Customer Reviews

Fall of Cthulhu Vol. 1: The Fugue

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Fugue comprises the first 5 issues of Fall of Cthulhu now brought together in a graphic novel. I think it is a smashing success and will give most Chtulhu mythos fans as much reading enjoyment as it gave me. I read them as they came out in comic book form but now you don't have to squirm with imaptience between issues!

Fall of Cthulhu #0, Boom Studios, March 2007 - written by Michael Alan Nelson, , art by Jean Dzialowski, colors by Imaginary Friends Studio - In this introductory book to the best Lovecraftian comic book series ever, we are first treated to a vision of R'lyeh rising. Then we see the final (?) days of Abdul Alhazrad in Damascus 731 AD, as he is swallowed up by some nightmarish demon. He is taken through the Dreamlands (rendered here with much more vivid and surreal panels than our world) to the Nameless City where he is taken to task for the writing of Al Azif. His body is taken by a party unknown to a destination unknown. We then fast forward to the present day when Mr. Arkham and his assistant Conner retrieve the body from a swamp. Alhazrad must be revived to write a new chapter of Al Azif. Wonderful stuff here! I was hooked from the first panel.

Fall of Cthulhu #1, Boom Studios, Apr 2007 - written by Michael Alan Nelson, art by Jean Dzialowski, colors by Imaginary Friends Studio, cover A Tyler Walpole, cover B Vatchie Malian - The story begins with Cy Morgan having lunch with his fiancé Jordan at some outdoor café in Arkham. They are interrupted by a bag being thrown onto their table, as it happens by Cy's uncle Walter McKinley who looks much the worse for wear. He proceeds to blow his brains out all over the table. Cy is given that bag by the police, almost as an after thought. Uncle Walt had been doing research in Brazil but returned 2 months early for some reason. The bag contains research materials (a draft of a thesis about `The Call') and a rather eldritch looking knife that doesn't seem to want to stay put away. Cy can't get hold of his sister Sarah to tell her, and Uncle Walt's apartment is empty. Later that night, in a dream Cy is confronted by his uncle, and ends up following him into the Dreamlands. There he meets an grotesque entity known as the Harlot, a giver and keeper of secrets, from whom he tries to find out more about his Uncle Walt. It turns out Walt was staying at Mr. Arkham's boarding house, and keeping a very bizarre idol in a closet. After you read this comic you will not be able to pass up any of the rest that follow, it is that good. It is much more entertaining than most of the mythos short stories I read.

Fall of Cthulhu #2, Boom Studios,May 2007, - written by Michael Alan Nelson, art by Jean Dzialowski, colors by Imaginary Friends Studio, cover A Tyler Walpole, cover B Vatchie Malian - Jordan and Cy have a small argument after Walt's funeral, particularly after Cy apparently keeps forgetting to put away the knife. The idol had the word Cthulhu written on the base, which it turns out was the password to Walt's thumbdrive. The drive contained images of a book in Arabic, which Cy will now attempt to have translated by a friend, Brad Fagen. When Walt goes back to the boarding house, he finds the priest from the funeral in front of the idol, naked and tattooed and cutting himself to pieces. Apparently Mr. Arkham is up to something, as he seems to have staged all this for Cy's benefit. Reality is now seriously starting to fray, as Cy didn't put the knife away again, so he has a fight with Jordan, and when he goes to see his friend Brad who was translating the Arabic writing he has been maimed in a most horrible way. While there is something weird going on outside the hospital, Cy and Jordan's apartment was ransacked. That night, Cy ends up back in the Dreamlands where he sees a great hunter from a distance. The Harlot tells him it is Nodens, and offers to explains about the Call of Cthulhu...but all secrets have their price. Another corking good read with a compelling story, excellent mythos sensibilities and terrific art.

