H.P. Lovecraft’s influence on horror, science fiction, and fantasy looms large, but when you read his work today it’s difficult to ignore the racism and xenophobia that plagues his stories.

This panel celebrates and interrogates the marred, mutating legacy of Lovecraft, touching on the ways his work has gone on to affect today’s writers, as well as exploring the imperative question of how to navigate and unpack harmful views of those who have influenced and changed genres irreversibly.

Speakers include writer and journalist David Barnett, comic artist, writer and animator INJ Culbard, author and game designer Jonathan L. Howard and founder of the London Lovecraft Festival TL Wiswell.

About The Host

Image of David Barnett

David Barnett

David Barnett is an author and journalist based in West Yorkshire. His latest novel is Calling Major Tom, published by Trapeze. He writes mainly for the UK national press on books, culture and general topics, and is published regularly in the Guardian, Independent, and several magazines and online platforms.

About The Speakers

Ian Culbard

I.N.J. Culbard is an award-winning graphic novelist and has adapted Conan Doyle, Burroughs, Wilde, Chambers, and Lovecraft. He is an artist on original series such as The New Deadwardians (Vertigo), Dark Ages (Dark Horse Comics), Wild’s End (Boom Studios), Brink (2000 AD), and Brass Sun (2000 AD).

 

Tonnvane Wiswell

Tonnvane Wiswell has been reviewing plays for over 25 years, most recently online with Webcowgirl’s Life in the Cheap Seats (webcowgirl.wordpress.com). Since 2014 she’s written a total of nine plays, including three genderswitched HP Lovecraft adaptations, and produced the first and second London Lovecraft Festival.

 

Jonathan L. Howard

Jonathan L. Howard is the author of nine published novels, notably the Johannes Cabal and Carter & Lovecraft series, and is also a games designer, working on projects for Disney, Dreamworks, and co-designing and co-scripting the first three “Broken Sword” adventure games.