"The Colour Out of Space" is a manga adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's short story of the same name, reimagined by artist Gou Tanabe. The narrative centers on an unnamed surveyor who investigates a mysterious, desolate area in rural New England known as the "blasted heath." The story unfolds as the surveyor interviews an elderly local, Ammi Pierce, who recounts the tragic events that befell the Gardner family decades earlier.

The Gardners, a farming family, lived a quiet life until a meteorite crashed on their property. The meteorite, unlike any known substance, emits an unearthly, indescribable color that defies human comprehension. Over time, the meteorite's influence begins to corrupt the land, causing crops to grow unnaturally large and inedible, while the surrounding vegetation and wildlife mutate grotesquely. The family's livestock becomes aggressive and deformed, and the water from their well turns toxic.

As the contamination spreads, the Gardner family succumbs to its effects. Nahum Gardner, the patriarch, witnesses his wife and children deteriorate both physically and mentally. His wife, Lavinia, becomes increasingly erratic, while their sons, Thaddeus and Merwin, suffer from bizarre illnesses and mutations. The youngest son, Zenas, is particularly affected, displaying signs of otherworldly transformation. The family's despair deepens as they realize the meteorite's influence is irreversible.

Ammi Pierce, a close friend of the Gardners, attempts to help but is powerless against the alien force. The climax occurs when the meteorite's energy intensifies, leading to a catastrophic event that consumes the Gardner farm and leaves the land barren and lifeless. The color, now fully unleashed, ascends into the sky, leaving behind a haunting, desolate landscape.

The manga captures the slow, creeping horror of Lovecraft's original tale, emphasizing the incomprehensible nature of the alien presence and its devastating impact on both the land and the people. The characters are portrayed as ordinary individuals confronted with an extraordinary and malevolent force, highlighting themes of helplessness and the fragility of human existence in the face of the unknown. Tanabe's artwork effectively conveys the eerie atmosphere and grotesque transformations, staying true to the source material's tone of cosmic dread.