Nicholas Diak
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nickdiak.com
Nicholas Diak
@nickdiak.com
420 followers 71 following 1.4K posts
Pop culture scholar of peplum, Italian films, industrial music, horror studies, and other odd subjects. Tiki and cocktails, mid-century and pinups. Co-host of H.P. Lovecast Podcast. He/Him. nickdiak.com. Glendale, AZ.
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Nicholas Diak @nickdiak.com · 14d
Good morning everyone!

Here it is, a recap of my 2025 year in writing, projects, and what I got accomplished. A pretty successful year!

nickdiak.com/2026/01/2025...

Check it out! Sincere appreciation to the folks who support what I do or give me opportunities.

#SwordAndSorcery #SwordAndSandal
Copies of Merry Creepsmas, New Edge Sword and Sorcery, and Burroughs Bulletin. A shelf - 2 white Ikea bookshelf filled with books I am in.
nickdiak.com
Today's treasure from the archive: The Strangeness signed by Mark Sawicki!

First exposed to this film via Stephen Thrower's book Nightmare USA. This was back in the 2000s, so I found a grey-market British DVD. Doesn't it rules.

#CultFilm #Horror #HorrorFilm #DVD #Autograph
The Strangeness DVD cover. DVD back. Autographed says "Best Wishes - Mark Sawicki"
January 16, 2026 at 10:13 PM
nickdiak.com
Citation news!

"The New Peplum" is cited by two essays (one by Panayiota Mini and the other by Martin Winkler) in the new book from @bloomsburybooksus.bsky.social, Audio-Visual Roman Women. Very Cool!

#Peplum #SwordAndSandal #NeoPeplum #Antiquity #GenderStudies

www.bloomsbury.com/us/audiovisu...
January 13, 2026 at 9:46 PM
nickdiak.com
My small contribution to the Erich von Däniken canon: a mention in my essay about Encounter with the Unknown in the Twilight Zone book from
@mcfarland.bsky.social

#AncientAliens #Aliens #ErichvonDäniken
January 12, 2026 at 6:23 PM
nickdiak.com
Today's from the archive: Student Bodies signed by actress Robyn Flanery.

A very early slasher-horror film. Not as good as, say, Scary Movie, but an interesting movie for the time.

#Horror #Slasher #CultFilm #DVD #HorrorFilm
January 10, 2026 at 10:45 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
possumpunks.bsky.social
Issues 5 thru 7 of @newedgeswordmag.bsky.social are now available in the Bodega! ⚔️
If you're longing for the scifi/fantasy anthologies of yore, with a heavy emphasis on Queer perspectives: this is your magazine⚔️
Magazine wall with NESS issues facing out. Each cover is a unique illustration
January 9, 2026 at 8:45 PM
nickdiak.com
Good morning everyone!

Here it is, a recap of my 2025 year in writing, projects, and what I got accomplished. A pretty successful year!

nickdiak.com/2026/01/2025...

Check it out! Sincere appreciation to the folks who support what I do or give me opportunities.

#SwordAndSorcery #SwordAndSandal
Copies of Merry Creepsmas, New Edge Sword and Sorcery, and Burroughs Bulletin. A shelf - 2 white Ikea bookshelf filled with books I am in.
January 7, 2026 at 4:05 PM
nickdiak.com
An essay I wrote for @wearethemutants.com back in 2018 has been uncannily relevant this weekend with the Venezuela news.

One of the most political essays I've written - give it a look:

wearethemutants.com/2018/06/25/w...

#CultFilm #Venezuela
Welcome to the Jungle: Fun and Games in Antonio Margheriti’s 1980s Mercenary Films
When it comes to Italian genre filmmakers, Antonio Margheriti is perhaps the underdog when compared to the likes of Dario Argento, Sergio Leone, Mario Bava, and Lucio Fulci. His 1963 gothic masterpiec...
wearethemutants.com
January 4, 2026 at 4:04 AM
nickdiak.com
Starting off the new year with some (re)publication news!

The newest issue of the National Capital Panthans Journal is out. It contains a reprint of my review of issue 6 of the #junglegirl #comic Vanya.

