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More than 100 years after its initial publication, the legendary Weird Tales Magazine is coming to life like never before in a new graphic novel that features adaptations of classic stories from the magazine’s hallowed history as well as original stories that expand the magazine’s enduring legacy.
To celebrate the launch of a new Kickstarter campaign for the graphic novel as a collaboration by Monstrous and Weird Tales Magazine, we caught up with several of the talented writers behind the stories in the new graphic novel, including Rodney Barnes, Steve Niles, Blake Northcott, and Monstrous Press Editor and Publisher James Aquilone. In our new Q&A feature, they discuss what it was like to resurrect Weird Tales and recommend some of their favorite (and highly influential) authors from the magazine’s storied history.
You can read our full Q&A below, and we also have a look at the graphic novel’s cover art, preview pages, and the official press release with additional details. To learn more about the Weird Tales graphic novel, visit:
Thank you all for taking the time to answer questions for us, and congratulations on the first-ever official Weird Tales graphic novel! Do each of you have fond memories of reading Weird Tales when you were growing up? Do you remember the first time you picked up an issue of Weird Tales?
Blake: I actually didn’t read Weird Tales until I was an adult. I knew about the rich history and the legacy, of course, but it wasn’t until I was in my 20s when I learned about how impactful the magazine had been on sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. It’s so much more groundbreaking than most people realize!
Rodney: I do! Bought it at Geppi’s Cmic World in Baltimore. I loved the bizarre nature of the stories juxtaposed to the conventional stories I was reading at the time. They were bold. I dug that.
Steve: I was too young to afford the original vintage issues of Weird Tales, but what always sticks in my head are the covers. There are some real classics.
James: Weird Tales wasn’t publishing when I was young, so I didn’t start reading the magazine until I was older and sending out stories for publication.
In addition to adapting groundbreaking stories by authors such as Ray Bradbury, Robert E. Howard, and C.L. Moore, this Weird Tales graphic novel will also include “original tales inspired by classic pulp literature.” What can each of you tell us about the comic book story you wrote for this graphic novel?
Blake: I had the honor of adapting C.L. Moore’s short story, “Shambleau,” and it was such a wonderful experience. Bringing one of the most iconic stories in Weird Tales history to a new medium was also stressful, but I think both new and longtime readers will be thrilled with the results. The art is gorgeous, and it really captures the essence of the original, in my opinion.
Rodney: It’s (no pun intended) weirder than anything I’ve done to date. I try to challenge myself to tell different types of stories. This is definitely that, lol.
Steve: I adapted Robert E. Howard’s “Skulls in the Stars,” which is a Solomon Kane story and I had a blast. It’s very different from my usual writing, so it was a fun challenge. I wanted to be as accurate as possible.
James: My story combines two classic Weird Tales characters Doctor Satan and Jules de Grandin. It seemed like a natural crossover with Doctor Satan being an occult villain and Jules de Grandin being an occult detective. It’s a fun story and I hope to continue it as a series some day.
Do each of you have a favorite story from Weird Tales that you would recommend to readers, perhaps a story that influenced your own work and has stayed with you over the years?
Blake: There are too many to name, but Ray Bradbury has to be right at the top of the list. And of course Robert E. Howard is one of the greatest of all time.
Rodney: I’m a Robert Bloch guy. So anything by him as well.
Steve: Anything by Robert Bloch.
James: I have to agree about Robert Bloch, particularly “Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper,” which I wanted to put in the graphic novel, but it’s a bit longer. Maybe next time.
More than 100 years after the publication of its first issue, Weird Tales is still going strong (after being resurrected by editor Jonathan Maberry and president John Harlacher back in 2019). Why do you think Weird Tales has endured and stayed relevant with readers over the past century?
Blake: There is only one Weird Tales, and it will never be replicated. So many of the greatest writers across multiple generations would’ve never had their work exposed to the world if it weren’t for this publication. And a century later, it’s still going strong. There’s nothing else like it, past or present.
Rodney: It has an original voice that has endured. A lot of publications follow trends. Weird Tales embraces what it is.
Steve: It has always filled a niche that other publications didn’t. Weird Tales, well, stayed weird and that keeps people coming back.
James: Weird Tales has always had a knack for being at the forefront of genre fiction. Many of the subgenres we have come to know and love, such as sword and sorcery and weird fiction, got its start in the magazine.
A Kickstarter campaign has now launched for the Weird Tales graphic novel. What types of rewards and goodies can supporters of the campaign look forward to?
James: The main reward is an exclusive, limited-edition 8.5 x 11-inch hardcover. We’ll also have an exclusive Cthulhu Challenge Coin and T-shirt as well as copies of the magazine and some surprises.
James, in addition to becoming the new home for Kolchak: The Night Stalker, your publishing company Monstrous recently celebrated the history of colossal creatures in Monstrous: The Kaiju Issue and is teaming up with Evoke Entertainment to release the first-ever Creepshow short story collection. How much fun has it been to celebrate and preserve the history of horror while also curating new stories for beloved franchises?
James: It’s really been a dream come true. I get to play in the coolest sandboxes and, sometimes, I even make a little money doing it.
Ultimately, what do each of you hope readers take away from this Weird Tales graphic novel and each of your stories in particular?
