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R.I.P. Horror Author Jack Ketchum Has Died
If you’ve read a Jack Ketchum book, there’s a good chance you’ll never forget it. Ketchum, who was mentored by Psycho author Robert Bloch early in his career, is a household name to fans the world over for his disturbing work in the horror space, his horror novels adapted into a handful of films that are equally unforgettable.
Today we’re very sad to report that Jack Ketchum, whose real name was Dallas Mayr, has passed away at the age of 71. The sad news comes to us courtesy of actress Pollyanna McIntosh, who has starred in three films based on Ketchum’s characters.
Ketchum had been battling cancer.
Jack Ketchum’s first novel, Off Season, was published in 1980, and he further established himself as a master of horror with The Lost, The Woman, The Girl Next Door, Offspring and Red. Remarkably, all five of the aforementioned novels were turned into films, and we were ecstatic to release The Woman through our BD Selects label.
Ketchum’s “The Box” also became a segment of horror anthology XX, released last year.
“Rest In Peace Dallas,” The Woman star Pollyanna McIntosh wrote over on Instagram today. “Known to many as Jack Ketchum, Dallas loved to experience his best selling books through filmmakers’ eyes. I’ve been in 3 films based on his characters and I’ve enjoyed the hell out of them. Thank you Dallas for your work, your collaboration and your support of me and so many other writers and artists out there. You lived it your way. Your smile will be missed. Love to his family, friends and fans.”
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war, but it was a cheerful illustrator from England who helped to define the terrifying war-torn imagery that inspired what we now know as Grimdark (a hybrid genre combining horror with sci-fi/fantasy).
Unfortunately for fans of Warhammer 40,000, Trench Crusade and countless other sources of Grimdark thrills, veteran artist John Blanche passed away this week after struggling with health issues for the past few years.
While the artist retired back in 2023, he leaves us with an enormous legacy of iconic artwork that continues to inspire gamers and storytellers around the world to this very day.
The news is especially gloomy as it was only last year that Daniel Lowman and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder released The Grim & the Dark: The Search for John Blanche, a documentary following Heder’s exploration of the Grimdark genre culminating in a heartwarming encounter with Blanche in his own home.
Below is one of my favorite pieces by Blanche, his highly influential depiction of Warhammer 40k’s God-Emperor of Mankind on his Golden Throne.
We send our deepest condolences to John Blanche’s family, friends, and fans.
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