Time for a pre code horror poll?

[dannyboy]

As seems to happen often with PCH cover talk, crime covers and horror covers are intermixed. If it's going to be horror only then the FAC 20's of the world are in another poll.

[Robot Man]

I pretty much have a good 95% of the books listed so far, so I know what the covers look like, and also know the resources to turn to for any that I don't have.

 

That said, although it's easier to verbally rattle off title names and issue numbers, than to actually post a scan of the particular covers, the latter method would be indispensable in any comparison to determine inclusion on a desirability list.

 

So, I suggest that only books displayed in scans be considered. Condition, or even ownership doesn't matter, but we need to see the entries.

 

Ya wants gore?

 

 

How 'bout terror?

 

 

Mutilation?

 

 

A cover you can't look at for more than a few seconds?

 

 

Severed head?

 

 

Electrocution

 

 

 

Now wouldn't it be easier to make a valid determination based on seeing the entries?

 

Did I hear somebody say GORE?

 

 

TERROR?

 

 

 

 

MUTILATION?

 

 

A COVER THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT FOR MORE THAN A FEW SECONDS...

 

 

SEVERED HEADS?

 

 

ELECTROCUTION?

 

 

YOU FORGOT...

 

DROWNING...

 

 

ACID IN THE FACE

 

 

BURNING AT THE STAKE?

 

 

BURNING SKULLS?

 

 

 

LIke fifties, I am a HUGE horror collector and could probably help you out for photos if you need. Sounds like a horribly good time...

 

 

 

[adamstrange]

As seems to happen often with PCH cover talk, crime covers and horror covers are intermixed. If it's going to be horror only then the FAC 20's of the world are in another poll.

CSS 22 is similar in that regard.

 

If you introduce Cap 74 then a bunch of other superhero covers can now be in the mix (see our other thread about Wonderworld 7). And do you want to include Western and sci-fi cross-overs?

[N e r V]

As seems to happen often with PCH cover talk, crime covers and horror covers are intermixed. If it's going to be horror only then the FAC 20's of the world are in another poll.

 

 

Which is why I asked if anyone thought they should or should not be included.

 

If you define horror in comics as you do in movies and books then a supernatural basis is not required. For example Pyscho is clearly a horror movie in the genre.

 

So the case of the two head chopping qualifies I would think not as simple crime cover stories but rather deals with psychopaths or serial killers which falls also into the horror realm (as the genre is defined in both movie and literature.).

 

A story about a gangster killing for gains is clearly a crime topic but head chopping isn't exactly common on the 6 o'clock news and relates to another kind crime and person that is capable of it.

 

My

[Pat Calhoun]

[N e r V]

I think that maybe pooling books into the year they were released first and work out from there might be a good way to start.

[goldust40]

There may be a few books that've been seen before, but what the heck.

 

Great collections, everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[goldust40]

A few more...I admit that some of these now belong to other boardies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[goldust40]

Quite honestly, I'd go with classic covers. With PCH, interior content is second. That's why more people want Crime Suspenstories 22 than Crime Patrol 15, even though by "normal" standards the first Crypt Keeper would be the most important book.

 

I'm not sure how many nominees you're looking for, but I'd like to throw in these usually under-appreciated books for consideration:

 

This Mag is Haunted 16

Beware 6

Tomb of Terror 16 (yes, 16-because 15 already gets a lot of love)

Chamber of Chills 23

Tormented 1

Mysterious Adventures 6 (because the later ones with more gore get a lot of attention, this cover beauty gets neglected!)

 

Thoughts?

 

All underrated covers that deserve attention.

[piper]

Not sure there's a consensus but it seems like people are saying that Cap 74 is really a horror book and not a superhero one. I say we include it and let the voters decide.

 

Any other nominations? Over the next day so I'll compile the list and attach all the scans that everyone has graciously included so far. Perhaps we can get Mr. Illmannered to provide some scans.

