Romance of Mystery

We join our cursed hero Andrew Bennett as he and his two human cohorts Deborah Dancer, the beautiful blonde, and Dmitri Mishkin, the grizzled man of the world, trek across the California coast in order to find Mary, the evil Queen of Blood. Mary was once a human, but one bite from the immortal Andrew transformed the woman into a heartless succubus who now seeks to destroy the entire human race through the help of her undead slaves that make up the order of the Blood Red Moon. Only a few panels into House of Mystery #297�s cover story "Zen Flesh! Zen Bones!" (the fifth installment of the "I� Vampire!" series written by J. M. DeMatteis) and already the tale smells of high-flying adventure saga!
Making their way through the hot August night and invasive brambles, the trio comes upon the abandoned yet still splendorous remains of a temple of the ineffable Tao. Andrew recalls a book that they had gained possession of in a previous story that named several groups and organizations that were under Mary�s employ, using them to spread her dark influence throughout innocent society.* Angered at the prospect of Mary corrupting something as sacred as a Tao temple (apparently Andrew takes his meditations very seriously), Andrew kicks the door in and the group goes in to investigate.
*Apparently one such group was a collection of white supremacists working under the name of the American Freedom Party. The bloodsucking undead and the KKK� does anyone else see a blaxploitation classic in the making here?!
Bitch, please.
The silence inside is suddenly broken by the mournful tunes of a guitar emanating from a back room. Taking a peek inside, they spot a young man plucking his dulcet strings (don�t get fresh now!) and weeping over his fate. Seeing Bennett sets the hippie off on an angered rant that just ends up with him getting a slap to the face for being a whiny rotter. Deborah calms the whippersnapper down and the Tao urchin, named Billy Kessler, narrates his tale of woe. Having journeyed to the land of the Orient for a little self-improvement, the golden-locked misfit was aided by the good Master Shoju (who told Billy "I shall Shoju the way to the path of righteousness.")
Billy helped the good sensei by moving his headquarters to America, only for the little old wizard to turn on him in a fangy reign of savagery. The poor Shoju had been turned into one of the walking dead by that diabolical Mary, who then took the master and some of his apprentices further up the coast to build a Lair of DOOOM to serve as their bloodthirsty stronghold. But Shoju didn�t leave before giving Billy a good nip on the neck, thus reversing a decade�s worth of practicing passive aggression.
So what�s a group led by a renegade member of the undead to do but head straight for that deathtrap down the road? They crawl and somersault across the fortress thanks to Andrew�s amazing Olympic abilities and the next thing you know the slavering canines are exposed and we�re treated to an all-out vampire/ martial arts showdown!
Wow, Billy sure is flexible.
The panels don�t necessarily explode with sweaty, bloody-knuckled, rotting skin action, but it�s an enjoyable enough fight scene that creates a nice, dynamic climax for the tale (Michael Bay fans: sorry, no random explosions or noisy robots). But just as the heroes are giving the toothy monks a few stakes to the chest, Andrew begins questioning his surroundings when the red-eyed Billy urges Bennett to deliver the final blow to the fallen Shoju.
Sensing the treachery that�s been thrown over his eyes like a velvet cape, Andrew turns on the sniveling Billy and instead buries the spike into the hippie�s heart with a good blow from the mallet. The traitor crumbles to dust, and a thankful Master Shoju reveals that it was Billy who was under Mary�s palm all along. Turns out Shoju and his disciples are indeed night-walkers, but they are of the placid and serene variety (think of Count von Count, only if he was as deadly with his fists as he is with numbers). Shoju had prayed that the good-hearted Bennett would make the right decision and the vampires resolve to finally crack down Queen Mary�s cult once and for all.
This being my first journey into the pages of one of DC Comics� horror staples, House of Mystery, I must say that I randomly chose a great place to start. How can you argue against an escapade containing both creatures of the night and fists of fury? "Zen Flesh! Zen Bones!" brings to mind films like the cult classic Mr. Vampire, minus all the slapstick comedy.
I have a weak spot for monster-ccentric adventure epics, and a good number of the horror anthology series from the 70�s had at least one dark character (or in the case of the later issues of Warren�s Eerie, a whole magazine�s worth) that was forced to face against their fellow companions in darkness, usually ending in an electrifying battle that had our horrific hero/heroine coming out on top and trudging wearily to next month�s issue.
Mmmm, destroy Nosferatu you must!
This story, like the other episodes of the serial, was illustrated by comics legend Tom Sutton, and there�s some great artistic work on display here. I particularly loved the single close-up shot of Master Shoju on the last page. The detail that Sutton instills in Shoju�s wrinkly visage conveys a nice sense of worldly wisdom. I also liked the moment where Andrew realizes that Mary has been behind the temple�s destruction� we just see the eyes of his face light up a livid scarlet, but it�s enough to get the point across that this guy is pissed.
Fans of vampires will be pleased, martial arts aficionados might be confused, and those looking for a good read after their Zen session should probably search elsewhere. I suggest flipping through this one by applying lethal karate chops to the pages (or your computer screen if you�re a digital reader� it�s probably more fun that way anyhow). Well, go on now. Don�t force me to Shoju the error of your ways! Alright, I promise to stop those terrible puns.
But I�ve been known to lie.
Um, hell yeah!

