Lovecraft in London: Cagliostro’s Comic Challenge

By John Freeman on January 24, 2014 • ( 1 )

Here’s a quick follow up on my post about I Racconti di Nur (Tales of Nur), a graphic novel published in Italy by artist Gian Marco Ibba who I worked with back in 2003. Giorgio Messina, the editor-in-chief at Cagliostro E-Press has dropped me a line about a competition they’re running which is open to creators worldwide, challenging them to merge the worlds of HP Lovecraft and Sherlock Holmes.

I’m afraid that the deadline for writers to pitch submissions is quite tight (9th February 2014), but the concept, below, is intriguing and sure to appeal to many creators who read this site:

In April 1926, HP Lovecraft returned to Providence to live as a result of economic problems. His marriage to Sonia Greene is in crisis, his recent experiences in New York unpleasant. Much depressed, he began writing The Call of Cthulhu – but fails to complete it. When his friend Lord Dunsany hears about his situation he invites him to come to London to put himself in the hands of a capable doctor: Dr. John H. Watson. Lord Dunsany also offers to pay the round-trip travel and treatment of Lovecraft in London that will last a year.

1st January 1927: Lovecraft arrives in London to stay at 221B Baker Street as the guest of Dr. Watson. By the end of the year, he is back in Providence, again writing Call of Cthulhu – but only after some incredible adventures that have inspired him to finish it…

The detailed brief to the competition, outlining the company’s concept for the setting and characters is here on their web site. Obviously, it’s in Italian, but Google Translate offers a decent enough service to get the details if you don’t speak the language.

The principal characters for this project are Lovecraft and Watson – the publisher is adamant that although he can be mentioned, Sherlock Homes can’t feature, perhaps because they’ve also published a graphic album The Disappearance of Sherlock Holmes. But you can use his now elderly brother, Mycroft Holmes and Watson’s young wife, Mrs. Fleming, “the ruler of Baker Street”.

If I’m reading the page correctly, writers, using the plotline and narrative information supplied, may submit up to three proposals for 12 page stories. The aim of the new company is to publish a collection of twelve tales in time for Italy’s massive comics festival, Lucca Comics & Games 2014 at the end of October.

The company is offering a copy of the collection as a prize, but you should note that payment for published work is based on a revenue share/profits model, not a set fee. That payment model. employed for all the company’s publications, is outlined here (again, in Italian).

• Cagliostro Press Site: http://cagliostroepress.com

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.