Picture Stories From the Bible: Complete Old Testament Edition (2025 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

In 1942, Max Gaines teamed with 10 religious leaders of Christianity, Catholicism and the Jewish faith to produce comic books presenting stories and scriptures from The Bible to young readers nationwide. Perhaps the most famous person on the advisory board was the Reverend Norman Vincent Peale, who would be known to both Christian and secular readers for his motivational work, 1952's The Power of Positive Thinking.

The first series approved by the panel was titled Picture Stories From the Bible: Old Testament Edition. It was a 4-issue series that covers the creation story from Genesis, through the Exodus of Israel from Egypt, through the life of King David to the many prophets whom arose during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews. Also included in the series was an account of the Life of Judas Maccabeus, whose rebellion against Antiochus lead to the miracle of the restored Temple's altar lights burning for 8 nights, later inspiring the Jewish festival of lights known as Hanukkah. 

The miracle itself is barely mentioned at all; reduced to just a single panel. The inspirational story of Job is also not included. Sex, such as King David's affair with Bathsheba is omitted. However, murder and war are certainly explored in great detail and clearly presented to appeal to young male readers. The first issue shows an unknown man in Egyptian garb punching out another man. Later editions, such as the one this reviewer read, would caption this scene as 'Moses Battles the Egyptians'. Yes, Moses did kill an Egyptian for abusing a fellow Israelite. But he never took on Pharaoh like John Wayne in a saloon on a busy Saturday night.

Before being bought out of his ownership shares of All-American, Gaines and his advisory board completed two follow ups: a 3-issue account of the complete New Testament and a one-shot collection of issues #1 and 2 titled Picture Stories From the Bible: Complete Life of Christ Edition. Both books were released under the National Comics banner, which had absorbed All-American's line under a single publishing house. 

Using his proceeds from the buyout, Max Gaines created a new publishing company: Educational Comics. It was soon know by just it's initials: EC. As the Bible books were Gaines' baby, he was able to eventually retain the rights to those titles, along with the 'Picture Stories' franchise title. Building on his company's promise to promote wholesome, informative comics to children, Educational Comics released Picture Stories titles featuring American history, world history, and science. A pair of massive collected editions of the Old Testament and New Testament series were released. The first couple of prints were published by National. All subsequent prints were from EC Comics. 

Illustrations for The Complete Old Testament Edition were attributed solely to Don Cameron. Although, many chapters look like they were illustrated or inked by others.

Scripts were written by Montgomery Mulford who used the King James version of The Bible, the Catholic Duoay edition of scriptures and the Jewish Publication Society volume of the Torah and Hebrew Bible.

Completing this review completes Task #1 (Comic from the Golden Age (1938-1955)) of the 2025 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Frontline Combat #9 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

From the letter from the Editor placed on the inside cover, this was to be the first of 7 issues devoted to the American Civil War. Readers had requested the conflict of 1861-1865 be included in EC's war torn title. However, Harvey Kurtzman and William Gaines felt that a single issue just wasn't enough space to adequately devoted to this important period in American history.

Frontline Combat was a sister series to the very macho Two-Fisted Tales, which originally focused on adventure stories. The book started off well, but with the end of the Korean War, EC saw a decline in sales. Ultimately, Frontline Combat's last issue would be #15. 

This issue would focus on the start of the war. There are 4 segments, all penned by Kurtzman. The first chronicles the life of Abraham Lincoln from childhood to his inauguration as the 16th President of the United States. Readers then experience the first shot of the Civil War with the siege of Fort Sumter. The action heads West to the neutral state of Missouri as both Confederate loyalists and Union soldiers fight over possession of Camp Jackson. Lastly, we witness Union overconfidence turn the battle of Bull Run/Manassas into the Rebels first major victory of the early days of the war. 

While this issue highlights the constitutional crisis of the legality of the succeeding Southern States, slavery is never overtly addressed in this book as the main cause of the Civil War. Yet in true EC twist fashion, the narrator of the opening segment on Lincoln is revealed on the last page as being a black man who lives in Charleston, South Carolina on the eve of the Fort Sumter blockade. 

The artists featured in this issue are Jack Davis, John Severin, and Wally Wood. Cover art by Harvey Kurtzman. The one-page prose story was replaced with excepts of the inaugural address of Abraham Lincoln, featured in the opener titled 'Abe Lincoln!'

Though the full 7 parts of the Civil War series never came about, Two-Fisted Tales did devote a pair of issues to the Civil War before being cancelled in 1955 at issue #35. For those who might wish to follow up on learning more on the Civil War in comics and graphic novel form, check out Battle Lines: A Graphic History of the Civil War by Ari Kelman and Jonathan Fetter-Vorm,  Marvel's 4-issue Epic Battles of the Civil War and the 'Big Bad Ironclad!' and 'The Underground Abductor' entries in the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series for all-ages readers.

