BLURB
'Inspired by a true WWII maritime operation, shocking satanic events, monstrous men, and one salacious sea creature, this volume tells the tale of Minky’s encounter with legendary horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, creator of the dreaded Cthulhu.
Following the death of Harry Houdini, Minky is approached by the occultist and writer Aleister Crowley to help vindicate him from an accusation of murder. This throws Minky into an occult underworld and leads to a much bigger investigation involving a missing man and Britain's secret service. Meanwhile, Lovecraftian horrors plague her dreams, and it’s up to Minky to discover the connections between the two writers and the mysterious death of her mother. Based on an actual WWII maritime operation inspired by a detective novel, Minky discovers how writers, including Ian Fleming, helped end WWII.'
MY THOUGHTS
This is the third graphic novel to feature 'gumshoe' detective Minky Woodcock and finds her mixed up with the likes of Houdini, Crowley and Lovecraft - and I'll be honest, it was those last two names that drew me in. A mix of 40's crime fiction, The Old Ones and inspiration from real historical events had me itching for this and when it landed I was not disappointed.
The story itself is quite excellent as is the artwork. I read it fairly quickly then went back and read it again, this time paying more attention to the artwork - Von Buhler has made something a bit special here. And yes, it's sauciness is always going to be part of the appeal but the horror and crime aspects, the real 40's vibe of the whole thing make for a stand out read.
Titan have made an excellent job of producing this too (a part of their 'Hard Case Crime' imprint) The quality of the print and the paper is absolutely top notch.
Minky Woodcock: The Girl Called Cthulhu is published by Titan Comics on 8th July 2025 (or tomorrow as I right this).