Labels: 1970S, Comic Books, Dc Comics, House Of Mystery, Martial Arts, Twisted Panels, Vampire

Well this little comic is pretty honest about what it has to offer, isn't it? After reading the entire thing, I'm happy to report that my residence remains uncontaminated by any pesky poltergeists (but what are these voices in my head? Hahahahahaha! *Twitch*). Today's four-color horror is brought to you by Fawcett, the same comic company that gave the world Captain Marvel, champion of the great wizard Shazam (no relation to the equally magical ShamWow). And take a look at that knockout zombie cover. Mmmmmm. Please allow the ghoulish Doctor Death to guide you through the insanity and terror that haunts this magazine...
"THE CONSTANT EYE"
Justin Westrum spares no time with fancy monologues or necessary exposition before he poisons the glass of his friend and business partner Mack Wilson. As the agonizing throes of death enthrall him, Mack swears to Justin that he will hold Justin to his toast of accompanying him in death and beyond by "keeping an eye on him." Justin finds out just how literal ol' Mack's words were when he notices how one of the chap's eyes refuses to close even in death. Even after dumping the corpse in the nearby lake, Justin is haunted by the wide and ever staring pupil of death! He begins seeing the organ everywhere he goes, from the food he eats to the flowers that adorn Mack's grave. Meeting Mack's reanimated cadaver in the cemetery one night, Justin is told by his murdered buddy that he will continue to be tormented until his spirit is completely broken. It will be then that Mack will come calling for Justin's soul and escort him into the land of the dead as his BFF. Can Justin deny his ultimate fate or will he finally succumb to the maddening presence of the Constant Eye...?
Wow, what a doozy! This story has obvious roots in Edgar Allan Poe's immortal "The Tell-Tale Heart" (the Vulture Eye!) with the nefarious protagonist being haunted by the guilt of his crime. Don't expect to find high class literature when you dig into this one though. It's pretty goofy through and through. The character of Justin is the inspiration for some funny lines: "You're not eyes! You're fireflies!" But most bizarre of all is the rejuvenated remains of Mack. After swearing that he will follow Justin wherever he goes, Mack pops up time and again in a variety of guises. Policeman, cab driver... chick at a costume party? And again as a curvy woman posing rather seductively on a street corner? If you think I'm crazy, check out this passage from Justin's first meeting with Brought-Back Mack: "The empty socket in Mack Wilson's head was a circle of temptation for Justin. It drew him like a magnet. He suffered a burning desire to peer within its darkness, to penetrate its mystery!" You tell me what's going on here, folks.
"SEANCE OF TERROR!"
Warren Travers is the typical disbelieving jerk who is coaxed by his fiancee Anna into attending a seance held by the mysterious Count Drasni in his gloomy mansion outside of town. Warren soon finds himself on the wrong end of the spiritual connection when the ghostly essence of his soul leaves his body. His excitement is short lived when he is suddenly assaulted by the Seven Dwarves of the Damned. They're actually the despairing and wicked souls of deceased murderers and suicides. Same thing. Anyway, Grumpy is intent on taking over Warren's body so he can sport a neat looking flesh suit. The troll succeeds and Warren is left in limbo, constantly teased by the other spirits while they play their Ghostly Games and forced to watch his own body be an ass to Anna. But Warren isn't going down without a fight. He tactfully plans to make Anna aware of his peril and alarm Drasni of the situation before the goblin inhabiting his body can complete the machine that will bring back the souls of the dead to wreak havoc on the Earth...!
That one was a mouthful. Surprisingly it really isn't all that bad. Out of all the horror comic stories I've read (from the more unknown magazines, that is) this one seems to have a bit of originality to it. The climax in the laboratory actually manages to build some suspense and excitement as well. Who knew? Shivering spooks make for a fun read, even though some of the ghosts look like rejects from a failed Disney project. Heebie jeebies!
"THE BLIND, THE DOOMED... AND THE DEAD!"
Jasper Kafacho is just enjoying a conversation with the wax figurines in his carnival tent when beefy Fleece Barton decides to bust the tea party up. The sleazy barker is unsatisfied with Kafacho's inability to pull in any money with his grotesque art pieces. Demanding that the blind little curator leave for the umpteenth time, Barton is set off by the hunchback's stubborn refusal and ends up strangling the creep. Realizing his crime, Barton decides to hide the body within the mirrored depths of the "Crazy House." It's a good idea until Barton finds that he's gotten himself hopelessly lost. A few turns later and he comes face-to-face with Casper! No, it's just Jasper and he is pissed. The zombie drags the whimpering Barton to a supernatural courtroom where the wax figures serve as jury and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come is the high judge. It is here that Barton will meet his final judgment and face the hell of melting wax and the hangman's noose! Kinky...
A pretty standard story to cap the issue. I have to admit, when I first read the story I instantly rolled my eyes when I heard the first mentioniong of wax figures. "Oh geez," I thought. "Another story with a wax museum setting?" It's true that many, many tales of horror use this atmosphere to illicit chills from the reader/viewer. It takes a lot of ingenuity from the artists involved to make their story unique and stand out from the rest. This particular tale does a rather admirable job at making it memorable. It really kicks into gear after Barton is confronted by Jasper in the funhouse. Then things take a surreal turn (for the better) when Barton is brought into the "courtroom." Nightmare proportions and imagery abounds in these panels. The judge's stand looms menacingly over Barton and the setting includes such weird elements as barren trees, rotted pillars, and a random volcano. It all culminates very nicely in deliciously hot climax. Yowza!
THE LAUGHING SHARK'S VERDICT
Awhahaha! Haunted, indeed! This issue seems to provide more chuckles than thrills, but that's fine by me! The stories and art are really nothing to write home about, but you could always do much worse. If you're running low on comic selections for your next descent into depravity, you wouldn't do yourself any harm by checking out this dusty ditty. Or maybe you would. There's some fun in that too! Dohohohohoho!