Completing this review completes Task #21 (Set in the 1800s) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Crime Patrol #11 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

(Issue read was Crime Patrol #5, the Gemstone Publishing August, 2000 Reprint Edition)

Though 1950-55 was the heyday of EC Comics, William Gaines and company were perfecting their brand in the late 1940s. Starting out as International Comics before a name change to International Crime Patrol, what would become just Crime Patrol with issue #7, focused on gritty violent crime stories. The police might not get their man. But justice was always done by the end of each story.

In 1949, when this issue was originally published, publisher Gaines and editor and artist Al Feldstein had begun to experiment with horror. That's why the middle story, 'The Werewolf's Curse'!, was included in a book devoted to criminal activity. As readers of Crime Patrol began to write letters praising these tales of terror, Gaines and Feldstein saw the merits in releasing an all horror comic. Crime Patrol #15 introduced readers to the Crypt Keeper who hosted the Feldstein tale 'Return From the Grave' Two issues later, Crime Patrol morphed into The Crypt of Terror, hosted by the ghoulish Crypt Keeper. Another two issues later, the publication would make more final name change to Tales From The Crypt and the short-lived Age of EC Comics was born. As a cost-cutting measure with US Postal Service permits, the numbering was never altered throughout the publication's lengthy evolution.

Crime Patrol #11's first story claims to be a true life tale taken from the files of the FBI. Proclaiming that the names were changed to protect the innocence, the true crime moniker was more than likely a story gimmick to sensationalize the kidnapping of a wealthy socialite for ransom by a couple of small time crooks. 

The third story is an account of a female pickpocket forced into working as a card sharp for a seedy carnival owner. There is no mention of this tragic tale being based on reality or not.

As for the middle feature, 'The Werewolf's Curse!', it's based on a classic horror trope. A pair of siblings have inherited a castle. Legend has it that the fortress is cursed by a werewolf which both heirs laugh off as pure legend. That is until their faithful dog and the caretaker of the manner are both mauled by an unseen assailant. This story lacks the signature twist ending that would become the staple of the EC line. Instead, the reader is left to wonder if there really was a curse of a lycanthrope or if the countryside was terrorized by some other unknown beast that could walk on two legs.

With this issue, featuring art and story Al Feldstein with contributions by Richard Krause, Howard Larsen, H.C. Kiefer and a dramatic cover by Johnny Craig, this isn't a perfect EC Comic, but you can see that things are slowly falling into place for William Gaines and company.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #18 (An EC Comic (Reprints are allowed) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Piracy #6 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

The comic book known as Piracy was produced by EC Comics. It ran for 7 issues from October/November, 1954-October/November, 1955. The timing of Piracy's publication places it at an awkward time during the history of William Gaines' publishing house. 

Piracy was the last New Trend title EC released before the company shifted focus of its publications. That's because from April to June, 1954, the US Senate held several public hearings on juvenile delinquency and comic books were placed under the microscope as being its number one cause. Across America, civic groups lead massive burnings of comic books. 

There's actually a famous photo taken in the Norwalk, Connecticut community of a Catholic League community bonfire composed of thousands of comics going up in flames. And there's my future grandmother-in-law smiling triumphantly over the paper barbecue. Also in the picture is my wife's 7 or 8 year old uncle, frowning despondently as his prized comic book collection went up in smoke. 

Needless to say, comic books were on life support. To prevent the complete extinction of the art form, several publishers got together and formed the self-governed Comics Code Authority. Gaines was initially hesitant to concede to the CCA, instead, opting to cancel most of his controversial line of comic books.

Only 3 books made the cut. The humor comic MAD changed to a larger format and was exempt from CCA rules operating as a magazine. Panic, another humor title, remained comic sized. Piracy, was the third surviving title. 

Piracy still had EC's signature twist endings. But they were no longer sensationalized. Haunt of Fear #19 had for a shock conclusion, a rival baseball team dismembering a baseball player who used poisoned cleats and using the guys entrails for a ballpark foul line. Issue #1 of this series has a boat captain finding the man who shanghaied him decades earlier and getting revenge on him... by thanking him for his cowardly deed. 

There are 4 stories that fill issue #6 of Piracy. Reed Crandall's 'Fit for a King' has a drunkard regaling the patrons of a tavern with the truth about a missing fabled swashbuckler known as The King of the Pirates. 'The Skipper' by George Evans tells of a sailor whose been stuck as first mate for so long, that he secretly begins sabotaging his cargo ship in a twisted plan to have the captain removed from the helm. Then readers head back in time to the seal hunts of the great white north in Graham Ingels' 'Fur Crazy.' Lastly, Jack Davis spins a yarn about a shipmaster haunted by the screams of the crew he lost years prior in 'Solitary.'

