Dark Horse Comics has announced it has licensed Gou Tanabe’s manga adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s novella, The Shadow Out of Time (Toki o Koeru Kage), slated for release on October 28 in bookstores and October 29 in comic book stores. This continues Dark Horse’s commitment to bringing Tanabe’s critically acclaimed H.P. Lovecraft adaptations to English-speaking audiences.
A New Dive into Cosmic Horror: The Shadow Out of Time
The Shadow Out of Time manga adapts H.P. Lovecraft’s 1936 novella, a mind-bending tale exploring themes of time, identity, and cosmic horror. The story centers on Nathaniel Wingate Peaslee, a professor of political economy at Miskatonic University, who collapses in 1908 and awakens five years later with no memory of the interim. During those lost years, his body was inhabited by a member of the Great Race of Yith, an extraterrestrial species capable of time and space travel through mind transference. Peaslee’s subsequent search for understanding leads him on a global journey to uncover the secrets of the vanished race and the shadow they cast across time.
Gou Tanabe’s manga adaptation of The Shadow Out of Time originally ran in Kadokawa’s Monthly Comic Beam from April 2018 to November 2018. The Japanese release comprised two volumes.
Gou Tanabe’s Esteemed Lovecraft Adaptations
Gou Tanabe, a Japanese manga artist born in 1975, is widely recognized for his detailed and atmospheric adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft’s literary works. His unique artistic style masterfully captures the eerie and unsettling essence of Lovecraft’s cosmic horror.
Dark Horse Comics has been a consistent publisher of Tanabe’s Lovecraftian manga in English, building a significant catalog that includes some of Lovecraft’s most iconic stories:
- H.P. Lovecraft’s The Hound and Other Stories: Released in August 2017, this collection features adaptations of “The Hound,” “The Temple,” and “The Nameless City.”
- H.P. Lovecraft’s At the Mountains of Madness: Dark Horse began releasing this series in June 2019, with a deluxe edition hardcover released in 2024. This adaptation garnered significant acclaim, including nominations for Best Comic at the 46th Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2019, and nominations for the Eisner and Harvey Awards.
- H.P. Lovecraft’s The Shadow Over Innsmouth: Published as a single omnibus volume, adapting Lovecraft’s chilling novella about a decaying seaport.
- H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu: Released in October 2024, this adaptation won the Superior Achievement in a Graphic Novel award at the Bram Stoker Awards in June 2025.
- H.P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out of Space: Dark Horse’s most recent release of Tanabe’s work, which shipped on July 1, 2025.
Tanabe has also adapted other Lovecraft stories such as The Haunter of the Dark, The Outsider, and The Dunwich Horror in Japanese, further cementing his reputation as a premier interpreter of the Cthulhu Mythos.
The Creative Team Behind the English Release
Returning to translate The Shadow Out of Time manga is Zack Davisson, who has previously translated Dark Horse Comics’ English releases of Tanabe’s Lovecraft adaptations. Steve Dutro will handle the lettering for the manga. This consistent creative team ensures a cohesive and high-quality translation for fans of both Lovecraft and manga.
