favorite bronze horror stories/themes?

[Jayman]

Another story that is a personal fav from HOM is "The Rebel" from issue 228.

It's a short sci-fi tale of a kid running away from these bluish alien dudes that have this weird metallic breathing tube grafted from their mouth leading into their chest.

They unfortunatly catch him and it is explained that this is the future where the world has become so poluted that the population has to use these breathing tubes.

When the kid looks in the mirror, his skin is blue and has the tube in his chest.

Freaked me out when I was a kid and first read it! Wish I had a pic of that last panel...Brrr!

[bronze_rules]

May you be thinking of this fav story of mine?

 

 

Very cool story with some great panels!

 

 

Cool one.

Think it was a dc I was thinking of, but amazing how prevalent and recurring the basic themes are, no?

 

Can anyone come up with a story so unique, that there is no parallel themed story that can be found? I'd say the HOM dover posted is pretty unique and surreal; one of the reasons I really liked it.

 

 

 

[Jayman]

Then there's always my favorite "origin of Greggy the Gargoyle" story from Hom 175. Love the scene where

the kid whispers "Hey Mister, the gargoyles are gone!" and the sculptor flings the shudders open in happy relief...

only to be grabbed and carried away screaming by the two stone statues!

 

[Jayman]

I wonder if this story in #178 is somehow related to the story in #186...I think the hooves give it away that it might.

 

I'm not so sure Sterling, in #178 I get the distinct impression that the boy wandered into a fateful chance meeting with the Devil himself. I always took from that story that a terrible flood was to happen in that area and the devil was there to collect a certain amount of souls. The boy wandered into the "danger zone" and the devil plays a game of chance for the boys life.

 

In #186 however, I get the feeling that is Pan from Greek mythology or at least a close cousin of sorts. He is more a friend to the girl and is sad to see her go.

[sterlingcomics]

This may sound stupid, but I didn't think it was the devil when I read the story. I didn't think the devil would do something as nice as keeping the boy from killing himself in the rain.I actually thought that the boy was a guardian angel. The hooves were the "bad" things out to get him---the flood, the devil, etc.I guess both interpretations are valid; that's the fun when we are left to fit in the pieces.

 

The whole game thing though fits in how most of the devil plot works...so your version is probably the correct one.

 

I guess you hang around evil too long and everything bad starts to look good.

[dover]

I wonder if this story in #178 is somehow related to the story in #186...I think the hooves give it away that it might.

 

I'll scan in 186 and post tonight and we can all decide.

[Jayman]

Well I'm not saying I’m definitely right but just before the boy opens the curtain, you see what looks to be an ominous goat-headed looking being. And again I got the impression that the devil would have taken the boys life...if the boy lost at the board game.

 

That old "childhood innocence wins out over evil" theme.

[Cimm]

I always really liked this one, from Devilina #1, by Ralph Reese...

 

[sterlingcomics]

I wonder if this story in #178 is somehow related to the story in #186...I think the hooves give it away that it might.

 

I'll scan in 186 and post tonight and we can all decide.

 

It's actually two different stories; I was just pulling a big "what if" just b/c of the last frame. The overall themes are different, but I must admit the last time I read this it was in the b/w DC Presents book. The coloring in the comic, although simplistic, supports Jayman's version. Notice the red shades during the game playing and the green tones when he wins.

 

I love discussing this b/c things that weren't readily apparent to one reader is crystal clear to another; the vagueness of some of the stories helps to support the discussion, and I appreciate that we are actually having one!

[dover]

Well I'm not saying I’m definitely right but just before the boy opens the curtain, you see what looks to be an ominous goat-headed looking being. And again I got the impression that the devil would have taken the boys life...if the boy lost at the board game.

 

That old "childhood innocence wins out over evil" theme.