The cover was illustrated by Bernard Krigstein.

EC Comics launched 7 new titles in early 1954 as part of its New Trend line of titles. Because Gaines refused to issue a CCA stamp on the cover of his books, newsstands refused to carry them. Gaines would eventually acquiesce later in the year. But at that point, the financial damage was done and most titles were cancelled with issue #5 (Nov/Dec, 1955). A controversial ruling by the CCA for the powerful anti-racism story 'Judgment Day' in Incredible Science Fiction #33 led to William Gaines turning his back on comic books, devoting himself as publisher of MAD Magazine until his death in 1992.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #33 (An EC Comic (Reprints are allowed)) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics

This is one of those books I remember having from my first collection (that was stolen). This book was published in 1981; meaning I was 3 or 4 when it was released. I don't think that's when my parents bought it for me. I somehow remember seeing this book advertised on TV and wanting it really, really bad. I also remember opening the book from its shipping box on my parents' kitchen table and looking through it and being disappointed...

Over the years, as I read the book again and again, I came to appreciate it a little more each time. When I found this book recently once more at my favorite used book store, I finally understood this book's brilliance!

This book isn't comprehensive. While Superman, Batman and Captain Marvel are examined in this book, other important early superheroes like Captain America and Wonder Woman are noticeably not just absent, I don't think either are mentioned in any of the essays written by comic book historians J. Michael Barrier and Martin T. Williams. 

This book covers comics published up to 1955, right when the industry imposed the self regulated Comics Code Authority. A good stopping point if you were writing a multi-volume look at the history of comic books. EC Comics was the main target of the evils found in comic books from Dr. Wertham and state senators. As a result, no less than 5 stories from that legendary publisher are included in this book. Yet none of them are of the sci-fi or horror titles that ignited the comic book scare of the 1950s!

A number of legendary creators are examined. There are works from Walt Kelly and his critter creation, Pogo, John Stanley's version of Little Lulu and Tubby and Will Eisner's The Spirit. A seasonal story from Carl Barks starring Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge are also included. I would have finished this book a couple of weeks ago. But I wanted to enjoy Barks' 'A Letter to Santa' during the holiday season. Thus I waited. 

To my big surprise, the stories I was the most enamored with were the Scribbly stories, featuring the Ma Hunkel Red Tornado stories. Created by Sheldon Mayer (Golden Age Green Lantern), these stories were clever parodies of the age of mystery men, lively illustrated and just oh-so fun to read. To my knowledge, those stories have never been collected. Thus, other than the 4 stories comprised here, unless I max out my credit cards, I'm probably never going to get to read Ma's further adventures. 

I really enjoyed this collection. The artwork is so starkly different from what I grew up with and primitive compared to modern comics. The scripts are like works of art. They capture the dialect and tone of the times. For a kid born anywhere after 1977, these things are like trying to read Shakespeare. When I was young, everything just looked off and I couldn't really understand the stories. Now I am 45 and I felt like I was in the presence of greatness. and well into that presence I was. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars,

Spoof #2

Parody has been a regular staple of Marvel Comics. These funny books usually haven't been met with much success. However titles like Not Brand Ecch and What The?! are considered cult classic fan favorites. This title is not one of them.

Spoof ran sporadically over the course of 1970-1973, producing

a grand total of 5 issues! The biggest draw for those few who still

remember this series were the covers. Featuring art by the great

EC Comics legend John Severin, these covers had amazing

caricatures of 1970s icons such as Blacula, Marcus Welby and

Richard Nixon.

Ironically, this issue, which I happen to purchase over Father's

Day weekend, was the only one that featured a single property

- a parody of the groundbreaking sitcom All in the Family. That

show starred Carrol O'Connor as the bigoted Archie Bunker.

Bunker would often tell people that he was through with them

with the send-off 'see you in the funny papers.' In this spoof, he

learns that life in the tumultuous 1970s might actually be better

than living in those Sunday Comics.

In this issue we've also got a glorious spoof on the anthology

horror film The Vault of Horror and the EC Comics that inspired

the movie. This one featured a story by future New Teen Titans

scribe Marv Wolfman and artwork by another EC alum, Marie

Severin (John's sister).

Lastly we've got a Tarzan spoof in which after years of living as

a domesticated lord, the King of the Jungle returns to deepest

darkest Africa. Only Tarzan finds that the continent has

modernized in his absence. This was the most political of the 3

stories. It was also my least favorite.