Fall of Cthulhu #3, Boom Studios, Jun 2007, - written by Michael Alan Nelson, art by Jean Dzialowski, colors by Imaginary Friends Studio, cover B Tyler Walpole, cover A Vatchie Malian - The police are investigating the apartment break in and are suspicious of Cy. Unfortunately he and Jordan are fighting over his pursuing his uncle's affairs...plus he keeps forgetting to put away that knife. Not knowing what to do Cy stops for a chat with the reassuring Mr. Arkham. On the way home he discovers to his dismay that the priest from the funeral apparently was not a priest at all. Jordan threatens to leave Cy. Getting to end of his tether Cy slips into the Dreamlands again. There he offers a piece of himself to the Harlot to try to make some sense of what's been happening. She gives him a rather cryptic answer. When he awakens Cy is witness to a gruesome hunt, and hears some things about Cthulhu and Nodens. Unfortunately the hunters hear him snap a twig right at the end of the book...I see nothing not to like in this episode. The story is great, carefully plotted with vivid execution.

Fall of Cthulhu #4, Boom Studios, Jul 2007, - written by Michael Alan Nelson, art by Jean Dzialowski, colors by Imaginary Friends Studio, cover B Tyler Walpole, cover A Vatchie Malian - This issue starts out at 90 miles per hr as Cy is caught up as the prey in a hunt he doesn't understand (and in this series it is pretty easy to figure out who is being honored by this hunt). He is dragged kicking and screaming back into the Dreamlands by some nightgaunts, but is rescued after a fashion by the Harlot. Because of this she/it has a confrontation with Nodens (the writers/artists made a choice to depict Nodens almost like a classical Greek god, not exactly what I imagine but we'll see where they go with it). Cy ends back in our own world after a rather cryptic conversation, and tries to go the police station to report a crime. Of course, all evidence is gone and now the police don't like him. Cy visits his maimed friend, Brad Fagen, in the hospital. After that he goes back to Mr. Arkham's boarding house; Cy is really starting to lose it. He decides to walk away from the whole thing to stay with Jordan, and tells as much to Mr. Arkham. Unfortunately, Jordan is not in the best frame of mind, and Cy really should have put away that knife... This issue was a worthy addition to the story arc. I really can't imagine any mythos fan not being captivated by this book.

Fall of Cthulhu #5, Boom Studios, Aug 2007 - written by Michael Alan Nelson, art by Jean Dzialowski, colors by Imaginary Friends Studio, cover B Tyler Walpole, cover A Vatchie Malian, and for the first time Andrew Ritchie is credited with the Dreamlands sequences (maybe he did them for all the issues to date?) - Cy is drowning his sorrows in a bar when Mr. Arkham and Connor catch up with him. Surprise, surprise, Mr. Arkham and Connor really want the knife and Mr. Arkham is not quite as genteel as we've been lead to believe. When he wakes up Cy decides to get his gun and confront Mr. Arkham, trying to find some answers. Mr. Arkham reveals his true identity******************spoiler alert**********************************************************************************************************
...it's Nyarlathotep, in case you hadn't figured it out. Nyarlathotep reveals its/his scheme to Cy as he is dragged into a room with resurrected corpse of Abdul Alhazrad, who needs human blood to write his latest prophecy. They are trying to call Cthulhu, to wake it, so it may be hunted by Nodens. Cy finds himself back in his uncle's old room with the idol, and discovers the unexpected fate of his missing sister. Cy ends up catatonic to the real world but finally achieves a measure of enlightenment and peace in the Dreamlands. We find out something Nyarlathotep does not know, and then we have a perfect denouement to the first 5 issues of Fall of Cthulhu.

As you may have guessed, I am a big fan! I read a lot of Lovecraftian fiction and can be harsh critic. I found nothing not to like; you are in for a real treat if you pick this up.

Anyone who knows me knows that I read comics. Alot of comics. I'll pick up two or three books a week. But this one, Fall of Cthulhu, is the one of the ones I get most excited about every month.
Although Michael Alan Nelson has added much of his own the Cthulhu Mythos, its barely noticeable, it fits in so well. The little references and such to various Lovecraft stories are everywhere. And the art, especially when it switches styles for the Dreamlands sequences, is astounding and creepy.
This is also a great place to start if you are just getting into Lovecraft.
I highly recommend this book to every fan of Lovecrat, horror comics, and all those in between.

I understand that this book combines the first 5 comics of the Fall of Cthulhu series. I have to admit that, while it's not typical Lovecraft, it is really very good. I don't recall a harlot in Dreamland, but hey, why not? Lovecraft himself says that Cthulhu is but a cousin of the Great Old Ones, therefore some of the others must be even more powerful. That's the main premise of this very creative story. It is well drawn, also. In my humble opinion, this story is well worth the money for the book. I enjoyed reading it.