Labels: 1950S, Comic Books, Fawcett, This Magazine Is Haunted, Twisted Panels

Here it is, folks. The one that started it all. After having a few guest appearances where he told chilling tales of horror in the EC crime magazine War Against Crime, the Vault-Keeper landed his own permanent residence with issue number 12. The title was then changed to the Vault of Horror and the rest was hisssstory. The shocking terror wave that was to be known as EC Comics had its dark roots in this very issue, the first in their cavalcade of creepy comics...
"PORTRAIT IN WAX!"
Written and drawn by Johnny Craig
Robert is a hard working artist living in 1930�s Paris with his roommate Henry in a squalid studio. Robert constantly creates beautiful etchings but has no desire to profit from them. This is enrages Henry quite a bit, who thirsts for fame and fortune so much that he begins to sell Robert�s etchings to a gullible art dealer for high prices. After Robert sees his work hanging in a private art collection, he confronts Henry about his dubious dealings. Desperate to keep his reputation intact, Henry hurls a bottle of acid at Robert, completely destroying his face and causing him to faint. After Henry quickly disposes of the body in a large vat of burning acid, he heads to London and proceeds to live in the lap of luxury from Robert�s art. When the etchings start running low, Henry visits a strange old man named Jules Vendette who creates incredibly life-like wax statues of famous deceased personalities. Striking up a partnership with the sculptor to open a museum, Henry soon learns his plagiarizing days are over when he learns of Jules� true vendetta�
Ahh, the wax museum. A happy haunting ground for many stories of the strange and weird. This story undoubtedly drew its influences from the film "Mystery of the Wax Museum," another tale of horrible revenge set amongst the cold, watching eyes of the macabre figurines. No surprises for anyone who has already read something like this before, but that doesn't keep it from being a fun ride all around.
"THE WEREWOLF LEGEND"
Written by Gardner Fox, Art by Wally Wood and Harry Harrison
In the county of Devon in England, young Walter Mallory finds himself stalking about the forest outside his mansion, now in the form of a ravenous werewolf. Finding his victim, Walter easily chases him down and rips him apart with fang and claw. The next morning Walter awakens to discover his sheets and windowpane smeared with blood and an ugly snout staring back at him from the bathroom mirror. Recovering from his faint, Walter later attends breakfast with his cousin Gregory where he learns of the previous night�s murder. Gregory suggests his cousin relax by going into the dusty library to read. There Walter discovers a set of old manuscripts detailing a curse in the Mallory family, one that has caused a member of each generation to become a homicidal beast under the light of the full moon. After Walter suffers another night of torture and blood, he goes to the village police to plead for them to stop his mad bloodlust. Will they keep Walter from killing again, or will an even more insidious secret come to light�?
I love me a good ol' werewolf story. There's just something about those furry critters that scratches my tummy in all the right places. This one has all the elements of a fine lycanthrope tale: brooding English castle and countryside, bloodthirsty monster, shady characters and, hell why not, a little mystery to keep the reader on their hairy toes. Rawr.
"HORROR IN THE NIGHT"
Written by Ivan Klapper, Art by Harvey Kurtzman