With artwork by both of the Severins, I feel that Spoof was

Marvel’s attempt to rival Cracked Magazine. But I know that isn’t

the case as both artists were frequent contributors to both

Marvel and Cracked at this time. Maybe this was just another of

Stan Lee’s flights of fancy that didn’t take off with the average

Marvel reader of the 1970s.

One thing is for sure, this book is about as borderline adult as you

can get in a Comics Code book. Look at Charlie Brown and

Nancy posed like Fritz the Cat and his girl on the top left corner.

Plus, there’s plenty of double entendres and blatant take about

sex, drugs and gettin’ naked.

Above all, this book was a flop because it couldn’t be produced

in a timely and consistent manner.

An interesting look at one of Marvel’s earliest duds. Not terrible

stuff. But definitely not ‘The Galactus Saga’ either. The art is

quite stunning however. I gotta say, I love those Severins!

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

The Vault of Horror #14

• A pair of con men use a medium to swindle an old lady out of her inheritance. But the spirits have other plans. 
• In a play on an old urban legend, an African butler misinterprets the desires of his master and puts the man's fiance out for display.
• An animal loving wife is pushed beyond her limits when her cantankerous husband takes up a new hobby- taxidermy!
• A rising star in the boxing circuit must throw the match of his life or else never see his baby son ever again.

This issue of the Vault of Horror offers a score of terrifying treats. Everyone's favorite EC horror host is the Crypt-Keeper. But mine is the Vault-Keeper. I don't know why. His stories just seemed more interesting to me while CK's stuff, while good, just didn't seem so believable. 

No, that's not right. Something's missing with what I am trying to say, just like some of the details of Crypt-Keepers report of the boxer with the kidnapped child. The story jumps six months at one point but it's never revealed if the kid returned home safely or not. 

I usually am not big on the Old Witch's stuff at all. I'm just not a Ghastly (Graham Ingels) fan. But the story about the wife and her taxidermist hubby was a creepy story that actually begged for Ghastly's distressed touch. Plus, as an animal lover myself, I would be destroyed if I came home to find that my spouse did to- Oh, NO! You're not getting a spoiler out of me. I don't care if the stories reprinted are over 60 years old!

A fantastic addition to my EC Comics collection. I'm still a long ways off from completing it, but I get closer all the time.  

Featuring the art of the legendary Johnny Craig, this issue is a gem!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

A Madman's Halloween 2017 Reading List... (Part 2)

Halloween is soon to be here. In order to get into the holiday spirits, er spirit, I selected a number of Halloween and horror themed comics from my vast collection.

In part one, I examined the more kid friendly comics available to put the fun in funeral. Okay, I'm not the Crypt Keeper, but I'm really trying folks. Anyways, part two looks at the more adult and classic horror titles that I plan to read over the next several weeks. Hopefully, these selections will inspire you to develop a Halloween reading list. So let's begin, shall we?

Modern Scares

The following are some selections from the past 30 years. They may not be classics, but they show promise to set an eerie tone to a cold October night...

Batman: Masque

This graphic novel is an Elseworlds. The premise is what is Bruce Wayne was the Phantom of the Opera. I hope there's no singing as I hate singing in comics. I never know the tune...

The Phantom of Fear City #10

Do I know how to segue or not? I have no idea if this book is scary. But I got it in a grab bag and since it's by Captain America legend Steve Englehart, I thought I would give it a try. By the long now defunct Claypool Comics, their website still stands like an abandoned cyber ghost town...

The Troll Halloween Special

I really don't know much about this shorter, grumpier version of Wolverine from Image. But I read the Troll Christmas Special a while back and it was really funny. So when I found this at a con, I just had to have it. Plus, it has a Maxx story and I really dug that mind-bending cartoon series when it was on MTV in the 90s.

Weird War Tales Special (Vertigo 2000)

There were two series that my dad would regularly read as an adult. Sgt. Rock and Weird War Tales. I'm more of a Howlin' Commandos kinda guy but I love Weird War Tales. I know I should have picked a classic story. But I just finished reading a large collection of those (Showcase Presents Weird War Tales Volume 1), so I went for the modern take.

Tomb of Dracula Presents: Throne of Blood

Another classic horror title that got a modern make-over. This 2011 one-shot from Marvel promises to integrate the Dracula mythos with feudal Japan. I'm not sure how they're going to do that. But hey, it was only a buck when I got it!

Classic Horror Titles

For my final selection of spooky reads, I'm going to look at some of the all-time greats known and beloved to horror comic fans nationwide.

