GC's EC weekly Story Thread

[Goonchild-migration]

Great story. That was an episode with Kirk Douglas and his son Eric.

 

 

So I read Vault of Horror 12 thru 16 last weekend and I looked at your reviews after each issue. Overall, I agree with your ratings with one notable exception. "Rats Have Sharp Teeth" in VoH 14. It's one of my favorite stories of the batch, but you rated it a C+. What didn't you like about it?

 

Hi NR.

 

Firstly its not that I did'nt like it so much, its just that I felt it to be a tad predictable.

Having said that, the whole ratings process is totally subjective, as long as you enjoyed it, thats the main thing. One man's favourite story may be another's totally forgettable one...not that I'm saying that about this one.

Another factor is mood, tiredness etc...all sorts of different factors contribute to the rating when I read them. I'm really trying to give a guide to anyone who may not have read EC's before, but its entirely possible that my ratings may not be consistent exactly if I read the same story say three months apart. They may for example rate a C onetime, and possibly a B- or a C+ the next....not that I've tried this, but its entirely possible.

 

Its just a guide and obviously a very subjective guide which is influenced by my own likes & dislikes of storylines, themes, dialogue etc.

Its great and quite satisfying that you agree with a few of them..but not essential, and I'm flattered that you have taken the time to consider my ratings.

Sometimes when I'm putting the work in on the site, I do wonder if anyone actually reads it, but I guess they must cos I've had great feedback about it since this labour of love began.

 

Going back to 'Rats'...this complete story artwork was recently sold on Comiclink I think. I think it went for just over $6k which is a snip, and I did seriously think about buying it. My mind was changed because I do think when you are buying OA of this nature that you have to think of future re-sale value..and as these pieces did'nt contain any images of The Old Witch, as they were drawn before Ingels was given the character as his own...I felt this story was not as 'desirable' as other Ingels stuff, even tho' the artwork is totally awesome considering it was done before he really hit his stride as the Master of Gothic Horror.

 

The major factor in not buying it was my decision to collect mainstream SA/GA Comic Books again. I love EC to bits...but its not the be all and end all to me.

I don't think of Investment so much when I buy comic books, so I enjoy it for all the right reasons.

 

Finally I have lots of Books that need to have their ratings published soon on the site. I have'nt done an update since Nov 02, so I'm doing a final one for Xmas very soon...hopefully within 3 days.

 

Thanks for your comments, and your allegiance to the site.

 

Best Wishes

 

Tom

 

PS.

 

These are the rating definitions which I will putting up on the site when I update.

 

A+ CLASSIC

A OUTSTANDING

A- EXCELLENT

B+ GREAT

B VERY GOOD

B- GOOD

C+ ABOVE AVERAGE

C AVERAGE

C- BELOW AVERAGE

D+ MEDIOCRE

D DULL

D- DEADLY DULL

E+ POOR

E VERY POOR

E- AWFUL

[CAP Freak]

DEADLY DULL

[Norrin_Radd]

Thanks for your response, Tom. And thanks for letting me know about the original art. Very cool to read the story from the original pages!

 

As for the predictability of the story... well most of them were predictable in those early issues. Even though it was a simple little story, I loved the sense of atmosphere you get from Ingels panels that isn't present in most of those early stories. Like I said, it was one of my favorites from the first volume along with the "The Dead Will Return", "Island of Death", and "Escape".

 

 

[Goonchild-migration]

Thanks for your response, Tom. And thanks for letting me know about the original art. Very cool to read the story from the original pages!

 

As for the predictability of the story... well most of them were predictable in those early issues. Even though it was a simple little story, I loved the sense of atmosphere you get from Ingels panels that isn't present in most of those early stories. Like I said, it was one of my favorites from the first volume along with the "The Dead Will Return", "Island of Death", and "Escape".

 

 

Hi NR.

 

Perhaps predictability was the wrong choice of word by me...I really like the story for all sorts of reasons and C+ is'nt really a bad rating. It is above average after all.

As regards the atmosphere of the story...I agree with you 100%.

This certainly did strike me as well.

Amazing the way Ingels creates a sense of 'lighting' in the panels with just his pencil & pen.

God I wish I could draw like that.

 

If the splash page had of been offered on its own, I probably would have pursued it vigourously at that time.

 

Just for you...

 

 

[Goonchild-migration]

It's Friday again fellow Goons...which means its story time.

 

This week's story...

 

A Jack Davis drawn & Al Feldstein scripted tale, from an original copy of SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES # 2 published in 1952 by EC.

