From The Mountains of Madness Deluxe Edition to Arkham Horror, Just What Else Will A Scared Dark Horse Deliver?

The months of July and August are shaping up to be quite the season to enjoy some Lovecraftian style terror with two releases! Early in July saw the release of The Mountains of Madness Deluxe Edition and this month, Arkham Horror! When it came to the latter, I had spend time to reacquaint myself with the game before really wanting to dive deep. It’s been a long time since I last played, and to enjoy it proper meant looking through the source material from start to end.

I must say that the former may well kickstart a set of reprints featuring Gou Tanabe’s fantastic artwork in this 7.5×10 inch format. There’s also Shadows of Innsmouth and The Hound & Other Stories to consider, but that will depend on how well sales go. Also, Call of Cthulhu (Amazon links) will hit shelves soon. If I said I’m waiting for a dual set release, this would be the reason; and if the other tomes aren’t reprinted to offer CoC and MoM up as a pair would have me interested in buying sooner than later.

There are not a lot of publications I’ll gladly buy again. It’s not the same as home video releases where new video featurettes might get offered. In this book’s case, the interview “Kindred Spirits, Zack Davisson Interviews Gou Tanabe,” differs from the one originally published in issue #2 of Razorblades: The Horror Magazine. To have this bonus is an incentive. But honestly, when this hardcover hit shelves, I really didn’t need to rush to my local comic book store to buy it. This book takes up a fair chunk of space, and the Canadian pricing (after current exchange rates were factored in) wasn’t to my liking. I waited for it to pop up at a discounted price on Amazon USA, where its MSRP got slashed, before I flashed my credit card.

When I finally got a copy in my hands, everything I wished for when I first reviewed the tankōbon edition got granted.

As for Arkham Horror: The Terror at the End of Time, this comic book based on the board and card game of the same name introduces readers to Jenny Barnes, a socialite who knows how to use a gun. The night is young. In an intro that is similar to Disney’s Tower of Terror movie, cultists crash a party and people die! The creature featured here is a Shub-Niggurath.

During the chaos, her sister gets kidnapped, and it’s easy for me to know why. Thankfully, Jenny can hire a private investigator willing to take on this rather mysterious case. Joe Diamond recognises what’s going on, and the two become simple friends to take on what’s still to come. This first issue packs in a lot that delivers everything I recall from the board game. From investigating hives of cult activity to digging for clues, what’s created is an honour to the game.

Cullen Bunn certainly understands the mechanics of the game, and I’m happy that he’s using characters from it, otherwise I would not feel as connected to what’s going on. And when we don’t know the identity of the main villain, it’s tough to make these grunts just as threatening. I’ve played the board game and although it takes up to four hours to finish, that’s okay. The card game moves faster, so it’s up to fans to decide which is better for them.

Also, Andrea Mutti and Valerio Alloro are a great team. Together, they bring the look from the various game products to life. Although their style is different from the photo realism from the other products, that’s quite alright! They need to put their stamp on this redesign. Also, the Jazz era couldn’t look any grungier, and the best (revealing the eldritch horrors) is being saved for last.

And like I said before, let’s hope visualising the complete Lovecraft Dream Cycle is on the drawing board. That’s a series I’d love to read in full. Other writer and artist teams have interpreted The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath, but there’s far more to this set of narratives that has yet to be realised! According to ScreenRant, it is in the works. The question is just how far is he into the material since that report?

4 Aligned Stars out of 5

And for those interested in diving into Arkham Horror, the Card Game, it’s best to pick up the latest Core set along and continue with Dunwich Legacy.

Author: Ed Sum

I'm a freelance videographer and entertainment journalist (Absolute Underground Magazine, Two Hungry Blokes, and Otaku no Culture) with a wide range of interests. From archaeology to popular culture to paranormal studies, there's no stone unturned. Digging for the past and embracing "The Future" is my mantra. View all posts by Ed Sum