Loren Coleman

Loren Coleman

Injun Devils

There are many offensive terms for different kinds of people. The list is long. One phrase that you will find in old records and some modern ones, denoting Native Americans or American Indians, is “Injun.” The exact origins of “Injun” are lost in time, but dictionaries will tell you that the word seems to have surfaced in 1805-1815, as a variation of “Indian,” through assibilation (the act of changing a name by pronouncing it with a hissing or whistling sound). Scholarly sources even compare “Injun” to what happened in 1875-1880, to those who settled in Louisiana and Maine, descended from [...]

Enter the Cryptosphere

I’ve been on the road for two weeks, but have to stop off here to share this August 29, 2006, editorial in the Portland, Maine Press Herald with you. Surprisingly, I discovered it was mostly written by Theo Stein, a former Denver Post reporter who has penned some of the most thoughtful, intelligent articles examining the science of hominology (the sincere study of Bigfoot and other unknown hairy hominoids) of recent note. Tuesday, August 29, 2006 EDITORIAL: Fortean Maine provides much to inspire fans of the weird Stinging ocean blobs, sharks and, of course, the mutant Beast of Turner. It’s [...]

Loh: Maine Mutant

Menagerie of Three: Beast, Blunders, and Bradley

Your humble Cryptomundo cryptozoologist Loren Coleman examines the carcass of the beast or more correctly, what is left of it. In the background are, from left to right, Michelle O’Donnell and Debi Bodwell. This is a Sun Journal photograph by Douglas Van Reeth. Used by permission. Click to enlarge. The August two weeks of the Maine Mutant’s silly season have passed. Surprisingly, the media aftermath has been mild. I noticed on Friday, August 25, 2006, in California, John Boston’s (a/k/a Mr. Santa Clarita Valley) column in The Signal, “Where’s a Hairy MH When You Need One?”, attempted to be humorous, [...]

Strange Brazilian Creature

Click on image for full-size version Click on image for full-size version Scott Corrales has sent to Cryptomundo the photographs you see here, labeled "Strange Brazilian Creature," with this following message: These images were just forwarded to me from Spain regarding (and I quote): "a strange creature found by the Servicio de Aguas (Water Authority) of the town of Sorcaba, Brasil. It was taken to a biologist at the zoo (no name given) was was stunned and believed it to be a mutation of a smaller creature." What Scott is being shown is not cryptozoological, not a mutation of a [...]

Sunday Comics

Thanks to Peter Loh, for a smiling peek at the cover of his forthcoming comic book about some recent adventures.

Sun Journal: Creature Looks Like A Canine

Click on image for full-size version Photograph by Michelle O’Donnell. Used by permission. The body of the dead animal found in Turner, Maine, according to DNA tests conducted on behalf of and paid for by the Lewiston newspaper, the Sun Journal, belonged to a member of the genus Canis, not a Tasmanian devil, not a rodent, not a Chupacabras, not a hyena, not a werewolf, not an Eastern Bigfoot, and/or not from any wild species speculations that were heard over the last ten days. Nevertheless, it is important to understand, the real Mystery Beast is still out there! Readers of [...]

Ogopogo Photo Reward

$500 Reward Offered for Picture of Sea Serpent Monster With Sheep’s Head Often Seen in Okanogan Lake, British Columbia. Okanogan, Wash. [sic] — With a standing offer of $500 for a snapshot of the strange creature noticed repeatedly in Okanogan lake, across the line to Canada, local residents and many adventurers are living along the shores watching daily for the expected appearance of Ogopogo, as Indians have designated the monster. The sea serpent report emanating from the northern lake is not a fairy tale, for affidavits of well known people are on file at Vernon, B.C., to prove they observed [...]