Karl Edward Wagner

Karl Edward Wagner (1945–1994) was an American writer, poet, editor, and publisher of horror, science fiction, and heroic fantasy, born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and originally trained as a psychiatrist with degrees in history and medicine. He authored numerous dark fantasy and horror stories, including the Kane series often categorized as sword and sorcery or epic fantasy, and edited influential anthologies like DAW's Year's Best Horror and Robert E. Howard's Conan collections. Wagner passed away at age 48, leaving a significant legacy in speculative fiction.