Squishable Cthulhu: Most Rotund Great Old One Yet

The cutethulhu-izing depictions of Cthulhu, H.P. Lovecraft's most famous creation, have exploded since the first Cthulhu plushie doll appeared several years ago. In fact, it seems that a small cottage industry of sewn, crafted, stuffed, and woolly horrors now exists, offering Lovecraftians with a soft side almost any endearing Cthulhu imaginable. R'lyeh's dreamer serves up more warm comfort than terror these days, a twist which remains curious, but has been around long enough to the point where it's starting to seem like the new "normal" in Lovecraftiana.

Just when you thought Cthulhu couldn't get friendlier, enter Squishable Cthulhu (by the makers of other Squishables). Besides being larger than other Cthulhuvian dolls that have appeared in recent years, Squishable Cthulhu is also the fattest. One wonders how this wild turkey shaped Cthulhu is able to evacuate R'lyeh, even if the stars are right.

Joking aside, this portly nightmare is a significant herald in the onset of H.P. Lovecraft's more mainstream popularity. As I've mentioned before, many Lovecraft followers will wonder, some to their horror, if this is the way forward. Others, perhaps the majority, are happy to embrace anything that spreads HPL's dark gospel. In the coming years, Squishable Cthulhu has the potential to evolve into a symbolic football for those seeking to define Lovecraft's 21st century legacy. Plush Cthulhu dolls will hardly be alone either, as Lovecraftian foods, bedding, and toiletries may stir further controversy. But, whatever else, at least Squishable Cthulhu is the right shape to be easily tossed about in fitful debates.

-Grim Blogger