Tom Hawkins, owner of a colony of tourist cabins, is just pouring himself a strong drink to settle his jangling nerves. Tom�s brother Jim pops in, distressed to see his sibling in such a stressed disposition. Tom explains to his brother that he�s been haunted by an eerie feeling that something terrible is to occur in the near future. Tom has suffered a most horrendous and strange dream, one that seems to be warning him of danger. In the dream, a couple arrived at the cabins just before noon. The husband had seemed normal enough, but the wife appeared to have a wild, mad look in her eyes. Tom�s suspicions are confirmed later when he becomes a ghost-like watcher in the couple�s room. He can only watch in utter horror as the insane woman attempts to escape the cabins, tearing an innocent cat to pieces in the process. The husband attempt to keep his ghoulish companion locked in before he can take her to the asylum the following morning. When the mad mistress attempts to flee again, a terrible fight erupts between the couple, ending in the husband strangling his bestial wife to death. Remorseful of his deed and the condition of his wife that was brought on by the death of their baby, the man ends his life by shooting himself. Is Tom�s dream just a surreal excursion into the fantastic, or is it perhaps a frightening premonition of what is to come�?
Well there's something different. The story at first seems to have the trappings of a "Twilight Zone" episode with our protagonist suffering from a horrible premonition. But then things quickly turn dark and surprisingly gruesome. Kurtzman's characters are drawn in a way that makes them almost outlandish but at the same time frighteningly human. The mad woman's eyes are pretty eerie and certainly give the impression that she has a few screws loose. The acts she commits later in the story only enhance that impression. Ka-rayzaaaay...
"TERROR TRAIN"
Written and drawn by Al Feldstein
Gloria hurriedly hails down a taxi cab and demands to be taken to the nearest train station. You see, her husband Ralph is planning on murdering her. Gloria started suspecting this when Ralph began exhibiting peculiar behaviors, like when he brought a jar of poison home, only cryptically intoning that he wished to use it for his own purposes. Gloria also caught Ralph standing over her in bed one night, a kitchen knife clutched in his hand. He said that he had found beneath Gloria�s pillow, but she knew better. After Ralph tells her that he has taken out some expensive life insurance policies for the both of them, she knows the terrible motive behind her husband�s deeds. But she can�t escape him so easily. Just as the train begins to chug away, Gloria catches a glimpse of a man who resembles Ralph boarding the train at the last minute. Distraught with fear, she heads to the club car for a strong drink only to see Ralph�s face appear for an instant in the smoky mirrors. That night as she sleeps, Gloria is awoken by a piercing shriek and soon discovers that she is aboard a train full of slaughtered corpses. Making her getaway at a lonely cabin in the country, Gloria soon finds a terrible fate waiting for her within the strangling confines of a casket. At the climax of her terror, the horrible truth behind her night of horror will be revealed to her�
An awesome tale of suspense to wrap the issue up. I've always enjoyed Feldstein's crisp drawing techniques. His art may come off as a bit stiff (heh heh) to some, but to me it is an exquisite example of classic comic book art. And boy can he draw the best faces of fear. Gloria's anguished visages remain in one's mind in stark detail for some time. Just be sure not to leave her up there for too long. She'll drive you batty.
THE LAUGHING SHARK'S VERDICT
Awhahaha! What can I possibly add to what's already been said? The issue serves as an exclusive look into the great things EC would do in the future. The stories are frightening, the art is superb, and to the horror connoisseur it's tastier than a pile of rotting chum! I give it two chuckling fins up! Dohohohohoho!

