Meet Neal Gibbons. One look at him, and you think he could be a wearing a red coat and going to your house on Christmas Eve. Well, you would be right on that, but Neal is also a paranormal tour guide, investigator, and researcher. Neal hosts ghost tours all across Chicago Land, and is a historian of Chicago's South Side. Everything from extensive research on Resurrection Mary, Archer Woods Cemetery, and Chet's Melody Lounge. Learn about Neal's backstory with Imps, and sneaking into Monk's Castle Cemetery.

Alright, so here's the thing. Bob has had Jack on the phone many times over the years, but he has never been in the studio. Well, that all changed this week. Meet, finally, Jack Chavez. Jack is a Swiss Army Knife of paranormal knowledge. He's a brilliant researcher who knows something about a lot of things. Including, but not limited to, cryptids, ghosts, demons, angels, local haunts, phantom clowns, and phantom kangaroos. Also, make sure to check out or friends over at Heart of Illinois Center for Unexplained Phenomenon HICUP! https://www.facebook.com/HOIUnexplained!

Week two of Paranormal Researchers month, we welcome back to the show Rebecca and Pat from Ghostly Podcast. They are an interesting duo with Rebecca being the believer and Pat being a skeptic, they debate ghost stories. We dive into their pasts and look at why Rebecca is more researcher then hunter when it comes to the paranormal, and why one Buddhist's line changed Pat to being a skeptic forever.

What's the number one thing a paranormal researcher needs to prove what they find? Evidence. Not in the case of Jon-Erik Beckjord. Jon was a paranormal investigator whom studied Bigfoot, Lochness Monster, and UFO's. On this episode, we look at the strange case of Jon, and how his lack there of evidence made him quite the spectacle.

Ever see the movie the Exorcist? You know, with the little girl who gets possessed by a demon? Well, that movie was based on a book of the same name, and that book was based on a "true story." The story starts Cottage City Maryland in the home of the Ronald Hunkeler (Thanks Ghostly Podcast for the scoop.) There he learned about the spiritualism movement from his aunt Harriett. She taught the family how to use Ouija boards and the such. Upon her death, the family was experiencing some supernatural experiences around the home. Thinking it would help, the did a séance to see if it was the aunt. From there, Ronald began experiencing signs of possession. This week, Count Panek and Bob look at the case and see if there was any truth to the story of The Exorcist.

Episode 203: The Vanishing Hitchhiker Continue the conversation on our Discord!: https://discord.gg/NpjsaB7uQe You're driving down a dark road late at night. A hitchhiker climbs into your car, rides for a few miles… and then vanishes without a sound. This chilling tale is one of the most famous in paranormal folklore: The Phantom Hitchhiker. From ghostly travelers on forgotten highways to spirits replaying their final ride, the legend has haunted drivers for generations. In this episode of Bob After Dark, we explore the origins of this eerie story, its global variations, and why it continues to capture our imagination. Just be careful next time you see someone thumbing a ride in your headlights. References: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/vanishing-hitchhiker-urban-legend https://multoghost.wordpress.com/2024/07/26/revisiting-the-vanishing-hitchhiker/

This week we visit modern lore and look at the SCP Foundation. This week we read 3 file cases known as SCP-217, SCP-425, and SCP-119. One is a virus that turns any object into a clock, another is a microwave that seems to bend time, and a television that broadcasts infinity.

Bob is home from Gen Con! He brings back stories of mead trading, gaming, and of course speaking. Bob hosted two seminars this past weekend. One was on some of the stranger stories he experienced. The second was how to implement the paranormal in a RPG. Also on this episode we talk about the history of the Ouija Board, and the early days of the Spiritualism movement.

Wow, it's hard to believe this is the 200th time a Bob After Dark episode description has been written. We have a lot of viewer call ins: from a Big Foot sighting, to White Cemetery on Cuba Road in Barrington Illinois, to the Whispers Estate in Indiana, and even a special call from Count Dracula himself! We also tell the tale of the Squonk. A strange cryptid who cries because it's so ugly. Also, a couple gets married at Big Foot festival in West Virginia, mosquito sized drones, and haunted boots! Thanks for 200 episodes!

