TOMORROW: The Return of "Stupidest Killers Weekend!"
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Bettie Page 1923 – 2008
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Mark of the Ripper
And here’s a short but violent one from Sy Moskowitz, from the Sept 1954 issue of Strange Suspense Stories #21.
Karswell, how do you do it? Some of these stories we enjoy for the inking, some for the penciling, some for the story line... Some because they're just flat out leather-winged-vampire ludicrous, as only a 50s horror comic can be.
ReplyDeleteAnd some like this. Ain't this what we wait for, kiddies? "The Knife of Jack the Ripper" -- just a perfect pre-code classic.
It has everthing:
It links to a real-life crime; it has an object that controls our hero's actions (or does it?) (Of course it does. "It's bad for business! People are afraid of it!"); the object can't be thrown away, but keeps coming back...
And it KILLS.
No "comic book logic" here. But a nice, serious internal logic, which makes as much sense as anything in this pathetic little world.
And in the end, there's no false turnaround, no contrived ending, just a finger... Pointing at YOU.
As R. Crumb said, "Kitchee-koo, you BASTARDS!"
Once in a while, fifty years ago, we got a dose of comic book ART. This is one pretty damn fine example.
Thanks again, Kars. You're the best.
Good ones. I like the unstoppable killer (Jack the Ripper) plus cursed object (the knife) best, though the possession by evil spirit works well too.
ReplyDeleteWell, I never really like the pat "next it may be YOU!" non-ending of these things. It's like the writers, knowing they've only got a handful of pages, and needing to top-load their story, sort of just peter out. But the first story was so strong that it seemed reasonable that it wouldn't exactly end with any kind of mitigating comeuppance. Any other ending would have just seemed weaker.
ReplyDeleteIt reminded me just a little of the Haunted Strangler, and that's a damn fine thing.
...and Rest in Peace, Bettie.
I don't know much about inking, penciling, etc., but somehow that second story really reminded me of the Watchmen (art-wise).
ReplyDeleteThe Strange Suspense Stories tale was my favorite of the two.
ReplyDeleteBye-bye Bettie!
TWO WILD STORIES, I LIKED THE FIRST ONE BETTER. THE SECOND ONE WAS COOL BUT THE ART SEEMED INCOSISTANT, THE MAIN GUYS NOSE BUGGED ME FOR SOME REASON. AND HOW COME HIS HEAD IS SO MUCH BIGGER IN HIS REFLECTION IN THE FINAL PANEL THAN HIS REAL HEAD? SMALL GRIPES THOUGH FOR TWO COOL RIPPER TALES.
ReplyDeleteI ALSO WANT TO SAY BYE TO BETTIE, WHAT A GORGEOUS WOMAN SHE WAS WITH SUCH A HUGE INFLUENCE ON NEARLY EVERY ASPECT OF POPULAR CULTURE FOR THE LAST 60+ YEARS (AND NOT JUST THE NUDIES AND FETISH.) HOW MANY STORIES HAVE YOU SEEN HERE AT THOIA WHERE THE GIRL HAS THE BLACK HAIR AND BANGS...........
The poor woman in the very first panel of the first story should've worn some underwear. It appears to be mighty cold outside…
ReplyDeleteLoved the first tale. It's an interesting twist on the whole Jack the Ripper legend – maybe he was just a hapless chap too, who was turned into a killer by the knife's evil influence? I also liked how the blade showed its bloody history to its new owner. That was a nice touch.
As for the second story – the lieutenant/killer looks like Adolf Hitler. Apparently, he hated women too, so maybe that's no coincidence. And the green faces in page one and two totally give away the ending.
sigh...one of the only two Betties i know that spell their name with an "ie" is gone. the other's my mom!
ReplyDeleteThe Knife Of Jack The Ripper was great- reminded me of The Mask with a fetish substitute.
Hi everyone, thanks for all the great comments this week... I've been a little under the weather the last few days with just enough energy to get some posts set up but I'm here dusting off the scans and keeping my bees knees limber (thanks Emby haha.)
ReplyDeleteAnd don't miss another Stupidest Killers Weekend coming up next...
I enjoyed both stories very much, although i certainly like the art in the second one more, the first story is definitely more inventive. I would love to see a story where the killer is revealed to be the reader or author(that "YOU ARE THE MURDERER" story you posted way back doesn't count.).
ReplyDeleteRather stark, graphic artwork. A bit too violent for me, but it's very well drawn and the colors are vivid.
ReplyDelete