ATTN EC Fans and Collectors...

[oldmilwaukee6er]

I am doing a little independent research on EC-esque Underground Comix... and have a few questions for those who have or do collect EC Comics (horror, humor, whatever).

 

If you could take a moment or two and answer any of the following questions, I would be very appreciative.

 

What do you like about EC comics? Briefly, why do you collect them? Ie. what attracts you to them?

 

Do you like the subversive aspect of these titles? Or is it particular artists and writers that you follow?

 

Do you recognize EC's influence on the Underground Comix movement (e.g. UG artists read/imitated them, EC artists contributed to UG movement, etc)?

 

Have you/Would you consider crossing over and collecting some 'EC-esque' Underground titles?

 

Thank you in advance for your response, J

[*paull*]

What "EC-esque underground titles" are you referring to?

[oldmilwaukee6er]

I guess when I say EC-esque I mean heavily influenced by EC, former artists from EC, and overt EC visual references

 

Two horror titles come quickly to mind... Skull Comics, Bogeyman

http://sir.real.50megs.com/comix/catalog/screen/Bogeyman01-1.htm

http://sir.real.50megs.com/comix/catalog/screen/SkullComics06.htm

http://sir.real.50megs.com/comix/catalog/screen/BarnOfFear.htm

 

UGs also adapted the real crime theme... e.g. Corporate Crime Comics

http://sir.real.50megs.com/comix/catalog/screen/CorporateCrime01.htm

 

Wally Wood and Harvey Kurtzman crossed over into the Underground...

Wood did Witzend (fanzine), Cannon (porn), and others

Kurtzman did a self-titled book

http://sir.real.50megs.com/comix/catalog/screen/KurtzKomix.htm

 

Bijou Funnies #8 has the not-so-subtle Mad throwback cover...

http://sir.real.50megs.com/comix/catalog/screen/BijouFunnies08-1.htm

[rjpb]

Don't forget;

Slow Death

Tales of Sex and Death

Barn of Fear

Two-Fisted Zombies

Tales from the Fridge

Zap #3

The fake EC covers from the Nickel Library series

Thrilling Murder

 

and many more I'm not thinking of right now.

 

EC was a major influence on the first generation of underground comix creators - and the nods to that influence in both content and cover design are numerous. In the last few years there were a series of porn comics with obvious EC references in the titles and cover design (I didn't pick them up - so I've forgotten the exact titles). Blab!- the now deluxe trade underground published about once a year began as more of a fanzine dedicated to the EC influence in undergrounds. The horror fanzine "From the Tomb" had a heavily illustrated article about mock-EC undergrounds that is worth picking up - I will dig out which issue if anyone is interested. I look forward to seeing Justin's contribution, and will say that my preference is for the more parody oriented EC take-offs than the straight horror/sci-fi homages.

[rjpb]

A more complete answer to Justin's questions.

 

I have a couple of original ECs - but don't really collect them - mainly because I have all the reprints. The war, crime and horror books are my favorites.

 

Even though the stories themselves can get repetative - the clever writing, twist endings, social commentary and of course the exceptional art-work are what keep ECs timeless in their quality.

 

The written content and the roster of top-notch artists are so intertwined when it comes to ECs, that for me it is impossible to seperate them as to what has the stronger appeal.

 

My previous post makes it pretty clear as to my response to the EC-Undergound connection. I will add that I have bought some undergrounds mainly for the EC like appearance of the cover - but have also passed if the contents don't appeal to me.

[oldmilwaukee6er]

thanks for your excellent posts, man. i am definitely interested in that article you mentioned. see also my PM and look forward to running the research by you once it is a little further along. ~J

[Point Five]

For what it's worth, Justin, I remember that Robert Crumb was a major fan of ECs, so there's yet another link to the undergrounds there. I was flipping through some reprint books of the sketches/diaries he kept in his early formative years, and was surprised to find that he was busy tracking down all the back issues & obviously had an exhaustive knowledge of the titles & artists (not just Mad, Kurtzman etc).

 

I'm certainly an EC fan & collector myself, though I haven't actively collected in a while. rjpb says it well -- I really can't pick just one aspect of what makes them so appealing. I've mostly collected the sci-fi titles, which IMO have the best writing & a lineup of my favorite artists (Wood, Williamson), but I love the dark humor of some of the horror & crime stuff. And I love how regardless of genre, the writers would tackle hot-button issues like racism/prejudice (Weird Fantasy #18, Shock Suspenstories #11, 5 & others), the anti-communist hysteria (cover of Shock Suspenstories #2), etc. Even by today's standards, the social issue stories are well-written and stirring, and I still get a sense of how daring it was to print them.

