Creepy Image Round Up

Having nothing better to blog about on a lazy Sunday, I thought I would share some chilling images collected from the nether regions of the internet. The picture above would probably fascinate Thomas Ligotti, or just terrify the multitudes who have a deep, painful fear of clowns. What could be worse than getting leered at by some demented jester in a dark hospital room?


This creature, composed from piles of military gear, would look right at home in the forgotten parts of the world. Chernobyl or the abandoned military bases in America's western deserts would be great hosts for such a malevolent being.


This statue of Buddha seemingly mirrors the period of asceticism experienced by the religious figure before he found a better path to Enlightenment. Though filled with religious significance, the starving Buddha statue is still very eerie. No doubt, emaciated symbols like these continue to guide the harsher, more secretive sects of the Far East, where monks have mummified themselves and tormented their bodies for centuries while hoping for a spiritual breakthrough.


Rumors around the internet suggest this work of art came from a patient in an insane asylum. True or not, it makes for a great story. And it's all too probable based on the highly disturbing features contained in the shadowy scratches of this image.

-Grim Blogger

Creepy Image Round Up

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Stephen King's "N."

Stephen King has a new short story collection entitled Just After Sunset that's due out on November 11th, 2008. The most notable piece in this new book for connoisseurs of weird literature is a tale called "N." This work marks Stephen King's most recent and possibly most extensive creation of a blatantly Lovecraftian story. References to a "three lobed eye" and the name "Cthun" appear. Mysterious stones outside a little New England town prompt madness. And the story's structure comes to us through the papers of a psychologist driven to insanity by a patient named "N." This latter feature even mimics a format constructed in one of H.P. Lovecraft's most famous tales, "The Call of Cthulhu."

Readers of the weird, a number of whom are usually skeptical or dismissive of King's efforts along these lines, won't have to wait until November to get a sense of this story. Simon & Schuster have put up a website featuring twenty five episodes of "N." This comprises a significant chunk of the story, if not its entirety. Each video is about two minutes long, and utilizes handsome comic art animations to bring the story to life. A player, complete with every episode, appears below, though quality may still be better at the original site linked above. This is an aesthetically delightful marketing strategy to whip up interest in the story, and provides the curious something for free. However, be forewarned: the site's brief advertisements appearing every few episodes may create fatigue for the viewer trying to watch it all in one sitting.

Marvel Comics is also working with Simon & Schuster to bring forth a series of comic books or a graphic novel based on "N." sometime next year. The art used in the "N." animations appears to be lifted from this upcoming project. In any case, it will be interesting to see if King's heavily Lovecraftian effort is able to generate the popularity and high interest among his large pool of readers that his other works routinely do.



-Grim Blogger

Stephen King's "N."

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Weird News: Entrance to Xibalba Discovered?

Researchers have discovered an immense network of temples leading underground in the Yucatan Peninsula--perhaps the mythical pathway to the Mayan underworld of Xibalba? The bone strewn, watery passages of these crypts snaking under the humid hills sounds all too familiar as well. Fans of weird fiction will find a lot of disturbing commonality in H.P. Lovecraft's revisionist tale, "The Mound." Just because it's in the Yucatan Peninsula rather than Oklahoma doesn't mean a horrid underground civilization might be lurking down there. K'n-yan = Xibalba, anyone?

Portal to Mythical Mayan Underworld Found in Mexico

-Grim Blogger

Weird News: Entrance to Xibalba Discovered?

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Preview Images from The Nightmare Factory Volume 2 Released

MySpace Comics is featuring several preview pages from the story "Gas Station Carnivals" slated to appear in Thomas Ligotti's The Nightmare Factory Volume 2 graphic novel. This particular story is illustrated by Vasilis Lolos, and appears to closely follow Ligotti's original story path. Previews from the other three stories expected to appear ("The Clown Puppet," "Sect of the Idiot," and "The Chymist") are absent. Fortunately, the images provided from "Gas Station Carnivals" appear to uphold the relatively high standards of the last Nightmare Factory installment. The latest volume has a release date in early September. Like its predecessor, it should see a wide distribution in mainstream bookstores, something quite rare for Thomas Ligotti's works these days.

Additionally, the graphic novel is again being published by Fox Atomic Comics. They have their own MySpace page up highlighting information about The Nightmare Factory Volume 2's artists, story adapters, and literary originator. Read their information here for an in-depth look at the personalities behind the creation of this comic.

