Necronomicon Press
An American small press known for publishing Lovecraftian, horror and fantasy fiction, poetry, criticism and specialist periodicals.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Necronomicon Press is an American small publishing house specializing in horror, fantasy and related literary culture. Founded in 1976, the press began primarily as an outlet for works connected with H. P. Lovecraft and took its name from the fictional occult book, the Necronomicon, that recurs in Lovecraft's mythology. Its publishing program subsequently broadened beyond Lovecraft to encompass fiction, poetry, literary criticism, bibliographic work and specialist journals associated with weird fiction and dark fantasy. The press became particularly significant within the small-press and scholarly Lovecraft communities. It published works by or about writers including Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, Ramsey Campbell, Hugh B. Cave, Joyce Carol Oates, Brian Lumley and Brian Stableford. Its nonfiction list included major contributions from Lovecraft scholars such as Dirk W. Mosig, Stefan R. Dziemianowicz, Kenneth W. Faig and S. T. Joshi. Among its best-known publications was Joshi's H. P. Lovecraft: A Life, issued in 1996, a substantial biography that became an important reference work in Lovecraft studies. Periodicals were another central part of the press's identity. Necronomicon Press issued Lovecraft Studies, edited by S. T. Joshi, as well as Studies in Weird Fiction. It also published Crypt of Cthulhu, edited by Robert M. Price, and a range of related fanzines, critical journals and serial publications, including Necrofile: The Review of Horror Fiction, Cthulhu Codex, Midnight Shambler, Other Dimensions and Tales of Lovecraftian Horror. These publications helped preserve and expand a specialist critical and fan culture around weird fiction at a time when much of the material circulated through small presses rather than mainstream publishing houses. The press's books were often visually distinctive. Illustrations were supplied frequently by Jason Eckhardt and Robert H. Knox, while some editions incorporated artwork from amateur magazines published during Lovecraft's lifetime. This combination of literary scholarship, archival interest and handmade or specialist production gave Necronomicon Press a position between an academic imprint, a genre publisher and a fan-oriented small press. Necronomicon Press received notable genre-publishing recognition. It won the World Fantasy Award in 1994 and again in 1996 for its contribution to small-press publishing. In 1995 it received the British Fantasy Award for publishing Necrofile: The Review of Horror Fiction. These honors reflected the press's influence within specialist horror and fantasy publishing rather than mass-market scale. A major operational setback occurred in March 2010, when flooding destroyed more than $20,000 worth of books. The press subsequently reactivated its website, but later public information indicates that its activity had substantially declined and that it appeared to have become inactive around 2023. Sources identify Marc A. Michaud as the principal operator and indicate that, in more recent years, operational responsibility was handled by his daughter, Maddy Michaud. The current legal, commercial and publishing status of the imprint is not clearly documented.
History
Necronomicon Press was established in 1976 in the United States as a small publishing outlet associated initially with the work and legacy of H. P. Lovecraft. Its name references the fictional Necronomicon, an invented grimoire that appears throughout Lovecraft's stories and became one of the most recognizable symbols of the author's mythos. From its beginning, the press operated within the specialist ecosystem of fan publishing, amateur magazines, literary criticism and limited-run genre books rather than competing directly with large commercial publishers. The original focus on Lovecraft gradually developed into a broader program of weird fiction and dark fantasy. The press published fiction, poetry, criticism and research connected with Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith and other writers associated with supernatural, horror and fantasy literature. It also issued works by later genre authors, including Ramsey Campbell, Hugh B. Cave, Brian Lumley and Brian Stableford, while publishing literary material by Joyce Carol Oates. This range allowed the imprint to function both as a preservationist publisher for classic authors and as a venue for contemporary or modern genre writing. Scholarship was a particularly important part of the list. Necronomicon Press published critical and biographical work by influential Lovecraft researchers including Dirk W. Mosig, Stefan R. Dziemianowicz, Kenneth W. Faig and S. T. Joshi. Joshi's H. P. Lovecraft: A Life, published in 1996, became one of the press's most prominent books. The publisher also supported studies of other writers, including Ramsey Campbell and Fritz Leiber, demonstrating that its editorial interests extended beyond Lovecraft himself. The press's periodical publishing strengthened its role in the field. Lovecraft Studies, edited by S. T. Joshi, provided a dedicated venue for research and criticism. Studies in Weird Fiction served a related scholarly and bibliographic purpose. Other periodicals included Crypt of Cthulhu, edited by Robert M. Price; Cthulhu Codex; Midnight Shambler; Necrofile: The Review of Horror Fiction; Other Dimensions; Parts; and Tales of Lovecraftian Horror. Through these serials, the press helped maintain a network of readers, collectors, scholars and writers interested in the history and interpretation of weird fiction. Lovecraft Studies was later superseded by Lovecraft Annual, published by Hippocampus Press. Production design was also part of the imprint's identity. Many books were illustrated by Jason Eckhardt and Robert H. Knox. Some editions used artwork reproduced from amateur writers' magazines dating from Lovecraft's own period, adding an archival dimension to the publications. Sam Gafford also contributed illustrations to at least one issue of Lovecraft Studies. These choices reinforced the press's connection to fan history, bibliography and the material culture of genre publishing. The imprint received significant recognition from the fantasy and horror community. It won the World Fantasy Award in 1994 and 1996 for its contribution to small-press publishing. In 1995, it received the British Fantasy Award for its publication of Necrofile: The Review of Horror Fiction. The awards confirmed the press's importance within specialist publishing despite its small scale. In March 2010, flooding caused the loss of more than $20,000 worth of books. The website was subsequently reactivated, suggesting an attempt to continue operations after the disaster. Marc A. Michaud is identified as the principal operator of the press, while later accounts indicate that his daughter, Maddy Michaud, handled the press in more recent years. Publicly available information suggests that the imprint appeared to become inactive in 2023. No reliable source in the supplied material establishes whether the business was formally dissolved, sold, or merely ceased visible publishing activity.
