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Relive the Terror in Michael Alan Nelson’s Fall of Cthulhu Omnibus

Posted on September 27, 2014 by Brett

BOOM! Studios invites you to experience the apocalypse all over again with the collected edition of Fall of Cthulhu Omnibus from acclaimed horror writer Michael Alan Nelson. This 600-plus-page omnibus collects each of The Fall of Cthulhu volumes, including The Fugue, The Gathering, The Gray Man (which features the first appearance of Lucifer, star of Nelson’s new ongoing series Hexed), GodWar, Apocalypse, and Nemesis. Nelson, alongside artists Greg Scott, Mateus Santolouco, Mark Dos Santos, and more, created the first epic story for BOOM! Studios and is being reprinted in one grand collector’s edition for the first time. Nelson’s epic was hailed by Leverage creator John Rogers as “the definitive Cthulhu in graphic novel format.” Never before has H.P. Lovecraft’s world been presented in such an expansive and complex way. now by then.

Fall of Cthulhu Omnibus arrives from BOOM! Studios in comic shops on October 29th with a cover illustrated by Tyler Walpole and a cover price of $39.99 under Diamond Order Code AUG141165.

Review: Howard Lovecraft and the Three Kingdoms

Posted on August 20, 2014 by

The advent of steampunk as a somewhat established genre has brought along a lot of friends from the past. Rooted most strongly in the works of Verne, the genre has also deviated a bit from Verne’s original works as it has evolved in the modern pop culture. Seemingly in the search for more steampunk material, fans of the genre have delved deeper into the past and found some other source material, namely steampunk horror. Although potentially typified by Poe or Shelley, the real resurgence in horror from this time has no doubt been H.P. Lovecraft. His horror stories are more popular today than probably at any other time (including when he was alive) and other mediums (including board games and video games) use his inspiration to create their own works.

The collected volume of Howard Lovecraft and the Three Kingdoms from Arcana Studios is not so different. It opens with a quote from Poe and quickly introduced us to a dying elder Lovecraft and his son. A part of Lovecraftian fiction was his own interaction with his work, in which he himself explored his own horrors through his pen and paper. In this case it would seem as though the elder were the one to really undertake the journey into this dark despair and to record the thoughts by way of the book. As a reading of this work this makes more sense, because although the younger Lovecraft is in fact the Lovecraft, it doesn’t exactly read like that. The father’s weeping is more consistent with the author’s works, not the dynamic nature of the youngster.

Before I get too far ahead of myself though, I would like to talk about Santa Claus. It is not because Santa Claus plays a very important role in this book, but rather because he shouldn’t play one at all. The idea of Santa Claus providing gifts to children is an idea that is purely 20^th century, and as this book is based in 1894, it is a bit of an anachronism when little Howard gets his first Lovecraftian torture novel from jolly old Saint Nick. Am I being too picky on the anachronism? Not really, because it is the anachronism which actually makes this graphic novel work. For those more familiar with Lovecraft’s work, they will find among the author’s thoughts some subtle and not-so-subtle opinions on race and gender, neither of which would really fly in the modern world as opinions to be held outside of the far right of the spectrum. These opinions which exist in his work are also anachronisms, and if they are replaced by clearly misunderstood aspects of modern day Yuletide, then it is for the better. Out go the remnants of outdated thinking, in comes a tentacled creature named Spot (the name Spot for a pet being a bit of an anachronism as well.)

The end process of this selective process of finding the right balance between modern and past is something akin to a children’s book, which to be fair seems to be the point anyway. Dark and dangerous is replaced with cuddly and squishy, with the terrible Lovecraftian monsters being no scarier than the creatures in “Where the Wild Things Are.” The end result is basically a Lovecraftian tale aimed at children, and one which is successful in removing the scariest parts of the writer’s bag of tricks. Is it for adults? I would say equally yes, particularly those that do like a bit of dark Victorian to go with their daily lives. It is maybe not a groundbreaking work, but pays homage to the writer without taking itself too seriously and ends up being a fun read with matching artwork to complement the stories.