The Twilight Zone #47 (Gold Key)

Rod Serling's spooky anthology series is not only perfect for a good scare, but it was gosh darn good TV. Gold Key held the rights for decades after the show was cancelled, publishing an anthology series that included some of the earliest works by Bernie Wrightson and Neal Adams. If you don't mind condition, tons of these issues can be found in bargain bins at cons and your favorite LCS.

The Demon #2 (1972-74)

Since we celebrated the 100th birthday of Jack Kirby this year, I thought it would be appropriate to read an issue from The King's horror title from his days at DC. The Demon in my opinion one of the most visually appealing characters Kirby ever designed in terms of colors and how the character just looks some much more menacing when drawn in the King's blocky style. Fun Fact- Kirby's Demon didn't start rhyming all of his lines until years later when Len Wein used the character in a Superman team-up story.

Scary Tales #11

For some, the horror titles of Charlton Comics are amongst some of the best of the 70s and 80s. By far, horror titles are what kept Charlton in business for as long as they did considering how DC and Marvel were slaughtering them in the superhero genre. Featuring the work of greats like Steve Ditko, Joe Staton, and Dick Giordano, I had to include one of these books here, especially as a Charlton horror book was the first comic I ever bought.

Crypt of Shadows #10

This short lived horror anthology isn't one of Marvel's most reknown compared to titles like Where Monsters Dwell. But the series has a sizable cult following on Facebook groups devoted to classic horror comics.

Adventures of Bob Hope #87

The classic Hollywood comedian isn't really known for horror. That's more suited for Jerry Lewis or Abbott & Costello. But when I saw this cover, I just had to have it. 1) It's a classic DC title and 2) it looked like it would be a fun Halloween read. Plus, the doggie just seemed so darn cute.

The House of Mystery #250

The creme de la creme of the DC horror anthologies. It's host Cain is considered one of the all-time great horror hosts. The series was so popular and so beloved by fans and artists alike that in 2008, Vertigo not only revived the title but managed to add Cain back into the mix as well.

The Vault of Horror #14

Last but not least, it wouldn't be a Halloween comic book reading list if I didn't included an EC Comic. The brain child of William Gaines, EC's titles were the catalyst behind the comics scare of the 1950s. As a result, the industry created the Comics Code Authority and for almost 20 years, horror comics were virtually non-existent. Because of the acclaimed HBO series, most people tend to favor Tales from the Crypt. But my favorite of the EC horror books is Vault of Horror.

---

...And that's my reading list for Halloween 2017.

Over the month of October, check out my personal blog Madman With a Book where I will be posting my reviews of these books as well as many other titles.

I hope this list will inspire you to seek out some comic and graphic novel frights in time for Halloween. If you have any suggestions of you own for what makes the perfect Halloween reading list, please post theme in the comments section below...

Psychoanalysis

  Seeing that the days of crime and horror comics were over, William Gaines sought to move EC Comics into a ‘New Direction.’ It was a short lived attempt as fans didn't enjoy this neutered approach. Most of EC’s talent left for greener (and career- safer) pastures. The newly formed Comics Code Authority was censoring material with abandon. One such title that didn't survive the changing tides of the 1950s comics industry was Psychoanalysis!

    The premise of Psychoanalysis was pretty revolutionary. Each chapter revolved around a patient of an unnamed therapist know only as The Psychiatrist. In reality, psychotherapy takes months, even years, to complete. So the idea behind Psychoanalysis was that each patient’s story was supposed to be spread out anywhere from 3-5 issues per case study.

   Unfortunately, the Psychiatrist gave up his practice after only 4 issues. Thankfully Gaines had the insight to complete all of the patient's therapy before closing the doors on this series.
     
    Chronicling the patient's progress was Jack Kamen. He had built up a small following with his works on the horror titles of EC. Yet, he's also one of the most controversial talents on Gaines’ roster. A lot of EC fans hate his art style, calling it 2-dimensional. His most fervent detractors call him a rip-off artist of universally accepted fan favorite, Johnny Craig.

      I didn't mind the effort of Kamen with this series. Kamen was the difficult task of taking an experimental book and making in work at a time when the industry was crippled thanks to the Estes-Kefauver hearings on juvenile delinquency. The stories themselves were quite interesting- so much that I think my psychology major wife might enjoy them as well.

   The endings to each episode were a little hoo-hum for my liking. How exciting can you end a procedure that has the practice of finishing with the immortal words ‘I'm sorry, that's all the time we have for today.’

     I've been collecting EC titles since I was 11. So I can expertly say that Psychoanalysis is the most difficult of all of the EC titles ​to find in any media. I found this volume just this past May during my Free Comic Book Day excursions. Believe me when I say that I shouted out the words 'Dibs!’ and 'Mine!’ when I found this!

