Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu – Graphic Novel Review

Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu from Canterbury Classics is an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s famous tale. The illustrations are by Dave Shepard. If you haven’t read the original, this graphic novel is a good place to start.

I was provided a copy of Dark Tales: The Call of Cthulhu for review. The opinions are my own.

I have enjoyed reading the Dark Tales series from Canterbury Classics. The illustrations offer a more immersive experience. However, having said that, I do feel the graphic novel adaptation of The Call of Cthulhu might not come across as the best for someone who has read H.P. Lovecraft’s original work. I say this because illustrator Dave Shepard (who also worked on The Hound of the Baskervilles) took some liberties with the story to give it a more chronological order and fewer flashbacks. He also seemed to move quite quickly through the narrative.

Here’s the official synopsis:

In this Dark Tale, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming…

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.

I liked the artwork, with shadows and a murky feeling gelling well with the story being told. It is an interesting tale talking about religion and cults. And like I said, if you haven’t yet read Lovecraft’s original work, this graphic novel adaptation (currently available) serves as a quick crash course. It allows you to decide if you want to pick up the actual story for your reading enjoyment.

Feel free to share your thoughts with us.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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