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.

Uncle Scrooge Adventures #17

Around 1988 when the cartoon version of Ducktales debuted, Gemstone published a comic book based on the hit show. At the time, Gemstone was selling 2-year subscriptions to the title. As a huge fan of the show, I subscribed and was for a most part very happy to receive a monthly adventure, in print, of Uncle Scrooge McDuck, his nephew Donald, and the rest.

But by the end of 1989, something odd happened. Though it would run for another 4 or 5 issues, by issue #8, my subscription to Ducktales was terminated by the publishers. In the place of Ducktales, I received a new title for the remainder of my 2-year deal. This series, Uncle Scrooge Adventures, was what took my subscription's place!

In a letter that was sent with the first replacement issue, Uncle Scrooge Adventures was selected as my replacement title because it contained stories directly similar to those found in the pages of Ducktales. To some point, I would agree with Gemstone's selection of this title to take over my monthly reading. Each issue contained one or two stories of Disney ducks getting into misadventures while finding hidden treasures or solving mysteries of the unknown like the yeti. The only problem I had with this series was that all of the stories were reprints from the 40s or 50s. 

At the time, I was somewhere between 11-12 years old. Unless it was a horror comic or a Superman title, I had very little appreciation of the classics. Now a lot older, that has changed with me. So when I found this issue in a bargain bin during a recent jaunt to the Big Apple, I snapped it up. Needless to say, but I'll do it anyway, the night back at my AirBNB, I read this book with abandon.

Issue #17 comprises 2 stories about treasure. In the first adventure, when Uncle Scrooge's lucky dime is lost in a sunken cruise ship, bad luck immediately follows McDuck. He'd better act fast or he's going to lose everything. But when he finally locates where the ship (and the dime) went under, he discovers that the boat has vanished!

In the second yarn, Uncle Scrooge is working to salvage a sunken treasure and has hired some of the top deep sea divers in the industry. Seeking to muscle in on Scrooge's, those dastardly Beagle Boys have impersonated the treasure seekers! Will Uncle Scrooge catch on to those crooks' scheme before it's too late?

Both stories were classic Carl Barks epics drawn in Disney's patented style. I thought both were equally great. Yes, these stories wouldn't be considered sophisticated enough for today's readers. However, as an avid, veteran reader, I found these stories superior to most drivel published today. I wonder what the 12 year old me would have thought of this issue. I'm sure I wouldn't have appreciated it as much as I should. Talk about cases of childish things having a deeper meaning the older you get.

Nostalgic? Yes, but there's a historical component here at play as well. Barks is regarded on of the top in his field and originals of his works are worth top dollar. There's so much hiding in these pages, and I am not just talking about hidden treasure!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Walt Disney's Christmas Parade, 1988 (Family Comic Friday)

    I promised to try and review some newer titles in time for Christmas. But I just couldn't pass this up. In the past year, I've found several Disney holiday comics for $3 or less at stores such as Dollar General and the Dollar Store. Not to mention that there's dozens of Disney holiday comics to be found at your local comic shop. If you live in the Durham area, I recommend searching the Disney section at Books Do Furnish a Room. They also carry the current selection of Archie Christmas-themed comics, of which I will be reviewing next week.

 For a very long time, Gemstone published the Disney titles. That's now changed over to Marvel, now that Disney is their parent company. However, they don't seem to release very much in comics form nowadays.

    Gemstone losing the licensing rights is one reason you can find Disney comics for cheap. Another is that many of the Christmas-themed books were comprised of reprints. With no artists or writers to pay, the cost of books was lower. Also, first run stuff is more sought after than reprinted material. But that doesn't mean that these books are not worth owning or reading. Let's look at the book I read.

    In this treasury from 1988, Donald and his nephews deal with some new residents living in his Christmas Tree, later Huey, Dewey, and Louie must figure out what Donald wants for Christmas if their going to receive the only item on their wish list. Then Minnie tries to spread some holiday cheer to the animals of the forest while Mickey and Goofy deliver a ceramic Santa to a mysterious client. Then Jiminy Cricket helps Thumper outfox a wolf, so they can make it to Christmas Dinner with the Seven Dwarfs and Uncle Scrooge tries to recall one good deed he did in the previous year in hopes Santa will visit him. Along with a few one-page gags starring the nephews and Goofy, there are two tales starring characters I've never heard of before.

     One is a fellow named Bucky Bug. He and a friend build a house out of discarded candy while annoyingly talking in verse. Then we meet the Three Little Kittens who've taken up residence with a young girl, but can't seem to keep out of trouble. Neither of these tales is Christmas or other holiday related. Yet, with 9 out the 11 or so stories being holiday themed I will excuse this oversight (and frequent pet peeve of mine.) Plus, with material dated from 1950-1988, only the Bucky Bug story feels dated. The rest were fresh and relevant to me as I am sure they were when first published.

    I think I paid $4 or less for this book online and as I mentioned before there are Disney comic treasuries galore to be found at discount stores and comic shops nationwide. You just gotta search. You and your kids will be glad you did.

  Worth Consuming

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

"Piracy #7"

WORTH CONSUMING!

When your cover says “Bad 1950s EC Comics” you’ve got to wonder what was Gemstone thinking when they reprinted this final issue of EC’s Piracy. Were they saying ‘bad’ as in good, like Michael Jackson’s “Bad” or were they saying this issue is crap?

Here’s the deal. I liked it. True, it’s a new trend book, which means it lacks EC’s signature shock endings and gruesome art. Yeah, the fans weren’t buying, but it didn’t mean it lacked quality.

Inside are some really good naval stories involving cutthroat pirates, sunken treasure, and the perils of deep sea commercial fishing. The cat that was EC was neutered by the Comics Scare, but it still managed to produce some quality work. Too bad it just couldn’t survive the comic code. Now that was an act of piracy.