Joseph M. Monks

Joseph M. Monks (born February 21, 1968, Queens, New York, U.S.) is an American writer and the world's first blind feature film director, best known for co-creating the cult phenomena horror comic book, Cry For Dawn.

Biography

Monks co-created Cry For Dawn (1989–1992), an American horror comic book anthology. In the 1990s his work appeared in comic book publications, including NightCry, In Rage and Tales of the Dead.

After Cry For Dawn ceased publication, Monks became a driving force in independent horror, launching titles including The Night Terrors (also featuring Bernie Wrightson and William S. Stout), NightCry, Tales of the Dead, and several one-shots. His most recent endeavors include Gory Lori, a modern-day zombie apocalypse series illustrated by Jeff Salisbury and Mike Koneful, and the horror anthology, Zacherley's Midnight Terrors, a tribute to TV horror host John Zacherle.

In 2002 at 33, Monks lost his sight as a result of diabetic retinopathy. In December of that year, he completed his first anthology of original fiction, Stuff Out'a My Head, released by Chanting Monks Press. The anthology featured illustrations by Bernie Wrightson and others.

In 2003, one of Monk's short stories, "Chance Meeting," was optioned for adaptation to the screen^[1] by Japanese publishing house Bunkasha, in tandem with DK Publishing. Starring supermodel Matsuo Otani, the work was intended to be used as a Japanese television pilot, but instead it was released it as a stand-alone DVD under CPI Home Video and Chanting Monks Press. He also appeared in the film, being tortured by a dominatrix demanding he tell her a scary story.

Monk's story, "Shuteye", appeared in The Mammoth Book of Best Horror Comics (March 2008), and New Horror Handbook (May 2009) sports a chapter about his film work.

In 2010, Sight Unseen Pictures, LLC launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding project to help the completion of Monks' first feature film, The Bunker. The project ran from August 1 to September 30. In the final days, Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman talked about the project on Hollywood Babble-On and funded the final monies needed to reach the goal. With The Bunker (Sight Unseen Pictures), Monk became the first blind feature film director.^[2]

In 2011, he received the Achievement in Cinema award at the Gasparilla Film Festival. Tampa, Florida, on March 27, 2011.^[3]

In 2013 The Bunker was released on DVD via Commodity Films in the US. It was released in Germany via Tom Cat Films in June 2013.

Bibliography

Books

• Dead Meat (Anthology, 2012)
• Torn to Pieces (2012)^[4]
• Stuff Out'a My Head
• Roadkills
• Sex Crimes

Film

• The Bunker, written & directed by Joseph M. Monks^[5]
• Flowers on the Razorwire: Chance Meeting, written by Joseph M. Monks^[6]
• Redemption, written & directed by Joseph M. Monks^[7]

Comics

• Cry For Dawn Volumes I through IV (Cry For Dawn Productions)
• The Night Terrors
• Tales of the Dead
• Nightcry
• Zacherley's Midnite Terrors
• Gory Lori (2005)
• In Rage (1994)
• Subtle Violents (1991)
• villain & hero (1993)

References

External links

• Official website
• Chanting Monks Press
• SightUnseen Pictures
• In The Bunker with Monks
• Joseph M. Monks at the Internet Movie Database
• Joseph Monks at the Grand Comics Database
• Joseph Monks at the Comic Book DB