-Grim Blogger

Preview Images from The Nightmare Factory Volume 2 Released

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Sale on Slightly Damaged Books at Centipede Press

Centipede Press, recently acclaimed publisher of Artists Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft, is holding a blowout sale for slightly damaged books and some old holdouts found laying around. Some of these deals are really incredible--the buyer who isn't picky about his books being in pristine condition can get the massive Lovecraftian art retrospective for just $200 instead of $395. Cheap horror paperbacks, a few old copies of the highly collectable Tiamet magazine (featuring art and fiction by H.R. Giger and Thomas Ligotti, among others), and some marked down deluxe Dracula books can all be yours for thievishly good prices. While most of these come with minor dings, dents, or scratches, it sounds as though the damage is really minor. Just enough to prevent each item from being marketable at full price.

The "Enter the Octopuss" blog has a page up with a full listing of Centipede's slightly adulterated wares. Ordering instructions can be found there as well.

-Grim Blogger

Sale on Slightly Damaged Books at Centipede Press

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Blasphemous Tomes: The Eldritch Quintuplets

This new "blasphemous tomes" series of posts will cover books related to the weird fiction genre that are off the commonly tread literary path. The weird of the weird, you might say. Sometimes humorous, sometimes deathly serious, and always bizarre, these books are also usually obscure. Bringing them to light from an out-of-print musty shelf or from the darker caverns of the online world might or might not unleash a multitude of horrors. You have been warned.

The Elegantly Amused Press only holds one publication to its name so far. And it's easily classifiable as a blasphemous tome. The Eldritch Quintuplets is a re-formatting of H.P. Lovecraft's terrors into jaunty limerick form. Phrases from the famous Necronomicon already possess their own charming rhythm, as in the famous couplet, "That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die." Authors Mike Tice and R.A. Strong up the ante by blurring Necronomicon passages into limericks. Observe the example posted on the book's webpage:

There was a Mad Arab who said
That Cthulhu, though dreaming is dead,
But some future night
When the stars become right,
He'll abandon his watery bed.

But they don't stop there. These writers effectively retell nearly every Lovecraft tale with a limerick. The horror! This 2003 work only saw a very limited release from this tiny publisher. Still, it seems copies of this book remain on the publisher's website. Inquire about buying one of these cheap texts to own a truly unique bit of Lovecraftian ephemera.

-Grim Blogger

Blasphemous Tomes: The Eldritch Quintuplets

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The Necronomicon Flash Card Game

EDIT 08/27/2008: It appears copyright issues with the art have brought the original version down. An updated version of this game, temporarily without art, is available here.

Newgrounds currently hosts this fun flash game called The Necronomicon. Modeled after physical turn based card games like Magic: The Gathering, it features many familiar faces from H.P. Lovecraft's stories and surrounding ephemera. Conjure arcane spells to defeat opponents, summon Shoggoths and Byakhees, and protect your sanity from the the King in Yellow. This game has a very nice balance of characters and spells, and enjoys a low learning curve. It seems you're condemned to battling a computer opponent, however, as the creators haven't yet included a human-to-human multiplayer option.

This one is well worth checking out for the Lovecraft fan, and is easy enough for gamers of all skills. It encapsulates the fine balance of strategy and the Cthulhu Mythos that the gaming world ought to see more of.

-Grim Blogger

The Necronomicon Flash Card Game

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Clash at Swan Point Cemetery: Why Not Photograph Lovecraft's Grave?

Irish fantasist and author Caitlin R. Kiernan recently ran into a belligerent security guard at Swan Point Cemetery, who swore at her and demanded she delete photos of H.P. Lovecraft's grave. The crazed, possibly intoxicated guard seemed to stretch the cemetery's policy of no photographs far past its limits. It seems this is a weirdly isolated incident in the graveyard's long history of housing H.P. Lovecraft's remains in its soil. However, it may well raise new concerns for admirers traveling to Providence who wish to pay tribute to the weird writer while obtaining their own token of the visit on film.

Perhaps the deeper question is this: why not photograph Lovecraft's grave? Swan Point's security deployments around HPL's grave are partially understandable. After a failed attempt to unearth Lovecraft's coffin in the late 1990s, security was stepped up, especially on certain days like Lovecraft's birthday (August 20th), date of death (March 15th), and Halloween. Minor "vandalism," such as quoting phrases from Lovecraft on his headstone and surrounding property (as in the tree carving pictured at the top) is also a reason behind the fiercer security presence. That said, the cemetery's bizarre policy banning photography still prompted the latest clash between Kiernan and Swan Point's guy.

According to visitors, Swan Point's remains an active cemetery with regular internments of new corpses. This allegedly prompts their no photos policy, since the graveyard believes camera wielding tourists will disrupt funerals. Huh? There's a lot that doesn't add up here, with the policy in general and application to Lovecraft specifically. Vast swaths of plots around Lovecraft's grave are old, established families of Providence, many of whom have already been put in the ground. It's difficult to see how photographers would be in a position to offend distant mourners. Moreover, when was the last time someone really had the nerve to snap photos right next to a funeral tent? It's almost impossible to envision a rude tourist meandering around the cemetery and taking pictures with zero regard for funeral goers.

