The crazy mixed-up meaning of Mothman
From its origins in 1966, Mothman has been viewed as a cryptid, an alien, a spirit, an angel and a demon. Mothman has since continued to evolve in popular culture and lore.
Category Archives: Monsters
The uncanny tales of the Not-Deer
Tales of spooky encounters with “Not-deer” appeared decades ago but have evolved to fit modern cryptid ideas.
Cryptid town festivals still going strong
Family-friendly, small town cryptid festivals are a growing trend with new events appearing every year across the US.
What happened in the effort to make Bigfoot the state cryptid of California?
Legislation to make Bigfoot the official state cryptid of California has stalled.
The Carolina pale crawler tale that got my attention
A terrifying tale from North Carolina is making the rounds on social media and causing a huge stir in the paranormal community. This one comes with a genuine 911 distress call and police reports.
Mothman Festival organizers say it was the biggest crowd yet
The 2025 Mothman Festival is the template for modern cryptid festivals, this year drawing possibly 15,000 visitors.
Spooky seismic lakes – sag ponds and monsters
A series of small lakes (ponds) form along the San Andreas fault in California called “sag ponds”. Some have spooky legends or lore associated with them, specifically, that they hide monsters or are bottomless.
If I don’t believe in cryptids, why am I here?
People ask, “If you don’t believe in cryptids, why are you so interested in them?” Here’s why.
The mythical world of Safari Ltd cryptids
Cryptids created by Safari, Ltd. lean towards the supernatural and creative depictions. The new Jersey Devil offering is top-notch.
Pop Cryptid Spectator 8
In this edition: Bigfoot proposed as California’s official cryptid, Monster Snap VR Game, What is a “cryptoid”? Fakelore to folklore: The Rake
Strange Times for 4 August 2024
In the news: The werewolf/dogman stuff is still steadily rolling out and gaining momentum. A new crop circle cost the farmer some significant damages. And, an excessively exaggerated “haunted” location now has another kooky claim.
A tour of popular mystery monsters
A mishmash of monster mentions. A quick book review, a link to info on the latest Bigfoot hoax and dogman programming, and an upcoming must-have volume for pop cryptid fans.
The many degrees of freedom of the griffin
The popular origin of the griffin as inspired by Protoceratops dinosaur fossils is questioned. Can we ever really know for sure if there is a connection?
Zoological melodrama – Hutton on dragons
Professor Ronald Hutton gives a fantastic and entertaining lecture on why we have dragons worldwide.
Pop cryptid chatter: Beards and encryptids
Pop cryptids items: Representation at cryptozoology conferences, the EFF incorporates cryptids into their promotional drive and the passing of a well-loved author and artist.
Location and imagination equals ‘cryptid’
Cryptids have increasingly become associated with location and entertainment and less connected to the failed scientific endeavor of cryptozoology. Long live the cryptids!
Dogs, not a lizardman, will rip your car apart
Dogs were caught on camera doing surprising damage to cars. It’s yet another reminder that we do not need to invoke monsters as the cause of mysterious situations.
Freak Out Over Hairless Mysterious Animals
Weird hairless animals attract morbid attention. Is it a mutant? A monster? Well, it’s most likely an unfortunate local animal who fortunately left remains for us to photograph, gawk over, get grossed out about, and share around the world on social media.
Copy-paste cryptozoology
A review of Chasing American Monsters: Over 250 Creatures, Cryptids, and Hairy Beasts by Jason Offutt (2019). I’ve been thinking a lot about cryptozoology lately. While consuming content about many other subjects, I see excellent examples in cryptozoology to illustrate public attitudes towards and understanding of science, paranormal thinking, colonialist themes, misperceptions about evidence, media… Read More »
The Mysterious Monster Mash of the Mid 1970s: Bigfoot hits prime time TV
Bigfoots and their other monstrous cohorts were presented to U.S. audience in a serious television documentary for the first time in 1974. The outing was so successful that it still is notable today. This documentary, its remixes, and a few other pieces of media gold from that decade paved the way for ideas of Bigfoot/Sasquatch… Read More »