- 2023
Apparent inactivity
[1]Reference material indicates that the press appeared to have become inactive around 2023.
- 2010
Flood damages inventory
[1]A March flood destroyed more than $20,000 worth of books; the website was later reactivated.
- 1996
Second World Fantasy Award
[1]The publisher received a second World Fantasy Award for its contribution to small-press publishing.
- 1996
Publication of H. P. Lovecraft: A Life
[1]The press published S. T. Joshi's major Lovecraft biography, H. P. Lovecraft: A Life.
- 1995
British Fantasy Award for Necrofile
[1]Necronomicon Press received a British Fantasy Award for publishing Necrofile: The Review of Horror Fiction.
- 1994
First World Fantasy Award recognition
[1]The press received a World Fantasy Award for its contribution to small-press publishing.
- 1976
Press founded
[1]Necronomicon Press was founded in the United States, initially as an outlet for works related to H. P. Lovecraft.
Products and positioning
A specialist small press at the intersection of Lovecraft scholarship, weird-fiction fandom, literary criticism and limited or illustrated genre publishing.
Biography · 1996
H. P. Lovecraft: A Life
S. T. Joshi's biography of H. P. Lovecraft, published by Necronomicon Press in 1996. It exemplifies the press's role in producing substantial scholarly and reference-oriented books about Lovecraft and the history of weird fiction.
Literary criticism journal
Lovecraft Studies
A critical journal devoted to the study of H. P. Lovecraft, edited by S. T. Joshi and published by the press across numerous issues. The periodical helped establish a dedicated scholarly forum for Lovecraft research before being superseded by Lovecraft Annual from another publisher.
Literary criticism journal
Studies in Weird Fiction
A specialist periodical focused on critical and historical studies of weird fiction. Its publication reflects Necronomicon Press's broader interest in genre scholarship beyond the works of Lovecraft alone.
Horror and Lovecraftian periodical
Crypt of Cthulhu
A Lovecraftian and Cthulhu Mythos periodical edited by Robert M. Price. Necronomicon Press published multiple issues as part of its fan-oriented and specialist serials program.
Horror criticism periodical
Necrofile: The Review of Horror Fiction
A review and criticism publication edited by S. T. Joshi, Michael Morrisson and Stefan R. Dziemianowicz. The title received the 1995 British Fantasy Award for its publication by Necronomicon Press.
Lovecraftian periodical
Cthulhu Codex
A periodical associated with Lovecraftian fiction and criticism, edited by Robert M. Price and Joseph S. Pulver in the issues listed among the press's publications.
Fiction and poetry
Selected fiction and poetry editions
The press issued genre fiction and literary works including Joyce Carol Oates's Demon and Other Tales, Ramsey Campbell's Far Away & Never, Robert E. Howard's Ghor, Kin-Slayer and Brian Lumley's Ghoul Warning and Other Tales. These editions illustrate the range of authors and forms within its horror and fantasy list.
Brand decisions
2010
Post-flood website reactivationOtherBackground
A March 2010 flood caused the loss of more than $20,000 worth of books and disrupted the publisher's inventory.
Action taken
The press subsequently reactivated its website.
Aftermath
The available material does not document the full financial or operational recovery.
1976
Launch as a Lovecraft-focused specialist pressStrategyBackground
The publisher was established primarily to provide an outlet for works connected with H. P. Lovecraft and his literary legacy.
Action taken
It adopted the Necronomicon name and built an initial publishing program around Lovecraft-related fiction, criticism and specialist material.
Aftermath
The press later expanded into a broader horror, fantasy, weird-fiction and literary-criticism list.
Recent events
- 2023
Necronomicon Press appears to become inactive[1]
Other
Available reference material indicates that the press appeared to have become inactive around 2023, although its precise legal and operational status is not established.
- 2010
Flood damages Necronomicon Press inventory[1]
Other
A flood in March 2010 destroyed more than $20,000 worth of the press's books. The publisher later reactivated its website.
Sources2 sources
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