 

Hope this helps!

[precodekeith]

What do you like about EC comics? Briefly, why do you collect them? Ie. what attracts you to them?

The art. The stories. I collect the horror stuff, but mostly just the reprints as they are more affordable.

 

Do you like the subversive aspect of these titles? Or is it particular artists and writers that you follow?

I don't really see them as subversive. I just like horror comics. Being pre-code makes them "bad boys" to some, but EC wasn't the only publisher doing this, and in my eyes they are hardly "subversive."

 

Do you recognize EC's influence on the Underground Comix movement (e.g. UG artists read/imitated them, EC artists contributed to UG movement, etc)?

I recognize their influence on UG & mainstream alike.

 

Have you/Would you consider crossing over and collecting some 'EC-esque' Underground titles?

I've bought a couple UG, but not because they were "EC influenced." Simply because they were horror. Generally, I'm not that impressed with some of the UG stuff so I don't actively seek it out.

[oldmilwaukee6er]

And I love how regardless of genre, the writers would tackle hot-button issues like racism/prejudice (Weird Fantasy #18, Shock Suspenstories #11, 5 & others), the anti-communist hysteria (cover of Shock Suspenstories #2), etc. Even by today's standards, the social issue stories are well-written and stirring, and I still get a sense of how daring it was to print them.

 

excellent and thanks for your thoughtful response... i get the same sense looking through IronManiac's Johnny Craig covers over at STL... if you come up with more examples like the quote above, pls feel free to post them or PM-- this is a GREAT parallel to Underground comix and the topics they tackled.

[oldmilwaukee6er]

Generally, I'm not that impressed with some of the UG stuff [horror] so I don't actively seek it out

 

do you find it a poor substitute? or it just does not hold your attention? thanks for the response above, much appreciated. ~j

[*paull*]

I love the EC stories and artwork... they are some of the best that comics has ever offered.

 

However, I have almost no interest in collecting them. They are often overpriced by dealers and have been reprinted to death. I also find the other pre-code publishers (Gilmor, Harvey, Farrell) to be more graphic and unrestrained. I much prefer to collect that material.

[PovertyRow]

Liking EC comcis. Well, art and story to be obvious. Consistency in art and story also. It is difficult to pick up an EC without being assured of some first class comic stories. But going beyond the obvious, EC created a real family amoung the readers. I can';t think of another published who made such strong inroads into creating a COMMUNITY of EC fans. While I was a bit too young (born in 1950) to be part of that fan base, I can see it now in the editorials, the letters pages, fan club etc. Even in 2005, it makes one feel "at home" in the EC world.

 

While I love the horror stories, I would take your "subversive" into the realm of the social commentary tales that were particularly preveleant in the "lesser" titles like ShockSuspenstories. They certainly werre subversive for the early-mid 50's with their pointed takes on the various injustices of the time: a time when WW2 was behind us, our economy was very strong, and a warm fuzzy blanket of contentment seemed to be permeating the land - or at least the middle class land. And that blanket of contentment made these injustices all the more potent.

 

I do recognize the EC relationship to UG, but UG doesn't hold much interest for me. I lived though those times as a teenager and into my 20's. By that time the injustices and hypocrisies were considerably more blatant in contrast to the 50's. Even though I lived through them, I don't feel a nostalgia for them, perhaps because they are a bit too real and little pleasure was felt during those times.

 

But growing up as a child in the 50's, with Leave It To Beaver, My Little Margie, Father Knows Best, Dragnet, I Led Three Lives, Boston Blackie, The Untouchables etc etc etc an interesting set of values was presented to me. The former shows I listed were wholesome, family oriented shows depicting the idyllic life of the times. The crime shows, while at times a bit gruesome, reinforced the authority figure, the infallibility of the authority figure and ultimately, even in the face of wrongdoing, things could turn out all right in the end. And you could go to bed knowing that Joe Friday and Elliot Ness were on ther job.

 

The 50's also brought us shows like Beulah and Amos and Andy, depicting black folk in an affectionately amusing way. Noithing to be concerned with here. Just simple folk with homespun wisdom or homespun silliness. They were a happy group content to be in the place they occupied.

 

To my thinking, The Twilight Zone was the closest we had to EC on television. In the midst of comfort we had a show that made you think. That brought the unexpected and the disturbing to a place that was assuredly safe and conventional.

 

Just as EC did.

[Point Five]

Great post, Povertyrow!

[precodekeith]

Would you expect anything less form the Guru?