Manliest Writers of 'Weird' or 'Horror' Literature

[Justin Isis]

Who are the manliest writers involved in the scene of 'weird horror' or 'weird fiction'? Manliest here being defined in traditional heteronormative terms and basically reducing to:

1. Upper body strength and ability to succeed at fisticuffs

2. Consumption of alcohol

3. Raw tenacity

4. Procreative success (passing on genes by rejecting antinatalism and the pull-out method)

5. Not wearing dresses or frocks

I'd nominate:

William Hope Hodgson. Lifted weights pretty consistently and died fighting a World War.

Algernon Blackwood. His face looks like a bracken and he spent a lot of time in actual nature rather than in cat cafes or at an Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) event.

Robert E. Howard believed barbarism to be preferable to civilization and went around shadow boxing in public. Unfortunately he wasn't able to knock up Renee Zellweger in the movie made about him, and he killed himself because his Mom wasn't around anymore. If he'd killed himself because someone served him a disappointing sandwich, he probably would have been in the #1 position.

[R.P.Dwyer]

I agree on William Hope Hodgson. One of my goodreads friends--a woman--says "He's hot!"

I also nominate Clark Ashton Smith. I heard he had a way with women.

[Druidic]

Hodgson wins hands down. He saved a life at sea and got a medal for it. He took photographs of hurricanes from the decks of ships. He gave Harry Houdini one of the worst experiences of his professional life (it's a pity Lovecraft never knew!) He also towed around a wagon with a giant model of the Glenn Carig on it and sold his books from the wagon. I could go on, but, jeeeze, isn't this enough?
Oh, yeah, he died in the final days of the War on a suicide mission. Norman Mailer, you were such a wimp.

[Justin Isis]

Quote Originally Posted by Druidic

Hodgson wins hands down. He saved a life at sea and got a medal for it. He took photographs of hurricanes from the decks of ships. He gave Harry Houdini one of the worst experiences of his professional life (it's a pity Lovecraft never knew!) He also towed around a wagon with a giant model of the Glenn Carig on it and sold his books from the wagon. I could go on, but, jeeeze, isn't this enough? Oh, yeah, he died in the final days of the War on a suicide mission. Norman Mailer, you were such a wimp.

That's pretty difficult to match. Any word on his alcohol consumption and/or procreation?

[Robert Adam Gilmour]

Robert F. Jones - Wikipedia
This guy is a contender.

CASmith might have been a ladies man but I don't think he was a tough guy.

[Frater_Tsalal]

My favorite sentence from Wikipedia's entry on Clark Ashton Smith:

"Smith now reluctantly did gardening for other residents at Pacific Grove, and grew a goatee."

It's such a bizarre, random observation. I wonder what was going through the mind of the person who wrote that. "Let's see, at this late stage in his life CAS decided to grow a goatee. Yeah, I definitely should put that in there."

Bearded Arthur Machen.

[gveranon]

Manly Wade Wellman

If his name alone isn't enough (and why wouldn't Manly Wade Wellman be enough?), he

(all according to Wikipedia)

- was born in Africa and "became an adopted son of a powerful chief"

- after his family returned to the U.S., he played football (no, not soccer, football)

- toured the Arkansas Ozarks, "learning folk traditions and meeting the secluded people of the American back country"

- was a "professional Southerner full of regional anecdotes" who "came on strong for the Confederate cause"

- During World War II, he served as a first lieutenant (okay, he served in New Jersey, but still)

- "built a vacation cabin on what he called Yandro Mountain in the Smokies, next to his friend Obray Ramsey's place, where they would invite friends for a taste of mountain music, food, fun and a good lick of blockade whiskey"

- had a friend named Obray Ramsey

- "His jobs included working on farms, in cotton gins, and working as a bouncer in a dance hall."

[Nemonymous]

I may be completely wrong, but I always sense manliness in Laird Barron's aura as a writer.

[gveranon]

Quote Originally Posted by Nemonymous

I may be completely wrong, but I always sense manliness in Laird Barron's aura as a writer.

You're very good at deadpan, Mr. Lewis.