Labels: 1950S, Comic Books, Ec Comics, Monster, The Vault Of Horror, Twisted Panels, Werewolf

Hello everyone. Something a little different today. In an attempt to discover some material for today's post, I stumbled upon these pages of comic book artwork that were created by this site's illustrator, Ian Sateikis.
It's from a script I wrote called "Brimstone Spurs" that is yet to be finished. The story is your typical western tale of dust, desperadoes, and... demons? That's right. A hell-spawned gunslinger comes to claim the soul of a saucy barmaid who just so happens to moonlight as a practicing sorceress on the side. These are the first few pages of the story. Be sure to leave comments on what you think and whether you would like to see more of this! Enjoy!

Labels: Brimstone Spurs, Comic Books, Demon, Twisted Panels, Western, Witchcraft

If you're like me, I pity you you probably have a taste for comic books. Your eyes immediately light up with glee at the sight of those garishly colored panels and you're suddenly overcome by the urge to burrow beneath the folds of your blanket and read the book by the shaky glow of a flashlight as your Mom slowly strolls down the hallway outside to make sure you're safely tucked into bed.
What? That second part only applies to me? Well this just got embarrassing...
Either way, my mission today is to indulge both of our hungers with a little terror tale from panels past that I hope you enjoy as much as I did when I first read it. This doozy is ripped from the May issue of Adventures Into Terror, #19 specifically. Our story is called "The Girl Who Couldn't Die" and, though the title isn't very original*, the tale itself has a few nice surprises in store for the unwary reader. It's one of our most beloved tropes: the slightly cuckoo scientist who gives God the middle finger and sets out on a mission to toil with Forbidden Powers and reanimate his Lost Beloved. That knockout cover alone would be enough to elevate this one to greatness (though to be perfectly honest with you, it never happens in the story).
*With old time radio alone you can't spit without hitting an episode that claimed that someone or another "...Couldn't Die" or involved someone who "...Died Twice" or possessed "...X Amount Of Lives." Believe me, I've tried.
Granted, if readers tend to like this type of feature I'd be happy to post more stories in the future. Though with such magnificent giants in the field such as Karswell keeping the rabid masses happy with his definitive blog The Horrors Of It All, I can see how these types of posts might be considered "obsolete." Still, if you like what you see, just be sure to say so. Get out the tissue box for this one, kids. It's a real rom-com!

Labels: 1950S, Adventures Into Terror, Comic Books, Mad Scientist, Resurrection, Twisted Panels

Site contributor Nick Hishmeh gives his thoughts on a series that is definitely for fans of cult comic books and the not-easily-offended...
Sadly, most people don�t think that comic books are an art form or legitimate literature. Some think that comics are too violent and are only about ridiculous, over the top characters with superpowers and tights that are based around child-like fantasy. It never occurs to them that comics are just another form of storytelling, that some series like "Y: The Last Man", "DMZ", and "Preacher" are landmarks that further the credit and respect of the comic book industry. "Battle Pope," however, is not like those previously mentioned. It is exactly what the majority of people think about when they think about comics in terms of context� but by God it is one of the funniest books I�ve read in a while.

The premise is simple enough. The current pope is a cigar smoking, hard liquor drinking, womanizing bastard that was trained in martial arts by Bruce Lee and knows his way around a gun. While enjoying all the pleasures that life can offer, the Rapture takes place and God appears in the sky. As he goes through the list of the good people that can ascend into Heaven, he excludes his holiness. So living in his shame as the forces of Hell ascend upon Earth and mankind looks to the angel general Micheal to protect them from the hordes of demons, the Pope spends his time in a bar drinking.

