Weird Westerns
Subtitle
Race, Gender, Genre
Edited by Sara L. Spurgeon, Rebecca M. Lush, Michael K. Johnson and Kerry Fine
"Weird Westerns" is an exploration of the hybrid western genre — an increasingly popular and visible form that mixes western themes, iconography, settings and conventions with elements drawn from other genres, such as science fiction, horror and fantasy. Despite frequent declarations of the western’s death, the genre is now defined in part by its zombie-like ability to survive in American popular culture in weird, reanimated, and reassembled forms.
The essays in "Weird Westerns" analyze a wide range of texts, including those by Native American authors Stephen Graham Jones (Blackfeet) and William Sanders (Cherokee); the cult television series "Firefly" and "The Walking Dead;" the mainstream feature films "Suicide Squad" and "Django Unchained;" the avant-garde and bizarre fiction of Joe R. Lansdale; the tabletop roleplaying game "Deadlands: The Weird West"; and the comic book series "Wynonna Earp."
The essays explore how these weird westerns challenge conventional representations by destabilizing or subverting the centrality of the heterosexual, white, male hero but also often surprisingly reinforce existing paradigms in their inability to imagine an existence outside of colonial frameworks.
Bio
Kerry Fine is an instructor for writing programs in the Department of English at Arizona State University.
Praise for this book
This tantalizing collection addresses a wide variety of print, television, and film westerns that incorporate steampunk, zombies, time travel, alternate history, science fiction, and many more influences. 'Weird Westerns' proves that the western continues to be a relevant genre in American popular culture.
Victoria Lamont author of "Westerns: A Women’s History"
This comprehensive and fascinating journey through the unique landscape of the weird west analyzes texts from a fresh perspective that resonate with social issues of the present day. From Native American and African American representation to sexual and racial identity, this book will inspire further research and discussion.
Paul Green author of "Encyclopedia of Weird Westerns"
