From the April 1953 issue of Mystic #19
Saturday, August 4, 2007
They Dive By Night
The second entry in my tribute to artist Al Luster finds a group of pearl hunters diving deep and finding more terror than treasure! The tropical night setting of this story is excellently handled with the ominous full moon always looming in the background altering all the colors (and silhouettes) of the dark, and I love Luster's big floppy bats fluttering everywhere overhead. The chilling underwater scenes will leave you gasping for air until the very last suffocating panel!
From the April 1953 issue of Mystic #19
From the April 1953 issue of Mystic #19
I like Luster alot too. Iron Lady is a cool story but this one is a much better example of his pre code.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say what's a "better" Luster story than others for me, this one is more straight forward horror while Iron Lady is lighter yet still spooky and fun. Al had the uncanny ability to show stark raving fear in his characters faces though as displayed in this story.
ReplyDeleteA good double ending for our story here would find that this particular breed of man eating clam produces a larger than normal sized pearl which, (oddly enough) is uniquely shaped like a human skull!
ReplyDeleteTHAT'S PRETTY GOOD. DO YOU WRITE FOR COMICS?
ReplyDeleteThe scariest part for me is their teeth.
ReplyDeleteI am looking for more information on Al Luster.
ReplyDeleteI have a piece of original art done by him in 1975.
Thanks in advance.
Nic
Hey, Kahola, maybe you could have just told the idiots about the clams at the start instead of, you know, implying that there were superstitions about night divers not coming up?
ReplyDeleteI know I'm late to the party - but I just started Mr K's blog and working my way from the bottom to the top...I just like the idea that the clams just sit around waiting to chow down in an instant on anything that wonders past. Like a living mouse trap that snaps closed in an instant with deadly force
ReplyDelete