The Undead Thread: Pre-Code Horror 21 21

[PovertyRow]

Was ACG big on gore......

 

 

So, you're saying ACG contributed to Gore's presidential run?!? 'Cause I always thought ACG was around before Al ran for office..........

 

 

......or did I just misunderstand what you said?

 

 

 

 

Oh yeah - I meant to comment on your recently acquired drek...err..funny books.

 

back at ya!

 

Yeah, some are LG but they are pretty danged nice LG. And some are better and pretty danged nice better!

 

Serisouly, it really IS a sweet suite of ACG. One of my favorite themes in horror is the old dark house. Love it in movies (resulting in movies like THE OLD DARK HOUSE, THE BLACK CAT (2nd w/Alan Ladd and Brod Crawford), SHE-WOLF OF LONDON, NIGHT MONSTER etc eing amoung my favorites even though some of them are definitely 2nd or 3rd tier but hey. They are b&w and 30's/40's and have an Old Dark House).

 

So, my dear Fuelman, when we were talking about these books earlier, perhaps now you know why so many of the covers that appeal to me have that same old dark house image.

 

Heck - my all-time favorite which, of course, I owned and sold, was Adventures Into The Unknown #1, which had, tyo my pov , one of the definitive Old Dark House covers.

 

Buty those really are pretty danged nice and the condition is nicer than I was expecting.

 

(If you ever want to relieve yourself of #8 well - lemme know!)

[Jayman]

Great books Fuelman!

Cover # 11 really stands out for me.The (vampire) cover of # 29 looks like it continues the vampire story to the cover of # 21. I'm not too up on this title but why are there 2 issue # 29's? The latter issue cracks me up as it looks as if the artist did not one ounce of research into what a T. Rex skeleton actully looks like!

[Larryw7]

Those were some great AIU covers, Fuelman! I especially love #'s 9 and 11!

[Forbush-Man]

Thanks all.

 

It really was an impulse buy, but I couldn't resist. I'm thinking of completing the run (at least the 52 page issues). Heck, most of these books are only about $50.00 in fine condition, sssoooooooo.................why not?

 

 

I sure wish we had some Ghoul Graemlins around here. Anyone here buddies with Arch?

[adamstrange]

Here's a try: web page

 

Instead of adding a URL link, add an "Image" link. It will ask you for the URL and when you post is created it will display the image like so.

 

Thanks for posting and we looking forward to many more.

 

[adamstrange]

Thanks all.

 

It really was an impulse buy, but I couldn't resist. I'm thinking of completing the run (at least the 52 page issues). Heck, most of these books are only about $50.00 in fine condition, sssoooooooo.................why not?

 

 

I sure wish we had some Ghoul Graemlins around here. Anyone here buddies with Arch?

 

Great books, Fuelman They should provide a very satisfying evening of comics entertainment.

[precodekeith]

Great books, Fuelie!!! I love the AIU #8 & #11, both high on my ACG hitlist!

 

I gotta agree with POV, there is something about those "old house" covers that really draws me in!

 

Hey man, I'd love to see you complete the AIU run! Go for it!

[Forbush-Man]

Thanks, PCK!

 

I'm considering it. I'm also considering putting my self on probation, and limiting my collecting habits to a little more desciplined approach. I really need to write down what I really want to pursue.

 

The ACG books were just so affordable (for example, the #8 is a fair priced at $15.00. With the discount it came to $10.50, so..... ).

 

It will be fun reading though, and I may decide to sell off the lower grades after they're read & just keep the VG's and up grades. The run wouldn't be all that expensive even in Fine, and would be the title of choice if I do decide to go that route.

 

Decisions, decisions.........

 

[originalisbest]

adamstrange, thanks! Keith, in a PM, also set me straight as to what I was doing incorrectly. Now that you've proven to me it can be done - I'll do some more before I retire for the evening.

 

Fuelman, an ACG run would be terribly cool - even unwieldy and darn near impossible if you included all the code-approved issues? But yes, overall affordability will assist greatly in the pursuit of that goal (for most issues.)

 

Just the "True-Vision 3-d" part of the run would be a great challenge and look awesome - watch out for a decent #51, the only 3-D made with a white cover. I have one - coverless, natch! But still quite a cool effect these have. Also the first few issues (1-4) will fetch a nice price.