Story: Bruce Brown Art: Renzo Podesta and Thomas Boatwright
Story: 7.5 Art: 7.5 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Read for Adult, Buy for Child

Arcana Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

215 Ink Presents Golgotha

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Brett

Golgotha follows the harrowing happenings of a few fun-loving junkies as they attempt to recover the stolen skull of Lovecraft – a totem that holds enough power and secrets to send Providence straight into the sea. Standing in their way are their enormous drug habits, belligerent punk rockers, Brazilian vampires, and the unspeakable horrors of Lovecraft’s fiction seeping into reality…

Written by Andrew Harrison and the manic illustration of Karl Slominski.

IDW Reviews – Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1, HP Lovecraft: The Dunwich Horror #1, 30 Days of Night #1, Cold War #1

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Brett

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1

I went into this first issue a bit skeptical. The whole idea of a mash-up/crossover featuring the cast of Star Trek and Legion of Super-Heroes seemed silly. I dig the Trek, but haven’t been much of a Legion fan. So, I went into this expecting the worst. By the time I was done, I wanted to read the second issue.

Written by Chris Roberson, the comic’s first issue sees two stories that then merge into one. It’s not as straightforward as the Legion winds up in the Trek universe or vice-versa. There’s much more to it and it’s laid out in a better way. And for that well thought out plotting, the story really works.

The art is pretty decent, and I really dug the first few pages which I don’t want to spoil. The story itself also has a throwback feel to it. It’s not quite modern and gritty, this is a comic I might have picked up in the 70s or 80s (it’s not a bad thing).

The first issue is really all lead up. The two groups haven’t really met each other, and instead the focus is on the circumstances where they would. It very well could fall apart from here, but the first issue got me interested, and I went into this with a bad attitude. So for that achievement, I have to give the series some props.

Story: Chris Roberson Art: Jeffrey Moy Publisher: IDW Publishing

Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Buy

HP Lovecraft: The Dunwich Horror #1

There’s two items here, a longer comic and then an illustrated story. There’s a lot out there based on the world of H.P. Lovecraft. The man is a godfather of modern horror. The stories also vary greatly in quality. This one follows an amateur group of ghost hunters who get together when one of theirs passes away.

The good is, I really dug the characters. Their interaction is very good. The bad is, the story itself is pretty forgettable. It blended into one of the numerous Lovecraft based stories I’ve read or even a general horror story. Nothing makes it stand out. It’s not bad in any way, it’s just not memorable. There’s a good chance this’ll read better as a trade or graphic novel once it’s completed.

The art for the comic as well as the “prose” part of it is very good. The second part especially, which I’d expect from menton3.

Overall, there’s nothing bad about this, just nothing where I can say it’s a must buy.

Story: Joe R. Lansdale and Robert Weinberg Art: Peter Bergting and menton3 Publisher: IDW Publishing

Story: 7 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

30 Days of Night #1

I’ve never read this series. I caught a bit of the movie, but really I know nada. That’s good, because going into this, I have no preconceived notions. There’s two parts to the story here, a battle that’s brewing between some vampire clans and also a woman who has a website that’s investigating whether vampires exist. The two stories together have an X-Files mashed up with Underworld feel about them. That’s a good thing because I really enjoy both of those pieces of pop culture.

Sam Kieth’s art just adds to it. I’ve loved his art work, it’s so unique that’s often imitated but rarely matched in it’s style and look. Here, it just fits. The art and story work so well together, I’m hoping this is a combo that’s here for quite a while.

Writer Steve Niles has done his job here, creating an entertaining first issue that’s good for both long time fans (there’s small items here and there I can tell they’d enjoy) and for new readers (like myself).

Story: Steve Niles Art: Sam Kieth Publisher: IDW Publishing

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Cold War #1

I like politics. I like noir. I like spy stories. Legend John Byrne has mashed all of those together in this new series that takes place during the Cold War featuring a British spy that’s part Bond and Bourne. The comic has that spy action movie cool about it, with the first ten pages being silent relying totally on the art to tell us what’s going on. And through those ten pages we get to learn a hell of a lot about the main character Michael Swann.

The story then focuses on a scientist that wants to defect. Swann is thrown undercover to figure out what’s going on. There’s a great mix of sex and action with an honest 50s/60s vibe that’s exuded by the classic Bond films. You can just here Sean Connery reading off Swann’s dialogue.

It’s just the first issue, but there’s a throwback feel to the series that reflects the time it’s set in. So cool and smooth, like it’s main character Michael Swann.

Story: John Byrne Art: John Byrne Publisher: IDW Publishing

Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review