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Title | Volume 1
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Author | Jose Oliver
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Illustrator | Bartolo Torres
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Publisher | KettleDrummer Books - 2012
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First Printing | 2007
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Title | Volume 2
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Author | Jose Oliver
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Illustrator | Bartolo Torres
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Publisher | KettleDrummer Books - 2012
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First Printing | 2011
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Title | Volume 3
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Author | Jose Oliver
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Illustrator | Bartolo Torres
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Publisher | KettleDrummer Books - 2013
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First Printing | 2010
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Category | Comics
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Warnings | Gore, alcoholism
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Main Characters | Lovecraft, Suixie, Glenn
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Main Elements | Gods, ghouls
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 Volume 1
The writer, misanthropist, cat lover and compulsive reader Howard Philips Lovecraft was the genius of literature whose myths would forever change horror literature. But before becoming a cult author, Lovecraft lived a magic childhood, and this world of his early years was to shape the cosmogony that he later created as an adult...this is young Lovecraft's story.
Volume 2
Continuing the alternate biography of a true legend of horror, this book follows Little "Howie" Lovecraft and his ghoulish crew of friends as they deal with the boredoms and challenges of youth, from the labors of daily homework—and the misadventures of the golem created to do the work instead—to dealing with Siouxie, the new girl in class who just moved from Detroit. Using an expressive style to capture the anxieties of Lovecraft’s youthful episodes, the illustrations complement the plot that is at once humorous, macabre, and ever gothic. Each of the artistic panels are peppered with artful references to Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Rimbaud, Herman Melville, Nick Cave, Siouxsie Sioux, and the Misfits.
Volume 3
Fanciful and gothic, the alternate vision of H. P. Lovecraft’s biography continues in this imaginative graphic telling of the famed writer’s youth. The not-so-normal boy and his ghoulish friends tackle everyday problems of schoolyard bullies, first crushes, and the occasional Cthulhu. Little “Howie” takes a break from the boredom of homework by visiting the realm of sleep, where his encounters are not quite what he expects. The comical adventures of this macabre crew treat fans of the horror genre to ample literary references, with witty surprises from punk and pop culture. A gallery is included of other artist’s renderings of their own conjuring of a young Lovecraft.
Ok, first thing, this is not a biography. Right at the start the authors mention that they are making everything up (more or less) changing whatever they feel like changing (supernatural bits notwithstanding, you never know right?). I had to smile when the author's wrote that maybe the kinds of people and creatures they toss the young boy's way explains his dislike of people, his lack of interest in women, and his love for cats. And of course, one very disturbing but fascinating imagination.
Two things came to mind while reading this. First is the comic strip Lio. This is just a different Lio living in a different time period and with a different squid creature to keep him company. The second, the art style evokes nothing less than Tim Burton. So if you take Lio, Burton, and Lovecraft, mix them together, you basically get this cute and creepy comic.
Alongside "Howie" doing relatively normal things like going to school, getting beaten up by bullies, and summoning the great eye of Rammenoth, he also spends time rewriting classic of literature (did you know that Moby Dick is actually Cthulhu's pet whale? He has the collar and everything to prove it), visiting dead poets in their tombs, and attempting to stop his pet ghoul from blowing up his backyard while his aunts are out shopping.
It's a little gory at moments so I wouldn't say it's for everyone, and I have no idea what Lovecraft would think of it, but I enjoyed both the art and the snark. Note that the library couldn't figure out what to do with it either, one book came to me through the kids section, but another through the adult. There's a level of silliness that kids would get, but unless your kid is particularly well read, many references will pass them by (heck, I didn't know two of the three poets myself). There's also alcoholism (well, one of the poets was Poe), and one moment of nudity so yeah, maybe not for the youngest crowd even with the cute Burton vibe, its a little more Sweeney Todd than it is Nightmare Before Christmas.
The only downside was when it would reference something I wasn't familiar with, the the joke is lost and I'm just scratching my head, but on the other hand, if it's something I have encountered like the Algernon Blackwood retelling (long story why I even know about Blackwood), or the reference to a young Robert E.Howard and his Conan tales (which can be considered part of the Cthullu mythos as the authors shared ideas, and there is overlap with places, books, names, etc...I'll have to reread those now and find the references!) you feel part of the in-group.
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