Ghost Stories #19

I've had this 1967 comic book for several years now. I keep forgetting I have it until after Halloween. Thankfully, someone from a Dell FB group that I am a member of posted a pic of their copy recently. That photo jogged my memory and made 2023 the Halloween season I finally gave this book a read. 

This anthology contains 4 stories.

• A man on a subway car misses his stop. When he gets off in up-state Connecticut, he finds himself a man out of time, with everyone ignoring him.
• A trio of distant relatives scheme to do away with their wealthy uncle. His frequent talks with his deceased wife might be the foothold the family needs to have the man committed. Or maybe he really is communicating with his late wife...
• A treasure hunter who has just stolen a valuable idol runs afoul of the African tribesmen that he robbed.
• In the cover story, an astronaut is swept off course and faces spending the rest of his life lost in space. However, hope unexpectedly comes when another space capsule suddenly appears in the vessel's porthole. 

The last 3 stories each involve ghosts. I'm not so sure about that first tale. Maybe the man becomes a spirit when he misses his train stop. I'm just not sure. It definitely feels like it could be something from the Twilight Zone or other similar horror anthologies from 1960s TV and I liked that story very much. I just debate that the story was a legitimate ghost tale.

As for the real ghost stories, I wasn't such a fan of the story involving the treasure hunter. Maybe it's because the main characters are unlikable and so I wasn't upset at all when they met supernatural justice. I liked the story about the 3 gold digging relatives. It had lots of great twists and I thought the demise of those despicable family members was rather gruesome for late 1960s comics. 

The space story was a reflection of the times. 1967 was smack dab in the middle of the Space Race. An astronaut becoming stranded in space and floating for eternity in a space capsule coffin was a very real possibility. (If you believe some historians, a pair of cosmonauts actually are orbiting around our solar system due to a similar miscalculation.) I thought the story was thrilling and the ending was telegraphed, but it wasn't scary at all.

A good read with a mix of stories, one of which I do believe fits the theme of the comic. And it was the best of the 4 tales! But very high quality for the time period.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Haylee and Comet: A Tale of Cosmic Friendship (Family Comic Friday)

Haylee and Comet: A Tale of Cosmic Friendship is the first in a new series of graphic novels for beginning readers. In this debut volume, little human Haylee wishes upon a falling star for a new best friend. At the same time, our falling star, Comet, is also wishing for a new BFF. Soon it's a lifelong friendship between young girl and dirty snowball! 

In their first series of adventures, the pair build a friendship. Not just a bond between pals. But an actual ship that is half rocket and half sail boat. Afterwards, Haylee presents Comet with a very special gift. But when the present is damaged, what can Comet do to not upset his new friend?

This growing series is written and illustrated by Deborah Marcero (Ursa's Light). Marcero is a K-8 educator and professor of creative writing. You can really tell when a children's author has some sort of education background. Because along with being fun, this book is also imaginative and educational!

In between chapters, Deborah Marcero includes a page of fun ideas for readers (and maybe their best friends) in order to continue the narrative of Haylee and Comet and to put to practice through imaginative play. Then at book's end, there's a 2-page feature on just what are comets. 

With all the extras unexpectedly peppered in, I was an instant fan of this book. It hits all of the right elements I look for in a graphic novel or comic for younger reads. Fun-Check. Funny-Check. Encourages play-Check. Educational without being dull-check, check. This was a perfect book for readers in grades K-5 to second grade.

If this book is an instant favorite of the young reader in your life, then the fun doesn't end. A second volume debuted earlier this year and just last week, book 3, 'Over the Moon' became available for retail. 

I highly recommend!

Worth Consuming!