HP Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror

Published May 1, 2012.

Publisher website.

H.P. Lovecraft is known as one of the key founders of modern horror, cited as a major influence by many prominent authors, such as Stephen King. In collaboration with renowned Lovecraft historian and literary caretaker Robert Weinberg, IDW is bringing you the definitive Lovecraft comics updated for a 21st century audience. Adapting "The Dunwich Horror" and "The Hound," a new vision of Lovecraft emerges, courtesy of Joe Lansdale and company!  (netgalley.com)

I am truly a terrible horror fan because I've never read any of HP Lovecraft's works.  Not a one.  I know OF them.  Just haven't indulged.  So a visual of THE DUNWICH HORROR?  Yes, please.

There wasn't anything about this comic that I didn't like, really.  It's a first in a series and it sets up the story really nicely.  The Dunwich Horror itself is a killer inter-dimensional being (another thing I know about Lovecraft, he was all about other dimensions) that's invisible in our world.  And it definitely got some creep factor on with the art.

Of the story itself there's just enough dialogue there to set the story up.  There isn't too much dumping and you get enough to know just enough of what's going on and what's left in the dark is pretty horrifying.  You don't know too much about the characters at this point but I would hope they'd get on with it quick since they're dying already!

The art had some squick factor going along with it.  Lovecraft is pretty gruesome stuff and this comic was not shy about putting that onto the page.  But don't confuse it with gore.  That's not what I would call it.  What you do see is horrifying and I can still see it when I close my eyes but it's not overwhelming to the point where it cancels itself out.  For me too much gore and it ruins it.  Too much gore means that's where the emphasis is because the story itself kind of sucks.  Not with THE DUNWICH HORROR.  The gross that you see compliments the story that you're getting.  It's symbiotic.  And cramps the heart a little.

A definite read for any horror fan, this first book of THE DUNWICH HORROR will certainly get those spiders crawling up your arms and will probably make you spiral into a state of paranoid psychosis.  I mean, an invisible, inter-dimensional being tearing people apart?  Not even air is safe!

Ban Factor: High - With people getting ripped apart and big bad nasties that you can't even see?  Far too much for impressionable young minds.