The Undead Thread: Pre-Code Horror 21 21

[PovertyRow]

These people sure get around!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Let's not talk about those dark days of the scrubbed-clean code approaching - instead, let's turn to just a few years earlier, when things were hopping, when Wallace Wood created this gem -

 

 

 

 

 

[Jayman]

These people sure get around!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Let's not talk about those dark days of the scrubbed-clean code approaching - instead, let's turn to just a few years earlier, when things were hopping, when Wallace Wood created this gem -

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Diary:

 

This is the LAST time (literally) I will double-date with Betty!

Can you believe these guys? Their car ran out of gas and we

had to WALK all the way back to their dungeon!

What a night, my new dress from Gimbals got ruined!

[Scrooge]

I really like Joe Maneely horror. I think he is generally under-appreciated.

 

 

You know Keith, this is probably one of the best Maneely covers I have ever seen (and I have seen many). Could you or someone else run down by me again why Joe Maneely is so good because for some reason, I can't get into his style. This is why I am so surprised I actually like this cover of his. I know I don't care much for his western cover nor most of his horror covers. What am I missing when I look at his work?

[Norrin_Radd]

You know Keith, this is probably one of the best Maneely covers I have ever seen (and I have seen many). Could you or someone else run down by me again why Joe Maneely is so good because for some reason, I can't get into his style. This is why I am so surprised I actually like this cover of his. I know I don't care much for his western cover nor most of his horror covers. What am I missing when I look at his work?

 

Yes. What are his best covers?

 

I hadn't heard of Maneely until yesterday. There was a conversation about him in Comics General.

[precodekeith]

You know Keith, this is probably one of the best Maneely covers I have ever seen (and I have seen many). Could you or someone else run down by me again why Joe Maneely is so good because for some reason, I can't get into his style. This is why I am so surprised I actually like this cover of his. I know I don't care much for his western cover nor most of his horror covers. What am I missing when I look at his work?

 

Yes. What are his best covers?

 

I hadn't heard of Maneely until yesterday. There was a conversation about him in Comics General.

 

Ol' buddy Scrooge, I probably won't be able to say why you don't have much of a yen for Maneely. I learned a long time ago that art is a matter of taste. If you don't like him, that doesn't bother me, & I probably can't explain what you 'are missing.' For me though, I like the 'feel' of his horror work. I see details & shadows, & these create a certain 'ambience' that I like. Not every cover is a gem, he was reportedly a fast worker churning out Atlas product quickly, & sometimes that shows. When he's on though, he seems to capture that quintessential Atlas 'tone' just about as well or better than anyone else.

 

Here's a few good ones off the top of my head, all of which I think have been posted here to date:

 

Astonishing 30 & 34

Marvel Tales 129

Mystery Tales 12 (see Jayman's fabulous Big Apple copy)

[Scrooge]

You know Keith, this is probably one of the best Maneely covers I have ever seen (and I have seen many). Could you or someone else run down by me again why Joe Maneely is so good because for some reason, I can't get into his style. This is why I am so surprised I actually like this cover of his. I know I don't care much for his western cover nor most of his horror covers. What am I missing when I look at his work?

 

Yes. What are his best covers?

 

I hadn't heard of Maneely until yesterday. There was a conversation about him in Comics General.

 

Ol' buddy Scrooge, I probably won't be able to say why you don't have much of a yen for Maneely. I learned a long time ago that art is a matter of taste. If you don't like him, that doesn't bother me, & I probably can't explain what you 'are missing.' For me though, I like the 'feel' of his horror work. I see details & shadows, & these create a certain 'ambience' that I like. Not every cover is a gem, he was reportedly a fast worker churning out Atlas product quickly, & sometimes that shows. When he's on though, he seems to capture that quintessential Atlas 'tone' just about as well or better than anyone else.

 

Here's a few good ones off the top of my head, all of which I think have been posted here to date:

 

Astonishing 30 & 34

Marvel Tales 129

Mystery Tales 12 (see Jayman's fabulous Big Apple copy)

 

PCKeith, good answer. It's not that I can't appreciate some of Joe's work. Here are my top covers by Maneely in alphabetical order -

 

Adventure into Terror 20 1953

Battle 4 1951

Black Knight 1 1955

Black Knight 5 1956

Jungle Action 5 1955

Mystic 28 1954

Mystic 31 1954

Navy Combat 2 1955

Strange Tales 40 1955

Strange Tales 62 1958

 

 

 

it's just in final analysis I prefer both Heath and Everett on covers - I know it's not fair comparison as we could also find tons of lesser luminaries than Maneely such as Burgos and many others with poor cover showing on Atlas books. Still, there is a prevailing sense of Maneely being under-appreciated (and I assume that's in that thread where Norinn heard of Joe for the first time) that I can't shake the feeling that there is a reason for that beyond the fact his career was cut short. Off to check out those Astonishing covers you mentioned.

