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Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu: A Graphic Novel
H. P. Lovecraft’s story of supernatural monsters deep in the Pacific, told in graphic novel format, will keep you on the edge of your seat. More than 100 pages of illustrated horror and adventure await! Henry Wilcox can’t ignore his dreams of an enormous green monster calling to him from an underwater alien city. He seeks the help of Professor Angell, who dies suddenly, leaving a box of research on the subject for his nephew, Francis. Francis seeks answers about his uncle’s death, and in the process uncovers evidence of a cult waiting for the Great Old Ones to return.
128 pages, Paperback
Published March 6, 2018
10 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
H.P. Lovecraft
6,109 books19.3k followersHoward Phillips Lovecraft, of Providence, Rhode Island, was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction.
Lovecraft's major inspiration and invention was cosmic horror: life is incomprehensible to human minds and the universe is fundamentally alien. Those who genuinely reason, like his protagonists, gamble with sanity. Lovecraft has developed a cult following for his Cthulhu Mythos, a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring a pantheon of human-nullifying entities, as well as the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works were deeply pessimistic and cynical, challenging the values of the Enlightenment, Romanticism and Christianity. Lovecraft's protagonists usually achieve the mirror-opposite of traditional gnosis and mysticism by momentarily glimpsing the horror of ultimate reality.
Although Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, his reputation has grown over the decades. He is now commonly regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th Century, exerting widespread and indirect influence, and frequently compared to Edgar Allan Poe.
See also Howard Phillips Lovecraft.
— Wikipedia
Lovecraft's major inspiration and invention was cosmic horror: life is incomprehensible to human minds and the universe is fundamentally alien. Those who genuinely reason, like his protagonists, gamble with sanity. Lovecraft has developed a cult following for his Cthulhu Mythos, a series of loosely interconnected fictions featuring a pantheon of human-nullifying entities, as well as the Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire of magical rites and forbidden lore. His works were deeply pessimistic and cynical, challenging the values of the Enlightenment, Romanticism and Christianity. Lovecraft's protagonists usually achieve the mirror-opposite of traditional gnosis and mysticism by momentarily glimpsing the horror of ultimate reality.
Although Lovecraft's readership was limited during his life, his reputation has grown over the decades. He is now commonly regarded as one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th Century, exerting widespread and indirect influence, and frequently compared to Edgar Allan Poe.
See also Howard Phillips Lovecraft.
— Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 24, 2021
Fun if you're truly a Lovecraft fan and want to read everything adapted from his works. Not dark enough and the focus seem in the wrong place in my opinion. It was entertaining but nowhere near essential to read!
June 15, 2018
In The Call of Cthulhu, Dave Shephard sets a classic horror tale originally written by H.P. Lovecraft into a more linear form than the original story. This works well for readers, using a narrator to help us understand how events at diverse locations around the world are related. The illustrations evoke the darkness of the tale and the horror of the idea of a huge malignant power sleeping beneath the seas. Cult members serve it, and when awakened, Cthulhu will call more aliens from the stars to wreak havoc on humans on Earth.
I think this is a masterful rendition of the story that may well create new H.P. Lovecraft fans. It’s a wonderful addition to the Dark Tales graphic novels series and a great place for readers who love horror to begin their summer reading. The illustrations are detailed and intriguing and the story will spark the imaginations of its readers.
Other books in the Dark Tales Graphic Novel Series from Canterbury Classics include The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Snow Queen, and Beauty and the Beast.
I received a copy of The Call of Cthulhu from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I think this is a masterful rendition of the story that may well create new H.P. Lovecraft fans. It’s a wonderful addition to the Dark Tales graphic novels series and a great place for readers who love horror to begin their summer reading. The illustrations are detailed and intriguing and the story will spark the imaginations of its readers.
Other books in the Dark Tales Graphic Novel Series from Canterbury Classics include The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Snow Queen, and Beauty and the Beast.
