This year started quite rough for me. Having been laid off from work in December, I have been feeling fairly pensive about everything. However, that’s when I remember the amazing community that has stemmed from Ghouls Magazine. You always get to be a bit reflective at the start of a new year, and this one particularly felt that way. As a creator it’s so easy to forget to reflect on what you’ve actually achieved, often getting stuck in a sinking sludge of the to-do list. So I took the time to actually write down everything that has been accomplished in 2022, and damn, there was a lot to look back on and feel proud of.

We first came up for the concept of Ghouls Magazine on a dreary day during lockdown. My partner Emanuele knew how passionate I was about women in horror, but also bringing other marginalised voices to forefront and having a space to provide a unique perspective on the horror genre. So he pushed me hard to work on Ghouls, and given the fact we couldn’t leave our homes, we had more than enough time to actually bring the online magazine to life. At first I wasn’t sure whether anyone would have any interest in it, but once I put the feelers out there the response was incredible. It grew like I couldn’t have imagined, and soon I found myself surrounded by talented people who had so much insight on the genre.

Sometimes I forget how much this platform means to me personally. The work that goes in requires time, dedication and a lot of caffeine but it’s all worth it. Not only because I get to read, listen and watch amazing pieces of work, but because of the people that are within the horror community. The Ghouls team are my family. We speak every single day to one another about our flourishing ideas and bring them to life through late night Whatsapp chats where we get so excited to share our thoughts and feelings on horror films and more. But another aspect that has really shone through over the last year at Ghouls Magazine is the community we all get to interact with. The horror community sometimes gets a bad rep because there is always some form of drama, but overall the people in horror are some of the nicest people I have ever met.

The opportunities we have been given at Ghouls Magazine have honestly astounded me. Getting to host panel discussions at film festivals such as Mitch Harrod’s phenomenal UK-based fest, Soho Horror Festival, feels like a dream come true. But that would have never been possible without the support our little magazine has received from our readers and members. Every day I feel grateful for having people that are so in love with what the team do here at Ghouls, always giving positive and genuine feedback on the analysis from our writers. Having that kind of support doesn’t always come easily, so it’s genuinely been a pleasure looking back over the past year and seeing just how lovely the response is whenever we have a new piece of horror content on the website.

In 2022 we also were given some of the best in horror. The sheer abundance of great horror throughout the year was surprising. I know many people argue that each year hasn’t been a good one for horror, but there is no denying that last year we were treated by the horror genre. For a while last year I felt like I had lost my passion for writing and for talking about horror, but that was reignited by watching a year of absolutely outstanding horror movies and TV shows, and reading books by awesome authors, plus consuming all the other horror content from some of our favourite outlets like FANGORIA, Dread Central, The Evolution of Horror, Nightmare on Fierce Street, Faculty of Horror, Rue Morgue, What A Scream, Moving Pictures Film Club, HornBloodFire… the list goes on.

As horror fans, we’re almost inundated with so much goodness from the horror world. But one thing I absolutely adore is just how much this community supports and empowers one another. Whether you are a content creator or someone that gets to indulge in horror content, I have seen just how appreciative we are to one another within this community and how much we love connecting with one another to discuss horror. I might be speaking out of turns, but I don’t think many other genres have such a wonderful and dedicated fanbase.

So, yes there were a lot of achievements we accomplished in 2022 but the best one for me was continuing to connect with horror fans around the world. I don’t know where I would be without this weird, kooky and often a little depraved horror community. Probably holed up in some room watching nasty extreme films by myself, but having a group of people online and offline to talk about our horrific interests feels so wholesome.

We have a lot planned for Ghouls Magazine in 2023, and I am so excited for everything that is to come. Why? Because I know that it means I will get to spend more time with the horror community talking about what sets our soul on fire. We love creating content that resonates with our audience, and that is exactly what we plan on continuing throughout the next year. For one, we are working hard on making the Ghouls Gang membership even better with more content delivered on a weekly basis. For instance, you can expect more ramblings from me – I’m really hoping that’s a positive, but feel free to drop me an email and tell me if you’ve heard enough from me already (which is most likely the case). You can also expect to see more podcast episodes designed just for our members with some guests from the horror community plus a whole roster of our Ghouls contributors too.

I’m also focusing on how we can collaborate more with other people and outlets that we just love. We are in talks with some independent cinemas about film screenings, including a charity event as we saw in 2022 that our 24 hour Ghouls Movie Marathon to raise money for WISH Charity was something that people really loved. Using horror as a means for good is something truly special. We also want to host some in-person film screenings this year and have started talking to a couple of really cool venues about partnering with them. Which means we would also get to meet many of you IRL, which is pretty fucking exciting if you ask me.