Even more nonsensically, Swan Point's policy is all but unenforceable. Judging by the immense number of photos showing H.P. Lovecraft's grave on the internet and in books, it has been a huge failure. Perhaps this is because even Swan Point doesn't take itself seriously. Or because they lack the personnel to endlessly monitor Lovecraft's resting place, except on the three days mentioned above. It would be interesting to know if Kiernan was confronted on August 20th. This would explain an increased security presence around the author's grave, possibly resulting in the awkward occurrence. In any case, Swan Point just cast itself in a terribly unprofessional light. Maybe the security guard in question was hellbent on picking a fight. Yet, Swan Point's worthless and unreasonable ban on photos provided fuel for the inferno of rage that burst out of this man.

Despite my obvious bias, I don't expect the cemetery to reverse their position anytime soon. It's far more likely that the status quo will continue. The graveyard's owners will leave the no photos policy intact, while most sane security guards will ignore the visitations by camera lenses. For now, the main lesson that can be gleaned for potential visitors to Lovecraft's grave site is this: keep the cameras hidden on the three days Swan Point steps up their security, and in the presence of unhinged-looking guards. Otherwise, shoot away.

-Grim Blogger

Clash at Swan Point Cemetery: Why Not Photograph Lovecraft's Grave?

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"The Miskatonic Acid Test"

The 1960s were a strange period, for Arkham, Massachusetts, and the rest of the nation. No single incident was weirder, however, than Miskatonic's gathering of music-loving young people, LSD, and ancient tomes in 1969. "The Miskatonic Acid Test" is a feature length film cataloging this tumultuous period in the little New England town's history. Young hippies, many from Miskatonic University, sought to expand their consciousness like other experimental groups across the country. But when trifling with these sort of things in Arkham, you always get more than originally bargained for...

From the official synopsis:

In 1969 a group of students at Miskatonic University in witch-haunted Arkham, Massachusetts decided to emulate the West Coast and put on their own sort of "happening", where "music and atmosphere could combine to create an alteration of consciousness", with the clandestine help of a little LSD. Or maybe a lot. However, it is said that one should be very careful when experimenting with the nether regions of consciousness, particularly when one's psychedelic event is occuring under the watchful eye of a philosophy professor who specializes in the study of Evil, and most particularly when that selfsame professor has access to the darker realms of the Miskatonic University library, where reside ancient tomes that should never be read under any circumstances, especially not aloud, and especially not in front of a crowd, and most especially not in front of a crowd that is under the effects of mind-altering drugs...

As intriguing as this movie's premise is, the 2006 production is a tough one to find. It supposedly wrapped up late that year, but hasn't made any screenings or DVD releases yet (at least, none I've been fortunate enough to stumble on). Alas, this may be a dead project, or one indefinitely on hold. Unlike so many good Lovecraftian projects that vanish from the map, this one has at least left us with this immortal trailer, perhaps the only footage we will ever have of Miskatonic's LSD-driven foray's to the other side.



-Grim Blogger

"The Miskatonic Acid Test"

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H.P. Lovecraft's Ghost Haunting Brooklyn Apartment?

A haunted Brooklyn apartment? Ouija boards trying to make contact with Lovecraft's spirit? What's going on here?! A new article from the "New York Post" claims the current resident of H.P. Lovecraft's former place in New York is haunted, quite possibly by his ghost. If this is true, it must imply either a truly hellish or awfully boring afterlife for the weird writer. Lovecraft would have to be somehow imprisoned in his hated Brooklyn apartment or very bored to want to return there. The latter doesn't seem very likely, while the former is almost too terrible to contemplate.

On the other hand, the immense depression Lovecraft experienced in New York might play into some theories on ghosts. According to some, phantom "moods" may be strong enough to congeal into spirit-like presences and result in hauntings. This seemingly accounts for stories of individuals who say they have seen the ghosts of those not yet dead, or have seen and felt the deceased in multiple places at once.

Of course, the "New York Post" being the "Post" means there's more than sufficient reason to cast doubt on this tale of a famous haunting. But hey, it makes for one hell of a story. The story also includes a nice slide show featuring pictures of what Lovecraft's old apartment currently looks like. The place actually appears quite stylish! Though I doubt even a colonial Governor's palace in New York would be enough to make HPL want to spend eternity there. The few years lived in the city were a well known psychological tumor for H.P. Lovecraft. He fumed about everything in New York--the skyscrapers, the stench, and the immigrant hordes--and churned out some of his angriest, woe-ridden tales like "He," "Cool Air," and "The Horror at Red Hook."

