Author: gasp65

Hallowe’en Countdown, Day 5

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« Do not come to Transylvania unless
you are prepared for the gravest of terror! »

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Always one of DC’s underdog mystery titles, Weird Mystery Tales was actually more consistent than its sister titles. Its relative lack of success was perhaps due to its original host, Destiny, being a bit of a flat tire. He was replaced with Eve (you know, Cain, Abel…) with this issue.

Still, the entire run is worth seeking out, thanks to contributions from Jack Kirby (okay, leftovers, but delicious leftovers from the unpublished second issue of his Spirit World magazine), Sheldon Mayer, Robert Kanigher, Steve Skeates, Alfredo Alcala (his and E. Nelson Bridwell’s adaptation of John Russell’s The Price of the Head is my pick for the title’s finest moment; it appears in this issue), Frank Robbins, Ruben Nunag Yandoc, Michael Wm. Kaluta… hey, it’s an anthology: you *know* the list goes on and on.

This is Weird Mystery Tales no. 14 (October-November, 1974). Cover by Luis Dominguez. Mute terror… isn’t it more effective?

– RG

Hallowe’en Countdown, Day 4

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« There’s lots of heads that would be improved by removing the brains and stuffing them with punkin! »

Here’s one from early in the funnybook game. Eastern Color’s anthology title Famous Funnies (July, 1934 – July, 1955, 218 issues), is generally held to be the first true American comic book. This is October, 1939’s issue 63, with a cover by Victor E. Pazmiño (1899-1970), who often initialed his work VEP (not to be confused with Virgil Partch’s VIP). Our featured protagonists are Sam Smithers and his tormentor, Pigtails.

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Should you have a little time on your hands, you can read this issue, and many others in the series, right here, through the auspices of the fine folks at comicbookplus.com.

-RG

Hallowe’en Countdown, Day 3

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« Ach ja! That field once produced the best wine in the world, for it is said it was fertilized with human blood! »

(Does that only apply to red wine?)

As far as 80s reprint packages go, this was something special by any measure: first of all, though the spooky tales within were produced in the pre-code 1950s, they had never gone to press. The material was intended for the 15th issue of Pines/Standard/Better/Visual Editions’ Adventures Into Darkness, which was never published, presumably in the wake of the heavy-handed censorship of the newly-instituted Comics Code Authority. Why bother revising and releasing a book that likely wouldn’t even get distributed?

Second, the originals were adapted for the 3D process. The effect was quite the rage in 1953-54, but these particular 3D separations were created retroactively, in the 80s, by modern stereoscopy master and keeper of the flame Ray Zone (1947–2012) and Tony Alderson.

Third, these morbid tales weren’t just hackwork scarcely worthy of publication, at least art-wise: they feature such solid talents as George Roussos, Mort Meskin, Mike Sekowsky, Alex Toth and Gene Fawcette.

And finally, there’s that eyeball-caressing Dave Stevens (1955-2008) cover. The gone-too-soon creator of The Rocketeer also made his mark with a cherished handful of covers in those dark Reagan years, a mark that thankfully shows no sign of fading.

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This is Seduction of the Innocent 3-D (Oct. 1985, Eclipse). Logo by Ken Steacy.

If you’re in the mood, a couple of 2D samples of the issue, perhaps? Try Harvest of Death or Death Dives Deep. Just tell dear Mr. Karswell we sent you!

– RG

Hallowe’en Countdown, Day 2

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« It looks like a rotting coffin… something that should have stayed buried! »

Here’s a relatively restrained cover from one of Eerie Pubs’ flagship series (34 issues, 1969-75). Despite, or because of, notorious sleazoid publisher Myron Fass’ typical bait-and-switch, cheapjack production and ethical values (in this case, all reprints with a flashy new cover), Eerie’s grit and grime must be experienced at least once, preferably through some of its truly unhinged Dick Ayers-illustrated originals, such as, say, « House of Monsters »… in fact, let’s not waste any time: read it here.

