Miskatonic West, The Lovecraftian Web Series is Fully Funded
Another Kickstarter that flew under my weird radar has been fully backed. Miskatonic West is going to be an all new web series created by Harry Kakatsakis. The synopsis of the series is as follows:
In the world of HP Lovecraft; the creaking of a door, a shadow passing in your periphery or a bizarre siting at sea could mean any number of things, natural or supernatural. The massive sea god, Dagon, may have really existed in a primordial age. Whole civilizations of alien beings may have coursed across the Earth hundreds of millions of years ago. The ability to reanimate the dead may actually be possible. Lovecraft wrote about these possibilities at the turn of the 20th century. They thought he was a fiction writer. He wasn’t. Everything he wrote about exists, and now Lovecraft’s distinguished Miskatonic University has a Southern California location.
Miskatonic West follows the exploits of Sousaku Kaos, the head of Miskatonic’s biology department, and his band of intrepid students as they pull the curtain back on a world of monsters, magic and mystery inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Helping the LAPD with “cases of interest,” Kaos and his students must uncover a plot to awaken Dagon, the ancient ocean god, by the Esoteric Cult of Dagon, before it and an army of deep ones invade the West Coast.
In making Miskatonic West, the creators hope to bring the same verisimilitude and realism that Lovecraft brought to his writings of close encounters with the monstrous and supernatural. With an eye towards cinematic integrity, we want to bring the world of Lovecraft into an emotionally honest light and capture what it would be like to encounter things that should not be and the toll it might take on one’s sanity.
If you are a Lovecraft fan, a fan of monsters, mystery, suspense and human drama join us in making this web series a reality. Thank you.
I am personally looking forward to viewing this when some episodes are off the ground. Though it was narrowly fully funded, I believe this series could contain some quality Lovecraftian goodness. But i’ll let you be the judge of that. Below is the teaser/trailer for the series. Let me know what you think, or drop by their Facebook page and give them some feedback.
If you have checked out Miskatonic West
Weird Reveiw: Hearald: Lovecraft & Tesla
Title: Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla #1
Created by: John Reilly
Publisher: Action Lab Comics
Format: Digital
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars aligned
Back in 2012 the popular site io9 had a post with a very appealing picture that was their call to arms to create a Lovecraft/Tesla team-up comic for all of us to love. It looked sort of like this:
The image sparked all sorts of wants and protests for someone to establish a decent storyline where these two obscure characters in our history could investigate and dispatch the paranormal/occult. And thank the gods those wants and protests were heard and have been answered with John Reilly’s Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla.
This alternate history series there are a lot of things that didn’t jibe with me. That is until I came to terms that this comic series is an extreme alternate history twist from what I am used to. This was particularly difficult due to the fact that I consider myself a very (very very very) amateur Lovecraftian scholar, so when the years/time didn’t match up, and he was living with his mother still threw me off. However the sheer cleverness of this opening issue has compelled me to become a fan.
In this world Tesla is engaged to the very brave and prideful Amelia Earhart. When the future Mrs. Tesla takes off on her famous flight, Nikola becomes fearful of the equipment his darling is using make history. After seeking advice from his close friend, Einstein, Tesla heads to the home of famous alternate dimension aficionado, H.P. Lovecraft.
Though there isn’t a lot of action in this first issue, the creators of this comic have done an excellent creating this alternate world and its characters that are so familiar that one can’t help but cross the threshold of our current knowing of these two figures and believe in something a little more fascinating than reality. Along the way you will see other historical figures, such as: Harry Houdini, Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart and of course H.P. Lovecraft. I can’t wait to see who else we will see…
From what I understand the second issue is to be released digitally on Comixology today, November 5th, so while your there checking out the first issue, be sure to just add that one to your cart to. You will not be disappointed. For all updates on this project and new issues check the status on their Facebook Page, or on their Twitter account @heraldcomic. Print editions should be out sometime, maybe next year, I am not entirely sure on that. But until then please indulge your minds in the Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla. BUY IT NOW!