Like Edgar Allan Poe and other great writers of horror, it shouldn't be surprising Lovecraft would be subjected to allegations of haunting sooner or later. Though this appears to be the first major instance of it. Here's an idea for a small press book: the posthumous visitations of H.P. Lovecraft (or at least the recorded claims of them).

-Grim Blogger

H.P. Lovecraft's Ghost Haunting Brooklyn Apartment?

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Celebrating H.P. Lovecraft's 118th Birthday!

If H.P. Lovecraft were alive today, he would be a not so Terrible Old Man. At 118 years of age, he would be one of the oldest human beings on the planet. It seems surreal to talk about a tremendously elongated lifespan for a man who had his life cut horribly short at 46 in 1937. Still, it isn't as if HPL lacked for a sort of fantasy old age. Providence's most zealous Anglophile was well known for signing himself "Grandpa" among his circle of correspondents. At least he had that, though many will still feel a slight note of bitterness this day that Lovecraft did not live to see more than fifty birthdays.

Mourn not. In the terrors and strange beauties of his literary creations, Lovecraft has secured his immortality. Admirers of weird fiction should mark this day with a smile and a celebratory atmosphere. Lovecraft had a short career of short stories, but accomplished exceptionally great things. Greater than even novelists who lived full lives. In life, as well as in death, HPL ended up coming far closer to the titanic success of his tragic idol Edgar Allan Poe than he ever knew. Both men live on as permanent mysterious moons in our dreams and nightmares.

Though H.P. Lovecraft would prefer iced cream on a birthday, the cake above is hard to beat for its Cthulhuvian content. Rather than stressing artistic forms of Cthulhu like many confections have done, this cake centers on clever word play using the title of His quintessential tale, "The Call of Cthulhu." And seeing as how it balances on the line between cosmic horror and Cutethulhu, Lovecraft might have actually been delighted.

-Grim Blogger

Celebrating H.P. Lovecraft's 118th Birthday!

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President Cthulhu

Many have participated in the humorous Cthulhu Presidential campaigns the last few election cycles. But have any ever gone so far to imagine what a Cthulhu administration would actually look like? The answer is yes. An online search turns up a few excellent depictions of how President Cthulhu would likely run things. For everyone but Cthulhu and other select Great Old Ones, it would not be pretty. Perhaps the poster above, colorfully playing off Barrack Obama's popular campaign art, says it best. A Cthulhu administration would deliver the elitism, special interests, and bizarre scandals other politicians try to disguise.



However, as the latter two images reveal, a Cthulhu Presidency wouldn't be all bad. We might finally see the worst of the lobbyists mopped up as an appetizer for Azathoth's High Priest. And there can be no doubt about the shock and awe President Cthulhu would inject into Washington. The deadlocked, unpopular Congress would surely be overturned. Nor would President Cthulhu hesitate to use the Veto--with the pen or his massive trans-dimensional tentacles.

Somehow, though, I suspect the American Presidency isn't enough for Cthulhu. When your only handicap to inconceivable power is the alignment of the heavens, then you ought to aspire to nothing less than a good segment of the universe, even if it's all for the Glory of Azathoth in the end.

Whatever the election cycle, you can pick up your Cthulhu for President T-shirt here. Wear it to the gatherings of the opposition parties, and let them know who can truly bridge the partisan divide. More eldritch news from the 2008 campaign is available here: On the Campaign Trail with Cthulhu.

-Grim Blogger

President Cthulhu

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H.P. Lovecraft the Candy Marketer

If you've ever wondered what it would have been like if H.P. Lovecraft had tried to market candy, ponder no more. A recent item in the literary journal "McSweeney's" has come closer than anyone to the answer. Luke Burns' online piece explores "Selections from H.P. Lovecraft's Brief Tenure as a Whitman's Sampler Copywriter." Lovecraft was known to have a notorious sweet tooth, so these eight snippets of an alternate HPL trying to market candy isn't that far fetched. Of course, reading them leaves the impression the stodgy businesses of the 1920s and 1930s wouldn't have kept Lovecraft on long, despite gems like his description of the Caramel Chew:

There is a dimension ruled by a blind caramel God-King who sits on a vast, cyclopean milk-chocolate throne while his mindless, gooey followers dance to the piping of crazed flutes. It is said that there are gateways in our world that lead to this caramel hell-planet. The delectable Caramel Chew may be one such portal.

Read the full scenario linked above for a good laugh from an unlikely source of Lovecraftiana.

