This page will be devoted to all the people out there who have had and still do have strong influences on this wonderful genre. Each month, i will have a new influence, I will include such things as Bio's on the person, their work, whether it be Movies, Novels, Artwork, ect...., so come back often. Enjoy.

This month the closet salutes, Clive Barker.

BIO: Barker was born in Liverpool, England, in 1952. He Studied at the "Liverpool University" to study English literature and Philsophy. At the age of 21, he moved to London. There, he formed a theater company to perform plays that he had written. He worked in that medium throughout his twenties as a writer, a director and an actor. Many of these early plays contained the fantastical, erotic, and horrific elements, that would later become part of his literary work. They include "The History of the Devil.", "Frankenstein in Love", "Subtle Bodies", "The Secret Life of Cartoons" and a play about his favorite painter, Goya, entitled "Colossus".

Barker's imaginative, theatrical work found its first literary outlet in the short fiction that he turned to in his late twenties. The first examples of his phenomenal short stories are, The Books of Blood volumes 1-3. Unfortunatly the Books of Blood only saw modest success in the UK, BUT, with the publication of the Books of Blood, and his first novel, The Damnation Game, in the US, he was instantly granted favor with readers and critics alike. Three more volumes followed, published in England as The Books of Blood volumes 4-6, and retitled in the US as, The Inhuman Condition, In the Flesh, and Cabal.

The Books of Blood.

Then in 1987 he decided that he wanted to direct his own movie, the result was "Hellraiser", based on the novel, "The Hellbound Heart". This was not the first time that one of Barkers stories was made into a feature film however, Both Rawhead Rex, and Transmutations were made, (both films Barker strongly disliked.). Hellraiser ended up spawning 3 sequels to date, all of which were very good. Film wise he has also created the not so successful "Lord of Illusions". Many of Barkers works have found there way into other media as well, Marvel and Darkhorse comics, have both produced many of Barkers stories as comic books and graphic novels. And many of his characters can be found as collectible resin statuettes. And Recently Mcfarlane Toys has announced that they will produce a Pinhead action Figure around November or December of 98.

All in all Barkers work has influenced this genre greatly. Hellraiser paved the way for horror movies like Event Horizon, and Wishmaster. And his graphic comic books have helped to diminish comic censorship. Everything that Barker has produced has found its way into the hearts of millions, and will continue for years to come.

Barker's Creations....

"I have such a splitting headache."

"WHOA! That thermometer is cold!!!"

"Hi, I'm from the dating service."

"Your on my side of the face again! No, your on my side!"

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I escaped death times.