If you have checked out Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla
Weird Review: Cthulhu Lives! An Eldritch Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft Edited by Solomè Jones
Title: Cthulhu Lives!: An Eldritch Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft
Editor: Salomè Jones
Publisher: Ghostwoods Books
Number of Pages: 272
Format: Print (Paperback)
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars aligned
At the time of his death in 1937, American horror writer H.P. Lovecraft was virtually unknown. The power of his stories was too great to contain, however. As the decades slipped by, his dark visions laid down roots in the collective imagination of mankind, and they grew strong. Now Cthulhu is a name known to many and, deep under the seas, Lovecraft’s greatest creation becomes restless…
This volume brings together seventeen masterful tales of cosmic horror inspired by Lovecraft’s work. In his fiction, humanity is a tiny, accidental drop of light and life in the endless darkness of an uncaring universe – a darkness populated by vast, utterly alien horrors. Our continued survival relies upon our utter obscurity, something that every fresh scientific wonder threatens to shatter.
The dazzling stories in Cthulhu Lives! show the disastrous folly of our arrogance. We think ourselves the first masters of Earth, and the greatest, and we are very badly mistaken on both counts. Inside these covers, you’ll find a lovingly-curated collection of terrors and nightmares, of catastrophic encounters to wither the body and blight the soul. We humans are inquisitive beings, and there are far worse rewards for curiosity than mere death.
The truth is indeed out there – and it hungers.
Cthulhu Lives!
17 very unique tales are what make up this collection. Some better than others, and others way better than some, the satisfying content this book has to offer is evenly distributed throughout. None of the tales are too long, the longest being 18 or so pages, allowing for easy digestible reads.
- Universal Constants by Piers Beckley
- 1884 by Michael Grey
- Elmwood by Tim Dedopulos
- Hobstone by G.K. Lomax *
- On the Banks of the River Jordan by John Reppion *
- Dark Watters by Adam Vidler
- Ink by Iain Lowson
- Demon in Glass by E. Dane Anderson
- Scales from Balor’s Eye by Helmer Gorman
- Of the Faceless Crowd by Gabor Csigás
- Scritch, Scratch by Lynne Hardy *
- Icke by Greg Stolze *
- Coding Time by Marc Reichardt
- The Thing in the Printer by Peter Tupper
- The Old Ones by Jeremy Clymer
- Visiting Rights by Joff Brown
- The Highland Air by Gethin A. Lynes
There are a few authors in this collection, one of them G.K. Lomax, who are emerging authors into both the writing scene and the Lovecraftian scene. Upon my initial inspection of the cast of writers I was expected to read, I was a little weary of the unfamiliar names. However, I was incorrect in my judgment of quality these stories possessed. Not being able to choose only three favorites, I settled on four that I believe were the most memorable and entertaining. Hobstone by G.K. Lomax, On the Banks of the River Jordan by John Reppion, Scritch, Scratch by Lynne Hardy and Icke by Greg Stolze. All four of these tales possessed an essence that I believe to be truly Lovecraftian. It was the vague suggestion at a grander menace, or entity with out necessarily giving it a name or advertently connecting it to the Cthulhu Mythos. It was stories like these that convinced me that this book should have been titled Lovecraft Lives! Simply because of the true theme of cosmic horror and fear of the unknown that Mr. Lovecraft is so aptly known for expanding if not creating.
Unfortunately though, there were just one to many stories that left me with nothing. Either ending so abruptly that it borderline made the story incomplete, or just the shear lack of engaging writing to keep me hooked through out the story. These stories made reading feel like work. All in all it was a pleasant and enjoyable book, wrapping up with a sincere afterword from resident H.P.L. scholar, S.T. Joshi. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for some new ideas and easy reads revolving around the Cthulhu Mythos. I hope to see some of these authors again, and also hope to see more publications from Ghostwoods Books that resemble this style and format.
Weirdlings who’ve enjoyed Cthulhu Lives!: An Eldritch Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft
If you have checked out Cthulhu Lives!: An Eldritch Tribute to H.P. Lovecraft
Where’s My Shoggoth?
