By PEDRO CABEZUELO
The Cats of Ulthar: A Tale Reimagined
Written by Bruce Brown
Art by Thomas Boatwright
Independently published
Writer Bruce Brown has spent a large part of his career introducing the works of H.P. Lovecraft to younger generations. His comic, Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom, features the master of the weird tale as a child, immersing him, fairy tale-like, in a Lovecraftian world. Brown followed up with two more Howard Lovecraft graphic novels and Dr. Herbert West: Astounding Tales in Medical Malpractice, a humorous, kid-oriented take on Herbert West – Re-Animator.
Now, Brown unleashes THE CATS OF ULTHAR: A TALE REIMAGINED, yet another unique take on a classic Lovecraft story. However, this time his intentions are slightly different: “With CATS I wanted to depart from writing stories for all ages and reimagine a favourite Lovecraft short story,” explains Brown. “The original tale is told by an unnamed narrator. I wanted to write something raw and unique, and I thought it would be fun to tell the story from the perspective of the cats. CATS is my love letter to the original story published in 1920.”
Lovecraft’s “Cats of Ulthar” is the story of a small town that creates a law forbidding the killing of cats. A sinister old couple enjoys capturing, torturing and killing the villagers’ felines, but when they kill a kitten belonging to an orphan boy passing through with a wandering caravan, the child evokes dark forces that cause the local cats to attack and devour the nasty pair.
Author and Lovecraftian Bruce Brown
Brown retains the core elements but frames them as a bedtime story told by a father cat to his children. As it turns out, the cat’s grandfather was present at the time of the events of the original story and was witness to the caravan’s arrival, the kitten’s death and the orphan boy’s summoning. This cat is, in turn, transformed into a lion-like beast that promptly and mercilessly metes out bloody retribution. Relishing his new power, the cat soon convinces his dellow felines to join him, and together, they set their sights on their previous masters in Ulthar.
The gruesome gore in the book instantly sets it apart from Brown’s previous youth-focused work, though the writer is keen to point out this wasn’t the sole purpose for the deviation. “There are definitely some scenes with visceral violence in the book. However, my goal was to blend Lovecraft’s original story with thematic tones of rage, depravity, justice and mob vengeance.”
Artist Thomas Boatwright
Despite the heavy themes and carnage, Brown’s version retains a certain fantasy atmosphere due to the framing narrative and Thomas Boatwright’s evocative art. At first whimsical, with a bright and colourful palette, it’s stark and bloody when violence erupts, yet it never feels gratuitous. “As the story darkens, his art darkens along with it and perfectly reflects the script. I genuinely believe he was the only artist who could do this book justice,” Brown says of the artist. “He once told me that he considered his work on this book as some of the best of his career, and I agree.”
Time will tell if the two will collaborate in the future, though it’s a safe bet Brown will wander through Lovecraft’s worlds once more, as he believes the author’s work continues to lend itself to countless interpretations.
“I believe it is because his work taps into terrifying questions of the human condition; the fear of the unknown. Humanity is fragile, and perhaps truly insignificant in the greater universe, which is the definition of Cosmic Horror. Lovecraft has influenced countless writers and filmmakers for generations, and I believe he will continue to do so through time. It’s an honor and a privilege for me to be able to share my Lovecraft-influenced stories with the world.”
THE CATS OF ULTHAR: A TALE REIMAGINED is available now at Amazon.