I usually get a little leery about fan fiction such as this. Fall of Cthulhu: The Fugue is really good, though. It is a bit disturbing, and it leaves out the bits that it should leave out to make truly good piece of "Lovecraftian" fiction. All fof the basic principles are there: 1. a person finds a magical item that is not necessarily good, 2. there is a hero's quest gone quite wrong, 3. there is a healthy dose of madness, 4. There in interaction with beings on different planes of existence, etc. If you are a Lovecraft fan, and like the fan fiction that surrounds his work, you will love this. If you are a fan like me--one that has been disappointed with fan fiction in general--this is a refreshing (weird word choice, I know) piece of good storytelling and good artwork: Well-written, well-drawn, well-done.

The Fugue comprises the first 5 issues of Fall of Cthulhu now brought together in a graphic novel. which is awesome

Ok, the material does not reflect Lovecraft's writing style. Boo-hoo. These are graphic representations of someone's interpretations of the concepts. And they are damn good ones.

I rate this series in the top 3 of Cthulhu related comics I have read. I bought these as the condensed books. I am not someone who likes to buy individual comics.

I found the artwork and story line compelling and within my expectations as a 15-year mythos fan. The story and characters developed well throughout the books. Nothing felt static or two-dimensional, except the pages themselves. I loved the Harlot in this series and how she was used by the writers in some unexpected ways.

These printings are on durable stock and I will enjoy rereading them over the years.

Wow! This was just plain . . . amazing. A perfect understanding of how to tell a Lovecraft-type horror story set in the modern era, with beautiful artwork, fully-fleshed out characters, great dialogue, haunting moments, and a well thought-out plot.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the first book of this series but based on a few of the reviews that I had read here on Amazon I decided to go ahead and purchasse it. I was very pleasently thrilled with the entire product. Everything from the binding to the artwork and most importantly the story itself impressed me. The story was engaging and thrilling and horrifying in equal parts and all at the right parts. The artwork seemed to fit the mood of the moment just like a glove. All in all an excellent book. I really recommend it not only for fans of the Mythos but for fans of Horror (although a basic knowledge of Mythos lore will help understand the story).

I don't have a lot to add, the other reviewers have gone into great detail already.
However, i wanted to give this comic the 5-stars it deserved. It was exactly what I wanted out of a Lovecraft Mythos graphic novel.

What i liked best about this, was that it feels like a much longer storyline than most Mythos short-stories and novellas provide. By the end of the first volume, you realize that the Fall of Cthulhu is an ongoing story with very ominous tones, i can't wait to see how it resolves, and i imagine i'll be looking to re-read the series once i'm done.

It was creepy, well written, and creates a perfect dark and compelling storyline. It includes some great aspects of the Mythos that any fan will appreciate. It is obvious that the creators of this series are well-read in the genre.

i was also pleased with the book size. Its a bit more compact, measuring only 9"x6". I found it easier to carry around and read.

When you look into many Lovecraftian additions, some of the old gods are utilized and some names are put into print but we always learn the same lesson. Cthulhu is sleeping, old ones plot, and one day the world will sit and be judged. The only problem with that is that I learned the mythic tale of these old ones when I was a child, and nothing really seems to change. The stories try sometimes, true, but they stop before anything gets rough. That's when this story kicks in.

I just finished reading the 4th book as I write this, and I can say that the story is truly taking leaps and bounds. It has a darkness in it, one we need when dealing with something as magnificent as Cthulhu and Noden and others I can't name because of spoilers, and this darkness is beautiful. It comes through in layers upon layers of story, in pictures you adjust to in a relatively short time, and in print that says that a storm is coming. The storm does come, too, believe you me, and you would hate to see the way it drifts in. The first book deals with a firework that fgoes off and sents everything into motion, and it explains how everything is going to work. It impressed me enough to keep going, plowing through words and pictures, and now I am eagerly awaiting a 4th edition.

Should you buy? Well, you are looking at Cthulhu and, judging by that, you like the great sleeping illithid. That alone scores a "yes," and added to that is one of the best things I have read in years. On a graphic novel scale, it is beautiful beyond redemption.
Buy it.