The Color of Cosmic Horror

HBO's "Lovecraft Country" looks to take Black science fiction to a new level, reconciling one of horror's most influential writers with this country's and his own inescapable iniquities

Horror is complicated. The complexities of the genre have been thoroughly examined by individuals far more educated than myself and it still continues to mystify us, despite its criticisms. Are we sadists for flocking to theaters in droves to eagerly watch bodies be torn asunder? Are slashers misogynistic for featuring villains who seemingly perpetrate violence against women at a disparate rate or are they empowering for pioneering the "final girl"? What about the treatment of minorities in horror? Musing on the "Black person dying first" cliche is humorous, but I'm more interested in the inclusion of Black faces in horror as a whole. Our presence in front of and behind the camera within Lovecraftian or cosmic horror films is noticeably scarce. Vampires? We can do vampires. "Blackula", "Blade", "Ganja & Hess" and "A Vampire in Brooklyn" solidify that notion. How about creepy houses? Say hello to "The People Under the Stairs". What about zombie movies? Well, we broke the mold with those when Duane Jones starred in the original "Night of the Living Dead".

However, the terror of cosmicism is a realm that remains relatively unconquered for us and honestly, given the background of its creator, that may or may not be an ironic coincidence. H.P. Lovecraft was a racist. An unabashed one, at that. He was racist in the most classical sense and xenophobic by default. It influenced his work, especially his poetry like "New-England Fallen" and most infamously, "On the Creation of Niggers". He's also one of the most influential horror novelists of all time. These are both indisputable facts. His development of cosmic horror (a terrifying mix of existential nihilism, misanthropy and otherworldly creatures) has been so integral to the genre, it would be difficult to find a fantasy or science fiction horror book, comic or film you love that doesn't contain at least a sliver of his influence. I told you horror is complicated.

A small reckoning came in the form of author Matt Ruff's "Lovecraft Country", a 2016 novel that explored Lovecraftian tropes through the eyes of Atticus, a Black science fiction fan during the Jim Crow era. Now, with the help of J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele, showrunner Misha Green (creator of the criminally short-lived "Underground") has brought us an adaptation that could elevate Black fantasy horror to new heights. Armed with a strong cast (including Jonathan Majors, Jurnee Smollette and Courtney B. Vance), dazzling visuals, excellent production design and gore galore, the series premier perfectly sets the tone for a world where it appears fighting off monsters and racial tensions will require equal fortitude. The juxtaposition of Black men and women playing in the sandbox of a bigot while simultaneously criticizing what would have been on-brand bigotry if he were alive at the time is an "Inception"-level of self awareness that's devilishly clever. HBO continues to be a premier outlet for creators and while the show's run is just beginning, I'm excited to see how Green (who wrote or co-wrote every episode) guides us through this new dimension.