[Scrooge]

Here are the Mystic Covers -

 

# 28 is one freaky cover!

 

 

I also have a liking to covers depicting the infinite of the stars hence my liking to # 30 -

 

[originalisbest]

I like Maneely fine - the main reason he seems to represent Atlas style more than anyone else is he was INCREDIBLY fast, and could churn out a cover or story more quickly than anyone, thus he output quite a few for S. Lee until his tragic death.

 

In terms of speed he's rather like Jack Davis, fastest of the EC crew.

[precodekeith]

I heard he was very fast. Do you know if he did more pre-code art than the others during the horror years?

[originalisbest]

Hey Keith. I'm just surmising that he did - as he did work so fast, and Atlas put out not a few titles - how many (would have to go check Pov's list)?

 

Somewhere I've got an Alter Ego issue that highlighted some of Maneely's career, I'll see if I can't get some info from that. I do remember Stan Lee saying he was easily his most valuable artist, as he (a)worked so fast, and (b)could jump easily to any genre and pump out credible stuff - horror, romance, western.

 

One thing that would've been very interesting would be his take on the resurgent Marvel superheroes at the birth of the Marvel age - as S. Lee would surely have used him - but since he was killed in ('57 or 58?) it was not to be.

[Jayman]

One thing that would've been very interesting would be his take on the resurgent Marvel superheroes at the birth of the Marvel age - as S. Lee would surely have used him - but since he was killed in ('57 or 58?) it was not to be.

 

I've just become familiar with Maneely's work only recently and was not aware that he was killed. Can you or anyone elaborate on the circumstances?

[precodekeith]

Hey Keith. I'm just surmising that he did - as he did work so fast, and Atlas put out not a few titles - how many (would have to go check Pov's list)?

 

 

Off the top of my head Atlas published over 700 pre-code horror comics!

[precodekeith]

One thing that would've been very interesting would be his take on the resurgent Marvel superheroes at the birth of the Marvel age - as S. Lee would surely have used him - but since he was killed in ('57 or 58?) it was not to be.

 

I've just become familiar with Maneely's work only recently and was not aware that he was killed. Can you or anyone elaborate on the circumstances?

 

Jayman- I have heard two stories.

 

1. He was hit by a train while driving.

 

2. He was at an Atlas office party, forgot his glasses, and was killed by a train by taking a mistep or something. (Fell off maybe? )

 

Of the two stories, the second one I have heard more often. Either way there was atrain involved. Yuck.

[originalisbest]

I think #2 is more accurate Keith - either way yes, he was tragically killed by a train.

[precodekeith]

here's some Russ Heath action.....

Edited October 26, 2005 by precodekeith

[Jayman]

Thanks for the answers guys! Very sad...as was said, he probably had a lot more art to produce and it would have been interesting to see some superhero stuff!

[adamstrange]

it's just in final analysis I prefer both Heath and Everett on covers - I know it's not fair comparison as we could also find tons of lesser luminaries than Maneely such as Burgos and many others with poor cover showing on Atlas books. Still, there is a prevailing sense of Maneely being under-appreciated (and I assume that's in that thread where Norinn heard of Joe for the first time) that I can't shake the feeling that there is a reason for that beyond the fact his career was cut short. Off to check out those Astonishing covers you mentioned.

 

I find that I enjoy more Everett and Heath covers than Maneely, but Maneely still drew quite a few top notch covers. The Mystic 28 you cited is nice work. For high quality covers and interiors, it's hard to go wrong with Black Knights or Speed Carters (some of the SCs are Everett covers, but interior art is first rate Maneely). The Adv Weird World 3 is

 

Maneely, in a very remote way, reminds me of Franz Hals. Absolutely brilliant compositions and impressive portraits, but the closer you look the less there is. He suggests so much with so few brush strokes, that it can really only be viewed at a distance. And at a distance it is quite compelling.

[adamstrange]

here's some Russ Heath action.....

 

The perspective on that cover is so well drawn, that, in person, it really pulls you into that picture -- almost like one of those cheesy effects in a 3D movie where a pie appears to be heading right towards your face. I don't think the scan does it justice.

[precodekeith]

This one is pretty ratty. From the not-so famous 'Baggs' pedigree!

 

Hey, how do you think the monster scratches himself?!

Edited October 27, 2005 by precodekeith

[Jayman]

This one is pretty ratty. From the not-so famous 'Baggs' pedigree!

 

Hey, how do you think the monster scratches himself?!

 

Don't know about scratching but he's about to put the "pinch" on those two!

PS: The guy instead of being frightened, looks P.O.ed 'cause somebody opened the door to the dark room!