 

Y'know, I like your #8 so much, I should post mine too - just to show pov how much fun owning that atmospheric cover to #8 is!

 

So 'nuff of my aimless chatter, I'll see if'n I can't contribute some more pics now - where did I put that CD of scans I made last night... back in a minit.

[originalisbest]

Now then... where to start? Well let's not get ahead of myself, still haven't done it right under my own power yet; "This time for sure!" (best Bullwinkle voice.)

 

Might I start by repeating myself as to how cool this thread has been, and thanks to all the contributors so far - particularly precodekeith, who is also niceguytotradewithkeith. OK then... got the Mountain Dew handy, good...

 

Guess I'll start by getting out of the way, my copy of a book I've already seen earlier in the thread? Hope no one minds, I don't think it'll be annoying since the copy I already saw was prior to page 10. Anyhoo, it's also a good book to start with since it illustrates one of those well-worn PCH themes, them skeleton folk looking to get the buxom (they're ALWAYS buxom) gal into the grave with 'em. Here, they're up to their tricks in Beware #10, courtesy of Fritz and Sid.

 

(BTW, what the heck did Sid Check draw in this composition anyway? I guess the groundcover and moon and bats and such, since the gal and her skeleton pals all are by Frazetta, to me...)

 

[originalisbest]

Heh heh heh... OK then, to continue with this theme of skeletons and their ladies, it's a repeat (I know, sheesh) of another book seen earlier in this thread, by pov I believe, of Mysterious Adventures #18. Now this was a scan that sorta backfired on me, for whatever reason, the whites came out VERY white and it looks as if I bumped too much contrast up. Still should be OK to look at tho. And it's more than OK to read, what with the MA ripoff (football style) of EC's infamous "Foul Play" baseball vendetta tale, from Haunt of Fear #19. (And what would you people think of the occasional EC cover? I do realize they're all so well-known to us jaded Horror fans, 'tis true.) But I distracts myself...

 

Also in this nifty issue is a green-skinned horror host calling himself "The Corpse." Good luck trying to come up with ALL the horror hosts out there in the '50's horror bumper crop - the guy who did the Tales To Terrible To Tell books thought them to be practically innumerable...

 

[originalisbest]

And about the MA #18, anyway - what was Helen's (living - though not for long) squeeze going to say before Frank's buddy jumped him from behind?

 

"Helen, wait! I - er - ah - I can see you guys want to talk this out - er - ah - yeah - and I'd better get going - work early tomorrow - umm - bye Helen!"

 

But let's conclude this theme (for now, as there's surely more) with Tormented #1, what a neat little party those guys are gonna show her! Plus they appear to have glowing red eyes which is a neat touch, I daresay. I suspect they realize she's alive, but does it really make a diff if they're too dumb to know it (brains-zzzz!)

 

[originalisbest]

Y'know, the more I think about it, it those folks' own fault for waltzin' around the graveyard late at night, hoping to get lucky with their new squeeze on the grave of their dead ex-lovers "just to show them" - I mean c'mon, what'd they expect?

 

So let's see what else I got scanned yesterday... this is great for me, hope for youall too.

 

Here's another gal in distress, though not in the graveyard - that's just next door to the (mad scientist's?) lab that she's in at the moment. It's Voodoo #3. Looks like a couple of Scooby-Doo zombies got a hold of her - not the most intelligent appearing - and what on earth the head dude's shoulder must feel like, supporting that big boid, probably explains his grouchy attitude. Either that, or he's annoyed at the draft from the open door which is what's blowing her dress (and nothing else!) so he's pointing at same, attempting to communicate to zombie guys #1 & 2 to close the freakin' thing! It might take awhile to register with 'em...

 

The green color on this copy is my fave part - a Northford book so, it unfortunately has a touch of moisture staining on the back cover - but otherwise is sweet, certainly to look at (from the front.)