 

"The Patriots"

 

It being Xmas week, I thought I'd post an all-time Classic A+ rated story.

I would like to dedicate this to all Soldiers of the UK & USA (past & present).

HAPPY CHRISTMAS & STAY SAFE BOYS.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Norrin_Radd]

You love those Shock SuspenStories, eh?

 

I think this is the first EC story I read. Saw it posted online several years ago.

[Goonchild-migration]

You love those Shock SuspenStories, eh?

 

I think this is the first EC story I read. Saw it posted online several years ago.

 

I love 'em all...

but I think a few of the 'Shock' stories were groundbreaking, brave & innovative for the time..and still hold good today.

[mica]

You love those Shock SuspenStories, eh?

 

I think this is the first EC story I read. Saw it posted online several years ago.

 

I love 'em all...

but I think a few of the 'Shock' stories were groundbreaking, brave & innovative for the time..and still hold good today.

[Goonchild-migration]

You love those Shock SuspenStories, eh?

 

I think this is the first EC story I read. Saw it posted online several years ago.

 

I love 'em all...

but I think a few of the 'Shock' stories were groundbreaking, brave & innovative for the time..and still hold good today.

 

[thanos_oftitan]

Thanks alot, made my day!

[goldust40]

You love those Shock SuspenStories, eh?

 

I think this is the first EC story I read. Saw it posted online several years ago.

 

I love 'em all...

but I think a few of the 'Shock' stories were groundbreaking, brave & innovative for the time..and still hold good today.

 

I've read that one more than once before...still sends shivers down my spine. A bona fide E.C. classic - you can still feel the tension of the era. Wonder if Kefauver's subcommittee read this story?

[hesdeadjim]

What's really scary is it's never lost its relevance. Change a few words here and there and bingo: 21st century...

 

Thanks for a great read! (thumbs u

[Goonchild-migration]

What's really scary is it's never lost its relevance. Change a few words here and there and bingo: 21st century...

 

Thanks for a great read! (thumbs u

 

Cheers Rudi (thumbs u

[Goonchild-migration]

Thanks alot, made my day!

 

Glad you enjoyed it!

[Goonchild-migration]

You love those Shock SuspenStories, eh?

 

I think this is the first EC story I read. Saw it posted online several years ago.

 

I love 'em all...

but I think a few of the 'Shock' stories were groundbreaking, brave & innovative for the time..and still hold good today.

 

I've read that one more than once before...still sends shivers down my spine. A bona fide E.C. classic - you can still feel the tension of the era. Wonder if Kefauver's subcommittee read this story?

 

I doubt it Andy.

This is the great irony of what happened to EC is'nt it?

On the one hand they were crucified for the violence in their stories and for 'contributing to the delinquincy of the American youth of the 1950s'.

 

On the other hand they were way ahead of their time in tackling Racism before Martin Luthor King was even heard of, and confronting issues of bigotry, anti-semitism, ignorance and police corruption head-on.

 

That was obviously overlooked in the atmosphere of 1950s American paranoia, which has parallels with more unsavoury behaviour in other countries before & during WWII.

 

It's remarkable Gaines & Feldstein did not find themselves in Jail, or indeed ever worked in the Business again really.

 

[Goonchild-migration]

The other point I forgot to add was that the stories were quite moralistic, and that 99% of bad guys always got their come-uppance and met sticky ends.

The Crime stories always came across with the message that 'Crime does'nt pay' at any rate.

Another fact convieniently overlooked by The Committee.

[Norrin_Radd]

The other point I forgot to add was that the stories were quite moralistic, and that 99% of bad guys always got their come-uppance and met sticky ends.

 

There is only one Vault of Horror story I can remember where the bad guys win in the end. "Where There's a Will" in issue #34.

[Goonchild-migration]

It's Friday again fellow Goons...which means its story time.

 

This week's story...

 

A Graham Ingels drawn & Al Feldstein scripted tale, from an original copy of VAULT OF HORROR # 25 (Issue 14) published in 1952 by EC.

 

"Collection Completed"

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Goonchild-migration]

[selegue]

 

Why the tomato? Lack of discussion?

I enjoyed reading it, as I do every week.

Hard to comment on this one, since the ending was more or less broadcast from the get-go -- it was only a matter of how the writer would stretch the tension. (There would have been an outside chance that they'd turn the tables and the wife would end up stuffed if the husband were even slightly likeable.)

 

Thanks for posting the stories!

 

Jack