Fung'/us (-ngg-), n. (pl. -i pr. -ji, -uses). Mushroom, toadstool, or allied plant including moulds; (Bot.) cryptogamous plant without chlorophyll feeding on organic matter, things of sudden growth; (Path.) spongy morbid growth or excrescence; skin disease of fish.
The Voice in the Night
English author William Hope Hodgson gave birth to killer fungus genre in 1907.
Short story was first adapted for an episode of 1958 TV series Suspicion, under the title of Voice in the Night.
Japanese film Matango came next in 1963, released in America as Attack of the Mushroom People.
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| The Infected were impressively brought to life. |
The following may grow on you.
Creatures of Want and Ruin - Molly Tanzer
Wanderers - Chuck Wendig
The Woodwitch - Stephen Gregory
Agents of Greenland - Caitlín R. Kiernan
The Fireman¹ - Joe Hill
What Moves the Dead - T. Kingfisher
The Button Man and the Murder Tree² - Cherie Wilds
¹ntbcw to Stephen Leather book of same name.
²a weird entry in George R. R. Martin's long-running Wild Cards series, concerning Mob hitman Raul Esposito.
The Girl with All the Gifts (M. R. Carey), works by Jeff VanderMeer (and more) will be covered separately.
A major change to HBO's The Last of Us is swapping spores for tendrils.
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| Tess and the controversial 'kiss'. |
The Fungus (retitled Death Spore in 1990) was written by John Brosnan (under the pseudonym of Harry Adam Knight) and Roy Kettle.
Check out original 1985 cover (artist uncredited).
I'm not saying anything, but seriously - WTF man?
More from the small screen.
The X-Files - Firewalker (S2 E9)
Mulder and Scully investigate a remote base and discover a silicon-based form of Ophiocordyceps fungus may be responsible for killing researchers.
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| Hannibal - Amuse-Bouche (S1 E2) Serial killer Eldon Stammets (named after real-life mycologist Paul Stamets) buries his comatose victims alive for bodies to grow mushrooms. |
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| Zeroes |
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| Caterpillar |
Same courtesy isn't extended to other monsters.
2000 AD
Three-part story Fungus spanned Progs 275-277, between July and August 1982.
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| Grubby the Tramp is infected by fungus mutated by normal spores interacting with chemical sludge. |
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| He quickly becomes a monster. |
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| Judge Dredd - issue 30 (Eagle reprint April 1986) |
Video games
Back in the day, Players Software devved some memorable stuff for 8 bit computers.
Joe Blade, Clean Up Time, Turbo Kart Racer, Velocipede and the amusingly titled Ronald Rubberduck.
Oh, and Fungus.
Title character's diet is... guess what?
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| The Michelin Man was unaware he had a distant cousin. |
Miscellany
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| Blacktail Elder Mushroom |
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| Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars Amanita General |
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| Let's Go Jungle: Lost on the Island of Spice The second and final time we fight giant Tarantula comes at the end of Elephant Ride. |
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| Resident Evil 7: Biohazard The Mold (a form of fungus) come in three varieties and threaten to bore Ethan (and us) to death. |
Before Chris and his crew kidnap Rose, Village contains a joke early doors.
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| Ethan - Don't give her any sugar or honey. And NO mushrooms! |
Most obscure of all.
Brain Dead 13
Just like Dirk the Daring in Dragon's Lair and Dexter (better known as Ace) in Space Ace, protagonist Lance Galahad can die in numerous violent, albeit bloodless ways.
Can't think why, but one sequence in particular feels relevant.
And.
Cool, right?
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