After he saves a damsel in distress from a hell spawn, they go to a hotel room to start banging, but the demon comes looking for revenge and kills the pope. This is not the end of the story. After his death, God appears to him and tells him that Lucifer is on Earth, has captured Micheal, and that the Pope has to save him with new powers and weapons. To top it all off he gets extra help by having Jesus Christ as his side kick, the martyr always wearing a Hawaiian T-shirt.

The story is very straight forward and very fun. If you don�t mind being sacrilegious then this is the book for you. For the most part the comedy is more along the lines of a buddy cop flick and absurdist humor. The novelty of having the Pope being a badass and Jesus a hapless loser might have worn off after a while, but the writer, Robert Kirkman, manages to keep it fresh with the other outrageous characters. Most of the characters are not fully developed, deep, or three dimensional, but it�s a comedy. They are meant to be there for entertainment. Even the art style, which was re-done and re-colored for the new release, is drawn vibrantly and bright, which is indicative of comedy. The outrageously drawn bodies and proportions are done to great effect. Not to mention some of the more imaginative panels, such as what Hell is like and that the action doesn�t feel stagnate.
Overall, this wasn�t the greatest comic ever printed (that is possibly reserved for Watchmen); it is however a fun read, especially if you enjoy action and action parody.

Labels: 2000S, Action, Battle Pope, Comic Books, Jesus, Twisted Panels

The first in the influential horror series from Warren Publishing. Similar to the EC Comics that inspired it, Creepy and its two brother publications, Eerie and Vampirella, soon became very unique and outstanding creatures of their own right. What follows is a lurid look into the dark contents of the first issue. Hold on to your funeral shrouds, it's gonna be a scary ride!
"VOODOO!"
Written by Russ Jones and Bill Pearson, Art by Joe Orlando
Frank Prentiss and his wife Sylvia have been living at the edge of the steamy jungles of Haiti for two years. Frank is a hopeless alcoholic who has no interest in finding a job, making it all the more easier for Sylvia to loathe her husband and find other means to keep herself busy: mainly by attending voodoo rituals and keeping a shrine of mysterious native charms. When Frank confronts her over her latest parcel, he is disgusted to see it�s a withered, shrunken head. Tossing the gruesome talisman out the window, Frank kicks Sylvia out as she warns him that he�ll pay for his ignorance. After Sylvia loses her head after trying to take a swing at Frank with a machete, he discovers just how powerful voodoo really is�
A nasty little diddy to get the ball rolling. EC veteran Joe Orlando takes over the art for this story and it's just as great as his work from the 50's. A typical story of voodoo death and zombies for all you flesh fanatics out there.
"H2O WORLD!"
Written by Larry Ivie, Art by Al Williamson and Roy Krenkel
Two deep-sea explorers don their swimming gear as they prepare to journey to a legendary underwater city. Anchoring their boat, they set their intercom sets onto their gear so they�ll be able to communicate with whatever life forms populate the city. As they near the beautiful city rested upon an underwater mountain, the duo are captured by a siege of scaly creatures that bring them to the high court of their humanoid ruler. The king then explains the city�s sordid past that details war, mutation, and the bloodthirstiness of man�
Doesn't hold up as well as the first tale. The plot is pretty slow moving, the majority of it taken up by the male diver bombarding us with dull exposition about the undersea kingdom. And just when you think things have finally picked up when the fish mutants appear, they just take the couple to the king who then proceeds to ramble on about the errors of the human race. Ugh.
"VAMPIRES FLY AT DUSK!"
Written by Archie Goodwin, Art by Reed Crandall
In the streets of Sicily, two villagers discover the corpse of a vampire attack, its entire body drained of blood. It has been the fifth death since the mysterious Count Orsini and his lovely bride Elena moved into the old villa on the hill. When the police inspector arrives to question the count, Elena begins pondering just why her husband is only awake at night and examines the collection of books concerning vampirism that fill his library...
The first story written by Archie Goodwin, a word wizard who would go on to pen many a tale for the Warren comics. There's just something I dig about Goodwin. His enthusiasm for the genre seems to shine in all his work and his sly sense of humor in some of his other stories always brings a demented smile to my lips. A vintage vampire yarn with a neat little twist.
"WEREWOLF!"
Written by Larry Ivie, Art by Frank Frazetta
At the office of native affairs in the Gonteekwa Valley of Africa, big-game hunter Demmon is being consulted by a native who needs the white man�s assistance. It seems that a fearsome creature that the villagers believe is the legendary demon Gonteekwa has been seen prowling the vicinity at night and has been around for as long as anyone and their ancestors can remember, giving credence to the fact that it is an immortal beast. In addition, the creature is said to be a living member of the tribe by day who takes the form of the monster by night, being a form of the mythical werewolf. Demmon agrees to hunt the beast down, but only on the condition that he will claim half the bounty in addition to the animal�s rare pelt as well. The boisterous hunter will soon discover at the end of the night that he just may get more than he wished for�
Frank Frazetta is a force to be reckoned with. His covers for the Creepy and Eerie lines remain some of the most dark and memorable pieces of art to this day. The master does not disappoint in this red-blooded adventure tale of lycanthropy. And the werewolf is amazing.