The original review can be read at my website:

nickdiak.com/2025/07/all-...
January 3, 2026 at 7:08 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
ridethestream.bsky.social
Truth, lies, and Mr. Eko's backstory - we continue the #Lost journey with another episode in season 2.

#RidetheStream #LikeandSubscribe

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwC8...
Lost Season 2 Episode 10: The Truth Shall Set You Free
YouTube video by Ride the Stream
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
doomgolly.bsky.social
Thank you @boldjourney.com.web.brid.gy for the lovely feature and insightful questions! What a fantastic way to close out the year. 🙏🤘🙏

boldjourney.com/kallie-marie...

#MusicSky #Composer #RecordProducer #Author #NYC #WomenInMusicProduction #FilmTVComposer
boldjourney.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:38 PM
nickdiak.com
Last news on my writing and publishing projects!

Review of #junglegirl #comic Vanya reprinted in National Capital Panthans Journal

3 #Cocktail recipes printed in @newedgeswordmag.bsky.social

& lots more! Check out here:

nickdiak.com/2025/12/news...

Thank you everyone for your support in 2025!
Cover of NESS #5 Cover of NESS #6. Cover of NESS #7. Cover of National Capital Panthans Journal.
December 29, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
baconetti.bsky.social
Aca-Zombie-Colleagues

Just published, The Palgrave Handbook of the Zombie! Probably best accessed through your library it is the most wide-ranging study of the zombie megatext currently available and contains some of the best zombie scholars out there.

a.co/d/dlvfXOA
The Palgrave Handbook of the Zombie: Bacon, Simon: 9783032056955: Amazon.com: Books
The Palgrave Handbook of the Zombie [Bacon, Simon] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Palgrave Handbook of the Zombie
a.co
December 29, 2025 at 4:31 PM
nickdiak.com
Attempting to tackle our lemon tree this weekend which is just laden with fruit.

Made some dehydrated lemon wheels for cocktails, preserved Moroccan lemons, and some lemon oleo saccharum.

#Lemons
Our lemon tree. It's green and there are ALOT of lemons on it. Three jars and a plastic container. Two look like science projects, which are lemons floating in a mix of salt and lemon juice. One jar is filled with thinly cut lemon wheels that are dried out. The last, the plastic container, is filled with lemon peels and sugar, with the sugar pulling out all the oils.
December 28, 2025 at 4:05 PM
nickdiak.com
Tonight's libation: the Q.R.V. No. 222, a cocktail from "Uneasy Elixirs" - cocktails inspired by Edward Gorey.

Gin, creme de cassis, lime, ango, and simple. This is a very sweet, almost candy-like cocktail. Using the Data Von Teese gin in this one! I like it!

#Cocktail #Gin #EdwardGorey #Horror
A reddish cocktail in a small rocks glass positioned in front of an olive-green book that has a cocktail glass on the cover with Edward Gorey illustrations. Flanked to either side is a bottle of Gin and a bottle of Creme De Cassis.
December 26, 2025 at 2:45 AM
nickdiak.com
Arrived in the mail - just in time for me to play after work! (working on x-mas eve, eeew).

The Gex Trilogy from @limitedrungames.com

I never played Get back in the 90s, but this looks like a lot of fun. Time to get mah #RetroGaming on!

#Gex #Xbox #VideoGame #3DO #Playstation #Retro
he Gex Trilogy in an oversized box that mimics the old Playstation 1 cases. The cover shows an anthropomorphic gecko, who is green, standing on his feet while wearing sunglasses.
December 24, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
mewelke.bsky.social
If I copied all these links correctly it'll be a holiday miracle. Here's a blog post of my favorite holiday songs: www.ianwelke.net/blog/2025/12/24/holiday-songs
Holiday Songs — Ian Welke, Author
Since it’s the holidays, here’s a list of my favorite holiday songs. Some might wonder why I, a non believer, would have such a list. A big part of the answer is I like music and nearly every genre o...
www.ianwelke.net
December 24, 2025 at 6:13 PM
nickdiak.com
2025: the year that sword-wielding warrior maidens with fiery hair sliced through the music hordes in dark blue realms.