I received a copy of The Call of Cthulhu from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2021
Over thirty years, I've read 'The Call of Cthulhu" approximately ten times. Different publishers, different formats, different editors. I've consumed plenty of other 'CoC' media as well; role playing games, card games, video games, short films, feature length films, comics, audio recordings...
This is the worst adaptation I've encountered.
Its liberties in the story are both unnecessarily reductive and inexplicably repetitive. The panel layouts are stagnate and redundant. The typography is shamelessly processed. The coloring is fine, but that's the only positive criticism I can muster against mediocre penciling and inking.
It's mercifully short. As is this review.
This is the worst adaptation I've encountered.
Its liberties in the story are both unnecessarily reductive and inexplicably repetitive. The panel layouts are stagnate and redundant. The typography is shamelessly processed. The coloring is fine, but that's the only positive criticism I can muster against mediocre penciling and inking.
It's mercifully short. As is this review.
June 6, 2018
CTHULHU struck me as a weird and mysterious name. I wondered what and why it is referenced in the scifi genre. This graphic novel is a great way to be introduced to the Cthulhu phenomenon. I am now more curious to read the original story.
The introduction gives some insight on the background and inspiration of H.P. Lovecraft's story.
The illustrations are spot on to get the vibe of the time periods in the story.
The introduction gives some insight on the background and inspiration of H.P. Lovecraft's story.
The illustrations are spot on to get the vibe of the time periods in the story.
April 22, 2020
An interesting interpretation of one of Lovecraft's best-known stories. Author Amy Corzine and illustrator David Sheppard put a simpler spin on a time when the stars were right and the dread lord Cthulhu woke from his dreaming in R'lyeh to give some mortals friendly directions home.
There were some changes made and a few little additions here and there to keep with the times and remove some of those pesky racial overtones that Herbie was known to sprinkle in from time to time...
There were some changes made and a few little additions here and there to keep with the times and remove some of those pesky racial overtones that Herbie was known to sprinkle in from time to time...
June 26, 2021
Just don't. The art in this is absolutely atrocious. The story follows Lovecraft's story fairly well but with a different ending (the writer explains this in the Introduction). It's a quick read but the word balloons are sometimes awkwardly placed in the layout, and the story never picks up any steam or feels fearful. And the art...ugh!
May 31, 2018
Unfortunately...this one didn't exactly make my list of favorites from the Dark Tales series. I know, I know...fans of the author's work will probably want my head for this, but keep in mind, though I know OF his works, I've never READ his works, so my opinion on this story is purely from this version. Now, I had a coworker see I was reading it, got a little curious, and picked it up for a glance. According to them (they ARE a fan of the author's work), while it captured the basics of the story, and the artwork was interesting, it didn't really do the work justice on the whole. Hmm...might be a case of the book just simply doesn't translate well into this particular format...it happens, but in any case, it would still certainly serve the purpose of getting a reluctant reader interested in discovering MORE. As for this reader, maybe one day...just not today.
**copy received for review
**copy received for review
July 14, 2018
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
While I enjoyed this introduction to H. P. Lovecraft's tale of Cthulhu, I can't say it was one of the more amazing graphic novels I've ever read. The art was very well done and enjoyable, but the story left something to be desired.
I have not previously read THE CALL OF CTHULHU, but from other reviews I have seen, this graphic novel apparently takes some latitude with the original, making the narrative more straightforward. While I suppose I appreciate this, unfortunately, this seemed to have the affect of making the story feel like a lot of info dumps. And honestly, I would have told you I wasn't sure a graphic novel could have that feel, but it is possible!
The artwork was great, however, and that kept me pulled into the story. It had a dark, gritty feel and added to the atmosphere of the story.
All in all, this is a quick read that would probably be good for somebody who isn't familiar with the original story. I can't say I'm particularly inspired to go out and read the source material, but I like having an idea of what it is about. I would maybe recommend this for a younger reader who's curious about Cthulhu.
Sexual content: N/A
While I enjoyed this introduction to H. P. Lovecraft's tale of Cthulhu, I can't say it was one of the more amazing graphic novels I've ever read. The art was very well done and enjoyable, but the story left something to be desired.
