There’s more strange tales to be illustrated, and Gou Tanabe’s adaptation of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward has begun publishing… in chapters! While we wait, thankfully, there’s enough Lovecraft-inspired releases to sate most fans’ tastes.
The news is real. Gou Tanabe is adapting The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and the first chapter is now in print through Kadokawa’s Comic Beam magazine. Although a translated release is likely years away, fans can either seek out the original or check fan translation sites. For now, that may be all readers outside Japan are going to get.
Considering this is one of Lovecraft’s longer works, don’t expect the story to wrap up for at least two years. Anyone who has read the original knows this tale deals with necromancy and an ancestor with a questionable past. Audio adaptations exist and those curious enough to listen to can check out the link below.
What’s exciting about this release is how Tanabe always manages to expand the source material to new heights. His sweeping vistas and dense details hint at something only large-format releases can fully reveal. Reading it in a magazine offers only a tiny layer of the full experience. Like other artists deeply invested in world building, such as Mamoru Nagano and Gothicmade (formerly Five Star Stories), readers living abroad are at a disadvantage. And by the time it reaches tankobon format, there may be two volumes.
Gou Tanabe’s adaptation of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward has begun in Japan, but English-language readers may have a long wait ahead. Thankfully, several Lovecraft-inspired graphic novels are arriving soon to keep cosmic horror fans busy.
The news is real. Gou Tanabe is adapting The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and the first chapter is out in print! Although a translated release is likely years away, fans can either seek out the original or wait. The current release is seeing print through Kadokawa’s Comic Beam magazine. Fan translations may exist, but for now, that’s all readers are going to get. And considering this is one of Lovecraft’s longer works, don’t expect the story to wrap up for at least two years.
Tanabe tends to expand source material with sweeping vistas and densely detailed art. Like other artists invested in world-building, such as Mamoru Nagano and Gothicmade, formerly Five Star Stories, readers living abroad are at a disadvantage. By the time this adaptation reaches tankobon format, there may be two volumes.
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.
While 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.
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.
There’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
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
Coming 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
Image 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!
After two movies based on The Colour Out of Space, there’s now going to be a manga by celebrated meister Gou Tanabe!
Now available to preorder on Amazon
Just how many stories of H.P. Lovecraft manga artist Gou Tanabe plans to adapt is likely to keep him busy for most of his life! While there’s been a few cinematic takes of The Colour Out of Space, the director and studio can only do so much depending on the budget. Nick Cage’s version (you can read my review here) wasn’t too bad, but to see what this manga artist can deliver in black and white may well mean he has to add colour this time!
This next release from Dark Horse Comics is sure to please, and as for whether a splash of colour will be used in this artist’s rendition, I can’t wait to take a look and be transformed too!
From the Press Release:
The works of H.P. Lovecraft explore horrifically inconceivable gods and monsters amongst humanity. Gou Tanabe presents each of these tales in stunningly visceral artistic detail in his multiple Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated manga adaptations. Now, Dark Horse Manga presents H.P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out of Space by Tanabe, translated into English by Zack Davisson, translator of the two-time Eisner Award-winning Showa: A History of Japan by Shigeru Mizuki, and set to join the growing collection of Tanabe’s popular works in July 2025.
I really hope Gou Tanabe continues to adapt more of H.P. Lovecraft‘s stories into a visual medium. After the release of Call of Cthulhu, I’m really craving more. And with what’s presented in a tankōbon format, I can’t wait to see what the inevitable deluxe edition will look like. That’s because to marvel at the details put into showing off the city of R’lyeh can mean I can put away those magnifying glasses. Even though my digital copy allowed me to zoom in to marvel at the fine lines and strange hieroglyphs, that did not mean I found Easter eggs.
What makes this release work is that most readers know the basics of this story. Francis Wayland Thurston needs closure following the death of his grand-uncle. He left behind some curious artefacts, including a strange statue of some hybrid octopus and humanoid creature, to his next of kin. But when curiosity gets the better of the young man, I swear he should have died at least five times over! When he goes globetrotting to discover more of these statues exist, there’s a conspiracy that he must get answers to. However, that doesn’t get far when a sailing expedition to locate a tribe gets interrupted and he finds an uncharted isle, and unwittingly unleashes some giant sized amorphous inhabitant!
The news is real. Gou Tanabe is adapting The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and the first chapter is now in print through Kadokawa’s Comic Beam magazine. Although a translated release is likely years away, fans can either seek out the original or check fan translation sites. For now, that may be all readers outside Japan are going to get.
The news is real. 
While organizing my collection of untranslated 
There’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!
Coming 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 
Image 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 