The Dunwich Horror (Illustrated Edition)
The Dunwich Horror (Illustrated Edition) is a modern investigative horror book written by H.P. Lovecraft, illustrated by Francois Baranger, and published by Free League Publishing.
By Aaron T. Huss
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This particular edition of The Dunwich Horror is a reproduction of H.P. Lovecraft’s novelette in a graphic novel format, coming in at a large ~10×14″ size. As far as I can tell, it is a non-altered reproduction of the text set against fully illustrated pages – every page is part of a 1- or 2-page spread providing an illustration corresponding to the text on that page. It’s not really proper to call it a graphic novel based on typical representations of graphic novels, but that’s effectively what it is. The reason I say that is because each illustration fills 1 or 2 pages with the text laid over it. It is dark cosmic horror and provides an amazing glimpse into the mind of H.P. Lovecraft.
The Dunwich Horror places the reader smack dab in the middle of the Cthulhu Mythos in all of its wonder. Lovecraft’s words are like a symphony of horror flowing from page to page with no pauses for the reader to take a breather (unless you put down the book of course). There’s no filler here, and if you’re a fan of horror TTRPGs then this is one of the greatest resources you can call upon. With that in mind, Lovecraft is already a artist with his words as they paint vivid images inside your mind of the dire situation in Dunwich and how it bleeds over into Arkham. The illustrations accompanying these words (there are 32 of them) make those images truly come to life as you feel immersed in all of the Mythos lore. You will learn of the Whateleys, the village of Dunwich, and the great Dr. Armitage of Miskatonic University. As the horrors of the Mythos come to life, you get to see, not just read, how these few brave souls came through in the end.
Due to its age, it’s easy to know what The Dunwich Horror is about just by doing a quick internet search. I would guess that it’s also included in multiple anthologies and is little more than rinsed and repeated every time. But this time it’s different. The presentation of the illustrations and the short entries from page to page force you to slow down and really experience what it means to be wholly absorbed by the Cthulhu Mythos. That is if you are brave enough to survive.
If you are a fan of Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, this should be on your coffee table.
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