Dr. Natalie Underberg-Goode, Professor of Games and Interactive Media at UCF’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media, is celebrating the release of a new special issue of the international journal Contemporary Legend, which she guest-edited. The issue, titled Creepypasta, Digital Horror, and Legend Formation, brings academic attention to one of the internet’s most chilling storytelling genres and highlights the contributions of UCF graduate students to the field.
The journal issue features research that began in Dr. Underberg-Goode’s graduate seminar on folklore and mythology in games and interactive media. Several articles stem from original papers written by students in the class, showcasing the strength of student scholarships in digital folklore and media studies. Among the contributors are Digital Media MA students Day Cho, Christina Leskowyak, Emrys Murphy, and Erica Winfrey, whose work now sits alongside research by established scholars in the field.
“This issue examines the ways in which digital horror stories like The Backrooms, Herobrine, and Siren Head, which serve as modern legends that circulate, evolve, and shape online culture,” said Dr. Underberg-Goode. “We explore themes like fear, nostalgia, anxiety, and how these stories are acted out or experienced in digital spaces, a process known as ostension.”
The collection dives into how digital horror and creepypasta narratives blur the lines between fiction and reality, especially on platforms where users not only consume but actively participate in the storytelling. Through these analyses, the issue captures how modern legends are formed, transformed, and sustained in the digital age.
The special issue is now available online through Indiana University’s Contemporary Legend journal, offering a compelling look at how digital folklore continues to evolve and how UCF students are helping to lead the conversation.
Written by Majdulina Hamed.
Published to Nicholson News on July 1, 2025.
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