True Crime Studies: Leopold & Loeb and the Crime of the Century
Famous, or rather infamous, for a number of reasons. Nietzsche fanboys spoiled rotten since birth and twisted lovers, they were pretentious little brats that murdered a 14-year-old boy out of sheer boredom. Nathan Leopold Jr. and Richard Loeb, two young Chicago men who introduced the world to “thrill killings.” The ’20s really were a roaring decade.
Leopold & Loeb: The Crime of the Century by Hal Higdon is probably the most informative book you’ll ever find on the topic. Among the thousands of true crime books published since Leopold and Loeb’s reign of fame, a very small percentage are actually about them. The murder of Bobby Franks is extremely well documented as are the court proceedings that followed. Just about every minor detail about the case are easily available to anyone interested with Hidgon’s book being the official textbook on the subject. Leopold & Loeb: The Crime of the Century is a heavily researched, 380-paged true crime document that you’ll come away from feeling like an absolute expert on all things Leopold and Loeb.
Some true crime books format themselves like novels where the events unfold in an actual narrative, and others are a strictly factual listing of periodic events. This one follows the latter. The bulk of it reads like an extended Wikipedia page where it’s a mixture of actual dialogue and peers/eye-witnesses/investigators recounting everything they know, which is a lot. As I said, both they and their crime are well documented because their one victim was found with relative ease and their confession was offered up on a silver platter. They gave everything up just to brag about it, describing each detail of their ridiculously complicated master plan with excitement burning in their eyes.
Here’s a simplified breakdown:
- Kidnap and kill the chosen victim (Franks was picked at the last minute), must be rich enough to warrant sending the family a ransom note.
- Send ransom note demanding $10,000
- Call family and demand the father, or head of household, to wait for a cab that will drive to a drugstore where further instructions would be waiting.
- Instructions will say to go to the train station where they’re to look in the telegraph box
- Inside would be a note instructing them to board the train and throw the money off the last carriage.
- Leopold and Loeb, watching from afar, would go fetch it later.
The plan might as well have come out of a Perry Mason episode. You just know one of them was masturbating while reading it over in their little bedrooms. The many steps in the plan were on account of them trying to make it clever. Whether or not they got the money was never a concern.
It all starts in 1923, with a robbery at the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity house. Two masked figures familiar with the layout break-in and steal whatever they can fit in their pockets: money, pencils, a pin, a watch, a knife, metals and pens. The only thing they worked at carrying out was an Underwood typewriter. About a year later, that same typewriter would be used to write a ransom note sent to the family of Bobby Franks, after the boy’s body was already dumped in a culvert north of Wolf Lake.
In 1924, Bobby Franks willingly got into a car in broad daylight and was bludgeoned to death. His body was found on May 22, 1924, and the half-assed manhunt began. Bobby had suffered blunt force trauma to the head but apparently died from asphyxiation. Suffocated from either a gag or from being stuffed in the culvert. In an attempt to obscure his identity, hydrochloric acid was poured on his face and genitals to disguise the fact that he had been circumcised, or rather to hide that he was Jewish but all that did was start a rumor of molestation. Many schoolteachers were targeted and accused of pedophilia.
Despite the large gaps in police intelligence, it didn’t take that long for them to track the murder back to Leopold and Loeb. The smoking gun that led police to their door was a pair of bird-watching spectacles Leopold dropped near Wolf Lake and the font and print pattern of the ransom note which matched the stolen typewriter taken from Richard Loeb’s former fraternity house, Zeta Beta Tau. It took about a week to trace the crime back to them.
“We decided to pick the most likely-looking subject that came our way.” Richard Loeb commented in his version: “The plan was broached by Nathan Leopold, who suggested that as a means of having a great deal of excitement, together with getting quite a sum of money.”
Leopold and Loeb
There are three chief reasons why Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb have lived on in true crime history so prominently and it’s because they were rich young men, their actions were the first time most people ever heard of murder without a proper motive, and they were in a romantic relationship. Though “romantic” is a bit of a stretch. They were in a weird Natural Born Killers type of relationship built off loneliness and co-dependency.
Higdon studies the relationship between them from a distance whilst looking at it from under a microscope. It’s their relationship that makes this story so engaging and it’s also about 50% of the book’s focus.
