Joe Pulver suggested, I thought it was a great idea, and Bob Price was kind enough to accept. If you don’t know who Robert Price is, keep reading (the rest of this post written by Joe Pulver):

Here in Carcosa, this cultist is dancing and singing, as Lovecraft eZine is adding a new feature, their first regular columnist. Who is it? Robert M. Price (often called, the Hierophant of the Horde) will be penning a Lovecraftian essay every issue; it might be about a HPL tale, or theme, or it might be pure criticism on HPL’s narrative style. Whatever the subject Bob selects, we’re sure they’ll be informative, and often, fun!

You say you don’t know Bob’s work that well? Bob was the editor of the legendary Crypt of Cthulhu for twenty years. For those who may not have read “Crypt” here’s the Wiki entry.

Crypt of Cthulhu was a fanzine devoted to the writings of H. P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos. It was published as part of the Esoteric Order of Dagon amateur press association for a short time, and was formally established in 1981 by Robert M. Price, who edited it throughout its subsequent run.

Described by its editor as “a bizarre miscegenation; half Lovecraft Studies rip-off, half humor magazine, a ‘pulp thriller and theological journal,'”[1] it was a great deal more than that. Lovecraft scholarship was always a mainstay, with articles contributed by Steve Behrends, Edward P. Berglund, Peter Cannon, Stefan Dziemianowicz, S. T. Joshi, Robert A. W. Lowndes, Dirk W. Mosig, Will Murray, Darrell Schweitzer, Colin Wilson and Price himself. However the magazine published stories and poems too: resurrected, newly discovered, or in a few cases newly written, by Lovecraft and other such Weird Tales veterans as R. H. Barlow, Robert Bloch, Hugh B. Cave, August Derleth, C. M. Eddy, Jr., Robert E. Howard, Carl Jacobi, Henry Kuttner, Frank Belknap Long, E. Hoffmann Price, Duane W. Rimel, Richard F. Searight, Clark Ashton Smith and Wilfred Blanch Talman. It also had stories and poems by newer writers paying tribute to the old, including Ramsey Campbell, Lin Carter, John Glasby, C. J. Henderson, T. E. D. Klein, Thomas Ligotti, Brian Lumley, Gary Myers and Richard L. Tierney. Numerous issues were devoted as special author issues ot one or other of such authors. Its contents were illustrated by such artists of the fantastic as Thomas Brown, Jason C. Eckhardt, Stephen E. Fabian, D. L. Hutchinson, Robert H. Knox, Allen Koszowski, Gavin O’Keefe and Gahan Wilson. Its reviews covered genre books, films and games.

The magazine’s run encompassed 108 issues over a span of 20 years. The first 75 issues (dated Hallowmas 1981 through Michaelmas 1990), were published by Price under his own Cryptic Publications imprint. The next 26 issues, (dated Hallowmas 1990 through Eastertide 1999 and numbered 76 through 101) were published by Necronomicon Press. The last 6 issues, (dated Lammas 1999 through Eastertide 2001 and numbered 102 through 108), were published by Mythos Books.’

Bob has also edited many Lovecraftian anthologies (his Lovecraftian “Cycle” books are treasured by many fans). These anthologies include The Tindalos Cycle,Worlds of Cthulhu, The New Lovecraft Circle, Acolytes of Cthulhu, The Dunwich Cycle, The Hastur Cycle, The Innsmouth Cycle, The Book of Eibon, Tales of the Lovecraft Mythos. His anthologies have appeared from imprints such as Choasium, Fedogan & Bremer, Hippocampus Press, and many others. He is also writes fiction (his collected works, Blasphemies & Revelations, appeared from Mythos Books in 2008). And his contributions to Lovecraftian scholarship are still being applauded by the likes of S. T. Joshi (see the last chat with W.H. Pugmire and S.T.).

Bob was among the first to publish works by Thomas Ligotti, Michael Cisco, Stan Sargent, and Joe Pulver. His commitment to discovering and promoting new voices in our pond has never wavered.

He has also been a featured guest at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival (Portland), MythosCon, and the NecronomiCON. His Cthulhu Prayer Breakfast’s are highly praised by all who have attended them.

This is a mere thumbnail of Bob’s work and contributions. As you may imagine, the whole of his bio is extensive. There are few in the Lovecraftian pond that are as well-rounded and informed, and it is Lovecraft eZine’s great pleasure to give him a monthly platform.

Dr. Robert M. Price is also a theologian and religious skeptic, especially of orthodox Christian beliefs, and a former Baptist minister, he was the editor of the “Journal of Higher Criticism” from 1994 until it ceased publication in 2003. Price runs The Bible Geek, a broadcast show that allows people to ask the Bible Geek questions. His theological background is of the brought to bear in his Lovecraftian introductions and articles.

Look for Bob’s first column in the March issue of The Lovecraft eZine.