Before I brought Unspeakable Gibberer to its current home, I started it on BlogSpot.com and generated a post about a new wave of Lovecraftian fiction for children. I was reminded of this silly post by a recent email from Adam Bolton, co-author and artist behind “Where’s My Shoggoth”, due out this month. Kindly, he informed me of a competition he and fellow co-author Ian Thomas threw together to celebrate the “release/escape”, as he put it, of the book this June. For details on how to order/preorder check here.
Entry is free and welcome to all who dare to answer the question, “Where, exactly, is the shoggoth?” The best answer wins a canvas print of a double-page spread of your choice from the book “Where’s My Shoggoth?”, signed by Adam Bolton and Ian Thomas, and a signed copy of the book. And the runner-up also receives a signed copy of the book. Check it all out at http://wheresmyshoggoth.com/competition/
I am very excited about this book and hope to share it with my child someday. If this tasty morsel has stirred your appetite, then maybe you should check out these other mouldering text for the little cultist in your family:
Summoned up by renouned Lovecraft aficionado, Kenneth Hite
And don’t forget “Baby’s First Mythos
H.P.Podcraft.com – Episode 111 – The Battle That Ended The Century, Collapsing Cosmoses And Till A’ The Seas
Its been a while since I’ve said anything about the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast! Though I haven’t stopped listening to Chad and Chris, I have seemed to fallen off the wagon (so to speak) when it comes to covering what these guys are up to. Since the last post, in which I covered The Evil Clergyman and The Horror in the Burying-Ground, Chad and Chris have been two busy dudes. Their graphic novel, Deadbeats, is being published by Self Made Hero. They hosted an awesome live show in the UK along with Andrew Leman, and Paul Maclean, and had live music provided by Zeitgeist Zero. In between all of that they have two Lovecraftian adaptations of The Temple, and The Hound in the new Lovecraft Anthology Vol 2, also published by Self Made Hero, and in turn released audio readings of those adaptations for their listeners.
This week we get a triple feature, the first of its kind on this podcast. Read nicely by Chris’s son’s great-grandmother, Agnes Coughnaugton. The stories featured are: The Battle that Ended the Century, Collapsing Cosmoses and Till A’ the Seas, and I have to agree that out of the three Till A’ the Seas is my favorite. Collapsing Cosmoses seemed to short and unfinished though it had some great qualities, while The Battle that Ended the Century seemed like a farce that was mostly written by Barlow with touches of H.P.’s hand here and their. All in all it was a good episode, and it was good to hear the two back at the mic’s!
R.I.P ~ H.P. Lovecraft, August 20 1890 – March 15 1937
Today is my wife and I’s anniversary. But today I am not here to explain my marital bliss to you. No, even though im sure you’d love to hear how two people are still quite madly in love after two years of marriage, im here on a different matter. Today also is a sad day for me for I know it is the anniversary of one of the world’s best imaginator’s, Howard Phillips Lovecraft. From August 20th, 1890 to March 15th 1937, this world was blessed with the presence of this man. I, along with an army of fellow Lovecraftian’s morn this man on this day, and though we are very happy to have such availability to his work, we also wish that this genius had many more years than just the 46 he had on this planet.
So a few days ago I saw someone had found Mr. Lovecraft’s obituary and though it would be nice to show it here as well. The version I have is blown up for easier reading, fact is it’s still hard to get through. So, along with the actual obit. I also transcribed it below for clearer understanding of what it says. Though it doesn’t really cover his writing career to in any detail really, it does do a good job of covering his life, from his ailments, to his studies, his grandfather, and his parents.
I have been into Lovecraft for a couple of years now, and that interest has only grown with each story I’ve read, each letter he penned, and every idea that he gave me for my own weird tales. So for that I thank you Lovecraft and I hope you are comfortable amongst the Ghouls and Night-gaunts that surely inhabit your afterlife, at least we all hope. And we will continually promise to Not Call Up Any That We Can Not Put Down!
Thank you.
