Boskone 47, Sunday Afternoon

Sunday 2pm Werewolves (and Other Shapeshifters): Finally Getting the Respect They Deserve? Steven Popkes, Moderator
Leah Cypess
Adam Golaski

We got into Ovid and metaphorical shape shifting almost instantly. The notes became moot.

Notes:

1) Werewolves are shapechangers by any other name. The difference, surprisingly articulated in Harry Potter, shapechangers are voluntary and werewolves are not. Might the pain of transformation reflect the lack of choice?

2) However, this has always seemed to me to be an arbitray distinction. Teen Wolf was somewhat voluntary. My own story, Stegosaurus Boy, was semi-voluntary. Sort of like teen erections. Usually, they happen on demand but not always.

3) Vampires have gone through an evolution. Starting from the original stock, Bramus stokesaurus, they radiated in their niche (Belus lugosi, Christophus hammeri) until finally they reached commodity status. (Twilightus rediculosi)

Vampires are rehabiltated sexy zombies. Zombies radiated successfully.

What's in store for werewolves? Will they face the same commoditization that vampires and zombies have seen? Twilight of the Werewolves? World War W?

4) Two veins (heh) of werewolves: inherited and infected. Infected follow the same issues as zombies and vampires. Inherited reflects degraded shamanism. (Le Guin, the wizard who liked becoming a bear so much only the bear remained and he killed his own son.)

5) Werewolf as wendigo.