Introduction: Between weather and the void-welcome to Night Vale

In this introduction to the volume, editor Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock first offers an overview of the podcast's history and considers reference points and sources of inspiration for the program, before focusing attention on the program's juxtaposition of ordinary and strange, and the roles of voice and sound on the program. Attention is paid to how the program creates a sense of intimacy between announcer Cecil Baldwin and the listener, as well as to how the program subverts expectations. Night Vale's humor and absurdity are also explored, as are the program's politics and values, including its anti-corporatism and emphasis on inclusivity.