What do J.R.R. Tolkien, Ursula K. Leguin, and HP Lovecraft all have in common? They, like a whole host of science fiction and fantasy creators, were influenced in same way by Lord Dunsany’s The Gods of Pegana, one of modern fantasy literature’s most impactful works and a gateway to many readers learning about pantheons of gods and vast cosmic mythologies for the very first time.

Now, over 120 years after its first publication, The Gods of Pegana is being given new life for the next generation of science fiction and fantasy readers and creators, thanks to the Denver-based Wig Shop in the form of an illustrated edition, now funding on Kickstarter. With expert typesetting by Wig Shop founder Jeff Alford and gorgeous, surreal illustrations from Dustin Holland, this new printing of The Gods of Pegana will be a treat for fans old and new alike.

I had the chance to speak with Jeff Alford and Dustin Holland recently about The Gods of Pegana, the history behind the story, the process of making this illustrated edition a reality, and what the two hope readers take away from the book.

While I’ve never met Dustin in person, I’ve e-known him for a while now, and his passion for writing, illustration, and storytelling is palpable and infectious. His and Alford’s collaboration looks to be something truly special.

 

 

FreakSugar: Before we get into the Kickstarter itself, for the uninitiated, what is The Gods of Pegana?

Jeff Alford: It’s a strange fantasy novella that was originally published in 1905 by Lord Dunsany, which imagines an alternate origin story for our existence by way of a pantheon of gods. Encountering it today, its tone lands as feeling almost Biblical and utterly psychedelic, which makes for an uncanny reading experience (to say the least).

Dustin Holland: It’s a really fun, experimental, imaginative pageturner full of gods and monsters and all sorts of fantastic stuff. Lord Dunsany’s work was hugely influential for a lot of beloved 20th century writers, and you’ll see why when you read this one!

FS: Following up on that, why did you decide to focus on The Gods of Pegana? What is your personal history with the story?

JA: I’m a big book collector and fell into collecting books from Arkham House, a publisher that began in 1939 and put out the first bound collections of stories by H.P. Lovecraft, as well as debuts from folks like Ray Bradbury and Robert Bloch (who later wrote the book Psycho is based on). My interest in these books led me to Dunsany’s work, which was an influential through-line for all those writers that Arkham was publishing. Seems they all grew up reading Dunsany, and you can see Pegana as a sort of rosetta-stone source for their fantasy fiction.

DH: I was woefully unfamiliar with this book until Jeff approached me about this project, but since then I’ve become very familiar with it and very fond of it. I think the structure and tone of The Gods of Pegana really lends itself to an ornate illustrated edition. The book presents itself as a sort of holy text, and I hope our new edition can add to that feeling.

 

THE GODS OF PEGANA Illustrated Edition page 96

 

FS: How did the Kickstarter form? What prompted this collaboration?

JA: I run Wig Shop, an alternative-comix online shop, and have done a few publishing projects over the years. But I felt like this book needed a little extra consideration to be done right. We’re going to do foil stamping, french flaps… it’ll run about 140 illustrated pages, so it’ll be a pretty substantial thing! We thought Kickstarter would be an interesting way to secure some of the printing costs before taking the plunge.

FS: The art and typesetting complement each other beautifully. What kind of conversations have you had in the course of working on the project?

DH: We really wanted the art to complement Dunsany’s work and play off of the otherworldly metatextual nature of the The Gods of Pegana. I want the book to feel like an object from Pegana. Jeff encouraged me to lean into the horror and mystery of the text, but also to really embrace the idea of doing the project in my own cartoony style. So you’ll see my surreal,comic book and folk art sensibilities crashing into this 120 year old classical fantasy masterpiece in a way that I hope is fun and surprising.  Dunsany doesn’t use very much visual language in this one, so I had a lot of room to play with the character designs and the look of the world.  There are paintings inspired by Alan Moore and Sun Ra in here, my dog Bluto makes a cameo, It’s got it all!