Blake: I hope it brings in a new generation of readers. Crossing over with graphic novel fans is such a brilliant idea, and if it brings people to Weird Tales for the first time, that’s incredible.
Rodney: I hope it encourages readers to explore works outside of conventional stuff. There’s a lot of great stuff out there.
Steve: If anything I hope it will inspire people to check out other Weird Tales stories and Robert E. Howard in particular. It’s just great classic stuff.
James: First and foremost I want people to be entertained. Then, go check out the legends that made the magazine such an iconic publication.
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From the Press Release: (February 16, 2026) First published in 1923, the iconic pulp magazine Weird Tales defined the horror and fantasy genres and helped give rise to icons such as H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Ray Bradbury, and C.L. Moore. A century later, Monstrous is teaming up with Weird Tales Magazine to publish the first-ever official Weird Tales graphic novel. — an ambitious adaptation and expansion of the legendary magazine — featuring covers by legendary artists Kelley Jones (Dracula, Sandman) and Eric Powell (The Goon, Dr. Werthless). Fans can support the book on Kickstarter now.
The Weird Tales graphic novel features adaptations of seminal stories, including:
- Michael Avallone’s “The Man Who Walked on Air” — adapted by Chilling Adventures of Sabrina artist Robert Hack and David Avallone, the acclaimed writer and son of Michael Avallone.
- Ray Bradbury’s “The Scythe” — adapted by artist J.K. Woodward and acclaimed novelist and creator of the Joe Ledger series Jonathan Maberry.
- Allison V. Harding’s “The Damp Man” — adapted by acclaimed artist Marco Finnegan (Calavera, PI) and award-winning novelist Nancy A. Collins, who was the first woman to write Swamp Thing and also the first woman to write Vampirella.
- Robert E. Howard’s “Skulls in the Stars” — adapted by 30 Days of Night co-creator Steve Niles
- An original Lovecraft Mythos Story by Peabody Award-winning screenwriter and producer Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia) with art by Lukas Ketner (Count Crowley)
- C.L. Moore’s “Shambleau” — adapted by artist George Quadros (Sumerian) and Blake Northcott (Catwoman)
- Anthony M. Rud’s “Ooze” — the first story published by Weird Tales, in 1923 — reimagined by Weird Tales president, director, and producer John Harlacher (Urchin, Ninja Escape, Nightmare NYC), with art by Zac Atkinson.
- The Weird Tales graphic novel also features original stories, including:
- “Doctor Satan vs. Jules de Grandin” by James Aquilone, winner of the Bram Stoker Award-winning Kolchak: The Night Stalker: 50th Anniversary and the anthology Shakespeare Unleashed, with art by Dave Swartz (Confederate Monster)
- “The Cthulhu Project” by Richard Krepit, with art by EV Cantada
“For the first time, the weird, the dark, and the wondrous stories that launched the careers of genre legends leap from the pages of the magazine into a stunning graphic novel experience,” said Aquilone. “Editor Jonathan Maberry and President John Harlacher have been doing exciting things since they resurrected Weird Tales in 2019. When it came time to assemble the contributors for the historic first graphic novel, we went big and bold. These stories are worthy of the great, pulp legacy of Weird Tales.”
“When I was a young teen I got to know and be mentored by Ray Bradbury,” says Weird Tales Editor Jonathan Maberry. “His extraordinary kindness was matched by deep insights into the art and science of storytelling, and that has influenced every part of life and career. He would be delighted that I’m now the editor of Weird Tales Magazine, which he both loved and was published in early in his career. Adapting his powerful and empathetic story, “Scythe” (Weird Tales, July 1943) is a joyful honor and I can’t help but think Ray would be delighted.”
“A wonderful part of Weird Tales has always been our writers and artists taking inspiration from each other,” said Weird Tales publisher John Harlacher. “Since the iconic horror comics of the 20th century, like Vault of Horror and Tales from the Crypt, were inspired by Weird Tales, it’s an honor to return the favor, and build on that legacy, as well as our own.”
“My father, Michael Avallone, grew up reading Weird Tales… and in 1953, he was thrilled when he made the first professional sale in his long writing career to the magazine, with “The Man Who Walked On Air.” I’ve always loved the story, and thought it was a shame one could only read it in crumbling pulp magazines, or a long-out-of-print anthology,” said David Avallone. “So naturally I was thrilled at the idea of this (appropriately post mortem) collaboration with my late father, adapting this terrific little tale to comic book form. When I was asked who I’d like to illustrate it, my first choice was Robert Hack… an amazingly talented artist who I also knew to be a fan of my father’s writing. I think the result speaks for itself: you’re gonna love it.”
The graphic novel will be 8.5 by 11-inch prestige hardcover and the campaign will include multiple limited edition tiers with multiple collectible covers and exclusive rewards, including a Weird Tales challenge coin, T-shirts, and more.
Monstrous has raised more than $500,000 on Kickstarter over the last four years with such projects as Kolchak Meets the Classic Monsters, The Omega Eleven, and Classic Monsters Unleashed. Monstrous and its founder, James Aquilone, have won multiple accolades, including the Bram Stoker Award, Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Award, and the Scribe Award from the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers.
Fans can back Weird Tales on Kickstarter now. For updates, follow Monstrous on X/Twitter, Facebook and MonstrousVerse.com.