 

[originalisbest]

On we go - here's one for Pov - his current icon source, Weird Mysteries #12. This guy went to the graveyard not to show off his new squeeze, but to find his old (or maybe a "new old") one! Yeecchhh, as MAD would say. To me, this is quite a bit more disturbing than MA #18 and the like, since it could well theoretically occur - as opposed to skeletons named Frank and their buddies jumping me from behind. Really great atmosphere, bizarre (of course) look in his eyes, and that dessicated corpse is truly - well - a DEAD thing. Really pretty frightening, no?

 

[originalisbest]

Y'know, I don't have a Dark Mysteries scanned (right now) to complement the MA #18, but here's another great Story comics effort - Fight Against Crime (Horror & Terror!) #18. Again with the green color, I just love that on my precode books I guess. Not to mention the gore and horror and terror inside, in spades!

 

Don't ask me why the dude's buddy that "Killer" killed has clothes on that make it look as though he was killed 40 years ago - hey, consistency in such things was never a precode strong suit anyhoo, or, call it poetic license. Man I love that green!

 

[originalisbest]

I am determined to post the other 5 books I got scanned yesterday, before I fall asleep. So do bear with me! Man this is a great thread, where else can I have a captive audience as I drone on about goofy and scary horror comics from the '50's? No where else, that's where. So:

 

Here's a really startling one - This Mag is Haunted #13. Naturally, any self-respecting horror comic should make "issue # 13" a special one, and I think TMIH excelled with this effort. Personally, I like this cover better than the #10, which is of course, nice in its own right. I also happen to think Dr. Death's commentary is fairly witty for the era, and adds to the cover's effect - the Tales To Terrible to Tell fellow (George Suarez, his name just came to me) preferred his covers WITHOUT text boxes and the like. My opinion is, well, it depends... I don't think Weird Mysteries #12 needs anything more for example, and any "extra" text on that 'un would be a detriment.

 

[originalisbest]

Good thing I'm runnin' low on the scans I've gotten ready - had I more, I could post on and on - but jest a few left fer now. Here's Strange Stories from Another World #5 (say that 5 times fast) with the nifty Norman Saunders painted cover. Some LOVE painted covers, some don't like 'em AS much, I think they're neat. Actually there's a perfect compromise between the two, which will be the last book I post tonight (but that's gettin' ahead of myself.) What kind of funky dance move is the big, horned guy whose face we don't quite see making? One hell of a party!

 

 

(As a quick aside - if you've ever seen the BAD '50's movie "Robot Monster" - for WHATEVER reason - it has NOTHING to do with the movie - in the opening credits, in the background is an array of several Fawcett precodes! Multiple copies of this #5 issue appear, as well as the Beware! Terror Tales with the two witches over a cauldron with skeleton poking out, and the Strange Suspense Stories Voodoo guy closeup cover. I FINALLY got Tivo, caught it on one night, and was able to see all this upon pausing the frame. Just now remembered this perfectly useless factoid, and wanted to mention it along with this scan!)

[originalisbest]

OK, last book ya get before I theme out on you again, with my last two books... this one, shocking? Naah, just Bernard Baily drawing a bunch of little (what are these things?) with a penchant for piercing painfully, on the cover of Weird Chills #2. Yikes! A preachy Hitler story inside you can see coming a mile away, nowhere near the quality of an EC preachie, but it does make an oblique reference to Hitler's female cousin, which is apparently quite unusual (I think he may have had an incestuous relationship with her?)

 

[originalisbest]

Wahoo! Two left to go, here I theme agin. You know, I find that when death sits down to a good game of one-on-one chess, he prefers to do it with (hmmm) a buxom blonde. Witness Haunted Thrills #16 (hey, it's that green again! Love it!) Here also, I think the speech balloons add to the cover effect, the cheesy charm, the whatever you like.

 

[originalisbest]

And so, the last book for the evening, and closing the chess comparo - for now - there's gotta be like a million more chess covers (well, at least one Beyond issue I know of).

 

Time for another chess match with Death, one-on-one. Time for another buxom blonde! More than a little time spent by the artist (who?) for Ziff-Davis, to paint this sucker. Time for Eerie (published by Avon) to issue a "cease and desist" to Ziff-Davis' "EERIE Adventures" - hence, this turned out to be the first, last and only issue. Also, unlike the comic capital of the world (NY), Ziff-Davis was located in Chicago.