-Grim Blogger

H.P. Lovecraft the Candy Marketer

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New Lovecraftian Film "Chill" Due in November

According to Dread Central, Lionsgate is set to do a direct-to-DVD release of the ostensibly Lovecraftian movie "Chill" on November 4th, 2008. It's currently being wrapped up by director Serge Rodnunsky. And so begins the familiar process of awaiting another Lovecraftian film to determine whether it will be a fresh wind, or a failure as foul as Innsmouth's shore. Based on the plot description available from the film's Myspace page, it doesn't look very promising as a faithful Lovecraftian work, but may yet turn out a decent horror movie.

In this classic retro horror thriller, Sam (Thomas Calabro, "Melrose Place"), an aspiring writer, takes a job in an L.A. inner city grocery market owned by the sinister Dr. Munoz, who claims to have a rare skin condition that forces him to live in sub-freezing temperatures. Meanwhile, Sam befriends an attractive neighborhood boutique owner Maria (Ashley Laurence, "Hellraiser"), and is unwittingly entwined in a threatening love triangle when she reveals that Detective Defazio (James Russo, "Donnie Brasco"), who is investigating the recent disappearance of two local prostitutes, is stalking her.

But it's what Sam doesn't know that might prove more fatal. A darker, diabolical secret lurks behind the freezer walls of his newfound employment. Could Munoz really be keeping himself alive through occult measures and the flesh that he harvests from his kidnapped victims? Time is running out. Sam is now captive in this house of horrors. He must escape and save his own hide – literally, before the next fall of Munoz's razor-edged blades. Inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's spine tingling tale of the macabre, “Cool Air”.

Dr. Munoz, the kindly and mysterious Spanish gentleman from HPL's "Cool Air" wielding blades to extract flesh for prolonging his life? House of horrors? It sounds like this film tries to amalgamate too much, probably unsuccessfully. Rather than Lovecraft, it sounds like the "Saw" movies and ubiquitous slashers are a much more likely influence on "Chill." Somehow, I suspect the "modernization" (i.e. bastardization) of H.P. Lovecraft's literary heritage continues. Those who awaited and then suffered through the movie "Beyond the Wall of Sleep" a few years ago can't help but see parallels with the impending arrival of "Chill."

Frankly, I hope I'm completely wrong and that "Chill" startles us all. Though at this point, it doesn't look likely. At the same time, it may make a surprisingly good horror film, but not a good Lovecraft film. Those seeking a faithful adaption of "Cool Air" should watch Lurker Film's version released several years ago. It's an hour long black and white production that tastefully follows HPL's story without wild divergences.

-Grim Blogger

New Lovecraftian Film "Chill" Due in November

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Animated Edgar Allan Poe Reading "The Raven"

This animated version of Edgar Allan Poe reading his immortal work, "The Raven," has wracked up quite a few hits on Youtube since being added late last month. There's something disquieting, but amazing about seeing a man of the pre-camera age reciting one of his most renowned works. The technology in of itself is good as well. Aside from some trippy wavering, it looks like a reel out of the '20s or '30s--the closest we shall ever get to an authentic reading by Poe.

The endlessly burgeoning abilities of technology to bring the dead back to life bring the promise of further applications and refinements. Perhaps H.P. Lovecraft will join Poe one day, find ing himself completely re-animated in artificial form, along with other greats of the literary field.



-Grim Blogger

Animated Edgar Allan Poe Reading "The Raven"

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New Thomas Ligotti Interview With Venger Satanis

Venger Satanis (Darrick Dishaw) has just released a new interview he conducted with the master of bleakness, Thomas Ligotti. Right off, there's no Earth shattering news from the Ligotti front--the writer remains as clear as ever about his uncertainty concerning future stories or projects (aside from the forthcoming non-fictional work of philosophy, The Conspiracy Against the Human Race). Still, this interview has a noticeably different flavor, due mostly to Dishaw's perspective stemming from his role as leader of the real life Cult of Cthulhu.

As one may imagine, Venger Satanis asks Ligotti some questions no one else has probably ever thought of touching on--and receives back some enlightening, longish answers. Among detailed explanations from Ligotti about why he wrote certain stories the way he did, we find out if he has ever played a Role Playing Game, what he's been up to this week, and what he has liked on television. Most of these answers won't appeal much to those outside the camp of Ligotti devotes who find the author himself interesting. Still, the interview is worth reading for anyone with an interest in weird fiction, if only to gain further insight into the mind of one of the field's contemporary luminaries.

-Grim Blogger

New Thomas Ligotti Interview With Venger Satanis

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A Gallery of Strange H.P. Lovecraft Portraits

This strange old Spanish gallery of fun H.P. Lovecraft portraits from the last few decades is a nice find from the dustier corners of the internet. It's also a nice reference for anyone seeking to chart the evolution of Lovecraft's symbolic image in the eyes of his admirers across time. Generally, the HPL portraits exhibited here appear in two varieties: the "monstrous" version of the weird author, and the colonial genteel type. You can see Lovecraft blurred into gargoyle, Deep One, and 18th century archetypes. Yet, no matter what form he appears in, it seems the Old Gent commands high respect from every artist. Lovecraft, as a Deep One or Olde New England gentleman, always takes the form of a master, if not a god.

