Otaku no Culture

First published in 1923, the iconic pulp magazine Weird Tales defined the horror and fantasy genres and helped give rise to icons such as H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Ray Bradbury, and C.L. Moore. Those readers who love these “classics” will be in for a treat! More than a century later, Monstrous is teaming up with Weird Tales Magazine to publish the first-ever official Weird Tales graphic novel. — an ambitious adaptation and expansion of the legendary magazine — featuring covers by legendary artists Kelley Jones (Dracula, Sandman) and Eric Powell (The Goon, Dr. Werthless).

The response has been steller, and who knows, maybe this limited run can see retail too. Right now there’s no word if that’s likely to happen. Not even all the stretch goals are revealed, so the fun is like opening up a mystery box. Let’s hope it didn’t once belong to Pandora!

Fans can support the book on Kickstarter.

From the Press Release:

The Weird Tales graphic novel features adaptations of seminal stories, including:

• Michael Avallone’s “The Man Who Walked on Air” — adapted by Chilling Adventures of Sabrina artist Robert Hack and David Avallone, the acclaimed writer and son of Michael Avallone.
• Ray Bradbury’s “The Scythe” — adapted by artist J.K. Woodward and acclaimed novelist and creator of the Joe Ledger series Jonathan Maberry.
• Allison V. Harding’s “The Damp Man” — adapted by acclaimed artist Marco Finnegan (Calavera, PI) and award-winning novelist Nancy A. Collins, who was the first woman to write Swamp Thing and also the first woman to write Vampirella.
• Robert E. Howard’s “Skulls in the Stars” — adapted by 30 Days of Night co-creator Steve Niles
• An original Lovecraft Mythos Story by Peabody Award-winning screenwriter and producer Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia) with art by Lukas Ketner (Count Crowley)
• C.L. Moore’s “Shambleau” — adapted by artist George Quadros (Sumerian) and Blake Northcott (Catwoman)
• Anthony M. Rud’s “Ooze” — the first story published by Weird Tales, in 1923 — reimagined by Weird Tales president, director, and producer John Harlacher (Urchin, Ninja Escape, Nightmare NYC), with art by Zac Atkinson.

The Weird Tales graphic novel also features original stories, including:

• “Doctor Satan vs. Jules de Grandin” by James Aquilone, winner of the Bram Stoker Award-winning Kolchak: The Night Stalker: 50th Anniversary and the anthology Shakespeare Unleashed, with art by Dave Swartz (Confederate Monster)
• “The Cthulhu Project” by Richard Krepit, with art by EV Cantada

“For the first time, the weird, the dark, and the wondrous stories that launched the careers of genre legends leap from the pages of the magazine into a stunning graphic novel experience,” said Aquilone. “Editor Jonathan Maberry and President John Harlacher have been doing exciting things since they resurrected Weird Tales in 2019. When it came time to assemble the contributors for the historic first graphic novel, we went big and bold. These stories are worthy of the great, pulp legacy of Weird Tales.”

“When I was a young teen I got to know and be mentored by Ray Bradbury,” says Weird Tales Editor Jonathan Maberry. “His extraordinary kindness was matched by deep insights into the art and science of storytelling, and that has influenced every part of life and career. He would be delighted that I’m now the editor of Weird Tales Magazine, which he both loved and was published in early in his career. Adapting his powerful and empathetic story, “Scythe” (Weird Tales, July 1943) is a joyful honor and I can’t help but think Ray would be delighted.”

“A wonderful part of Weird Tales has always been our writers and artists taking inspiration from each other,” said Weird Tales publisher John Harlacher. “Since the iconic horror comics of the 20^th century, like Vault of Horror and Tales from the Crypt, were inspired by Weird Tales, it’s an honor to return the favor, and build on that legacy, as well as our own.”

“My father, Michael Avallone, grew up reading Weird Tales… and in 1953, he was thrilled when he made the first professional sale in his long writing career to the magazine, with “The Man Who Walked On Air.” I’ve always loved the story, and thought it was a shame one could only read it in crumbling pulp magazines, or a long-out-of-print anthology,” said David Avallone. “So naturally I was thrilled at the idea of this (appropriately post mortem) collaboration with my late father, adapting this terrific little tale to comic book form. When I was asked who I’d like to illustrate it, my first choice was Robert Hack… an amazingly talented artist who I also knew to be a fan of my father’s writing. I think the result speaks for itself: you’re gonna love it.”

The graphic novel will be 8.5 by 11-inch prestige hardcover and the campaign will include multiple limited edition tiers with multiple collectible covers and exclusive rewards, including a Weird Tales challenge coin, T-shirts, and more.

Monstrous has raised more than $500,000 on Kickstarter over the last four years with such projects as Kolchak Meets the Classic Monsters, The Omega Eleven, and Classic Monsters Unleashed. Monstrous and its founder, James Aquilone, have won multiple accolades, including the Bram Stoker Award, Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award, and the Scribe Award from the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.

 

Fans can back Weird Tales on Kickstarter now.

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