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BryanBaugh β The Thing on the Doorstep
Published: 2010-07-30 17:58:57 +0000 UTC; Views: 20444; Favourites: 281; Downloads: 1052
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Description
I've always been a big reader / fan of H.P. Lovecraft's fiction. Love his crazy, cosmically horrifying imagination, his wordy, luxurious writing voice, and his dark, unswerving certainty regarding the unavoidable, miserable future for the pathetic little human race.So I've been struck by the urge to do a series of illustrations based on his work.
...
Who says Lovecraft never wrote stories about strong female characters? You hear this criticism of his work all the time, but I say whoever thinks that never got around to reading "The Thing On the Doorstep".
Asenath Waite is a truly memorable Lovecraft villainess.
Well, okay, she is a girl who may (or may not) have been tainted with the monstrous Innsmouth bloodline, and was clearly possessed by the spirit of her evil undead sorcerer father, Ephraim. But that doesn't change the fact that she was a powerfully seductive young woman, who did some very evil things.
"The Thing on the Doorstep" also gets criticized for being such a "simplistic" horror story written so late in Lovecraft's career - right around the same time he was also churning out really complex, cosmic horror stories like the Cthulhu Mythos. Some critics seem almost bitterly disappointed in Lovecraft, for going back to his roots with this story, and doing something more simple and straightforward... at a point when he was "capable of so much more". Personally I disagree. As much as I am a fan of the Cthulhu stuff, I also have an equally strong appreciation for Lovecraft's straightforward horror stories. And this is by far one of his most unusual.
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Comments: 112
People would have liked Lovecraft to extend the Cthulhu Mythos, but I'm really glad he kept the diversity in his work, especially considering there's still plenty of references to the pantheon in it. This novel is probably my favourite of his, mostly because a) it's creepy as hell, and EphraΓ―m Waite may well be the most evil human of this universe b) there's a lot more characterization in this than in most of Lovecraft's other books.Β
Great art.
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Thanks, glad to hear you like my art on this story!!
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Fearuredβ¦Β things than go bump in the night part six Β
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This story was very atypical of Lovecraft's style. There's a greater emphasis on relationships than in any other tale written by HPL, and I've always found the sequence where (SPOILERS, folks!) the oft-abused Edward wanders the neighborhood trapped inside Asenath's rotting carcass incredibly sad.
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Like your Witch House-based work, this could be a movie or comic cover.
And its awesome.
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Thank you so much! I would love to do more Lovecraft-based comics. I've already done a comic of "The Hound" for a European publisher but there is another HPL story (I won't give away which one) that I have been wanting to adapt as a comic for about 20 years now. One of those things I will eventually have to get around to!
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You're welcome.
Yes, the SelfMadeHero work was one of my favorite comics (you remember I likened it to Bernie Wrightson, one of the highest compliments I can give).
Hm...I'm assuming this is of your as-yet unannounced favorite Lovecraft story? I am waiting with baited breath for your next piece!
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Aww that's right, I do remember you had some very kind words for me on that one! Thanks again!
Yes my ultimate favorite HPL story is one I've done no illustrations for at all (though I've been doodling rough sketches of what the characters "could look like" for years.) To be honest I haven't been struck with the HPL vibe for a while (it usually hits me in the autumn and winter months, though!) and I've spent most of 2012-2014 super-deeply-immersed in completing a different graphic novel (about my own characters, Wulf and Batsy Volume 3) which probably won't be finished until 2015. So... my next future HPL comic and illustrations could be a ways off. But I'd still love to do it if the opportunity allows!
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No problem...you deserved it all!
Alright...any hints?
To be honest, for all I love your art, I don't know too much about Wulf and Batsy other than the FABULOUS E.C. style cover. Is it an ongoing story? Or an anthology series?
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So glad you asked!
Wulf and Batsy is a comic series I've been drawing (on and off, very irregularly) since the year 2000. Some of the early art looks very primitive, but it quickly catches its stride, and then starts looking like my modern work.
It has been published as "single issue comics" format in the past, but is best experienced in the collected trade paperback versions, which collect all the material in just a couple fat, convenient books. Plus the trade paperbacks offer something not available in any of the past "single issue comic" versions - which is that I really load up the final section of both trades, with "behind-the-scenes /making of" articles, showing the creative process I went through to create each book.
Basically if you get the two trades: "Volume 1" and "Volume 2: Lustmord Nightmares", and the little anthology comic of short stories "Scarifying Tales", then you have all the Wulf and Batsy material that I've made available, up to this point.