This parade of Lovecrafts can't help but bring to mind the many facets of self HPL's character Randolph Carter suffered in "Through the Gates of the Silver Key." It appears that even in his own posthumous depictions, H.P. Lovecraft enjoys the same esteem he emanates in literature.

-Grim Blogger

A Gallery of Strange H.P. Lovecraft Portraits

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Les Edwards' Lovecraftian Sketches Online

Earlier this year, Gollancz released a mammoth new edition of H.P. Lovecraft's collected stories. This book, edited by longtime Lovecraftian Stephen Jones, is entitled Necronomicon: The Best Weird Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft. And a handsome volume it is! The leathery skin and grotesque sketches between HPL's stories truly make it worthy of the name Necronomicon, and worthy of many readers' shelves.

When compared to other collections of Lovecraft, it's ultimately the horrific drawings from artist Les Edwards that helps this work rise above the ghoulish pack. Luckily, Edwards' faithful depictions of Lovecraft's many weird creatures and damning locales are also available on his website in the horror gallery here. A jaunty stroll through this Lovecraftian museum will show very few realms pioneered by the Providence writer untouched. Edwards has done an excellent and completest job of bringing HPL's horrors to life, in his own Goya-like images.

Idols rise wildly from the pages of "The Call of Cthulhu." The flabby, fishy Innsmouth look is portrayed with all the loathsome features expected of the decrepit town's populace. And seekers after strange places stand before ominous tombs and graveyards. Les Edwards' dedication to orthodox depictions out of Lovecraft, alongside his skillful execution of them, helps make Gollancz's tome quite possibly the best illustrated edition yet. Even better, the Edwards horror gallery noted above includes some images that didn't make it into the book--providing a collected expanse of Edwards' own dark talents in putting the nightmares of H.P. Lovecraft to paper.

-Grim Blogger

Les Edwards' Lovecraftian Sketches Online

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Elaborate 3-D Images of Miskatonic University

A sub-forum at Meshbox forums currently features some highly detailed 3-D depictions of H.P. Lovecraft's fictional Miskatonic University. These computer generated views nicely flesh out the New England institution. Amid the wooden halls, ancient tomes, and decorative sketches of monstrous beings, it's easy to visualize the school's esteemed Professors lecturing on the Necronomicon or Mi-Go infested folklore of Vermont. The artist has done a good job with these, fluidly mixing the handsome surroundings expected of a prestigious institution with the eldritch.

Whether one intends to use these CGI models for RPG gaming purposes, or just to breathe in the atmosphere of Miskatonic, they would have to search hard to find other Miskatonic depictions as grippingly detailed as these. Best of all, it appears to be an ongoing project, so new animated additions to the university should be forthcoming. Perhaps the 3-D environment of Miskatonic will also appear in some future Lovecraft based video game. Developers could do much worse than to use these models.

-Grim Blogger

Elaborate 3-D Images of Miskatonic University

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Grim Reviews: One Year Later

One year ago today, I launched Grim Reviews. At the time, I wasn't entirely clear what I intended to do with it. I knew it would be a blog orbiting the horror field, but I only had a faint idea it would drift so strongly to the weird horror I have always adored. One year later, I can safely say I'm very glad it did! Blogs centering on H.P. Lovecraft and the broader weird are still few and far between. I believe that Grim Reviews' dedication to those infinite subjects helps bridge an important gap online, one that has also found a decent amount of readers.

A brief review of the year will highlight only a few accomplishes of this blog thus far. The hit counter displays over 18,000 hits. That, in of itself, says that regular subscribers and newcomers have flocked to this blog for information that's scanty elsewhere. Grim Reviews hasn't just focused on a few aspects of the weird (though Lovecraft's shadow towers over everything else here), but the broadest spectrum possible. In addition to covering the titans and obscure figures of weird literature, I have also highlighted weird films, art, and phenomena. All in all, Grim Reviews is and will continue to be a cyclone of esoteric shards woven together by the winds of the internet, prowling a lonely desert for whoever might wish to snatch pieces out and read them.

So, as many wonder, what can be expected by the time Grim Reviews reaches its second anniversary? Some of the same: regular content focusing on all aspects of the weird, with particular attention to H.P. Lovecraft and other weird literary figures. However, there will also be some new features. We will meet several up and coming figures in weird literature who aren't currently known outside a small circle of enthusiasts. This will help to boost understanding of how the weird genre itself is evolving. Time permitting, I also aim to get back to longer, more in-depth posts analyzing mysterious facets of the weird. And, if possible, I hope to acquire a few interviews with outstanding artists and writers of the strange. This blog is now frequented enough to provide some real coverage to the creative, albeit small. So, the relationship would truly be mutually beneficial for readers, blogger, and artist.