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This is Witches’ Tales vol. 1 no. 8, in truth the title’s 2nd issue… Chez Eerie Pubs, they loved to keep everyone guessing! (Eerie Publications, Sept. 1969) Cover painting by Bill Alexander. Edited by Marvel-Timely golden-ager Carl Burgos.

– RG

Hallowe’en Countdown, Day 1

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« I’m being haunted by all the meat I’ve eaten* »

Welcome to our daily rending of calendar leaves ’til All Hallows’ Eve 2017 is upon us, all flailing fangs and claws…

We open with a salute to our kindred evil spirits, the ticklish rogues who bring us The Simpsons. Their Halloween Special / Treehouse of Horror episodes, by now numbering thirty entries, have done much to keep the torch of seasonal eeriness ablaze over the years.

The comic book spinoff series is none too shabby, either: launched in 1995, it also appears once a year, when noons go quickly, dusks and twilights linger, and mid-nights stay**. It shares its parent show’s penchant for references to comic books and magazines, toys and films and tv shows, some recent, some rather ancient, some known to all and some surprisingly (and wonderfully) obscure.

To meekly invoke but a few: Ba(r)t Out of Hell, The Thing With Two Heads, Famous Monsters of Filmland (down to the logo), War of the Colossal Beast, shock rockers Gene Simmons, Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie and Pat Boone (shudder), EC’s Tales From the Crypt, Mars Attacks, the Bride of Frankenstein, Gremlins, Ghostbusters… and these are just the covers.

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This is The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror no. 14 (Bongo Comics, Sept. 2008). Cover by Bill Morrison. Check out a gallery of the issues here!

*and pastries and snacks, et cetera. A quotation from Godley and Creme’s 1981 art-rap, Snack Attack.

**Ray Bradbury’s The October Country

– RG

Life is too short to be living somebody else’s dream.

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A quick post in salute of Hugh Hefner (1926-2017), who truly was a lot of things to a lot of people, but to me, he remains, chief among these, one rare and precious thing: a steadfast, lifelong friend and patron to great cartoonists, a man of taste, at least in that particular area.

Here are a few relevant pieces. Mere drops in the bottomless bucket. All in good time, we’ll return to this topic.

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« I’ve been thrilled by the dazzling breakaway of your four-speed, close-ratio, synchromesh, manual transmission, and the lusty surge of your 315-horsepower, fuel-injection, high-lift cam engine… »

It’s astonishing how much toil an artist will put in, just to sell a simple gag. It doesn’t hurt if he’s recompensed decently, of course. Case in point: Ben Denison, for Playboy Magazine’s November, 1961 issue. Hugh Hefner has always known the value of his contributors, bless his great big heart.

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Erich Sokol (b. Vienna, 1933 – d. Mödling, 2003), originally published in Playboy’s September, 1960 issue.
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« This is nothing, wait until you see the women. »

Dink Siegel (1910-2003), from Playboy’s May, 1968 issue.

Happy trails, dear Mr. Hefner!

– RG

Can You Hear Us?

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« Galloping ladybugs! What *are* those things, professor? »

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It’s hard to imagine an explanation for this premise that wouldn’t raise more questions than it answered. By the 1960s, DC just didn’t know *what* to do with the Blackhawks. The title had been among DC’s top-sellers since the early 1940s, but it was becoming harder and harder to keep up with the times.

This is issue 199, from August 1964. Cover by Dick Dillin and Sheldon Moldoff. No one rushes forward to claim credit for writing The Attack of the Mummy Insects, but it’s probably Dave Wood.

The title would run until issue 243, in 1968. Ironically, its very finest issues would be its final two (until it was briefly revived in the 70s), an amazing two-parter drawn by Pat Boyette and returning these venerable characters to their roots and original uniforms.

 

– RG

Tossing Pebbles Down a Well

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OutThereIconIt stands to reason that there are tons of spiffy-yet-unheralded material out there, most of it slowly mouldering away in obscurity. You may count on us to do some foraging and to showcase some of the spoils here… with proper attribution.

Our image: Artwork by Ed Robbins, from Cemetery Scene, writer unknown (The Twilight Zone no. 36, March 1971, Gold Key).