The Flying "Thing" of Boston

What might that thing have been? Good question! Here's how my new article on "it" begins...

Now and again I’ll come across a story that isn’t just bizarre, but which is beyond bizarre. What follows is without doubt one of them. It’s the very curious saga of what became known as Boston’s “Flying black giant.” Yep, we’re talking about what are termed “Flying Humanoids.” Most people with an interest in all-things Fortean have heard of Mothman, of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Then, there’s the Owlman of Cornwall, England. And let’s not forget the flying woman of Da Nang. Boston’s own equivalent, however, is far less well known. But, arguably, it’s much weirder than all of the others combined.

The affair dates back to 1765, specifically to August 14. That was the date on which the Boston Gazette and Country Journal newspaper ran an article which told the very odd, breaking story. According to the newspaper, “A black cloud-like object approximating the shape of a human body hovered over Boston and remained until Sunset, and thousands saw it. At 7pm, the cloud landed, but quickly rose again and moved South only about twenty feet off the ground – down the main street, blowing a little vapor smoke intermixed with a few rapid sparks of electric fire, till it came before the Province House.”

Owlman-UFO Update

My latest Mysterious Universe article updates things on the Owlman/Owl/UFO connection. You can find it right here...

Owlman or Aliens?

There's one more new Mysterious Universe article from me (which you can read here), which starts like this:

"One of the most fascinating aspects of the UFO phenomenon – and particularly so that which focuses on the “alien abduction” controversy – is one which makes a connection between encounters of the unearthly kind and owls. There are numerous reports on file where people who have undergone UFO experiences report sightings of anomalous owls. And by 'anomalous' I mean owls that (A) manifest directly before or after the encounter and in the same location; and (B) seem to be much larger than the average, known kind of owl.

"This has led to an intriguing theory: that the sightings of owls are actually nothing of the sort. They may be nothing less than skilfully-created 'screen memories' which are implanted into the mind of the abductee or the experiencer, with the specific intent of masking the true nature of what occurred."

Owlman: Video Game

 

 

It is a large, humanoid, flying monster with glowing red eyes and huge, powerful wings. It strikes fear into the very heart of all those that encounter it. It’s the infamous Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, right? Nope, wrong. Although it is just about the closest thing that Britain has to the bizarre beast made famous in John Keel’s now-classic book, The Mothman Prophecies. Its name is the Owlman.

In 1976 the dense trees surrounding Mawnan Old Church, Cornwall, England became a veritable magnet for a diabolical beast that was christened the Owlman. The majority of those that crossed paths with the creature asserted that it was human-like in both size and design, and possessed a pair of large wings, fiery red eyes, claws, and exuded an atmosphere of menace. No wonder people make parallels with Mothman.

 

And, now, the Owlman has its very own video game!

Beware of Psychic Backlash

My latest Mysterious Universe article deals with a subject that - as I know, personally - more than a few people in the Fortean world have experienced: psychic backlash. It starts like this...

"While it is certainly true that undertaking research into the collective world of the unknown can be illuminating, stimulating and exciting, it can also be downright hazardous. Sometimes, when a person becomes immersed in an investigation to a very deep and significant degree, the phenomenon under the microscope appears to realize that it is being watched and responds in violent, and sometimes even deadly, fashion. Welcome (if that’s the right word to use) to the world of what is known as psychic backlash.

"A classic example comes from a good friend of mine, Jon Downes, the director of the UK-based Center for Fortean Zoology. For years, Jon deeply investigated the mystery of the Owlman of Cornwall, England – surely the closest thing the nation has to the infamous Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, USA. But there was something deeply sinister about the winged, glowing-eyed Owlman. Every time Jon dug deep into the heart of the enigma, things would go wrong – as in big time."

Cornwall's Creepiest Critter...

My latest Creature of the Month article at the blog of New Page Books is on the subject of one of the UK's weirdest winged whatsits of all. It starts like this...

"It is a large, humanoid, flying monster with glowing red eyes and huge, powerful wings. It strikes fear into the very heart of all those that encounter it. It’s the infamous Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, right? Nope, wrong. Although it is just about the closest thing that Britain has to the bizarre beast made famous in John Keel’s now-classic book, The Mothman Prophecies. Its name is the Owlman."

Ken Gerhard's Flying Humanoids

Although it's not available until September, it's already up on Amazon, so I figured I'd alert you now, so you'll know about it.

And what might "it" be?

Ken Gerhard's much-awaited new book, Encounters with Flying Humanoids.

Owlman, Mothman, the Houston Batman and many more - they are all in there.

Don't miss this one if the weirder side of Cryptozoology is your thing!

A British Winged Thing

 

 

Well, since the world didn't end on December 21 (did anyone, aside from total dicks, really think it would?), it's time to get back to it.

 

Here's my latest Mysterious Universe post, on what might be termed some sort of weird British Mothman.

It starts like this...

 

"The Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia; Cornwall, England’s Owlman; the Houston Batman of Texas; the legendary Thunderbirds that populate Native American lore; and the flying woman of Vietnam: they all have one thing in common, namely that they are undeniably weird winged things that have no business surfing the skies of our planet. But, that doesn’t mean they’re not! Indeed, the sheer wealth of testimony on record suggests that’s exactly what they – and many more of their monstrous ilk – are doing.

 

"And while the critters cited above are all well known to the field of Forteana, many others are not, including one I investigated more than a decade or so ago in central England, and which is way up there in the truly weird stakes. So, where to begin? There’s only one place we can: the beginning of course…'

 

And here's the full post...

 

 

Mothman in Mexico?

There's a new Lair of the Beasts column from me at Mania.com on the sighting of a strange, flying, winged man-beast in Mexico.

Mothman on the move, maybe? Owlman takes a holiday? The flying woman of Vietnam makes a wrong turn?

Your guess is as good as mine!

Owlzilla!

Maybe you have seen this, or maybe you haven't. Either way it's provoking a great deal of debate within cryptozoological circles. What is it? Well, that depends. There are really only two options: it's either a giant-sized owl or it's an entertaining piece of photoshopped fakery.

And here it is: Owlzilla!

My opinion? Given that the location in question is south Texas, I think England's Owlman took a very wrong turn after a drunken night on the town...