Category: Fandom

Gou Tanabe and the Missing Adaptations: 5 Untranslated Lovecraft Manga Still Hiding Out

Along with what “Dreams” are made of, we look at what works of Gou Tanabe are currently out there that are graphic novel adaptations of the Cthulhu mythos. Our focus is on his untranslated Lovecraft manga.

Gou Tanabe's Call of Cthulhu untranslated Lovecraft mangaWhile organizing my collection of untranslated Lovecraft manga and graphic adaptations, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something essential was missing. There’s a handful of Gou Tanabe’s works that exist in French or Italian editions, yet still haven’t seen print in North America. When Zack Davisson mentioned they’ve remained untouched, it felt less like an if and more like a slow, deliberate waiting game. He translated the recent releases and is clearly eager to tackle what’s missing. That comment dates back over a year to Emerald City Comic Con, and as fans of this series, all we can do is wait, and hope it doesn’t drive us mad.

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The Mummy (2026) Trailer Analysis: Ancient Gods, Ritual Horror, and a Corrupted Afterlife

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (2026) teaser hints at ritual horror, corrupted afterlife myths, and an unsettling procedural mystery rooted in Ancient Egyptian belief. This isn’t a nostalgic revival, but a darker reckoning with gods, death, and what should stay buried.

Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026)After watching the teaser trailer for Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (2026) several times, there’s enough on screen to start forming a clearer theory beyond what’s been officially published. I’ve deliberately avoided forums and fan speculation, so this read comes purely from what the trailer itself is offering.

I’ve always had a soft spot for The Mummy as a concept. Even in its earliest versions, including the Hammer era, it functioned as a love story filtered through horror. That emotional spine gave the zombie myth a strange elegance. Stephen Sommers later pushed the material into camp and spectacle, turning it into pulp adventure. This new iteration appears to reject both approaches entirely. Sitting outside Universal’s legacy plans, it feels safe to assume Blumhouse has given Cronin the freedom to rebuild the myth from the ground up.

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Cosmic Horror in 2026: The Ultimate Guide to Upcoming H.P. Lovecraft Films, Graphic Novels and More!

In the world of sequential art, Cosmic Horror in 2026 neverf goes out of style. Presented here is a preview of what’s currently on shelves and coming soon! Plus a handy checklist for your pull list.

Cosmic Horror in 2026There’s further Cosmic horror in 2026 that is sure to destroy! And as this genre never really goes out of style, just what one can find in the sequential arts make up part one of a three part series, where I dive deep into nearly everything that’s coming out!

I will begin with visual interpretations of the classics. Cinematically, they can be summed up with two releases–Iron Lung (limited theatre run beginning Jan 30) and Dreamlands. The former is about surviving the deep oceans and the other, well, the title speaks for itself. While the latter is a crowdfunded release and passion product, it’s tough to say if this work be ready for this year’s H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival.

In part two will be a look at Gou Tanabe’s slate of works and offer a checklist. Last will be the videogames to put fans of H.P. Lovecrafts works straight into the forefreont. After RailGods of Hysterra (review link) stalled due to some design issues, I’m still curious what other titles might pick up the pace.

In this preview, here’s what’s expected to roll out in 2026.

The Manga Master Returns:
Gou Tanabe’s The Dunwich Horror

The Dunwich Horror Japanese Edition

The Dunwich Horror Japanese Edition

For many of us, the gold standard for Lovecraftian art is Gou Tanabe. After his Eisner-nominated runs on At the Mountains of Madness and The Shadow Out of Time, Dark Horse Manga is expected to bring the English translation of “The Dunwich Horror” to North American fans in 2026. The news is not official, but that is what industry insiders are saying. Without this, Necronomicon cannot make its proper debut in Tanabe’s world of horror.

His ability to draw the “indescribable” is unmatched in the manga world. Nearly everyyone is excited to see how the Whateley family will spring to life, and also depict what Wilbur will transform to. And along with the invisible terror of Sentinel Hill stalking the land, there’s plenty of expectations to craft in the minds of every reader.