I have not previously read THE CALL OF CTHULHU, but from other reviews I have seen, this graphic novel apparently takes some latitude with the original, making the narrative more straightforward. While I suppose I appreciate this, unfortunately, this seemed to have the affect of making the story feel like a lot of info dumps. And honestly, I would have told you I wasn't sure a graphic novel could have that feel, but it is possible!
The artwork was great, however, and that kept me pulled into the story. It had a dark, gritty feel and added to the atmosphere of the story.
All in all, this is a quick read that would probably be good for somebody who isn't familiar with the original story. I can't say I'm particularly inspired to go out and read the source material, but I like having an idea of what it is about. I would maybe recommend this for a younger reader who's curious about Cthulhu.
Sexual content: N/A
May 24, 2018
So I have never read anything from H.P. Lovecraft but I have always heard of this strange alien creature called Cthulhu, so it was interesting learning a bit about it. I couldn't tell you what might be different in this book besides that in the beginning the artist said he limited it to a certain timeline or something like that.
It starts out with a guy having a dream about this horrifying monster and he makes a sculpture and shows it to a professor. Then it goes to other places around the world and you find that there are people who worship this Cthulhu and people seem to die when they try to figure out what is going on.
It was a strange little read but interesting as well. It makes me a bit curious about the actual story the graphic novel is based on. The artwork again was fantastic.
It starts out with a guy having a dream about this horrifying monster and he makes a sculpture and shows it to a professor. Then it goes to other places around the world and you find that there are people who worship this Cthulhu and people seem to die when they try to figure out what is going on.
It was a strange little read but interesting as well. It makes me a bit curious about the actual story the graphic novel is based on. The artwork again was fantastic.
April 11, 2018
A very well done graphic novel of the story!
October 21, 2022
Never again will I read something a man recommends
November 7, 2021
Francis Wayland Thurston is investigating the strange circumstances surrounding the death of his great-uncle George Gammell Angell. Angell had been put on the trail of a seeming cult by an artist named Henry Anthony Wilcox who was plagued by nightmares of a strange tentacled winged creature known as Cthulhu. With reports of the same creature from around the globe, Thurston questions if there is something bigger happening that even his uncle couldn’t comprehend. What is Cthulhu and could it mean the doom of mankind?
Written by H.P. Lovecraft, Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu—A Graphic Novel is a comic book horror story. The graphic novel is an adaptation of Lovecraft’s 1928 story “The Call of Cthulhu” originally published in Weird Tales (February 1928).
Though I like H.P. Lovecraft as a fan of horror, a lot of his concepts and especially the Cthulhu mythos has been beyond my realm of interest. While some really dig the world and its inhabitants he created, I was always a bit indifferent to it…a mass of pulsing tentacles wasn’t that frightening to me. When I saw that there was a graphic novel adaptation of his classic story, I decided to seek it out.
The adaptation is faithful to the story, but it is very episodic. With a short story as its basis, it feels like there is a detached nature to the story that never lands. The strange and horrible stories from around the world that Thurston collects hint at something bigger (as intended), but it feels like there needs to be more of a common bond between the storyteller and the short encounter with the old gods and Cthulhu that Thurston relays. The danger he is in doesn’t feel very tangible at the end of the story.
The art for the collection also isn’t as strong as I would like it. Regardless of what your thoughts on Lovecraft’s writing are, there is a dark and gothic feel to them. The creeping horror of the story isn’t there. It is a bit too “shiny” for the darkness that it is trying to portray. In the 1990s everything was over-inked, but in a situation like this, I feel that the story calls for over inking. It should almost be a black page with light images coming through from the darkness. Cthulhu represents the end of the human world by returning to an old world…and the darkness in the art could have helped convey that.
Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu—A Graphic Novel isn’t a bad adaptation because it is faithful, but it feels like there is a missed opportunity to really bring out the horror of Lovecraft’s writing. I had hoped that the book would be more layered and a visually deeper dive into the Cthulhu mythos, but it is generally pretty standard fair. Still, if you aren’t familiar with Lovecraft’s stories (there has been some backlash in recent years due to Lovecraft’s personal beliefs), you should check it out…in the world of horror, he’s an important writer and “Lovercraftian” is a term that every horror fan should know and understand.
Written by H.P. Lovecraft, Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu—A Graphic Novel is a comic book horror story. The graphic novel is an adaptation of Lovecraft’s 1928 story “The Call of Cthulhu” originally published in Weird Tales (February 1928).
Though I like H.P. Lovecraft as a fan of horror, a lot of his concepts and especially the Cthulhu mythos has been beyond my realm of interest. While some really dig the world and its inhabitants he created, I was always a bit indifferent to it…a mass of pulsing tentacles wasn’t that frightening to me. When I saw that there was a graphic novel adaptation of his classic story, I decided to seek it out.
The adaptation is faithful to the story, but it is very episodic. With a short story as its basis, it feels like there is a detached nature to the story that never lands. The strange and horrible stories from around the world that Thurston collects hint at something bigger (as intended), but it feels like there needs to be more of a common bond between the storyteller and the short encounter with the old gods and Cthulhu that Thurston relays. The danger he is in doesn’t feel very tangible at the end of the story.
The art for the collection also isn’t as strong as I would like it. Regardless of what your thoughts on Lovecraft’s writing are, there is a dark and gothic feel to them. The creeping horror of the story isn’t there. It is a bit too “shiny” for the darkness that it is trying to portray. In the 1990s everything was over-inked, but in a situation like this, I feel that the story calls for over inking. It should almost be a black page with light images coming through from the darkness. Cthulhu represents the end of the human world by returning to an old world…and the darkness in the art could have helped convey that.
Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu—A Graphic Novel isn’t a bad adaptation because it is faithful, but it feels like there is a missed opportunity to really bring out the horror of Lovecraft’s writing. I had hoped that the book would be more layered and a visually deeper dive into the Cthulhu mythos, but it is generally pretty standard fair. Still, if you aren’t familiar with Lovecraft’s stories (there has been some backlash in recent years due to Lovecraft’s personal beliefs), you should check it out…in the world of horror, he’s an important writer and “Lovercraftian” is a term that every horror fan should know and understand.
August 24, 2022
I am a big H.P. Lovecraft fan. It was Stephen King who turned me on to him when he mentioned Lovecraft as an inspiration. Lovecraft’s tales are especially horrific when you take into account the time in which the stories were written. “The Call of Cthulhu” is one of my favorite stories. So when this particular graphic novel came across my social feed, and it was on sale, I naturally jumped on it.
The original story is here. The art concerned was…okay. I wish I could say more about the art, but it left me somewhat underwhelmed. In today’s day and age, I expected something sharper, maybe a touch more dynamic. It reminded me of comic book art from long ago, and if that was the intent, then mission accomplished. It just did not really appeal to me.
The story was the same. In that, it was a blessing. If it messed with the original story too much I would not have finished it.
All in all, I give this 3 bookmarks out of 5.
The original story is here. The art concerned was…okay. I wish I could say more about the art, but it left me somewhat underwhelmed. In today’s day and age, I expected something sharper, maybe a touch more dynamic. It reminded me of comic book art from long ago, and if that was the intent, then mission accomplished. It just did not really appeal to me.
The story was the same. In that, it was a blessing. If it messed with the original story too much I would not have finished it.
All in all, I give this 3 bookmarks out of 5.
December 31, 2018
I thought that this was a great graphic novel, with vivid illustrations that encapsulate the feeling of the book. I will admit that this was my first time being introduced to H.P. Lovecraft, and I did enjoy it, and I look forward to trying “The Call of Cthulhu” in prose as well. Shephard said that he took some liberties with the classic story, adding and ignoring some details to create a more cohesive visual experience. The story is non-conventional and I think that Shephard made good decisions for his adaptation. I think that this graphic novel is a great first step for older kids into classic literature, and a great read for established fans of Lovecraft and other classical authors. *Please note I received a free review copy of this book
February 9, 2020
Unfortunately any visual media that tries to retell or tell any Lovecraftian work has to face one significant challenge is the visual. As most of Lovecraft's works were about things that were beyond human comprehension. And while this book was told well and it did try it's best but it the visuals really did not do it.