“Leopold considered himself inferior to Loeb, but Loeb considered himself inferior to Leopold.”
Honestly, every page that features real dialogue between the boys, paired with personal accounts of their behavior, makes them sound like an old married couple. The two openly admitted to planning the other’s death only to immediately change their minds because…who else would they hang out with?
The Crime of the Century points out the gay panic that ruled a lot of young men during that time, murderers included. Upon capture, Loeb was especially reluctant to be labeled a homosexual. He and Leopold were apparently having “sexual liaisons”, as the book calls them, since 1921. But according to Loeb, their “liaisons” were just part of a business agreement where he would offer sex to Leopold in exchange for partnership in crime. Two things contradict this claim: Loeb implied to vague sexual encounters with other men prior to this and their agreement was set up in 1923, two years after their “liaisons” supposedly began.
There was also a whole master/slave fantasy going on, not as sexual as it sounds, between them which would take up too much time to discuss in full so here’s a link to some info on that.
“The alienist felt that the Franks homicide could be understood only by examining the interplay of these two personalities as they related to each other. ‘Dickie needed an audience. In his fantasies, the criminalistic gang was his audience. In reality, Babe [Leopold] was his audience.’”
“Leopold needed Loeb to compliment him and serve his alter ego.”
One can easily say that the murder was a direct result of their relationship. Not only the assumption that they wouldn’t have killed if they never met, but their reason for killing Bobby Franks was directed at one another.
A good film to watch for the Leopold and Loeb relationship is Barbet Schroeder’s Murder by Numbers from 2002. The film goes off track from the actual crime and doesn’t follow any sort of historical accuracy but the relationship between the two boys is more on the mark than in Compulsion, Swoon, and Rope. I can assume that screenwriter Tony Gayton actually read this book before penning Murder by Numbers, only to merge it with a random Sandra Bullock cop drama, which is what ruined it.
The Hearing
A lot of Leopold & Loeb: The Crime of the Century is dedicated to the hearing. Quick correction, this case is often referred to as the “trial of the century” but it’s not actually a trial because there was no jury, making it a hearing. Leopold and Loeb pleaded guilty so the question of their guilt was already confirmed.
The hearing was about their punishment, whether or not they should get the death penalty. The famed lawyer Clarence Darrow, a fervent opposer of capital punishment, defended them in what would become his most famous case. This part of the book is long, and as someone who hates all things related to court, boring. There are at least two chapters dedicated solely to their psych evaluations, most of which are dated because psychology was still new and many illnesses were incapable of a proper diagnosis.
As I mentioned above, a good film to see Leopold and Loeb’s dynamic is Murder by Numbers, but if you’re interested in the hearing and Darrow, then I recommend Compulsion from 1959. It’s a somewhat accurate portrayal of the hearing and features a good enough replica of Darrow’s famous closing argument.
Verdict
There is a lot of information given in this book. You can tell that many years went into the research of it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t off much of anything new but only expands upon on facts that are already widely available. Everything mentioned in The Crime of the Century, I had already heard in some form although the book does develop the case more and fills in some of the blanks.
One of the most interesting sections of The Crime of the Century takes place in Part 3: “Nothing but the Night.” The section is set during their time in prison, they went to the same prison, and shows how incarcerated life has affected them.
(3.5 / 5)
Book Reviews
Vermis II: Mist & Mirrors, a Book Review
Vermis II: Mist & Mirrors is a graphic novel by Plastiboo, acting as the “official guide for a game that doesn’t exist.”
Vermis II: Mist & Mirrors is a graphic novel by Plastiboo. The team behind the work includes Plastiboo as the artist, Hollow Press as the publisher, Michele Nitri as the editor, Christian Dolz Bayarri as the graphic designer, Marco Cirillo Pedri as the graphic supervisor, and E.R. as the English editor and proofreader. The Vermis collection seems sold out in its current editions, but I still recommend ordering from the original publisher, Hollow Press.
Who stares back from the dark glass? The Wayfarer travels–cursed and haunted by their past–through the distant lands and places within the Mist & Mirrors. Endure a corrupt world and struggle to fend off the curses that mark you. Venture forth, Wayfarer, and perhaps find peace and salvation.