  This collection also contains an in-depth interview with one of my personal EC favorites, Marie Severin. Her account of time spent as a pioneering woman artist in the man's world of the 1950s comics industry was fascinating. Severins’s story would make a fantastic series on AMC or Netflix!

Psychoanalysis may not the most polished of EC works. But this series has been on my wish list for quite a while. It was a major Grail find! Very cerebral!

  Worth Consuming!

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The EC Archives: Crime SuspenStories, Volume 3

   Dangerous dames, cunning con men, scorned lovers, and murderous psychos fill panel and page of Crime SuspenStories, Volume 3. Reprinting issues 13-18 of EC Comics’ classic crime thriller comic, this book is lovingly reprinted by Dark Horse Comics.

    I consider myself someone of an expert on EC books. I’ve been reading and collecting them since I was about 10. So, I have seen a variety publisher’s efforts to reprint this stories in so many different styles. In my opinion, I can officially declare that Dark Horse’s efforts are clearly best.

    Up until Dark Horse took over the license, I would have rated the Russ Cochran editions the best. These hardcover collections from 1986-1988, are considered by many to be the standard for EC Comics reprints. They were printed on prestige acid-free paper with beautifully bright covers. Unfortunately, the Cochran interiors were printed only in black and white. The decision  was in an effort to cut costs down, but ultimately it was disappointment to readers. That’s not the case with the Dark Horse volumes. Every dismembered victim is brought to gruesome life in vibrant 4-colors on shiny, hi-stock paper.

    Dark Horse’s collections are little paper time capsules. This era of EC Comics lore is just as the publisher was beginning to overtake DC Comics as the industry leader. With EC’s popularity, new titles were being developed. Initial advertisements for MAD, originally published as a comic book, are highlighted throughout the run of these books. There’s also a number of stories written by Ray Bradbury. Just  prior to issue #13’s release, Bradbury signed an exclusive contract with EC to publish comic adaptations of his works. Also highlighted are masters such as Johnny Craig and Jack Kamen who spin original yarns of revenge gone wrong. Volume 3 also collects the first ever EC works by Al Williamson.

    Another thing that I appreciate with this collection is that the original letters pages are restored. These pages contained Bill Gaines insightful editorial commentary. The Russ Cochran volumes reprinted the original pages as well. Yet when Gladstone took over the licence, they were replaced with a letters page composed of modern readers opinions. That’s all well and good for Gladstone. But the new letters don’t reflect the irreverent tone that would inspire Stan Lee with his letter pages at Marvel.

    The book retails for $49.99. For many, this collection isn’t cheap. But it’s a superior omnibus of reprints that rival anything currently on the market. Collectors of 1950s shock comics will love this book.

    Book will arrive in stores on June 27th, 2017.

    Worth Consuming!

    Rating: 9 out of 10 Stars.

Aces High #1

   In an attempt to placate critics, brought forth by the witchhunt of Dr. Frederic Wertham, EC Comics canceled many of it's most controversial (but ultimately popular)  titles. In their stead were several more 'family friendly' titles that still contained the shock ending that was EC's signature. This approach was called EC's NEW DIRECTION- and it was a colossal failure.

    One such title was called 'Aces High.' It was a war comic devoted to the aerial maneuvers of World War I. While stories about the bi-planes of the War to End All Wars would've made for some interesting additions to EC's previous war titles such as 'Two-Fisted Tales' or 'Frontline Combat' t to have an entire 48-page comic devoted to Sopwith Camels and Spitfires while trying to shock the reader with a twist ending just didn't work on paper.  The title only lasting 5-issues was such proof of the formula not working. By issue 3, the publisher allowed for the title to also include stories about the infantrymen and land wars of WWI but it still couldn't save the title from an early extinction.

    This issue featured 4 stories. The first tale is called 'The Way it Was.' With the art by George Evans, it features a grandfatherly type character giving an overview of the war to a young boy. It's actually a clever way to start the series.

   The next story is a Wally Wood work titled 'The Outsider' and it involves a newcomer to a fighter squadron and the prejudice he occurs as he tries to fit into the unit. Only once he's baptized by fire is he finally considered one of the guys. It's a powerful tale.

   The third adventure was my favorite. 'The Mascot' involves a puppy that can tell when one of the pilot's of a squad isn't going to make it back from their mission. Call it a sixth sense but when the mascot refuses to acknowledge the demise of a pilot listed as Missing In Action, his buddies conduct a hi-flying rescue mission that would've made a great addition to Speilberg's short-lived 80's TV series 'Amazing Stories.'