April 21, 2021
Absolutely nothing against this graphic novel, just the whole Cthulhu thing in general.
December 12, 2021
Didn't really met my expectations but a really pleasant read overall. It could be darker.
December 27, 2022
Not sure what I was expecting, but this was not it. Maybe the short story really just is too short for a detailed origin story.
May 31, 2024
Poorly adapted.
October 11, 2024
Weak artwork, generic story. I guess this story is the originator of the genre, but this graphic novel adaptation did not do it justice.
January 12, 2025
Perfect if you need a short primer on what is this "Cthulhu" thing that your weird friends keep talking about. But you will probably still want to go get more somewhere.
June 18, 2018
The Dark Tales series, published by Canterbury Classics, is a collection of four graphic novels, each a new version of an old classic. The series includes two fairy tales, a Sherlock Holmes story, and one of H.P. Lovecraft’s most famous works. Each graphic novel begins with an introduction explaining the origin of the story and the illustrator’s interpretation, in addition to a dramatis personae (“persons of the drama”), which includes an illustration of each character. This is particularly helpful when you’re reading and you forget which middle-aged man is which (I’m looking at you, The Hound of the Baskervilles). I really enjoyed all four of these books, but I did enjoy some more than others, so I will review them in order, from mostly liked to absolutely loved, which coincidentally is also the order in which I read them.
Dark Tales: The Hound of the Baskervilles is an adaptation of the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with illustrations by Dave Shephard. In his introduction, Shephard explains how this novel was the start of today’s modern detective story. If you’re looking for a graphic novel of a Sherlock episode, this isn’t really it. Conan Doyle’s story has a twist that today’s reader will definitely be familiar with, and Sherlock Holmes barely appears. The plot moves very quickly, but it is mostly just people speaking to one another about the danger they are in and the mystery that needs to be solved. The illustrations are lovely to look at, and it’s an easy book to get through, but it really didn’t engage me like some of the others.
Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu is an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s famous story, with illustrations again by Dave Shephard. I really enjoyed this one, because beyond Cthulhu’s presence in modern popular culture, I knew nothing about the story. Shephard has adapted this story to create an ominous tale of one man’s journey to discover the truth about Cthulhu and the cult created in its name. The unresolved ending left me thinking about the story and the consequences of the beliefs humans hold. Although, as with The Hound of the Baskervilles, Shephard jumped from scene to scene quickly and with little explanation, and the similar looks of the characters made it challenging to remember who they all were.
Dark Tales: The Snow Queen is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s story, with illustrations by Emilie Majarian. My only familiarity with this story was Disney’s Frozen, and reading this graphic novel taught me that the original tale is very different. The Snow Queen is about young Gerda and her quest to save her best friend Kay when a demon poisons his heart and the Snow Queen captures him. In her introduction, Majarian explains how she illustrated the Snow Queen to be much more ferocious than the original, even taking on animal qualities sometimes. Her illustrations do not disappoint. The Snow Queen is a terrifying opponent for small Gerda, and I loved seeing Gerda do all she can to save her best friend. The illustrations were striking, and the story moved quickly, but clearly. This was a great way to learn the real story behind Frozen and an excellent adaptation of a classic tale.
Dark Tales: Beauty and the Beast is an adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince’s version of the tale, with illustrations by Pete Katz. Katz explains in his introduction how he chose to add a villain to his version of the tale, which comes in the form of a demon who plagues the castle in which the Beast lives. This version also has Beauty’s two siblings, who are reminiscent of the stepsisters in the story of Cinderella. The basics from the Disney movie are in here, but there are many differences, all of which I found very satisfying. Katz has depicted Beauty as a “strong, courageous, and skilled” woman who “has a large hand in the outcome of her story.” I won’t spoil it for you, but the ending really is amazing. If only they’d read this version before writing the 2017 Disney film.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this series. Several of these stories were entirely unfamiliar to me and I most likely would not have ever read the original tales. The graphic novel format makes these classic extremely accessible and enjoyable. If you have ever been curious about the original stories behind Sherlock Holmes, Cthulhu, the Snow Queen, or Beauty and the Beast, I definitely recommend picking up these novels.