Not only that but I’m also really looking forward to attending film festivals and film screenings from other outlets because I just love the atmosphere of being surrounded by other horror fans who share the same interests as me. If last year is anything to go on, then I’m very confident that we are going to have maybe even too many cool horror events to attend. Say goodbye to your bank balance now because if you’re like me, then you know all your money will be going to cool film showings and events.

In short, 2022 was an amazing year for horror all round. But the biggest takeaway, and one to take into 2023 is connecting with the horror community and having a safe space to talk about our problematic horror crushes without judgment, share theories when we watch batshit films like Men, and have friends that want to meet up for a midnight screening of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

One last thing (and I’m impressed if you’ve made it this far), if you would like to share any feedback or even some ideas with us, then I’m all ears! Sometimes planning content can be a touch beast to battle – do I talk about slashers or the supernatural? Who is the best guest to podcast about the Saw franchise? Does anyone want to read about our favourite female villains in horror?

You can help us to decide the content that will be provided on Ghouls Magazine by dropping us a line! I want to ensure that what we deliver to you is the content you’re actually keen on reading and listening to. So if you think there’s a theme we could use for an upcoming podcast episode or you would love to read a particular article, just drop me a line editor@ghoulsmagazine.com and I’ll see what I can do!

Thank you for supporting us here at Ghouls Magazine, and I’m excited for another year of delivering horror content to you.

Love & guts,

Z xx

When people think of horror films, slashers are often the first thing that comes to mind. The sub-genres also spawned a wealth of horror icons: Freddy, Jason, Michael, Chucky - characters so recognisable we’re on first name terms with them. In many ways the slasher distills the genre down to some of its fundamental parts - fear, violence and murder.

5 Oct 2023

3 Oct 2023

[Ghouls Podcast] Maniac (2012) with Zoë Rose Smith and Iona Smith

3 Oct 2023

Throughout September we were looking at slasher films, and therefore we decided to cover a slasher film that could be considered as an underrated gem in the horror genre. And the perfect film for this was Franck Khalfoun’s 2012 remake of MANIAC.

3 Oct 2023

24 Sept 2023

[Editorial] If Looks Could Kill: Tom Savini’s Practical Effects in Maniac (1980)

24 Sept 2023

In the late seventies and early eighties, one man was considered the curator of all things gore in America. During the lovingly named splatter decade, Tom Savini worked on masterpieces of blood and viscera like Dawn of the Dead (1978), a film which gained the attention of hopeful director William Lustig, a man only known for making pornography before his step into horror.

24 Sept 2023

11 Sept 2023

[Editorial] Deeper Cuts: 13 Non-Typical Slashers

11 Sept 2023

Looking for some different slasher film recommendations? Then look no fruther as Ariel Powers-Schaub has 13 non-typical slasher horror films for you to watch.

11 Sept 2023

10 Sept 2023

[Editorial] Editor’s Note: Making a slash back into September

10 Sept 2023

Even though they are not to my personal liking, there is no denying that slasher films have been an important basis for the horror genre, and helped to build the foundations for other sub-genres throughout the years.

10 Sept 2023

31 Aug 2023

[Editorial] 8 Mind Horror Short films

31 Aug 2023

But some of the most terrifying horrors are those that take place entirely under the skin, where the mind is the location of the fear. Psychological horror has the power to unsettle by calling into question the basis of the self - one's own brain.

31 Aug 2023

20 Aug 2023

[Editorial] Eat Shit and Die: Watching The Human Centipede (2009) in Post-Roe America

20 Aug 2023

On Saturday, 17th June 2023, I sat down with two friends to watch The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009) and The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) (2012). I was nervous to be grossed out (I can’t really handle the idea of eating shit) but excited to cross these two films off my list.

20 Aug 2023

13 Aug 2023

[Editorial] Top 15 Female-Focused Mind Horror Films

13 Aug 2023

Many of the most effective horror films involve blurring the lines between waking life and a nightmare. When women in horror are emotionally and psychologically manipulated – whether by other people or more malicious supernatural forces – viewers are pulled into their inner worlds, often left with a chilling unease and the question of where reality ends and the horror begins.

13 Aug 2023

31 Jul 2023

[Editorial] 8 Body Horror Short films

31 Jul 2023

Body horror is one of the fundamental pillars of the horror genre and crops up in some form or another in a huge variety of works. There's straightforward gore - the inherent horror of seeing the body mutilated, and also more nuanced fears.

31 Jul 2023