Ever hear of Logan Webb? Well, you may know his work as an animator. He's worked on Sonic Prime, and Strawberry Shortcake. Well, now Logan is branching out and working on an animated feature about Big Foot being recruited to get back an alien that escaped from Area 51. So, a cryptidcentric feature film! Bob and Count are excited to speak to him about his kickstarter for the trailer found here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lunaticfringetrailer/lunatic-fringe-proof-of-concept-trailer Also featured in this episode is the Whitney House. A haunted upscale mansion in Detroit that was once home to a family of tragedy but is now an upscale restaurant. The mansion was also a place to treat tuberculosis cases.

According to the Cryptid Wiki, "The Grafton Monster is described as being seven to nine feet tall, four feet wide and having white seal-like skin. The monster also possesses no discernible head, The Grafton Monsters head was rested in the middle of his chest. The Grafton Monster has a very deep bellow, being heard for miles." So, is this walking wall real? Or just one big hoax? If you're a fan of Fallout 76, this one is for you!

According to the Encyclopedia of Crytpids, "The sasabonsam or asanbosam is a vampire-like creature in the folklore of Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo.[1] A sighting is reputed to have occured in 1918 or 1928, making it a true cryptid, specifically a flying humanoid. Sculptures of the sasabonsam depict it as a humanoid creature with a bearded human face, long hair, a pair of horns or pointed ears, a skinny body with protruding ribs, short forelimbs connected to "a pair of thin membranes resembling a bat's wings," and long, twisted legs." In West Africa, they tell tales of one of the most terrifying vampire stories out there. We also talk about Illinois Big Foot sightings, A haunted museum and bar that serves in-mates last meals, and the Grafton Monster Festival!

Long necked possibly vampiric yokai.

According to Joenickell.com, "I have been called "the modern Sherlock Holmes," the "real-life Scully" (from the X-Files), and other appellations. I am well into my fourth decade as an investigator of historical, paranormal, and forensic mysteries, myths and hoaxes. In contrast to mystery-mongerers on the one hand and so-called debunkers on the other, I believe that mysteries should actually be investigated with a view toward solving them." (https://www.joenickell.com/) Joe was a brilliant paranormal investigator whom recently left this world. We look at some of his cases including Jack the Ripper, The Shroud of Turin, and The Mackenzie House hauntings. Joining us this week is close personal friend of the podcast, Pat from Ghostly Podcast. You can find out more about them here: https://ghostlypodcast.com/

Lori Stasinski, a Swiss army knife of paranormal experiences join us this week. We talk about the passing of Joe Nickell, a skeptical paranormal investigator, A Navajo Ranger whom was investigating paranormal encounters, and a couple of 200 year old goats.

Meet Justin Ness and Jim Hysell. They are a couple of professors at Purdue Northwest. Now one teaches history, and the other teaches literature. Now, what are they doing on BAD? Well, they teach a class all about, get this, vampires. Justin teaches written, and visual side of vampirism showing films, and having readings about vampires like, "Dracula." Which Jim teaches the lore side of vampires. We dive deep into what a vampire is, what sorts of history was going on, and different parts of the world having vampire lore.

The April Fools Day special of Bob After Dark! We're looking at 5 proven hoaxes in the Cryptozoology world. Including: The Fiji Mermaid, The Dogigator, The Cardiff Giant, Giant Roosters, and the Zuiyo-Maru Creature.

According to Studio Binder, "Analog horror is a sub-genre of horror that draws heavily on the style and aesthetics of vintage analog media, such as VHS and cassette tapes. It's a form of horror that capitalizes on the eerie quality of grainy footage, distorted audio, and archaic technology to create an unsettling atmosphere. The emphasis on analog media paves the way for a distinctive narrative style, relying heavily on subtext and environmental storytelling." (https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-analog-horror-definition/) So, knowing what Analog horror is, we look at a newish character making it's rounds...The Boiled One. A creature that watches as you sleep in the shadows.

Meet David. David has been researching the paranormal for many years, and specializes in Sasquatch lore. He is what the community calls a, "Side B" believer, meaning that the sasquatch are spiritual creatures who can come and go as they please through dimensional portals. Not to mention, this man has explored pyramids in the Yucatan. You can hear his horrifying tale of him getting lost in said pyramids. Also, hear him discuss his belief on what giants are, and the possibility of Nephilim.

In recent news, California is attempting to make Bigfoot their official cryptid of the state. That got Bob thinking, is there a cryptid associated with his home state of Indiana? Well, low-and-behold...there is. Meet The Beast of Busco, an enormous giant sized snapping turtle. It was said to be 12 feet long, and 500 pounds. It's beak is so large, that it supposedly could snap a boat in two. However, what's this giant turtle doing in Indiana? Find out more on this episode.