« It is the job of thinking people not to be on the side of the executioners. » — Albert Camus
Another day, another executioner… funny how these patterns emerge unbidden.
Jerry Grandenetti, with his tenebrous depths and oppressive angles, is another artist I’ve always strongly associated with Autumn and Hallowe’en. While the greater part of his work at DC Comics was war fare for Bob Kanigher, my heart pounds for his spooky work for editor Murray Boltinoff‘s 70’s stable of titles (The Witching Hour, Ghosts, and The Unexpected).
This particular tale marks a rare foray outside of the well-trod paths of formula and so-called ‘O. Henry’, or twist endings. Writer Bill Dehenny (an alias of editor Boltinoff’s, actually) ushers in midlife doldrums and attendant shades of moral grey, an unusually open, downright existential ending, elements scarcely encountered in DC ‘mystery’ comics of the era. Hell, there’s even a bird named Engelbert!
What’ll he do? Will he go the Bronson /Neeson vigilante route — or turn his back on the old family tradition?
-RG
Who's Out There? 
Before I read a single word of text, I glanced at the splash page and saw what I assume is supposed to be a witch peering through a window and introducing us readers Morton Kennelly. Without looking at the rest of the page, the artwork on the witch reminded me of Alex Toth, a fave ever since I brought the first issue of BLAZING COMBAT home back in 1965 (?).
But lo and behold it’s Jerry Grandenetti, the artist that I loved to hate when I was a teenager but who I am starting to dig in my old age.
PS: Thanks for introducing me to a new word—tenebrous.
PPS: Um, something’s changed with your comment section, yes?
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Your eyes did not deceive you, Neal — The Three Witches (Mildred, Mordred and Cynthia) were designed and introduced by Mr. Alexander Toth in the first issue of It’s 12 O’Clock.. The Witching Hour!, cover-dated Feb.-Mar. 1969. Jerry’s just following a winning design (that’s Mordred telling this story).
And I’m delighted to have added a new word to your arsenal! It’s more of an normal word in French (ténèbres means darkness, basically), but I suppose it’s a bit o’ fancy in English.
As for the comments section, I don’t know! I did notice that WP has modified (for the worse, naturally) the Stats page, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they’d messed with the Comments area… though it’s not visible to me.
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GASPY
So, howzabout reprinting Toth’s piece introducing the witches?
Now all I have to do is keep the new word from getting lost in the tenebrous caverns of my mind.
Regarding changes in your comment section and elsewhere, WordPress has that privilege when you use the free wordpress.com as your host. Have you considered moving “Who’s Out There?” to a self-hosted WordPress site?
NEAL
PS: You might consider substituting “tenebrous” for “murky” in your sidebar …
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