   Lastly, we meet 'The New C.O.' He's a take no prisoners type and he's got a tough mission ahead of him. His new assignment is known as a bunch of goof-offs and now Uncle Sam expects him to make them into aerial killing machines. Featuring art by the great Jack Davis, it's a poignant story about the horrors of war- not just physical but the psychological effects as well.

    Along with these four EC gems was a short story called 'The Stork With Talons.' In was a jumbled mess but it was necessary for EC to include in this book in  order to qualify this title as first-class mail. Lastly, this reprint included something that wasn't in the original publication. It's the first part of an interview with artist George Evans. It included some very interesting inside info about EC during the 1950s. I hate that I don't have issue #2 in order to read the rest of this interview, but I have something to look forward to someday.

      While this isn't my ideal EC title, it was an enjoyable read. The classic art was worth the cover price alone. But even with a weak premise, the stories themselves were quite good. Plus, these 'New Direction' titles are important parts of comic book history and they show the sad progression of EC's ultimate demise.

Darn you, Dr. Wertham!!!

Worth Consuming

  Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

   

Weird Science-Fiction Fantasy Annual #2 (Banned Comics Week)

My final selection for Banned Comics week is a unique time capsule of the changes that EC Comics would have to endure after the Juvenile Delinquency Senate hearings and with the coming of the comic’s code. Sales of comic books had been plummeting across the board. To spare jobs and to keep from closing, EC cancelled its horror comics and began to merge other titles together. For instance, Weird Science and Weird Fantasy were merged together after both published their final issue #22. The new title was called Weird Science-Fantasy.

The new title was still edgy with bizarre aliens, screaming femme fatales and twist endings that stunned the reader back into reality. But when the CCA formed in 1954 one of the rules stated the word “Weird” could not be used in the title of a book. Thus, Gaines and Co. changed the name of the series to Incredible Science Fiction at issues #30. This book has the distinction of the being the very first comic to be approved by the CCA (as according to the reprint editors of this annual.)

ISF is tepid. The stories are no longer thrilling. The endings still have a twist but EC’s stunning style had been neutered. Incredible lasted 4 more issues but thanks to an confrontation with the CCA, Gaines decided to stop publishing comics altogether.

Before issue 34 was published, William Gaines sent a reprinted story for approval called “Judgment Day!" (Weird Fantasy  #18). This anti-racism story, was rejected because Judge Charles Murphy, the Comics Code Administrator, demanded that the star of the story, a black astronaut, be changed into a white hero. Gaines refused and threatened to take the matter all the way to the Supreme Court. The CCA, not wanting an early case of more unwanted publicity, backed down.  Gaines went on and  printed the story both without any changes or the CCA approval stamp. It would be the last comic printed by Gaines who would go one to devote his energies to the now magazine formatted MAD Magazine. Yes Mad would be just as subversive but because the book was no longer published in the size of a comic book, it was free from the intrusion of the Comics Code.

I’m not so much a fan of this treasury of latter day EC reprints. But for their historical value, this collection is priceless. You can see through volume 1 and later this second volume how EC’s style was slowly reined in to fit an Ozzie & Harriet lifestyle. Ultimately, by focusing on MAD, Gaines got the upper hand, thumbing his nose at American society all the way to the bank.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Vault of Horror #22 (Banned Comics Week)

 This issue has stuck with me for years since I first read it back in 1990. The cover bears the image of a group of child carrying a scratch made coffin down a dirt path. The story is titled ‘Let The Punishment Fit The Crime.’ In this tale, a group of children hold a mock funeral through a small town. The town’s folk then recall how the kids asked them each questions about justice and capital punishment. It’s only on the last page do we learn that these kids have found one of their peers guilty of a criminal offense (kidnapping a girl’s dolly) and had him killed by pushing him onto a live wire and then buried.

   Now my biggest peeve is if kids pushed someone onto a live wire, how did they get the child off the electricity and into a coffin without killing themselves in the process? But in the 1950s, child advocacy groups hit a conniption fit with this issue, saying it encouraged children to exact vigilante justice. (Interestingly enough, when Dr. Wertham attacked the most well-known vigilante superhero, Batman, he didn’t criticize his sense of justice. No, Dr. Wertham implied that since Batman hung around with a young boy who wore hot pants, he must’ve been a homosexual! - Don’t believe me- look it up on Google!)

Anyway, back to this comic. I mentioned that civic groups saw this issue as a prime example of being a bad influence on children. But I would argue that it would be the advocates for children who did more damage than these comics. Wertham skewed his research by twisting around the responses of the children he interviewed until they forcefully admitted that they were deviants and in need of therapy thanks to the damning influence of comics.