Funeral services for Howard Phillip Lovecraft, student and writer of fiction, who died yesterday at Jane Brown Memorial Hospital, will be held Thursday at 12 o’clock in the chapel of Horace B. Knowles’s Sons, 187 Benefit Street. Burial will be in the family plot in Swan Point Cemetery. He was 46.
Born in this city, Aug. 20, 1890, the only child of the late Winfield S. and Sarah P. Lovecraft, Mr. Lovecraft from early life was handicapped by poor health. Essentially a student and an omnivorous reader, he was able to take his place only from time to time in regular school classrooms with children of his own age but graduated from Hope Street high school and secured the equivalent of a college education from private tutors.
His early recourse to the library of his grandfather , Whipple V. Phillips, at 454 Angell street in which he was turned loose to browse at will gave him the bend toward weird writing which was his hobby. In his autobiographs, which he wrote up to the day before he was admitted to the hospital last month, he related the importance to his life of the fairy tales and classical tales he read but six years of age.
Besides his interest in the supernatural, he was a constant student of genealogy and of astronomy, and at one time, wrote a newspaper column on the latter subject. His days and nights for years were spent in writing in the library at 86 College Street, where he lived, in recent years, with his aunt, Mrs. Phillips Camwell, his sole survivor. As he neared the end of his life, he turned his scholarly interests to a study of his own physical condition and daily wrote minutely of his case for his physician’s assistance. His clinical notes ended only when he could no longer hold a pencil.
So with that I am heading off to work to enjoy a day of listening to some Lovecraft audio books, and a whole lot of the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast at www.Hppodcraft.com. Cheers!
Could This be the Intelligent Gas Lovecraft Wrote About?
“What it is, only God knows. In terms of matter I suppose the thing Ammi described would be called a gas, but this gas obeyed the laws that are not of our cosmos” ~ H.P. Lovecraft, The Colour out of Space 1927
Maybe Mr. Lovecraft wasn’t so far off with that idea. It is true that Lovecraft entertained the idea of a highly intelligent gas/mist as a possibility. He chiefly confirms this through his tale, The Colour Out of Space, and a couple of others like in The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, and Celaphaïs. But in a letter he wrote he stated:
“How do we know that the form of atomic and molecular motion called ‘life’ is the highest of all forms? Perhaps the dominate creature–the most rational and God-like of all beings–is an invisible gas!”
After watching this, I think Howie Lovecraft might be right.
HPPodcraft.com – Episode 101 – The Evil Clergyman & The Horror in the Burying Ground
Wow, A week has passed, and as I type this out the newest episode of the HP Lovecraft Literary Podcast is up and running. So I thought I’d make this a quick one, especially since there’s not much to talk about in regards to this fine episode.
This week is a double feature, “The Evil Clergyman“, and “The Horror in the Burying Ground“. Neither are my cup of tea, nor were they very sweet on Chad or Chris by the sound of it. Though no one seems to be thoroughly impressed with these two, the reader this week is Michael Ford, father in-law to Chris, and all around handsome sounding character, cetainly gives these two tales a shine. If there is a reason why I like these two stories episode, Michael would be that reason, and the sweet sound of the music of fellow North Dakotan, Troy Sterling Nies.
“The Evil Clergyman” was a dream, according to Lovecraft, that he wrote about to a friend who later published it after Lovecraft’s death. So I wouldn’t be too hard on this one folks, like Chris and Chad said, I’m sure he would have worked this thing out better with a plot that actually made sense.
And then there was “The Horror in the Burying Ground” the final revision Lovecraft did for that terrible Hazel Heald. Well, I guess I don’t know how terrible she really was because it seems Lovecraft really never had anything nice to say about the folks he ghost wrote for. Both of these tales have a bit humor in them, but “The Horror in the Burying Ground” seems to resonate with the muffled chuckles of Lovecraft himself.
The sponsor for this weeks show is David Maurice Garrett. This guy has a great new book entitled, Tome of Horror: The Collected Dark Fiction, and its available in paperback or Kindle. Check out David’s blog, Visions of the Dark, because mainly his name is David, and I hear that’s a good name.
