A new demonology : John Keel and The Mothman Prophecies

An early interest in Fortean phenomena led John Keel (1930-2009) to investigate at first hand UFO experiences the US Midwest from 1966. His findings were reported in a series of books and articles that were published during the so-called ‘occult revival’ of the 1970s. Today many Fortean scholars regard him as being one of the most influential and controversial figures in the history of UFOlogy. Keel rejected the popular Extra-terrestrial Hypothesis (ETH) as an explanation for the UFO phenomenon and replaced it with ‘ultra-terrestrials’: demonic, shape-shifting intelligences who inhabit a ‘super-spectrum’. Keel’s new demonology was articulated most cogently in his book The Mothman Prophecies that was adapted in 2002 for a Hollywood movie. In this chapter I present a new interpretation of Keel’s contribution to Fortean literature and pop culture.