Look at that thing!
"BEWITCHED!"
Written by Larry Ivie, Art by Gray Morrow
A man discovers an ancient book on witchcraft in the attic of his home and becomes excited when he reads a passage in the book telling that burning a branch of holly atop Douglas Hill can kill a witch. As dusk settles upon the town, the man drives the winding roads to Douglas Hill. He finally manages to strike a match and sets fire to one of the holly branches. A bloodcurdling scream rings out in the night air and the image of a wailing woman appears before him. Racing back home, the man is plagued by strange and terrible nightmares and realizes he�s been bewitched. Upon awakening, the witch-slayer discovers that he�s in for a completely new world of hurt�
Definitely not the beloved television show you're thinking of. A guy bites off a little more hex than he can chew and suddenly finds himself being chased by... a dinosaur? And he has to disarm a bomb? It actually works rather well. The art in the dream sequence is nicely psychedelic, giving this story a certain surreal charm.
"THE SUCCESS STORY"
Written by Archie Goodwin, Art by Al Williamson
Mr. Mack and Mrs. Smudge are congratulating the genius Baldo Smudge on his phenomenal comic strip and ask the young man to discuss the story of his massive success. Smudge weaves them a fantastic tale where he claimed his name to fame� leaving out the part where he convinced a writer, inker, and artist to do all his work, murdered them once they caught on to his scheme, and then dumped their bodies from the foggy waterfront. Now alone at the office, Baldo is met with a surprise visit from some old friends who are intent on finishing their work�
A witty tale of the comics industry! Archie seems to be having a good time with himself crafting the despicable Smudge and all the creepy shenanigans that ensue. For you ghouls who like your humor burnt black with a dash of blood.
"PURSUIT OF THE VAMPIRE!"
Written by Archie Goodwin, Art by Angelo Torres
The time is the late nineteenth century, the place is Austria. As the sun begins to set, a group of villagers make their somber way down the mountain road from their cemetery. Suddenly a stranger steps forward and asks the group why they are leaving the graveyard. They inform him that they just buried two girls who were completely drained of blood by a mad killer and are heading quickly home to escape his wrath. The stranger tells them that his home was ravaged by evil vampires and the same will happen to them if they don�t stop it. Teaming up with the rational burgomaster, the stranger hunts down the two ghostly girls as they attempt to escape the cemetery. But then that leaves just one monster left in their midst� or more�?
Good ol' Archie is at it again with his bothersome bloodsuckers prowling the countryside. For having two vampire tales in the same issue, Goodwin manages to bestow each story with its own particular atmosphere and mood. While similar to "Vampires Fly At Dusk" in tone for most of the story, "Pursuit" heads into wacky EC territory with the introduction of the twist ending. Angelo Torres' art compliments the story greatly. There's a particularly haunting panel where one of the vampire girls seems to be floating ghost-like to the tomb of her sister. Creeeeepy, indeed!
THE LAUGHING SHARK'S VERDICT
Awhaha! A good start for an amazing series! The stark black and white art lets you take in the true talent and scope of all the pencilers and inkers. The actual stories themselves are superb as well. A tasty horror sampler if I ever saw one. Sink your teeth into this one NOW! Dohohohoho!

Labels: 1960S, Comic Books, Creepy Comics, Twisted Panels, Warren