What I Like about Vermis II: Mist & Mirrors
The premise remains an “official guide” to a game that does not exist. However, one key distinction that stands out is the corrosion of this “official guide” mark, suggesting Mist & Mirrors centers itself as a graphic novel. In this sense, it more accurately hits its vision while providing an engaging story.
Mist & Mirrors places its character selection at the end of the graphic novel, instead, choosing a character and allowing the reader to follow that journey. While this moves away from the “official guide” concept, it better fleshes out the world and creates a more independent product.
Where Vermis I held a heavy retro-game aesthetic, Vermis II takes this to the next level while adding a wider range of color than the original. Not only does this add more aesthetic variety, but it also vastly improves readability. My greatest critique of the first graphic novel was the general lack of readability that impacted the experience, but Mist & Mirrors seems to take this to heart. Beyond the variety and improvement, the design changes the color themes to match the distinct lands the “Wayfarer” embarks on, giving a direct purpose to the changes.
On starting the graphic novel, I half expected a spiritual successor set in a new world. While its setting certainly differs from the original, Mist & Mirrors expands on the lore and history. In fact, the exploration of Mist & Mirrors adds value to the original and encourages a re-read. Honestly, that’s what all sequels strive (or should strive) to succeed.
Despite the colorful innovation, Vermis II: Mist & Mirrors delivers that same bleak horror popularized by Dark Souls. It still wears its inspirations on its sleeves while better communicating its “game mechanics.”
Tired Tropes and Triggers
Again, there aren’t many points worth mentioning regarding tropes or triggers. As the graphic novel takes themes and trends from the Soulslike genre, it’s dark and bleak but not overwhelmingly so.
Payment and delivery (for American audiences) still come with a 15 to 45-day wait period with little room for verification or updates. The process through PayPal remains seamless, and I received the novel within the timeframe, but it’s a consideration.
What I Dislike about Vermis II: Mist & Mirrors
While there are notable points to mention in this section, Mist & Mirror vastly mitigates Vermis I’s core issues. However, that isn’t inherently the same as fixing them in some cases. For example, readability remains a slight issue. I will emphasize it as a slight issue with the vast improvements implemented.
For those fans of the specific niche that Vermis aims to deliver, Mist & Mirrors tones down the “official guide” aspect. Instead, it favors a more straightforward narrative that follows a specific character. This brings life to the “game world” and makes an independent product but limits Vermis I’s game guide concept.
On a more personal note, I did enjoy the concept of Vermis I’s classes over the classes of Mist & Mirrors. Naturally, there are some interesting concepts, but nothing haunts me like the Infant Seeker or Rat Man. However, the new choices seem to provide a stronger narrative and backstory.
Final Thoughts
Vermis II: Mist & Mirrors vastly improves in many aspects of the original, telling a story set in its bleak and fascinating world. While it does veer from the original concept, it does so to make a more independent product. If you are looking to lose yourself in a strange world or dive deeper into Vermis’ underexplored lore, Mist & Mirrors seems tailor-made for you.
(5 / 5)
Book Reviews
The Twisted Ones
‘Then I made faces like the faces on the rocks, and I twisted myself about like the twisted ones, and I lay down flat on the ground like the dead ones…’
‘Then I made faces like the faces on the rocks, and I twisted myself about like the twisted ones, and I lay down flat on the ground like the dead ones…’
Published in October 2019, The Twisted Ones by T Kingfisher is a modern folkloric, occult horror. Better known for her fairytale retellings, The Twisted Ones is a retelling of Arthur Machen’s 1904 pulp horror classic, ‘The White People’. T. Kingfisher uses her creative license to delve into the myth of the twisted ones, who exist in a specific part of the woods in rural North Carolina. Everyone living near these woods knows something about the white people. Many have seen them, or one of their creations, but all know to stay away.
The Story.
When Mouse is asked by her father to clean out her deceased grandmother’s house, she packs her lovable coonhound Bongo into her truck and heads to the house she has not visited since childhood. Entering the house though, she discovers the job may not be as easy as she thought. Grandma appears to have become a hoarder before she was placed in a care home. There is an entire room of dolls and the stairs are completely blocked by boxes of who knows what. Mouse decides she is up for the task and so begins filling garbage bags. She needs money from the house sale after all.