Die Spitz / Castle Rat

\m/ [>_<] \m/

#SwordAndSorcery #ExtremeMusic #DoomMetal #Barbarian #CastleRat #DieSpitz #Metal
Screen cap from the Die Spitz song "Through yourself to the sword". A lady in a tattered dress dances atop a washing machine holding a sword. screen cap from the music video of "Wizard" for Castle Rat. The lead singer is walking forward, holding a sword behind her, and blue flames surround her.
December 23, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
saratantlinger.bsky.social
I'm so thrilled to have my work make its first appearance on @pseudopod.org! Thank you Tanja Milojevic for this gorgeous narration of "Cyanide Constellations" 💚✨
pseudopod.org PseudoPod @pseudopod.org · Dec 19
This story was published in the collection 'Cyanide Constellations and Other Stories' by Sara Tantlinger in October 2025

Tagging 👆 @saratantlinger.bsky.social @alasdairstuart.com @kibitzer.bsky.social

Everything we do is funded by you. If you can, please go to pseudopod.org and click FEED THE POD
PseudoPod | The Sound of Horror
pseudopod.org
December 21, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
nsborwein.bsky.social
Check out this beautiful issue of Suburban Witchcraft Magazine, which contains a piece of my artwork!
suburbanwitchlit.bsky.social Suburban Witchcraft Magazine @suburbanwitchlit.bsky.social · Dec 19
Suburban Witchcraft Issue 11 is now Live!
Teeming with #art , #writing, #poetry and #photography , we hope it takes you on many creative journeys!

Read Issue 11 at :
suburbanwitchcraft.com/issue11

#writingcommunity #suburbanwitchcraftmagazine #reading #publishing #litmag
December 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
ridethestream.bsky.social
What will Ana Lucia do next? Dive into the next episode of #Lost Season 2 with us as we explore "Collision."

#RidetheStream #LikeandSubscribe

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNxp...
Lost Season 2 Episode 8: Should They Stay or Should They Go?
YouTube video by Ride the Stream
www.youtube.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:24 PM
nickdiak.com
Proper publication news to end 2025 with a bang!

Issues 5, 6, & 7 of @newedgeswordmag.bsky.social have came out! I was honored to contribute a themed #cocktail to each issue.

If you wanna see the cocktails, pluck up your copies here:

newedgeswordandsorcery.com/product-cate...

#SwordAndSorcery
Picture of Nicholas Diak, standing in front of an orange tree, holding the three issues of New Edge Sword and Sorcery.
December 16, 2025 at 4:45 PM
nickdiak.com
The newest issues of @newedgeswordmag.bsky.social are out! I'll do a proper post about them in the marrow, but I wanted to share issue 7, the #SwordandPlanet issue.

I was honored to be asked to do a themed cocktail, so my libation is an homage to @joerlansdale.bsky.social 's Under the Warrior Star.
Copy of NESS issue 7 next to a copy of Sojan the Swordsman / Under the Warrior Star. Cocktail page from the issue. I've blocked out the recipe using another book - if you want to read it, you gotta check out the issue. Under the Warrior star cocktail. It's a nick and Nora glass, with a brownish-leaf color and a star anise floating atop.
December 16, 2025 at 12:19 AM
nickdiak.com
Happy early Xmas present to me!

Just got Terminator 2D No Fate and installing it now. It’s gonna be great.

#Terminator #retrogame #xbox #videogame #synthwave #timetravel
Xbox copy of Terminator 2D No Fate
December 13, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
ridethestream.bsky.social
The #Lost rabbit hole looks a little different as we tackle "The Other 48 Days" where we find out what it was like for the other survivors.

#RidetheStream

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdp5...
Lost Season 2 Episode 7: One of THEM
YouTube video by Ride the Stream
www.youtube.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Reposted by Nicholas Diak
mattpagefilm.bsky.social
I managed an actual review on my blog. For the second month running! True it's for a show that's really hard to access so you've probably not seen it, but that's kind of "my thing" anyway:
biblefilms.blogspot.com/2025/12/test...
Peter (a bald man in modern day casual dress), leader of Jesus's followers in a medium close-up. He's outside and looking up, a little) towards the sky
December 12, 2025 at 6:08 PM