What the #@&% Is That?: The Saga Anthology of the Monstrous and the Macabre

This anthology originates from a Twitter meme sparked by artist Mike Mignola’s illustration of an unknown creature. The prompt asked contributors to write stories containing the phrase "What the #@&% Is That?" Renowned editor John Joseph Adams, alongside Doug Cohen, curated the collection for Saga Press. It features work by Jonathan Maberry, Seanan McGuire, Christopher Golden, and Scott Sigler. The book spans irreverent humor and straight horror, appealing to fans of monsters and the macabre. The stories draw on fantasy, horror, and thriller traditions without specifying particular historical periods or literary eras beyond the genre labels. Adams uses his editorial experience to blend these varied tones into a single volume. The content relies on the specific constraint of the mandatory phrase rather than a chronological or thematic organization. Readers who enjoy creature features and dark comedy will find this collection entertaining. Those seeking serious, traditional gothic literature may prefer other titles. The book does not claim to be definitive or essential. It simply presents a series of imaginative responses to a viral internet joke. The final entry in the collection concludes with a monster reveal that leaves the reader questioning the nature of the unknown.