Initially, the art in the margins of the text pages was going to be pretty minimal, but once I started thinking about it as an illuminated manuscript, I went a little overboard, so now every page has pretty extensive painted illustrations. Jeff had a specific vision for the typesetting for the book, which established the size of margins on each of the text pages, and from there he gave me pretty free reign. Having all of that room to draw on the text pages, allowed me to really zoom in on key images/moments for the big full-page chapter paintings without having to worry about leaving anything out, which was really freeing.

JA: We let the whole thing evolve a little naturally – we both kept in mind the illuminated manuscript touchstones that we wanted to reference, and we set out some general rules about margin widths and chapter titles that carry through the book. So, even when the art gets a little wild, I hope there’s a quiet sense of control to it all.

FS: Was there anything that particularly surprised you in doing research for the project?

JA: The world of public domain art and literature is a fascinating one. Each year, new things enter the public domain, but I feel like as media-consumers we all just talk about the same handful of blockbusters like Gatsby or Steamboat Willie and not explore the myriad other possibilities. There is so much that’s on the brink of being lost to time.

I hope a lot of people who find our book haven’t even heard of Dunsany, and I hope I get to experience a similar eye-opening, horizon-expanding moment from someone else’s project down the line.

DH: Yeah, the existence of Lord Dunsany has been a really wonderful surprise for me, personally. I love this book, and, to Jeff’s point, there’s an endless supply of exciting, important work lurking in the public domain, which is really inspiring as a reader and “creator.”

 

 

FS: Following up on that, what’s been your favorite part of working on the graphic novel?

JA: One of my favorite things to do when someone comes over to my house is show them stuff from my collection. This whole project scratches that itch – it’s such a joy to share this wonderful, weird book with people, and each new backer or Instagram-like stokes that bottled-up excitement.

DH: I’ve never had an opportunity/reason to read a book as closely or as many times as this one. I loved getting to take the time to explore, re-read, and study this story. It’s been a very fun way to engage with the book.

FS: What are some of the backer rewards patrons can expect?

JA: Dustin graciously offered a handful of originals from the book, some of which are still available. They’re incredible in person and would be a great addition to someone’s esoteric collection.

DH: In addition to some originals from the book, You can sign up for a commissioned painting! My brother-in-law helped me design a sticker sheet featuring art from the book, We’re making some great art prints, and many of my comics are available as add-ons.

FS: Do you two have future plans for further collaborations?

JA: As a shop, I have the pleasure of stocking Dustin’s self-published work and seeing what he’s up to in the comics realm. We don’t have another illustrated-lost-literary-classic on deck, although it would be fun to consider follow-ups if people enjoy this one.

DH: I think at the moment, our focus is making this book as beautiful as possible for everyone who has been kind enough to support it. That said, I’ve had a ton of fun on this project, and working with Jeff again would be a delight!

FS: If you had one final pitch for the Kickstarter, what would it be?

JA: We’ve been bowled over by the support the kickstarter has had this past month – so many people have taken a chance on our project and we’re both so, so appreciative. Some might be in it more for the weird fiction, some for the art, but I think the connective thread is that they all believe in supporting independent publishing and independent art, and that a beautiful physical book is a particularly important thing these days. Pledge to the project in the name of literature, art, physical media and independent publishing, and may LIMPANG-TUNG bless your day with mirth and merriment.

DH: Think of Pascal’s Wager… What if the Gods of Pegana are real? This could be a great way to get into their good graces! In fact, buying this book may be your only way to guarantee a spot in Pegana Heaven…

All kidding aside, I think we’ve made a unique book that is a sincere celebration of Dunsany’s work and a weird expressive experiment in illustration and bookmaking. I just want to echo Jeff and say that we are incredibly grateful for all of the support and enthusiasm for this project. Thanks, Jed for taking the time to chat with us and thanks to everyone who is helping bring this book to life!

The Kickstarter for The Gods of Pegana ends TOMORROW, Thursday, March 5, 2026! Don’t miss out on your chance to preorder this gorgeous, one-of-a-kind storytelling experience. Click here for the campaign page!