Big Pulp: We Honor Those Who Serve

A military archivist documents the memorial tattoos adorning the war heroes of a dystopian future, in Steve Singleman’s “We Honor Those Who Serve,” the featured story in the Fall 2012 issue of Big Pulp. Singleman brings his experience working in a VA hospital to create a vision of the future of the American soldier and civilian that’s both frightening and all too possible. As this issue’s featured story, “We Honor Those Who Serve” is matched by a moody, evocative cover illustration by Ken Knudtsen, creator of “My Monkey’s Name is Jennifer” (Slave Labor Graphics). Other highlights of this issue include “Return to Nature,” a horrific tale of a man’s struggle to connect with the animal inside him, by Dylan Gilbert; “The Five and Dime Sinners,” Coy Hall’s examination of the lengths to which a high school girl will go to protect her boyfriend from the law; and “Honey Bee,” a fantasy tale following a Greek slave’s to escape the destruction of Pompeii, by Anna Sykora. In all, this issue features more than two dozen fantasy, mystery, horror, and science fiction stories and poems, including work by Trina Jacobs, Jeni Decker, Lyn Lifshin, John Hayes, Thomas Canfield, Jeff Hemenway, Floris Kleijne, Terrie Leigh Relf, Neil Weston, Tim Lieder, Nelson Kingfisher, D.R. Rice, Cecelia Chapman, J.M. Sirrico, Conda Douglas, Sharon Kae Reamer, W.C. Roberts, Adam Walter, and Stephen D. Rogers.