A Dreamlike Departure:
The Last Day of H.P. Lovecraft

The Last Day of H.P. LovecraftComing early this year from BOOM! Studios, we have the conclusion of the English adaptation of The Last Day of H.P. Lovecraft. With this tale near compledtion (the last issue slated for Feb release), this isn’t a straight adaptation of a story, but a surreal, semi-biographical fever dream. Written by Romuald Giulivo with haunting art by Jakub Rebelka, the story follows a dying Lovecraft as he wanders through a visionary version of Providence, confronting his own creations. It is high-art horror at its finest.

IDW & Top Cow:
The Thing on the Doorstep

Top Cow The Thing in the DoorstepImage Comics and Top Cow are diving into the Cthulhu Mythos with a five-issue miniseries of “The Thing on the Doorstep,” starting February 11, 2026. Written by Simon Birks and illustrated by Willi Roberts, this adaptation promises to lean into the psychological body-horror of the original text. It’s a great entry point for those who want a more traditional “floppy” comic experience rather than a thick graphic novel.

The Masters of the Macabre
Bernie Wrightson & François Baranger

For those who prefer their horror with a “classical” dark aesthetic, 2026 offers two heavy hitters:

  • Creepy Presents: Bernie Wrightson (Dark Horse Comics): Releasing February 3, 2026, this collection is a must-have. While it spans several horror tales, it features Wrightson’s legendary adaptation of “Cool Air.” Seeing Wrightson’s meticulous ink work on high-quality modern paper is the closest thing to a religious experience a horror fan can have.
  • The Shadow Over Innsmouth (François Baranger): Following the massive success of his illustrated The Call of Cthulhu, French artist François Baranger is finishing his cinematic take on the fish-folk of Innsmouth. The English edition via Design Studio Press is expected in mid-to-late 2026. These are oversized volumes that feel more like “concept art for a movie that doesn’t exist” than a traditional comic.

Cosmic Horror in 2026 Checklist

  • January 14: The Last Day of H.P. Lovecraft #3 (BOOM! Studios)
  • February 3: Creepy Presents: Bernie Wrightson (Dark Horse)
  • February 11: The Thing on the Doorstep #1 (Image/Top Cow)
  • February 11: The Last Day of H.P. Lovecraft #4 (BOOM! Studios)
  • Late 2026: The Dunwich Horror (Dark Horse Manga)
  • Late 2026: The Shadow Over Innsmouth (Design Studio Press)

Which of these are you adding to your pull list? Let us know in the comments if you’re team Tanabe or team Wrightson!

Sources & Press Releases

Starfleet Academy’s Dilemma: Is It Star Trek or Saved by the Bell Set in Space?

Starfleet Academy wants to be a fresh doorway into Star Trek’s far future, but it can’t resist the gravitational pull of school-drama archetypes. The debut episodes hint at big franchise shifts after The Burn, then pile on teen dynamics, shaky lore checks, and a few welcome returns.

Star Trek Starfleet AcademyBroadcasting Thurs on Paramount+
Spoiler Alert

These days, the handlers of Gene Roddenberry’s creation, Star Trek, are no longer bound to his original vision. With Starfleet Academy, the franchise leans into new themes and familiar narrative shapes, recycling tropes that are usually left unspoken. After all, humanity has always been about boldly going somewhere new. This time, though, it might just be back to school. Whether the writers should lean into that idea is debatable. There are elements here that work, and others that stumble. Everything hinges on where the focus ultimately lands.

After finding Star Trek: Discovery very much not my cup of tea, I missed one important detail. The Federation is rebuilding. Following The Burn, when most of the galaxy’s dilithium was rendered inert, interstellar travel collapsed. Worlds became isolated. New wars erupted over developing new alternative power sources, or the promise of something better from individuals who try to deliver hope.

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With Amethyst, REIRIE Make a Daring Leap Into the Major-Label Spotlight

REIRIE make their major-label debut with Amethyst, a five-track EP blending guitar rock, emotion, and R&B, out January 28, 2026, alongside a nationwide tour.

REIRIE AmethystREIRIE, the duo formed by Rei Kuromiya and Rie Kaneko, will make their major-label debut with their first EP, Amethyst, on January 28, 2026. The release arrives via MoooD Records, a label under Bandai Namco Music Live. Ahead of the EP’s launch, the music video  “Aishiteyo” is available to view online and see how these two artists want to present themselves. It’s a mix of art nouveau and glam. In between the layers of stage presence and glam is a look that suggets more than leather and lace, but also stillness and motion. Their sound is a mix of J-pop meets Speed Metal, and although their style is hard to pin down, I’d say they are borrowing from not only the  Rococo but also historical Gothic.

