Gou Tanabe’s Manga of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu Wins Prestigious Bram Stoker Award
Discover how manga clinched the prestigious Superior Achievement award in the Graphic Novel category, reshaping the world of visual storytelling.
Manga Wins Superior Achievement at the Bram Stoker Awards
Gou Tanabe's H.P. Lovecraft Adaptation Recognized
Gou Tanabe’s manga adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu, translated by Zack Davisson, has been awarded the Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel at this year's Bram Stoker Awards. The winners were announced on June 14 during the StokerCon event held in Connecticut.
About the Award
- The Bram Stoker Awards are presented by the U.S. Horror Writers Association.
- They recognize excellence in horror and dark fantasy works, chosen by active members of the association.
The Manga's Story
Dark Horse Comics licensed the manga and released it in July 2024. The story explores supernatural cults across the Arctic and Louisiana:
"What links together two bands of worshippers, one deep in the Arctic snows, one hidden in the bayous of Louisiana, is more than their shared practice of blood sacrifice. It is the inhuman phrase they both chant: Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn—‘In his house at R’lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.’ Now these nightmares will disturb the sanity of Francis Thurston, a young man investigating the cult of Cthulhu, leading him to the forsaken city of R’lyeh in the vast Pacific…"
The complete story is compiled in a single volume, which includes eight full-color pages and a special silver-ink tip-in title page.
About the Creator and Series
- Gou Tanabe began publishing the manga in May 2019 in Kadokawa’s Monthly Comic Beam magazine.
- The manga ended in November 2019.
- This adaptation is part of a series of Lovecraft stories, also including:
- The Hound and Other Stories (2017)
- At The Mountains Of Madness (2019)
- The Shadow Over Innsmouth (single omnibus)
- The Colour Out of Space, The Haunter of the Dark, The Outsider, The Dunwich Horror, and The Shadow Out of Time (release scheduled for 2025)
- Tanabe also launched series based on Lovecraft’s Dream Cycle stories and the Lovecraft no Genei manga, ending both in 2024.
Additional Information
- The manga was initially launched in May 2019 and ended in November of the same year.
- Dark Horse has licensed multiple adaptations of Lovecraft’s tales, with notable nominations such as the Best Comic at the 46th Angoulême International Comics Festival.
- The publisher also released a comprehensive omnibus of The Shadow Over Innsmouth.
Sources
- Zack Davisson’s Bluesky account
- Book Riot article
Disclaimer: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), part of Kadokawa Corporation, owns a majority stake in Anime News Network, LLC, and some companies mentioned are part of the Kadokawa Group.