There's a LOT more material that has not been printed anywhere yet, that is all in various stages of completion, and which will all be released eventually, over the next couple years, as I get it all wrapped up.
The graphic novels are individual stories, you can read them out of order without feeling like you are "missing something", but if you read them in-order, you get the feel of a longer story that runs through the whole thing.
Learn more about Wulf and Batsy here: www.cryptlogic.net/wulfandbatsβ¦
Or simply visit the Store page of my website, select each individual Wulf and Batsy item and read the description. That will tell you what is included in each one. cryptlogic.bigcartel.com/
Enjoy!
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Thanks! I'll probably buy some when I have the money.
Erm...one more thing. Are there any hints as to the identity of your favorite H.P.L. story?
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No problem, I was just giving you the info! My comics will be on sale at my website store page whenever you feel ready.
Hmm... How to give this away without giving it away.
My favorite HPL story is probably the only HPL story with a chase scene.
If you figure it out, please keep the answer to yourself.
I still hope to surprise people with this comic, whenever I get around to creating it!
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Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooookay. Let me guess...its one of his most popular, right?
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did you do these Lovecratian drawings for a book? or anything else? if not, i would love to use these illustrations to start printing my own line of Lovecraft-themed t-shirts.
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The jpg files of these illustrations presented online are too low-rez for printing. If you wish to acquire the hi-rez files I can put you in touch with my agent. He can negotiate with you, the amount of money you will have to pay for the reproduction rights of each illustration, as well as the percentage of profits you will owe me from the t-shirt sales. Anyway if this is a serious proposition, I'll let you talk to him about it, all that business about money and copyright law gives me headaches.
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sorry, i didnt know you were already famous. im just looking for someone that wants to get their art out there. im flat broke, but want to create something beautiful. sorry for wasting your time.
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Another brilliant one! I'm favourite-ing all of these, they're so jolly good.
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Oh thank you for saying so! Yes I need to get back to this series!
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Do so. You've done four so far....I'd like to see your other ones.
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Only six to go. I'll get back to them eventually!
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look at that ghoulish thinkg grope her socked foot wow.. bryan i LOVE your work and your girls 
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So kinky! Conjuring up things to pleasure yourself...what a novel idea....you are amazing!
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Thanks! But whatever ideas you find here are all based on the original story by Mr. H.P. Lovecraft.
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Have you done any Pickman's Model or Crouch End artwork?
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I think i'll make horror and macabre oriented art from now on , for fun ...... some cool compositions would do the soul some good ....oh btw, watch Suspiria and night of the triffids ...weird flicks
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Thanks for the recommendations. But I was watching Suspiria and Day of the Triffids when you were still in diapers. Haha.
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hahahahhahahaha brutal .........
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I love how wicked this looks
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Thank you... Go for it!!
I've done other illustrations of Lovecraft's stories, which you can find in my folder here: [link]
I have also illustrated a comic book version of Lovecraft's story "The Hound", in a book that has been published in England, and will be officially released in the U.S in (I think) October... It is now available for pre-order on Amazon: [link]
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And welcome to another segment of, "Too Hot For Lovecraft", today we'll be exploring why diamond socks raise even the dead.
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I guess it depends on what is rising.
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hmmm nice work but she has a innsmouth bloodline shouldn't she have big sort of blank eyes and a tall meandering look? just a little criticism
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love the work and love the monsters, and shes so hot and love the school girl outfit and those socks are a big turn on, its cool to see the monster drool on her leg as it drools down her thigh and love how shes popping her foot out of her shoe almost as if shes enticing that monster to grab her cute socked foot
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Great job! I love HP Lovecraft (no pun intended). To me he's one of the best writers ever, next to only maybe JRR Tolkien. An inspiring guy, that's for sure. My favorite work of his would have to be the Dunwich Horror, or maybe The Colour Out of Space. Great to see people actually appreciate his works.
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Thank you. I have also done an illustration of Colour Out of Space. See my gallery!
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Excellent rendition! You sure draw a damn sexy Asenath...
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Ha, well that seemed like it would be part of the fun of this piece.
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I found this story highly enjoyable too, especially when you realise that the thing is actually a shambling corpse! Excellent illustration for the story.
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I would very much like you to give some thought to a traditonal-style portrait of Joseph Curwen, the unspeakable necromancer from The Case of Charles Dexter Ward...Since his painting figures strongly in the story, it would be cool to see your interpretation!
...when you have time, naturally! Brood on the idea for a few months...
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I am very impressed by your clear and informative description. I adore Lovecraft's "luxurious writing voice" as well. Nicely done!
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