Professor co-edits book on ‘Hannibal’
FITCHBURG » Fitchburg State University associate professor of Communications Media Kyle Moody sunk his teeth into co-editing a newly published book of essays focused on the cult favorite television show “HannibalInc.for “Hannibal.”
Essays on America’s Favorite Cannibal on Television,” was recently released in the wake of the show’s return to popularity thanks to Netflix streaming. Moody and co-editor Nicholas Yanes collected oneof-a-kind academic articles for their book published by McFarland & Company Inc.
Moody, a Worcester resident, has taught for 13 years and at FSU since 2014. This is his first co-edited book, although his work exploring online communities, information sharing practices and more has been featured in “Springer” and “Iowa Journal of Communication.”
“Nick and I have been friends since we were studying together at the University of Iowa, and we bonded over pop culture, including ‘Hannibal,’” Moody said. “When the show originally ended, we thought we would see if there were other scholars and writers interested in the bigger impact of ‘Hannibal,’ so we put together a call for papers and submitted it online. Little did we know we’d get such amazing scholarship in the process.”
Some of the writers who were interviewed for the manuscript include Tom de Ville, writer for
“Lexx,” “Urban Gothic,” and “Lucky Man,” Nick Antoscao, writer and creator of “The Act,” “Channel Zero,” and “Brand New Cherry Flavor,” and Martha De Laurentiis, executive producer/producer of “Arctic,” “Hannibal Rising,” “Red Dragon,” “Firestarter,” and “Silver Bullet.”
“These interviews and academic essays explore the ‘Hannibal’ franchise, its evolution, creatively bold risks, mythology, a culture of killers, and how to be an entertaining host when having friends over for dinner. ( Well, the last one is a joke for the Fannibals.),” wrote the publisher in a press release.
Moody said the work of the contributors “is the best part of the book.”
“A shared love of ‘Hannibal’ allows us to teach each other about key concepts including sexuality, production, and Gothic studies,” he said.
“Nick also interviewed multiple writers and producers throughout the process, and those behind-the-scenes pieces illustrate how the intentional artistry of the work was there from the very inception of the show. It’s an honor to have worked with Nick on this excellent edited collection.”
Moody said it took years to put the book together, a process that was “pretty arduous” due to juggling work and other commitments, and their dedication to producing an impeccable, quality piece of work that does “Hannibal” justice.
“It took four years for the full structure of the book to emerge and editing often required us to recognize where so many brilliant scholars and contributors were coming from while also striving to make it accessible to nonacademic audiences,” Moody said. “The editing process requires us to jump into the work and get into the heads of our writers, much like Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter taught us to jump into the minds of their suspects.”
According to the press release, “’Hannibal’ is the very definition of a cult show, one that only grew in stature after its cancellation.
Even when placed in context with Thomas Harris’s popular novel and Academy Award-winning film series, “Hannibal” stood out as a singularly artistic experience. When it arrived back on Netflix in the United States in 2020, it shot into the top 10 and immediately sparked discussion of a possible cast reunion and new seasons.
Fortunately, academics had already spent years writing scholarship linking ‘Hannibal’ to changes in television production, mythological interpretation, food culture, and pop psychology, and now there is an edited collection that combines academic and insider production perspectives.”
While Bryan Fuller’s and NBC’s “Hannibal” only lasted for three seasons, it continues to have a loyal fanbase five years after the show ended. Moody said the influence of “Hannibal” can be felt throughout pop and other cultures and that he and Yanes wanted to shine a light on that.
“The bigger theme of the book was the impact of ‘Hannibal’ on popular, social, and visual culture,” he said. “
We were naturally drawn to it as fans of the art and design of ‘Hannibal,’ and as we discovered through the collection and editing of the essays, we saw that ‘ Hannibal’ expanded scholarship on mythology, sexuality, and food studies.”
“Hannibal for Dinner: Essays on America’s Favorite Cannibal on Television” can be purchased on Amazon.
The book can be purchased on Amazon.