Amethyst will be released in three version: the Rei, Rie, and a Standard Edition. The Rei release includes a Blu-ray featuring footage from the free live show held last year in Sept at Kabukicho Tower Stage. The Rie set includes a Blu-ray of the Tokyo performance from Reirie Live Tour 2025 – BaD＝DoLL –, held October 26. As a first-press bonus, each of them will include one randomly selected trading card from a set of six.

Musically, The advance digital single “BaD＝DoLL,” composed by Yuki Tsujimura and MEGMETAL, delivers a charged, dramatic rock sound.

 

“Aishiteyo,” created by the same team, leans further into raw emotion and heightened intensity, brought to life in the newly released music video.

Additional tracks include “Holy Brighters,” which portrays heroism that pushes forward despite doubt and anxiety, “Not Philosophy,” a song about strength and love expressed through feeling rather than words, and “Contact,” a soulful R&B-based track that embraces pain and inner conflict as part of personal growth.

In support of the release, REIRIE will launch Reirie Live Tour 2026 – Amethyst – in February 2026 around Japan. Locations are as follows:

Feb 1, 2026 – Chiba LOOK [Chiba]
Feb 7, 2026 – Hiroshima CAVE-BE [Hiroshima]
Feb 8, 2026 – music zoo KOBE Taiyo to Tora [Hyogo]
Feb 15, 2026 – HEAVEN’S ROCK Saitama Shintoshin VJ-3 [Saitama]
Feb 23, 2026 – F.A.D. YOKOHAMA [Kanagawa]
Feb 28, 2026 – KYOTO MUSE [Kyoto]
Mar 1, 2026 – OSAKA MUSE [Osaka]
Mar 8, 2026 – LIVE HOUSE enn 2nd [Miyagi]
Mar 13, 2026 – ell.FITS ALL [Aichi]
Mar 15, 2026 – HEAVEN’S ROCK Utsunomiya VJ-2 [Tochigi]
Mar 21, 2026 – Fukuoka DRUM SON [Fukuoka]
Mar 31, 2026 – Shibuya CLUB QUATTRO [Tokyo]

Tickets

REIRIEPremium Ticket: ¥18,000 (incl. tax)

(Premium tickets include guaranteed access to the front area, one cheki photo, and exclusive merchandise)
A Ticket: ¥6,600 (incl. tax)

*A separate drink fee is required for all ticket types.

 

Tracklist (all editions)

  1. BaD＝DoLL
  2. Holy Brighters
  3. Not Philosophy
  4. Contact
  5. AISHITEYO

About REIRIE

Formed in January 2023, REIRIE brings together Rei Kuromiya and Rie Kaneko, who previously performed in separate units before reuniting after several years apart. Their distinctive artistic vision has resonated strongly with fans, particularly women, and their striking visuals and powerful live performances have seen them appear at festivals in Japan and overseas. Their solo concerts continue to grow their nationwide audience.

Titan Manga’s Ghostly Darkness of Kanata Certainly Knows How to Haunt!

A thoughtful and unsettling look at Ghostly Darkness of Kanata, exploring how its eerie artwork and thematic focus on lingering spirits set it apart from Titan Manga’s growing horror catalogue.

Ghostly Darkness of KanataAvailable to purchase on Amazon USA

Titan Manga is not resting as more horror themed works are scheduled for release this year. The editorial team are picky and to give new talents their due is appreciated, especially after reading past works, like Shadows of Kyoto, which is self contained. But with Ghostly Darkness of Kanata (幽闇のカナタ), what it sets up is perhaps more to come. What I adore most is how it looks into why some spirits choose to remain on Earth rather than move on.

I also love how they are depicted. I’m sure Noct Koike (writer) and Chika Ishikawa (artist) had to come to an agreement over respecting traditional depictions, like not having visible feet, and considering how spirits appear to others. The artist’s work mirrors what I’ve experienced when investigating the unknown. Some spirits look like projections pulled from dirty celluloid film.

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