Product Description

Horror comics legend Richard Corben (Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allan Poe) brings you a new series of eerie new spins on the poems and short stories of H.P. Lovecraft. Each adaptation is beautifully rendered in black and white with gray tones as only Corben can do it - along with a printing of the original source text by H.P. Lovecraft. Collects Haunt of Horror: Lovecraft #1-3.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #516644 in Books
• Published on: 2008-11-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 112 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780785132875
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews

Misses the mark
Collects Haunt of Horror: H. P. Lovecraft #1-3, comprising the short stories Dagon, The Music of Erich Zann and Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family; four poems from Fungi from Yuggoth: Recognition, A Memory, The Canal and The Lamp; and the poems The Well and The Window.

Richard Corben not only adapts but unfortunately also interprets and expands upon the original Lovecraft material. Thankfully, Lovecraft's uncorrupted prose is reproduced following each illustrated tale, and these are the parts of the collection for which you will no doubt yearn.

Corben's illustrations are presented in black and white with shades of gray "coloring" only. I found this style suited the tales contained within the series, as each lent itself to the "dark and stormy night" atmosphere. By and large, this observation concludes my positive remarks.

Corben's drawing style shifts slightly with each tale, no doubt a stylistic interpretation in itself; however, for the most part it falls flat--the illustrations neither greatly contribute to nor detract from the stories themselves (the only exception being Arthur Jermyn, which I felt was the strongest in the series). The fault lies solely with Corben: given the tales Corben weaves from mere poems, the illustrations themselves are largely Corben's interpretations of his *own* expansive interpretations of Lovecraft's prose.

One such interpretation occurs in The Lamp and includes the jeans of an obviously pantiless female becoming unzippered as she is being attacked by a creature of darkness, resulting in a sensual pose of anguish. Much as I appreciate the nod to gratuitousness, if this isolated absurdity doesn't knock you right out of the narrative's grasp and expose Corben as the quote-unquote wizard behind the curtain, I'm not sure you can still be counted among the living.

On the other hand, the scene IS memorable, and she DOES have nice abs...Mmm!!! Thanks for *something* Corben!

In the end, you'll want more Lovecraft and less Corben. Far, far less.

Stunning!
Beautiful and creepy comic adaptations of some of Lovecraft's stories and poems. My favorite are the poems -- their interpretations are far from literal, but surprising and effective. Literate fans of horror comics and Lovecraft should give this a try!

A Corben's masterpiece
I recommend this graphic novel. Based in Lovecraft's tales and poetry, it is an excelent work of the master Richard Corben.