Silver John
Encyclopedia
Silver John is a fictional character from a series of fantasy stories by Manly Wade Wellman
. Though fans refer to him as Silver John or as John the Balladeer, the stories call him simply John.
The stories are set in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina
. The time is never explicitly given but seems to be the middle of the twentieth century. John is a wandering singer who carries a guitar
with silver
strings. He is a veteran of the Korean War
and resembles a young Johnny Cash
. He frequently encounters creatures and superstitions from the folk tales and superstitions of the mountain people. Though John has no special skills or weapons (other than basic Army training), his courage, wit and essential goodness always allow him to triumph over supernatural evils. He has an implied mystic link of some sort to John the Baptist
, and much of his personal philosophy can be traced to a "primitive", Gospel-based, Christianity. He is widely read, and it is implied that his knowledge of folk legendarium is of Ph.D level. On one occasion he is "employed" by the State Department to investigate on their behalf a possible instance of Satanism.
The stories are rich in the customs and lore of the region and many of the folk songs John sings are authentic as well. Wellman did introduce some original songs and legend
s but his creations blend seamlessly with the traditional material. The short stories of John have been collected three times, as Who Fears the Devil?
(1963), John the Balladeer (1988), and Owls Hoot in Daytime and Other Omens (2003). In addition, there are five novels about John. Wellman was planning an additional novel, to be titled The Valley So Low, but died before writing it. The title would be used for a collection of his stories, instead.
Silver John novels:
The Legend of Hillbilly John, a low-budget movie about John, was released in 1973. The novel Old Nathan by David Drake
, a friend of Wellman's, was inspired by the Silver John stories.
İn comics; Hellboy
creator Mike Mignola makes a deliberate homage to John in his story The Crooked Man.
Manly Wade Wellman
Manly Wade Wellman was an American writer. He is best known for his fantasy and horror stories set in the Appalachian Mountains and for drawing on the native folklore of that region, but he wrote in a wide variety of genres, including science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, detective...
. Though fans refer to him as Silver John or as John the Balladeer, the stories call him simply John.
The stories are set in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The time is never explicitly given but seems to be the middle of the twentieth century. John is a wandering singer who carries a guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
with silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
strings. He is a veteran of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and resembles a young Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
. He frequently encounters creatures and superstitions from the folk tales and superstitions of the mountain people. Though John has no special skills or weapons (other than basic Army training), his courage, wit and essential goodness always allow him to triumph over supernatural evils. He has an implied mystic link of some sort to John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
, and much of his personal philosophy can be traced to a "primitive", Gospel-based, Christianity. He is widely read, and it is implied that his knowledge of folk legendarium is of Ph.D level. On one occasion he is "employed" by the State Department to investigate on their behalf a possible instance of Satanism.
The stories are rich in the customs and lore of the region and many of the folk songs John sings are authentic as well. Wellman did introduce some original songs and legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
s but his creations blend seamlessly with the traditional material. The short stories of John have been collected three times, as Who Fears the Devil?
Who Fears the Devil?
Who Fears the Devil? is a collection of fantasy and horror short stories by American author Manly Wade Wellman. It was released in 1963 by Arkham House in an edition of 2,058 copies and was Wellman's only book released by Arkham House. The collection consists of all of Wellman's Silver John...
(1963), John the Balladeer (1988), and Owls Hoot in Daytime and Other Omens (2003). In addition, there are five novels about John. Wellman was planning an additional novel, to be titled The Valley So Low, but died before writing it. The title would be used for a collection of his stories, instead.
Silver John novels:
- The Old Gods Waken (1979)
- After Dark (1980)
- The Lost and Lurking (1981)
- The Hanging Stones (1982)
- Voice of the Mountain (1984)
The Legend of Hillbilly John, a low-budget movie about John, was released in 1973. The novel Old Nathan by David Drake
David Drake
David Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
, a friend of Wellman's, was inspired by the Silver John stories.
İn comics; Hellboy
Hellboy
Hellboy is a comic book superhero created by writer-artist Mike Mignola. The character first appeared in San Diego Comic-Con Comics #2 , and has since appeared in various eponymous miniseries, one-shots and intercompany crossovers...
creator Mike Mignola makes a deliberate homage to John in his story The Crooked Man.
External links
- Hammer's Slammers CD - The Baen ebook CDBaen Free LibraryThe Baen Free Library is a digital library of the science fiction and fantasy publishing house Baen Books where 112 full books can be downloaded free in a number of formats, without copy protection...
that came with David Drake's novel The Far Side of the Stars contains the Baen edition of John the Balladeer. - Who Fears The Devil?: The Songs of Silver John, a CD by Joe BethancourtJoe BethancourtW.J. Bethancourt III is a traditional American musician , based in Phoenix, Arizona.-Biography:Bethancourt was born in El Paso, Texas. He began learning banjo at age 9, after he heard his maternal grandfather, C. H. Burnett, playing fiddle. His first banjo was given him by his grandfather, and...
featuring his own performances of the songs used in the books, set to the probable original traditional melodies that Mr. Wellman had in mind.