Cthulhu Is Hard To Spell - (Review)

By: ThunderheavyarmRipped from the madness of a thousand memes and stories comes the tale of darkness. A creature so terrible that even those not fully familiar with the Lovecraftian horror stories know him by name. And he is called Kthuloo. No wait, it’s cathooloo...no that’s not right. Kahthoolo? Kunthulu? The big green thing with the tentacles and wings that sleeps under the ocean, that guy!Cthulhu Is Hard To Spell is an anthology comic book written by a rather large group of people and animated by just as many talented people. A combined 35 stories both poking fun and revering the ancient lore based elder gods of H.P Lovecraft. I’ve read through this several times in a matter of days trying to find the best of them all. And it was an incredibly daunting task, as each one brings its own special touch to the entire work.While I wish that I could talk about them all, there is sadly only enough time to talk about three of them. These are the ones I personally liked and in no way misrepresent the other 32 amazing and well crafted and drawn short stories. They all deserve to be read and for people to find their own favorites. But without any further delay, here are my top picks in order as they appear in the comic book."  Cleaning the Mess"Art and Story: Brandon PerlowScript: Paul J MendozaLettering: Wilson Ramos JrWe’ve all at one time or another had a pet go destructive on either our own property or someone else’s items. The comic asks the question, what if Cthulhu is nothing more than a pet that got loose and went on a destructive rampage? Of course, we care since the thing he’s rampaging across is Earth and we like our things to be very not smashed to pieces. An interesting idea that keeps the same Lovecraftian elder horror indifference but also adds the begrudging responsibility of having to give life back to a devastated Earth by his owners. I especially enjoy the chiding of the father to his child, saying that this wouldn’t have happened if someone had just closed the gateway. Oh Dad, if only you knew the insanity of the people that wish this upon themselves."The Rally"Art and Story: Mary BellamyGodly forces unionize and gather their strength to increase their wealth, notoriety and if there’s time maybe global conquest or decimation. Sadly, it doesn’t work out for those with extremely difficult names like Cthulhu, since more time pronouncing his name means less revenue. A whimsical look into Cthulhu’s desire to belong to a world destroying godly organization. Only for his name to be the only barrier he has no chance of overcoming. I especially liked the artwork in this one and the effort the writer and animator went to, including gods from other cultures and pantheons."Azatoth’s Slumber"By: russell NoheltyArt: Erik LervoldColors: Claire Donaghue and Erik LervoldAt the center of our universe sleeps the Idiot God Azathoth. In his slumber does our reality exist, and were it not for the Elder gods constantly playing soft music and lullabies our universe would cease to exist. Of course, it’s no fun when you can have your work replaced by a radio or even spotify. Then again, there might be a good reason that you’re there instead of either of those things. Hilarious story about a very serious, if fictional, problem and works great as a way to end the comic as a whole.

Final Thoughts

A great read for anyone, of any age. There are a few stories that might go over the heads of some audiences, but thanks to the artist involved they have a darker theme in their style, giving a good heads up to parents. The humor, where it appears is nice and subtle and the gore involved is tastefully done. A great gift for those interested in the weird and even better as a starter for someone showing interest in Lovecraft. Be sure to grab a copy for your fellow friends and cultist. And until next time, Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyehwgah'nagl fhtagn.Wait, what-