While emptying her step-grandfather Cotgrave’s bedroom, Mouse uncovers his journal and decides to give it a read. Mouse is a freelance editor and cannot help herself. The journal discusses the existence of the twisted ones, the white people, earworms, and a strange green book that Cotgrave once possessed. There are direct quotes from this book, as he remembers them, and his ideas about interpreting it. Mouse puts the journal aside, writing it off as the ramblings of a man suffering from dementia with racist leanings.
After finding what she calls an effigy hanging in the woods, and then stumbling upon a bald hill that shouldn’t exist, Mouse is drawn back to the journal. Further reading however does not help her. The eerie lines from the journal begin to repeat themselves in her head and unnatural-looking things start to tap at the windows late at night.
Highlights.
Bongo. Enough said. Named after the antelope, not the drum. Mouse’s loveable, sometimes brainless but very charismatic coonhound won my heart. T. Kingfisher has done such a wonderful job characterizing this animal and setting up the bond between Mouse and Bongo, this adds to the overall tense feeling of the story as they both enter risky situations. It is not a spoiler that the dog survives. Mouse makes sure to tell us that all ends well for both of them in the first chapter.
Another highlight are T. Kingfisher’s effigies, descriptions of which are both horrifying and beautiful. The idea of being able to tie, nail, or string together organic and inorganic parts and have a moving creature is bone-chilling (pun intended). But it is the way she describes their movement, the staggering and swaying. There is a strange sadness about them, whilst they still come across as sinister and threatening.
Drawbacks.
It is hard to fault this story, perhaps the slow build of the beginning half of the book is the only thing worth noting. T. Kingfisher takes her sweet time discussing the state of Mouse’s grandmother’s house and Mouse dwells on the fact that she has to clean the place up. There is a lot of complaining and the trips to the truck and the dump become repetitive. That being said, this slow build adds to the overall sense of foreboding in the story and should be expected by readers familiar with folkloric horror.
The Final Take.
This book left me feeling unsettled and getting to the ending was the only way I could resolve that feeling. I couldn’t put the book down simply because I needed closure so the sense of dread would resolve itself. I will never hear the children’s rhyme, ‘sticks and stones may break my bones’ again without chills.
(5 / 5)
If you have been searching high and low for a book in which a devil named Rick, who is the spitting-image of Billy Zane, impregnates a male porn star so that his spawn can finally get into heaven for once, then I’ve found the book for you. From the opening pages, The Devil’s Gunt, by Gerald Dean Rice, launches action sequences, body parts, blood, guts, cum, and vomit at the reader faster than they can dodge, and Dean’s constant clever innuendos (“temptation reared its mushroom-shaped head”) had me laughing out loud at multiple points throughout the book.
What Exactly is The Devil’s Gunt it About?
The Devil’s Gunt follows Median, a current-day porn star, after he finds out he was impregnated with the devil’s spawn. With the help of his roommate Joe, his estranged wife Mary, and a disembodied head in a box, they investigate out how and why the pregnancy occurred while dodging Rick and his demons at every turn. Interspersed throughout this story, we follow Alfred and Milo, from their origins as two supernaturally-gifted boys enslaved on a plantation, to their mysterious involvement in the current day devil-baby debacle.
This horror-comedy-sex-thriller explores almost every subcategory of horror: body, supernatural, family trauma, historical, medical, action, and more. For example, when we first meet Rick the devil (there’s many devils in hell, apparently), he’s impersonating a pony-tail-wearing abortion doctor with a cache of menacing medical tools. Or, after this initial run-in, the trio must flee from demon-shadows that atomize any person they come in contact with. There’s even an interlude in which Alfred and Milo disguise a violent encounter within a mob stampede after the 1929 stock crash.
The only place where The Devil’s Gunt seems to hold back is in the details of the cursed pregnancy itself. How, exactly, is there a baby in there? Where does it come out? How did it get there in the first place? Perhaps in the vein of Frankenstein, Rice leaves the most scientifically confounding, humanly gruesome aspects of the situation up to our imagination.
The Devil’s Gunt is chock-full of subversions of ideas about angels, devils, possession, heaven, and hell. So if you are curious about concepts such as robot-devils or “Scooby-doo Court”, you’ll have to read it for yourself.
(4 / 5)
