Bizarro fiction is a modern type of writing that uses strange, funny, and unusual ideas. It often includes elements like absurd situations, satire, and unusual or shocking images. It also mixes in styles from pop-surrealism and other fiction genres to create stories that are surprising, thought-provoking, and enjoyable. The term "Bizarro" was first used in 2005 by three independent publishing companies: Eraserhead Press, Raw Dog Screaming Press, and Afterbirth Books. Much of the Bizarro community is centered around Eraserhead Press, which is based in Portland, Oregon. Since 2008, this company has held an annual event called BizarroCon. The first Bizarro Starter Kit described the genre as "literature's equivalent to the cult section at the video store" and a type of writing that aims to be strange, interesting, and fun to read.

Rose O'Keefe of Eraserhead Press explained, "If an audience enjoys a book or film mainly because it is weird, then it is Bizarro. Weirdness might not be the only thing that makes it appealing, but it is the main reason."

Bizarro fiction shares more similarities with speculative fiction genres, such as science fiction, fantasy, and horror, than with experimental art movements like Dadaism and surrealism, which are often linked to it. Despite its focus on unusual and cult-like themes, the genre has received praise from critics and readers. Books by authors connected to Bizarro have been recognized by notable figures like Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Moorcock. Bizarro novels have been nominated for awards such as the Philip K. Dick Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the Rhysling Award. A book about Bizarro writing and theory was named Non-Fiction Book of the Year 2009 by 3:AM Magazine in Paris.

Origins

Bizarro literature began with the founding of Eraserhead Press in 1999. However, the term "Bizarro" to describe this type of writing was created later. Before this, people used other terms like "irreal" and "new absurdism," but these were not widely used. On June 19, 2005, Kevin Dole II published an essay titled "What The Fuck is This All About," which became a key statement for the genre, even though the word "Bizarro" was not used in the essay. Later discussions about the essay led to the name "Bizarro" and the creation of the Mondo Bizarro Forum.

In his essay "The Nab Gets Posthumously Bizarroized," Tom Bradley connects the Bizarro movement to earlier literary traditions. He links it to Vladimir Nabokov's idea of "Gogolization," a term describing how reading the writer Nikolai Gogol changes a person's perspective. Nabokov wrote that after reading Gogol, people begin to see the world through Gogol's eyes. Bradley argues that the Bizarro movement continues this process, calling it "Bizarroization." He also claims that Bizarro writers can trace their influences back to the writings of Ovid, who wrote letters during his exile on the Black Sea.

Response

Authors John Skipp and Eden Robins have written about the value of a self-promoting, do-it-yourself style. Thirdeye Magazine, an online publication, supports the idea that Bizarro writing is intentionally strange. In an article from io9 titled "Independent Publishers Who Are Reinventing The Future," co-editor Charlie Jane Anders highlighted Eraserhead Press, a Bizarro publisher, as one of her favorite independent publishing companies. The British magazine Dazed & Confused described Bizarro writers as influenced by William Burroughs and Dr. Seuss, and noted that they continue the creative work started by cyberpunk writers.

Wonderland Book Award

The Wonderland Book Award gives awards to the best books in bizarro fiction every year. The award gives awards in two categories: best novel/novella and best short story collection. The award is chosen by bizarro fiction writers and fans. It is given in the fall at BizarroCon.

2024: The Expectant Mother Disinformation Handbook – Robert Guffey
2024: Nympho Shark Fuck Frenzy – Christine Morgan & Susan Snyder

2023: All I Want Is to Take Shrooms And Listen to the Color of Nazi Screams – John Baltisberger
2023: Edenville – Sam Rebelein

2022: The Last 5 Minutes of the Human Race – Michael Allen Rose & Jim Agpalza
2022: One Hand to Hold, One Hand to Carve – M. Shaw

2021: Don't Push the Button – John Skipp
2021: Jurassichrist – Michael Allen Rose

2020: Don't F[Bleep]k with the Coloureds – Andre Duza
2020: The Loop – Jeremy Robert Johnson

2019: To Wallow in Ash & Other Sorrows – Sam Richard
2019: Unamerica – Cody Goodfellow

2018: Nightmares in Ecstasy – Brendan Vidito
2018: Coyote Songs – Gabino Iglesias

2017: Angel Meat – Laura Lee Bahr
2017: Sip – Brian Allen Carr

2016: Berzerkoids – Emma Alice Johnson
2016: I Will Rot Without You – Danger Slater

2015: The Pulse Between Dimensions and the Desert – Rios de la Luz
2015: Skullcrack City – Jeremy Robert Johnson

2014: I'll Fuck Anything that Moves and Stephen Hawking – Violet LeVoit
2014: Dungeons & Drag Queens – Emma Alice Johnson

2013: Time Pimp – Garrett Cook
2013: Motherfucking Sharks – Brian Allen Carr

2012: All-Monster Action – Cody Goodfellow
2012: Space Walrus – Kevin L. Donihe

2011: We Live Inside You – Jeremy Robert Johnson
2011: Haunt – Laura Lee Bahr

2010: Lost in Cat Brain Land – Cameron Pierce
2010: By the Time We Leave Here, We'll Be Friends – J. David Osborne

2009: Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars – Cody Goodfellow
2009: Warrior Wolf Women of the Wasteland – Carlton Mellick III

2008: Rampaging Fuckers of Everything on the Crazy Shitting Planet of the Vomit Atmosphere – Mykle Hansen
2008: House of Houses – Kevin L. Donihe

2007: 13 Thorns – Gina Ranalli
2007: Dr. Identity – D. Harlan Wilson

Notable Bizarro works

Many important Bizarro books are published by major Bizarro presses, especially Eraserhead Press. While some books, like William Burroughs' Naked Lunch or Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves, share qualities with Bizarro, a true Bizarro work is usually published within the Bizarro scene. This scene began in 2001 with the first book by Carlton Mellick III and continues to the present day.

Bizarro is a genre where creators often work independently and receive little attention from the media. However, some Bizarro books have gained more recognition in literature and media, moving beyond the Bizarro scene.