H.P. Lovecraft, one of the ultimate inspirations for this blog, was born on this date in 1890. His tales are often dream-like and terrifying, his prose purple and lurid. Few writers have tapped into the dark dimensions of horror and the macabre as disturbingly as he did, and none, in my opinion, have plumbed as deeply the depths of pessimism - perhaps engendered by his bigotry - regarding mankind's ultimate fate.
His most well-known creation, the mighty Cthulhu, makes an appearance at 1:37 in this nifty Guillermo del Toro-directed intro for the Treehouse of Horror XXIV episode of The Simpsons, and Lovecraft himself appears at 1:41, toasting a drink with his literary offspring.
Thanks for the reminder, Jeff, and Happy Birthday, Old Man, wherever you are! :D
ReplyDeleteAllan.
How amazing is that Simpsons intro? Wow.
ReplyDeleteFYI: The cover of the book you show was done by a northern Ohio artist, John Jude Palencar. I have a copy of it which he autographed.
ReplyDeleteI believe it's actually a Michael Whelan work:
Deletehttp://www.michaelwhelan.com/shop/reproductions/all-reproductions/lovecrafts-nightmare/