Though not a lot of praise has been handed to these two tales, I do suggest you read them and spawn your own opinion and tell us what you think, or head over to HPPodcraft.com and let them know what was on your mind while reading them. Of coarse its a great episode regardless of the tales being covered. I always enjoy my Thursdays with Chris and Chad, and its sad to think that maybe around April they will be done going through Lovecraft’s work. I only hope that they continue doing something. Cheers!
HPPodcraft.com – Episode 99/100 – The Thing on the Doorstep
It’s been a long hard couple of years, but since June of 2009, the world has had the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast to make it easier. I mention this because Chad and Chris have hit their 100th episode! Congrats to those gentlemen. In the beginning of the 100th episode the guys talk about what they’ve done to get where they are now and what’s in store for the future. I am excited to see where these two take it and I am sure I will be listening every step of the way.
Lately when Chris and Chad do a two part story, or three, I wait till the final episode to post about it. If it goes over three parts I usually cover every other episode. So this week I sandwiched episode 99, and 100 to sum up what went down in one shot. The guys didn’t have a physical voice or guest for this story, but they were able to get some side notes from Michael Reaves.
Most people may not know the name, but Reaves is quite prolific. He’s done work for Gargoyles, The New Batman, He-Man, and most notably (especially to me) The Real Ghostbusters. Check out more of his work and what he’s accomplished here. Anyway, the guys were unable to get him on the show, so they read some stuff he wrote for the episodes. Very clever and very sharp stuff from Michael, and I hope to hear, and see more from him in the future.
Now im not going to go into too much detail on what the guys talked about in regards to The Thing on the Doorstep, however I encourage all to listen to what these guys had to say about this story. The reader this week is Fred Cross, and he does an excellent job voicing out the distress from characters Edward, and Dan. Though this story is almost a little to incestial, if that’s a word, it has a great undertone that Chad points out as the trouble people go through when losing their identity, and the perversion of others encroaching in on your morals.
Also this week listen for the special code for 10% of any order at Miskatonic Books. That deal is going through Valentine’s Day, so get on over and make a couple orders. Again congrats to these guys and I hope to be hearing another 200 episodes as we wind down this cosmically colored path beyond the darkest of the hillside thickets. A special treat! I posted at the bottom the actual episode of The Real Ghostbusters, The Collect Call of Cthulhu, and Cheers!
From Beyond ~ H.P.L. Adapted Animated Short by Michael Granberry
Saw this on the YouTube homepage, and thought I’d give it a look. Pretty good stuff for a claymation/stop motion animation. Strange adaptation of “From Beyond”, but clever none the less.
The Statement of Randoph Carter – Animation by Eldritch Animation
Another animated short by Eldritch Animation that takes a different look at the story of “The Statement of Randoph Carter”. Enjoy!
The Terrible Old Man – Animation by Eldrtich Animation
I came across a couple of cool videos produced by this little animation company called Eldritch Animation. Check them out!
A Lovecraft Dream – Animated by Michele Botticelli
Just a little treat for your Wednesday! If I had dreams like this every night, I would probably kill myself. Enjoy!
Octopus Leaves Water and Walks on Land
There is something completely creepy about the idea of octopuses walking on land, well at least for me its creepy. Though it’s not uncommon to see an ocotpus outside of water for a little bit, especially for captive ones that have been known to escape and turn up in the least expected places. It is, however, rare to catch the act on film. I’m not sure exactly why this one leaves the water and seems to follow the people, but I did see that it left behind a dead crab. Maybe the octopi was protesting pollution, and decided to throw his garbage on our turf.
Maybe its all the Lovecraft reading but things that live in the ocean should stay there. I’d feel more comfortable thank you.
N., by Stephen King
Stephen King has always openly stated that H.P. Lovecraft was/is one of his biggest influences on his writing, and through a few stories that is easy to point out. Recently I read a post that Mike over at the Lovecraft eZine had put up about one of King’s more recent Lovecraftian stories, N. Appearing in Just After Sunset: Stories
In Mikes post about N., he shares a string of 25 videos that tell the story of N. in comic book form. Thanks to some of the artists at Marvel.com, we have been blessed with visual take on the horror of patient N. I have the trailer posted here, but for an entire list of all 25 episodes check out the Lovecraft eZine’s post here.