As with any other blog, Grim Reviews couldn't function without loyal readers. There are those of you who check out the latest everyday, and those of you just stopping by to read something that caught your eye. To both, I issue a genuine THANK YOU for your support, and I hope you will stay along for the ride in the year to come.

-Grim Blogger

Grim Reviews: One Year Later

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A Familiar Tombstone "From Beyond"

H.P. Lovecraft was known to derive inspiration from many sources for his weird tales. He was also known to adore strolls through cemeteries, in Providence and abroad. So, it's no surprise that Lovecraft took more back with him than the chunk of a 17th century headstone he allegedly chiseled off one day. Observe the TILLINGHAST headstone above.

It seems the Tillinghast family stone at Swan Point Cemetery (where Lovecraft himself is buried today) is the direct inspiration for the mad scientist of "From Beyond." Crawford Tillinghast is a memorable name, for the weird nature of the machine he created to peer beyond the veil of this reality is unforgettable. It appears Lovecraft was struck by the excellent quality of this name, and duly incorporated it into the horrific antagonist of "From Beyond."

What other sturdy names out of Lovecraft would turn up in a walk through Swan Point Cemetery, or in any others that felt the footsteps of HPL? It's somewhat difficult to know, but it does suggest one thing: don't forget your camera in old New England graveyards.

-Grim Blogger

A Familiar Tombstone "From Beyond"

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The Animated Weird of Christiane Cegavske

The animated work of Christiane Cegavske remains little known in weird circles, but it should be. Perhaps this is because she has produced few horror animations to date. Yet, what she has put onto film, as well as into books and sculptures, could fill an abyss with meaning, wonder, and fear. This American contemporary has garnered the greatest attention for two works: a short film entitled "Blood and Sunflowers" and a longer movie called "Blood Tea and Red String." The first appeared as early as 1992 on the Sun Dance Channel, while "Blood Tea and Red String" is a more recent creation that still makes the rounds at film festivals.

The viewer already acquainted with other facets of weird fiction and cinema will be nearly bowled over by the themes alive in her work. Puppets, blood, anthropomorphic animals, and strange creatures combine in a whirlwind of incredible oddity. Her "Blood Tea and Red String" is a silent movie that follows the struggles of a community of mice and oak dwelling creatures over a special doll. The whole thing flows like a beautiful, but deranged fairy tale. All in all, the unique animations, grim themes, and unfettered imagination wrapped up in this movie form an atmosphere that is very well covered by the Weird.

Don't take my word for it, though. The demi-god of the internet that is Youtube provides a nice sampling of Cegavske's work. Below, the full version of "Blood and Sunflowers," and a trailer for "Blood Tea and Red String" is under that. Her official artist's website is well worth checking out as well, for further information about her animations and dark content in photos of other projects.





-Grim Blogger

The Animated Weird of Christiane Cegavske

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Weird News: Masked "Little People" Attack Bishop?

It isn't every day you hear from a crazy Bishop. And on the chance this one isn't, then there is something far more sinister at work. "Little People" wearing masks conjures up imagery from many weird sources: Arthur Machen (several stories nearly comprised their own mini-mythos, following the existence of "Little People" hidden in the corners of the Earth), the creepy 1973 version of The Wicker Man, and the best rumors of old Pagan remnants still at work. Whatever his delusion or encounter, the most interesting thing of all is that this former Bishop seemingly insisted on calling them "Little People." Not children, not midgets, but "Little People" wearing masks...

Did 'Masked Little People' Attack Bishop?

-Grim Blogger

Weird News: Masked "Little People" Attack Bishop?

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More Stunning Lovecraftian Wallpapers

I posted several beautiful Lovecraftian wallpapers for desktop use a little over a month ago. Here's a few more potential wallpapers of stunning quality. As usual, Cthulhu remains a highly popular theme in this latest batch. However, the gruesome cover art from The Best of H. P. Lovecraft: Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre has also been blown up as a wallpaper. Add a little cosmic awe to your computer's workspace with any of these fine high resolution images!



-Grim Blogger

More Stunning Lovecraftian Wallpapers

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"The Whisperer in Darkness" Graphic Novel Coming in October

October, 2008 will see the release of a graphic novel inspired by H.P. Lovecraft's story "The Whisperer in Darkness." The project is in production under the Misatonik Project label from Transfuzion-Millennial Concepts. More importantly, it's bringing in the talents of a big league comic icon: Don Heck, of Iron Man fame. Heck is responsible for work on a number of Silver Age comics from Marvel. However, a lesser known fact is that he did a limited number of horror comics before signing onto work with Marvel's iconic heroes like Iron Man. Despite this background, it sounds like Heck and the rest of the team are dedicated to a purist vision of adapting this tale.

