Cthulhu is a huge, ancient and evil extra-terrestrial being who has been imprisoned in the black city of R’lyeh, under the waves of the South Pacific Ocean, for thousands of years. It is said that he makes men mad, and his mere presence on Earth affects the subconscious of every man on the planet. His existence is generally unknown to the people of earth, but scholars of ancient texts believe he exists and that he will one day be free of his prison. Many believers have started cults to worship him, in hopes of being spared his wrath. They chant, “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn” which means “In his house at R’lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.” Cthulhu is described as “an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature.” A description: “A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque scaly body with rudimentary wings [and] flabby claws.” At one point, Cthulhu is accidentally freed by a group of sailors and is described as green and gelatinous, as if “a mountain walked or stumbled.” The survivors use a boat to ram its head when it chases them into the ocean. They manage to injure the slow moving beast, but the injury heals and Cthulhu continues to move into the sea.
Alias Cthulhu |
Real Names/Alt Names Cthulhu |
Characteristics Villain, Weird Tales Universe, Aquatic, Extra-terrestrial, Giant, Monster Mash, Immortal, Prehuman Epoch |
Creators/Key Contributors H. P. Lovecraft |
First Appearance “The Call of Cthulhu” in Weird Tales Feb. 1928 (vol. 11 #2) |
First Publisher Popular Publications [Internet Archive] [LUM] |
Appearance List “The Call of Cthulhu” (1928). Also referenced by Lovecraft in “The Dunwich Horror” (1928), “The Whisperer in Darkness” (1930), and in the novella At the Mountains of Madness (1931). |
Sample Read Weird Tales (Pulp) [Internet Archive] |
Description Cthulhu is a huge, ancient and evil extra-terrestrial being who has been imprisoned in the black city of R’lyeh, under the waves of the South Pacific Ocean, for thousands of years. It is said that he makes men mad, and his mere presence on Earth affects the subconscious of every man on the planet. His existence is generally unknown to the people of earth, but scholars of ancient texts believe he exists and that he will one day be free of his prison. Many believers have started cults to worship him, in hopes of being spared his wrath. They chant, “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn” which means “In his house at R’lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.” Cthulhu is described as “an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature.” A description: “A pulpy, tentacled head surmounted a grotesque scaly body with rudimentary wings [and] flabby claws.” At one point, Cthulhu is accidentally freed by a group of sailors and is described as green and gelatinous, as if “a mountain walked or stumbled.” The survivors use a boat to ram its head when it chases them into the ocean. They manage to injure the slow moving beast, but the injury heals and Cthulhu continues to move into the sea. |
Source Cthulhu – Public Domain Super Heroes Wiki |