 

 

[Robot Man]

I'm sure glad I started on this long ago. A thread like this is just going to kill the chances of some of you younger guys to amass complete PCH collections... There are still a lot of "sleepers" out there that many don't know about.

[piper]

I'm sure glad I started on this long ago. A thread like this is just going to kill the chances of some of you younger guys to amass complete PCH collections... There are still a lot of "sleepers" out there that many don't know about.

 

(Yes, sadly)

 

at some point you may want sell?

[fifties]

I think you'll have to decide if you want exclusively horror comics as defined by content, or want to be inclusive AFA cover images go, regardless of genre.

 

These examples are decidedly horror covers, even though the first and second are crime books, and the last is a western comic (and the only one of the three that I own).

 

 

 

[IngelsFan]

If you are missing some covers after everyone posts, please let me know and I'll be glad to provide any that I have.

An earlier poster suggested compiling the list by year published; I don't necessarily think that would work since a lot of the best ones are from 1953/54. It's almost as if the publishers saw that the genre was going to be diluted so they pulled out all the stops! It would be impossible to limit them if we only chose X amount per year, IMHO.

[piper]

I think you'll have to decide if you want exclusively horror comics as defined by content, or want to be inclusive AFA cover images go, regardless of genre.

 

These examples are decidedly horror covers, even though the first and second are crime books, and the last is a western comic (and the only one of the three that I own).

 

 

 

 

Let's make the determination based on the cover.

[fifties]

I always find it interesting in the popularity polls that EC covers rarely pop up as they are generally considered the most popular horror comics. I think the stories are probably better written however the covers lack, except a few, that "whoa" factor the smaller guys did. I've always been in that consensus.

Different publishers used various means of attracting a purchase in their cover illustrations.

 

Remember, in the early '50's, there were allegedly five hundred comic book titles to choose from, and I can't imagine any news stand having the room to display all of them, so the competition would have been fierce.

 

Atlas books certainly went for the shock value, as depicted in the horror expressed on the victim's faces, and it seemed to have worked well, with the plethora of that publishers ware still in existence.

 

Stanmor/Stanley Morse/etc. was one of the few horror publishers to display blood and carnage in his cover illustrations, as the draw. The artwork in the stories however, was about as poorly drawn as the written story content itself, so it's not surprising that they are much less commonly available today.

 

ACG used supernatural themes, but it's doubtful that any issues of Forbidden Worlds, Out Of The Night, Adventures into the Unknown, Skeleton Hand, or the single issue of The Clutching Hand, would make an honors list of best horror covers.

 

I could go on...:wink:

 

 

[IngelsFan]

I'm just gonna drop a few here that haven't been shown yet:

[comicjack]

All great books being posted love the Astonishing 30

[N e r V]

I always find it interesting in the popularity polls that EC covers rarely pop up as they are generally considered the most popular horror comics. I think the stories are probably better written however the covers lack, except a few, that "whoa" factor the smaller guys did. I've always been in that consensus.

Different publishers used various means of attracting a purchase in their cover illustrations.

 

Remember, in the early '50's, there were allegedly five hundred comic book titles to choose from, and I can't imagine any news stand having the room to display all of them, so the competition would have been fierce.

 

Atlas books certainly went for the shock value, as depicted in the horror expressed on the victim's faces, and it seemed to have worked well, with the plethora of that publishers ware still in existence.

 

Stanmor/Stanley Morse/etc. was one of the few horror publishers to display blood and carnage in his cover illustrations, as the draw. The artwork in the stories however, was about as poorly drawn as the written story content itself, so it's not surprising that they are much less commonly available today.

 

ACG used supernatural themes, but it's doubtful that any issues of Forbidden Worlds, Out Of The Night, Adventures into the Unknown, Skeleton Hand, or the single issue of The Clutching Hand, would make an honors list of best horror covers.

 

I could go on...:wink:

 

 

 

You could put the DC stuff in the "safe" arena too but God I really do love some of those crazy covers on Sensation Mystery and Star Spangled before House of Mystery and others came along.

 

Loved as much as anything in my pre code collection.

[N e r V]