I have been eagerly awaiting the creative duo of Simon Birks and Willi Roberts back together on a new comic series following their amazing series Antarctica and here we are, a fantastic retelling of H.P. Lovecraft‘s The Thing on the Doorstep.
Daniel Upton and Edward Derby have been best friends almost their entire lives, right up to the point Daniel shoots Edward dead in the Arkham Sanitorium — a crime Daniel swears he didn’t commit, despite all the evidence. What happened on that fateful day in Arkham? What is the truth behind this seemingly mindless act of violence? Witness the beginning of this doomed relationship and Edward’s slow descent into a horrifying world beyond his control.
One of the huge benefits of having never read the original 1937 Lovecraft story The Thing on the Doorstep was entering this comic series blind with no preconceived notions, allowing myself to get a fresh take on this nearly 100-year-old tale. When reading an adaptation I had previous knowledge of, I tend to spend too much time comparing the source material the new story and but this was something special. The Thing on the Doorstep comic adds a whole new level to the original story.
The Thing on the Doorstep starts off with a literal bang before heading back a few years to give us a base on where there story is headed. The premiere issue covers a long span of time but does so in a well-paced manner setting up the rest of the series with a great foundation. Over this span, with short stints in many different years, we get a chance to get to know our main characters without having to stretch it over many issues.
When it comes to a Lovecraftian horror story such as The Thing on the Doorstep, there is a certain style of artwork that works well and Willi Roberts is the answer. Roberts use of dark, mysterious, and gritty illustrations and muted color palette is just what this story needed and is executed with seems like ease. There is this sort of unsettling vibe the oozes from each panel on each page.
The Thing on the Doorstep is a haunting story made for those longtime Lovecraft fans as well as new to Lovecraftian horror. I am excited to see where Simon Birks and Willi Roberts take it and why it ends up where it does.
The Thing on the Doorstep #1 hits local comic shops on February 11, 2026 from Top Cow at Image Comics.
The Thing on the Doorstep #1 Preview