This graphic novel may be viewed at Transfuzion-Millennial Concepts' website for it here, and a lengthier article is available here. Several inked preview pages are available at the Transfuzion-Millennial Concepts link, filled with eldritch horror right out of Yuggoth. The influence of Marvel's Don Heck is definitely at play in the characters presented via preview. Akeley, Wilmarth, and others have the look of old comic denizens, but luckily not to the point of ridiculousness (i.e. looking like superheroes).

Upon release, it will reportedly retail for about $17. With Heck and several other stellar comic makers on board, it may even see wider distribution than other Lovecraftian comics. Not that distribution of recent years has been particularly been. Indeed, Lovecraftian graphic adaptions can be found in local comic book shops and bookstores across the country. Consider it one more perk of H.P. Lovecraft going "mainstream."

-Grim Blogger

"The Whisperer in Darkness" Graphic Novel Coming in October

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Pseudopod's "The Music of Erich Zann"

Pseudopod, an increasingly popular resource for free podcasts with a horrific edge, has posted an audio performance of Lovecraft's "The Music of Erich Zann." This breaks with their regular cycle of podcasts, which consists of recordings from contemporary writers, rather than deceased ones. Perhaps it was in the spirit of their one hundredth podcast. Whatever the case, it's a boon to Lovecraftian listeners. This audio recording is well done, haunting, and effectively captures the atmosphere of HPL's original story. "The Music of Erich Zann" in its adapted form joins an increasingly vast library of other readings of H.P. Lovecraft stories available online. Today, more and more weird tales from Lovecraft and others are appearing in downloadable audio formats.

These podcasts have the dual benefit of serving as "re-creations" of tales read in our own minds, and allows us to bring them along wherever we go. It appears Pseudopod has also partnered with "Weird Tales" magazine in some fashion or other, which can only help their expanding influence across the web. Yes, the digital age is already almost a decade upon us, and luckily, the weird is well adapted for it.

-Grim Blogger

Pseudopod's "The Music of Erich Zann"

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"The Music of Erich Zann" Stop Motion Animation

This little cartoon, obviously based on H.P. Lovecraft's "The Music of Erich Zann," is skillfully designed and eerie. The short film uses several instances of quiet interrupted by sharp, maddening sounds to provide a frightening contrast. However, it doesn't rely purely on "shock" effects for terror. A great deal of it comes from the atmosphere set by the clay-like style of the piece, as well as the damning piano clatter. While it seems to go in a more traditionally supernatural direction than Lovecraft's tale, it doesn't suffer much for it.



-Grim Blogger

"The Music of Erich Zann" Stop Motion Animation

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Some Essential Arthur Machen Links

Arthur Machen's presence online isn't nearly as pronounced as that of H.P. Lovecraft. However, that doesn't mean there aren't some incredible sites worth checking out on the Welsh fantasist. Machen's work continues to live on, in part due to Lovecraft's own popularity, and so do the sites that support him. The following web pages support the legacy of this classic weird writer:

• "Friends of Arthur Machen:" The closest thing there is to an official organization supporting Machen as a living force. This active group has done a great deal to help preserve Machen's memory, including a sculpture project in Britain, as well as organizing performances, readings, and lectures. The Friends website includes very detailed background info on the author, event listings, and publications. The interested can even join this group for about $36 US per year in dues. It regularly puts out a newsletter and a couple issues per year of its literary journal, Faunus.
• "Order of Twilight" Arthur Machen Gallery: This website exhibits a fine gallery of old book covers from Machen's short story collections and novels. Some incredibly rare first editions over a century old are displayed. The broader scope of Arthur Machen content here showcases introductions to various editions of Machen collections by other famous writers, a few introductions and essays by Machen himself, and more.
• Arthur Machen Works from Project Gutenberg: A free source for several important works by the weird author. Selections and full entries from "The Angels of Mons," "The Bowmen and Other Legends of the War," "Famous Modern Ghost Stories," "The Great God Pan," "The Hill of Dreams," and "The House of Souls" are all available here. Happy reading.
• Tartarus Press Catalog: This small press publisher of more obscure weird writers probably creates the finest editions of Machen's work. Each of their five Machen story collections averages about 250-600 pages, and retails for around $70 each. While a bit steep for newcomers to Machen's tales, the books are incredibly high quality. When put together, they're the next best thing to a "Collected Works of Arthur Machen."

-Grim Blogger

Some Essential Arthur Machen Links

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