 

there are many stories about the devil playing games to win a soul (even that CDaniels song). too dark of a story or mood to be a gaurdian angel. IMHO

 

[dover]

This may sound stupid, but I didn't think it was the devil when I read the story. I didn't think the devil would do something as nice as keeping the boy from killing himself in the rain.I actually thought that the boy was a guardian angel. The hooves were the "bad" things out to get him---the flood, the devil, etc.I guess both interpretations are valid; that's the fun when we are left to fit in the pieces.

 

The whole game thing though fits in how most of the devil plot works...so your version is probably the correct one.

 

I guess you hang around evil too long and everything bad starts to look good.

 

I think having a gaurdian angel that looked like me would be scarry!

 

it is an interesting idea but a little creepy from my perspective. it all comes down to the writers idea of a gaurdian angel....Carmen Electra comes to mind.

[dover]

I just scanned the 186 story, if nothing else it should be fun. Give me a little time to do it.

 

here we go!

[Jayman]

I wonder if this story in #178 is somehow related to the story in #186...I think the hooves give it away that it might.

 

I'll scan in 186 and post tonight and we can all decide.

 

It's actually two different stories; I was just pulling a big "what if" just b/c of the last frame. The overall themes are different, but I must admit the last time I read this it was in the b/w DC Presents book. The coloring in the comic, although simplistic, supports Jayman's version. Notice the red shades during the game playing and the green tones when he wins.

 

I love discussing this b/c things that weren't readily apparent to one reader is crystal clear to another; the vagueness of some of the stories helps to support the discussion, and I appreciate that we are actually having one!

 

Agreed! (thumbs u

After seeing high grade and low grade books posted for the umpteenth time, it's finally nice to get into the meat and potatoes of it all...the stories.

I'm surprised Shiver hasn't chimed in yet!

 

Another one that I remember being rather dark was "The Devil's Doorway" from HOM #182. Another popular theme in horror: A mirror that is a gateway to hell. IIRC the little girl gets trapped in the mirror with Satan at the end much to the fathers dismay!

[bronze_rules]

Now I'm likely reading too much into it --BUT-- Anyone notice how the opening line to

story (HOM 178) was, "Be careful crossing the valley, Jamie." And Jamie Markus began his journey... Jamie... J_ _ _ _

 

1st thing that came to my mind was...

23 Psalm

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: For thou art with me..."

 

Now who was with Jamie and who's house was he led to (23 Psalm again), which later transformed into a canopy sealed bed (ark)? Was his dual a guardian angel through the flood or the opposite?

I would argue in the context of the aforementioned that it was the former.

 

Also notice the several references to a great flood (bed being the ark?).

Many biblical themes in this story.

 

Oddly we are left to wonder about the signature hooves leaving the scene; with another mythical figure later appearing in HO (Pan as Sterling mentioned). I would argue that it was a beast that tried to enter the protected chamber and was turned away by greater powers residing within.

 

Also, the guardian/dual argued that Jamie must leave and that it was out of his hands (i.e. the greater power and the light comes into play). Jamie's refusal to leave parallels J Campbell's refusal of the call, for anyone familiar with the hero's journey or hero has a thousand faces.

 

I'll try to find another great story, but I"m still waiting for someone to post a unique theme that hasn't been mimicked somewhere along the bronze time line. I doubt one of us couldn't find an alternate representation of any of the themes, but the story we are discussing comes close.

[dover]

bad connection last night, sorry...

 

[dover]

[dover]

pg 5-8

[dover]

pg9-12

[Jayman]

Great story, never tire of reading it! Thanks for posting.

Anyone know who drew Cain's head at the beginning and at the end of the story?

It certainly isn't by Adams.

[dover]

that's a great story, 12 pages of Adams greatness. Nothing new about it, however. Hard to get tired of the idea of youth, imagination, fantasy...this story reminds me of the Wizard of OZ, Alice in Wonderland and evry kid that wanted someone to play with.

 

Again thanks to these boards, I will keep collecting my readers and reading these stories again!