  There’s another instance that I cannot remember how I found out about this but I both read about it in the great book about the comic book scare of the 50s called “The 10-cent Plague” and I saw a video of the episode somewhere and I just cannot recall it for citing purposes. But the program I recall was a 1950s news show that devotes one episode on juvenile delinquency. In the episode, it showed kids reading EC Comics and then smoking, playing with knives, and then tying up a chum and beating him up.

The newscaster’s narration blames comic books for this wanton behavior. What he does not mention is that producers of his show hired kids off the street, and filmed them while encouraging them to use weapons and hog-tie one of their friends. The only thing the kids reportedly did on their own volition was to read the comic books. It was a bunch of so called responsible adults who put the kids up to acting like a bunch of thugs.

There are 3 more really good stories in this issue. First up is ‘Together They Lie,’ a creepy story of a man who discovers that his wife may not have been as faithful to him as he originally believed. The ending of this story seems to me might have heavily influenced the first vignette in the classic Stephen King tribute to EC Comics, Creepshow.

  After the cover story, we join old Doc Swanson as he tracks down a killer in a small town in a story called “A Slight Case of Murder!” I was on edge trying to guess who the killer was and I admit I was shocked when I found out. But looking back, I can see that this issue must have inspired the film Men In Black in a way. I won’t spoil it, but if you read this tale, you’ll know I am right. Lastly, a marionette artist spends his final night on earth reflecting on his art and his marriage that suddenly went sour. It’s got a gruesome ending, but in my opinion the weakest of the 4 stories.

This issue reprints Vault of Horror #33. It’s a favorite of mine and a spooky classic.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Two-Fisted Tales #9 (Banned Comics Week)

 

Not everything EC published was considered subversive. William Gaines, who would eventually go on to publish Mad Magazine, published comics based on the Bible, classic works of fiction, and reprints of comic strips from highly circulated newspapers. But perhaps the most well regarded series published by EC was Two-Fisted Tales.

   These were macho stories that starred fighting men and dastardly villains. Many stories were to some degree historically accurate, if only in means of dress, armament and procedures of the soldiers depicted in this books. Two-Fisted Tales not only flew under the radar of the Senate hearings on Juvenile Delinquency but was also revived, albeit very briefly, after the establishment of the Comics Code Authority.

  Two-Fisted Tales has appeared in many movies and TV shows, often as a prop used by servicemen or 50s youths. The book is discussed as a favorite of Corey Feldman’s character in the film Stand By Me. The series was used as reading material by servicemen in various episodes of MASH.

   It’s interesting that I mention MASH because this issue which reprints Two-Fisted Tales #26, like the long-running classic sitcom, is set during the Korean War. This issue is devoted to an account of the Marine retreat at the Changjin Reservoir after over a million Chinese soldiers poured into North Korean to assist those armies that were looking at sure defeat by UN forces. (This event is also the focus of at least 2 episodes of MASH, when the camp has to bug-out and is mentioned again as a news flash over the intercom during a surgery scene.)

The retreat is broken down into 4 chapters drawn by such greats as Jack Davis, Harvey Kurtzman and of course, the master of EC war comics, John Severin. Chapter one explores how the Marines were literally ‘this close’ to victory in North Korea before the Chi-Com forces entered the war. Chapter 2 looks at both the American retreat as well as the advancement of the Chinese by focusing on both an American pilot and a Communist ensign who are trying to gain as much ground as possible.

Chapter 3 has the Americans almost ready to regroup before being attacked by ‘Banzai forces.” This forces which would attack after a series of vicious mortar barrages and then scare their American opponents by striking in complete darkness while banging cymbals and blaring trumpets. The attack causes one soldier to undergo ‘shell shock’ and again this experience was the plot of several episodes of MASH.

Lastly, we see the mass evacuation of the last remaining free port in UN control in North Korea. As troops manage to remove the citizens by boat and plane, American soldiers were destroying tons of food, ammo, and gasoline to prevent it from getting in the hands of the advancing enemy. This tragic tale of wanton destruction and pure waste is witnessed through the eyes of a tiny dog. It’s perhaps the saddest part of the entire story both making feel terrible sympathy for the puppy, that I know isn’t real and how this scene was played our 25 years later during the surrender of Saigon.

Hardly a gory comic, yes the spoils of war are real and they’re not downplayed. But EC didn’t hype the trauma for dramatic effect like in their other war comic Front-line Combat. If anything, the tone of this book was very patriotic and also a prayer for servicemen and women that were still over in Korea when this issue was first published in 1951.

To me, this was like reading an issue of MASH (if that ever existed but wouldn’t it have been awesome if it did?) The only things missing were a laugh track and a serviceman in drag.

Worth Consuming

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars