The 1950s just didn't like fantastical nonsense unless it could be explained with a microscope or atomic bomb, I guess.

I just finished reading this book and loved it. Listening to you guys talk about how Neville and Cortman were carpoolers together gives another aspect to Cortman spending all night yelling for Neville to come out, beyond wanting his blood. Did he have to spend time every day yelling for Neville to come out, during the pre-pandemic times? Was Cortman a smart vampire or just trapped in doing the same thing nightly that he once did daily? I wonder if Ben was also mad because Neville stole his car.

I am a librarian, I can confirm. Freaks!

You mentioned the Pandemic board game. In early March 2020, before everything shut down, my friends and I got together and played Pandemic. We thought it would be a fun way to blow off the stress of what we were hearing on the news. By the end of the evening, after the game (I don't remember if we won or lost), we were all a lot more somber. Turns out making light of major international tragedy wasn't quite the stress relief we'd hoped it would be. I haven't played it since then, and I think it'll be a while before I do.

I love the moment when the survivor identifies the strength in their foe and can't help but find an admiration for them. They have something in common - the basis for most friendships - and that is both a relief and the most revolting thing yet.

No, Chris. It’s ALL librarians. Beautiful freaks, the lot of us.

Man I love this book. My biggest gripe with the Will Smith movie was that they changed him into a scientist with a huge lab, instead of just some dude with a microscope trying to learn stuff that's way out of his scope. I don't think I could do what he does. Great coverage as always guys!

Mooncubus

When Chad said he squeezed his tomato juice when he read the forgotten key scene, I could just see him sitting at home - which looks exactly like Charleston Heston’s home in Omega Man, including the globe, the bust of Caesar - with this huge gout of red fluid geysering up in slow motion. Then going back to reading, drenched in what is presumably tomato juice.

Joe Webb

Ah the vampires to zombies continuum! If either of y’all want a copy of my Map of Zombies just say the word! Sadly I haven’t updated it since 2015 but that’s about when the zombie boom started to ebb so at least I got most of the good stuff. 🤞 https://mockman.myshopify.com/products/the-map-of-zombies-24-x36-poster

Jason Thompson

It’s that time of the week. Hell yeah

PenguinTots