Horror jako gatunek transmedialny — prolegomena

The article is an introduction to the exploration of horror as a transmedia genre. Contemporary horror is growing in popularity and functions in various media: literature, film, video games, streaming platforms, comics, but also in art or the entertainment industry. The elements that constitute horror (aesthetics, motifs, emotions evoked — art-horror, N. Carroll) allow it to be found in novels, films and video games, the genre of which is increasingly being studied. The presence of horror elements and horror characters (figures) in many media at the same time makes the genre gain new qualities and should be researched from a transmedia perspective (M. Freeman, A.M. Smith, B. Lutostański). On the basis of horror figures — monsters derived from the Gothic novel, but undergoing transformations on the ground of various media and cultural texts — the authors of the article demonstrate the necessity of a paradigm change and approach to horror in scientific research. They examine the classic figures of the vampire and zombie, but also ghosts, demons (folklore, religion) and new technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). Referring to the concept of post-horror (D. Brzostek, D. Church), the authors describe contemporary social fears that are reflected in horror literature, digital/video games and film — with references to other media.