H.P.Podcraft.com – Episode #96 – Winged Death, with Hazel Heald
Hey Kids are you ready for your weekly H.P. Lovecraft fix? Well This week we get what might possibly be the last episode for a few weeks, as Chris Lackey will be off for a few weeks with his newborn son (When he gets here). Until then we will have time to enjoy and talk about this weeks story, Winged Death, by Mr. Lovecraft and Hazel Heald.
Not one of H.P.L’s most well known stories, Winged Death, takes readers to place that Lovecraft has yet to visit, Africa. With a mix of the usual occult ramblings about the Cthulhu Mythos, Lovecraft brings in his smallest adversary, a fly with ancient soul swapping magic. You’ll have to read this one to get it folks, but I have to say its worth it. I liked this one, and I believe that Lovecraft has hit a stage where almost every story he puts out, collaboration or no, is amazingly different and gets one thinking.
Reader this for this weeks episode is J.P. Moore. J.P. is the author of the hit podcast novel “Toothless“, and the highly anticipated “The Old God“. Check out him and his work at jpmooreonline.com. Unspeakable Gibberer is giving this one 3 1/2 stars in alignment out of 5. Cheers!
HPPodcraft.com – Episode #95 – Through the Gates of the Silver Key, with E. Hoffman Price
It’s been a while since my last post about these guys. I skipped over posting about “The Call of Cthulhu” reading with Andrew Leman, and decided that on the next episode post I would breeze over it. Great production value, as to be expected, and a great treat to have over Halloween. All of the full readings are now exclusively available on the H.P.L Literary Podcast homepage.
This week’s episode was one I have been waiting for a long time. I am a big Randolph Carter fan, and I was excited to get to this one. In some reviews of the tale, I gathered it was another crappy team-up, as Chris calls them, but after hearing both Chris and Chad talk about it, I immediately rushed to my complete collection of H.P. Lovecraft and read it. Good stuff folks. We are blessed again to have the dreamy voice of Lance Holt, from The Dream Quest of Unkown Kadath, and The Silver Key fame. As Lovecraft has progressed, I have noticed a more Science-fiction feel to his work. His descriptions of sounds, lights, and color really grabbed me and at times I felt myself falling through space in sort of a kaleidoscopic worm-hole.
Like I said I am a big Carter fan, and I really liked how this story panned out. Yes it was obvious from the start, and from reading reviews, I knew how it would end. Even with those spoilers I never read a perspective that gathered that Carter is an archetype of Yog-Sothoth. Still filling in the plot with all the description and feeling helps prove that Lovecraft is a master of his realm. I would have to agree with the guys that this one doesn’t get enough credit, and hope that someday they produce full readings of all of Carters journeys.
Next week, that is if Mr. Lackey isn’t fathering a gibbering spawn of himself, we get another Hazel Heald collaboration, The Winged Death. Read before they discuss and enjoy the madness. I give this story 5 out of 5 stars in alignment.
HPPodcraft.com – Episode #94 – The Horror in the Museum, with Hazel Heald
Well were two for two this week, as we join Chad and Chris again as they go through another Lovecraft/Heald team-up entitled “The Horror in the Museum“. Picking up the mic alongside the boys was Brooke Phong, interne to the show, and regular Lovecraftian comedian.
This was a great episode, and I was happy to hear that the guys liked this one so much. The great notes, and reading definitely led me to picking up my “The Horror in the Museum and Other Revisions”
The readings by Anthony Tedesco were brilliant, and solidified my feelings that this might make a great future reading for HPPodcraft to produce. I vote 3 out of 5 stars in alignment. And on behalf of the guys, DON’T FORGET TO DONATE.
Oh, and not to freak anyone out, but next week we get a most excellent treat. Better than candy for Halloween this year we are lucky to get to listen to a full reading of “The Call of Cthulhu”. Get excited.
Unspeakable Gibberer 