Hello all — I write this post under duress and internal protest. Given all the shit going on in the world, and the online omnipresence of larcenous AI, I readily admit that my desire to share any thoughts (let alone beloved stories) with the world at large is nearing zero. I’d prefer to merge with the large bush of gooseberrries in our yard, as a matter of fact. But co-admin RG begged for a week’s break, so here we are, after much hemming and hawing.

I read Grimm’s Stories no. 7 (Jan. 1973, Western) the other day and was pleasantly surprised at the strength of writing throughout the issue. My expectations were grim (he, he) but the over-dramatic stories I was dreading did not come to pass. The issue is, may I say, downright dignified in its treatment of all manner of ghostly topics. Of particular interest was the first story, The Ghost of Hell’s Kitchen, scripted by Arnold Drake and pencilled/inked by Frank Bolle. This merry duo has already had a Treasured Story installment here, which either means that our team has predictable tastes, or that the Drake-Bolle combination is a truly solid one (take your pick).

Why don’t you read it first —

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This is indeed a fairytale, but not because of the supernatural element. Who’s still surprised by ghosts in this day and age? Of more importance, we get a shady character with eyebrows Brezhnev would be proud of, surely even more set in his ways after having been a ghost for many years, who’s perversely willing to be reasonable. He’s told that he’s a fool right to his face… and instead of roaring into attack, flinging any remaining furniture at his nephew, retreats quietly. The ghost’s children, though they’ve grown up with a silver spoon, are good people. The businessman is an honest and hard-working head of the company, and by the end of the story, a great landlord as well. What kind of warped universe is this, and how can we teleport into it?

~ ds (someone get me out of here)