H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu
Written by H.P. Lovecraft
Art by Michael Zigerlig
Published by Lucha Comics
Within the pages of Michael Zigerlig’s beautiful rendering of the Call of Cthulhu you will find the slithering, tentacle horror that is almost a by word for the classic Cthulhu from the mind of legendary H.P. Lovecraft. It is evident from the very first pages that the book has been constructed by someone well versed in this tale of terror. The feel is established very early on; a writhing, almost claustrophobic air descends upon the reader – you feel held by the story while it draws you along into the dark depths of Cthulhu.
The story itself is taken from the original tale, so you cannot beat the text used in the pages. Lovecraft’s tale is told in a retrospective sense, in that events have already transpired and the protagonist becomes more and more aware of the true horror and Cthulhu and the cult that shadows it.
Michael Zigerlig remains faithful to the story, rendering panel after panel with care and the aforementioned hints at the horrific deity. Lovecraft originally told the story with a growing sense of paranoia, of an evolving terror, and Michael aptly evokes this in the book.
The most enjoyable elements of the art are found in the darkest elements of the story, the horror of a man having his face ripped off, for instance, is a thing of beauty. You wouldn’t expect anything less from Lovecraft and the artist delivers the requisite effects with aplomb.
For fans of the original story, this graphic novel is a must have addition to their collections. To those not as familiar with Lovecraft, it is a great introduction to what is arguably his best work. The eye catching illustrations, allied to the text, make for an excellent read.
But don’t just take my word for quality of this book – none other than the late, great, H.R. Giger gives a generous and glowing introduction!
If there are any quibbles about the Call of Cthulhu, then it is a minor fault relating to a few problems with the lettering (page 30 contains a split word, for example).
That aside, this is a very worthwhile book and a quality effort from Michael Zigerlig.