Dark Tales: The Hound of the Baskervilles is an adaptation of the novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, with illustrations by Dave Shephard. In his introduction, Shephard explains how this novel was the start of today’s modern detective story. If you’re looking for a graphic novel of a Sherlock episode, this isn’t really it. Conan Doyle’s story has a twist that today’s reader will definitely be familiar with, and Sherlock Holmes barely appears. The plot moves very quickly, but it is mostly just people speaking to one another about the danger they are in and the mystery that needs to be solved. The illustrations are lovely to look at, and it’s an easy book to get through, but it really didn’t engage me like some of the others.
Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu is an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s famous story, with illustrations again by Dave Shephard. I really enjoyed this one, because beyond Cthulhu’s presence in modern popular culture, I knew nothing about the story. Shephard has adapted this story to create an ominous tale of one man’s journey to discover the truth about Cthulhu and the cult created in its name. The unresolved ending left me thinking about the story and the consequences of the beliefs humans hold. Although, as with The Hound of the Baskervilles, Shephard jumped from scene to scene quickly and with little explanation, and the similar looks of the characters made it challenging to remember who they all were.
Dark Tales: The Snow Queen is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s story, with illustrations by Emilie Majarian. My only familiarity with this story was Disney’s Frozen, and reading this graphic novel taught me that the original tale is very different. The Snow Queen is about young Gerda and her quest to save her best friend Kay when a demon poisons his heart and the Snow Queen captures him. In her introduction, Majarian explains how she illustrated the Snow Queen to be much more ferocious than the original, even taking on animal qualities sometimes. Her illustrations do not disappoint. The Snow Queen is a terrifying opponent for small Gerda, and I loved seeing Gerda do all she can to save her best friend. The illustrations were striking, and the story moved quickly, but clearly. This was a great way to learn the real story behind Frozen and an excellent adaptation of a classic tale.
Dark Tales: Beauty and the Beast is an adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince’s version of the tale, with illustrations by Pete Katz. Katz explains in his introduction how he chose to add a villain to his version of the tale, which comes in the form of a demon who plagues the castle in which the Beast lives. This version also has Beauty’s two siblings, who are reminiscent of the stepsisters in the story of Cinderella. The basics from the Disney movie are in here, but there are many differences, all of which I found very satisfying. Katz has depicted Beauty as a “strong, courageous, and skilled” woman who “has a large hand in the outcome of her story.” I won’t spoil it for you, but the ending really is amazing. If only they’d read this version before writing the 2017 Disney film.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this series. Several of these stories were entirely unfamiliar to me and I most likely would not have ever read the original tales. The graphic novel format makes these classic extremely accessible and enjoyable. If you have ever been curious about the original stories behind Sherlock Holmes, Cthulhu, the Snow Queen, or Beauty and the Beast, I definitely recommend picking up these novels.
March 14, 2023
Is this a replacement for reading Lovecraft? No, not at all. Is this a quick way to recall a store that's near and dear to my heart? Yes, somewhat. The illustrations are beautiful, if a bit cartoonish and over the top. I do appreciate how the writer did explain from the get go the changes that were made and liberties taken. While I do think it changed the story a bit, I think they were reasonable changes, and done well in the entire sceme of the story. I can't say I think that most adults would get much out of this, I do see great value in this being a channel to introduce younger readers to Lovecraft and Dark Tales literature.
May 25, 2023
Graphic novel adaptation of H P Lovecraft’s novella “The Call of Cthulhu”. Unfortunately, this is dumbed down and missing the sense of dread that permeated the original.
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