2.24 Book Review: Cthulhu is hard to spell

 I got the preview issue, which does not contain the whole thing, just early stuff for reviewers. After reading the preview, I would highly recommend this anthology.

So the art in this is absolutely incredible. While the cover might give you a sort of indication it's MG, it certainly isn't aimed in that direction. I would say the vibe and themes really hit me as Young Adult. There isn't any swearing or bloodshed, so it is relatively safe for conservative types. Grandma is likely to be mildly confused instead of outraged.

Cthulhu is hard to spell is an anthology from a huge collection of artists and writers. I ventured to the kick-starter page for the anthology in order to get the complete list:

A Lovecraftian comic anthology

Nora (art and words by Angela Oddling) -- a dejected teenager living in an ice village sets out to find Aphoom-Zhah and thaw his cold heart.
The Dunwich Boys (art by Esther Pimentel, words by Eddy Hedington, letters by Nikki Powers) -- Yog-Sothoth has materialized in a house in Dunwich, and the Dunwich boys have to banish it from their neighborhood.
The Eternal War (art and words by Eric Young) -- A retelling of the origin story of Lovecraft's universe, translated from the Voynich manuscript.
Cat is Cryptic (art and words by Megan Hutchison) -- a retelling of the Cats of Ulthar, one of Lovecraft's most beloved stories.
Tsathoggua's Triumph (art by John Edingfield II, words by Clay Adams) -- Tsathoggua dreams of his eventual conquest of the universe.
Cleaning the Mess (story and art by Brandon Perlow, words by Paul J. Mendoza, Letters by Wilson Ramos, Jr.) -- Cthulhu has conquered another world, but all he really wants is his master to come find him.
Song for the Harbinger (art by Brianna Gilmartin, words by Heather Kenealy) -- Ghroth doesn't understand why nobody likes his singing, all he wants to do is harmonize with planets, and they keep blowing up.
The Yag-Kosha Mystery (art and words by Kelly Dochy) -- Yag-Kosha, the pacifist alien, has a mysterious koan for you.
Mons (art and words by Matthew Childers) --Explorers on Mars find an ancient tome that could unlock the secrets of the universe, or unleash a Lovecraftian horror.
The Summoning of Brkthruslpk (art by Robin Dassen, words by Don Perkins) -- A group of kids works to summon the ancient god Brkthruslpk onto the world.
No DQ (art and words by Ryan Fisher) -- A weak, sickly wrestling fan gets to live out his fantasy of being a star after a mysterious stranger endowing him with an enchanted garment.
Slumber (art by Lloyd Ladera, words by Sarah Anderson) -- After being woken up on a spaceship, a man has to escape the Lovecraftian horror chasing him.
That's Cthulhu to You (art by Zac Skellington, words by Leo Baxter Kiker) -- An oddities store gets a new pet: Cthulhu.
How to Summon the Dark Lord Hastur (Art by Cara Stemo, words by Johnny C, letters by Travis Duda, logo design by Nathan Burns) -- A card game, a tragic birth, a goverment experiment, and a violent crime all converge to release a deadly horror on the world.
Church of Mormo (art by Claire Leslie, words by N.S. Kane) -- Greek spirit Mormo goes door to door trying to recruit Cthulhu worshipers to her cause.
She Came Upon a Great Tree (art by Nick Kremenek, words by Mike Speakman, edited by Greg Smith) -- A delivery driver and part-time cultist must find a great tree to unleash Cthulhu and Hastur onto the world.
Flycatcher (art by Dan Scalisi, words by Frank Martin) -- Even though they have been warned for years, the fly people of Dipterra are not prepared for the wrath of Yba'sokug.
The Rally (art and words by Mary Bellamy) -- Lucifer needs new generals, and has decided to recruit Lovecraftian gods to his cause.


So with such a big line-up, it's a really diverse anthology in theme and tone. From bitter-sweet moments when the world comes to an end, to the very relatable 'we could be replaced by a radio and run off to spread chaos' moments of bad decisions.

My personal favourite story was Azatoth's Slumber. The art was very vibrant and exciting, and the personalities really felt strong.

Alright, I've mentioned a few times the art is good, but that's probably a bit vague. While I am no art critic, and all the artists very much have their own style and design on this, I found all of them to be pretty shiny. There are a myriad of very gorgeous styles in here, from watercolour to digital and the art overall was very engaging.

I'll be very excited to get a flesh and blood copy of this anthology at some stage, especially given how jam-packed the full version will be.