From the October 1953 issue of Adventures into Terror #24
+++++++++++++++++++++++
The Museum
From the May 1954 issue of Chamber of Chills #23
This Weekend--- SEE! A Dead Man Commit Murder!
ALSO! A Truly Disasterous Attempt At Pitching Some Woo!
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Vintage Harvey ads...
Oh, wow, that first one was wonderfully wild and weird. Never read anything like it, and the "ick" level was satisfyingly high.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Welch's disfigurement & hairstyle reminds me of Boris Karloff's in Frankenstein 1970, but this story predates that movie by five years. plus it's more effective, thanx to some incredible artwork. and the second story was just as impressive, art-wise, and brings to my mind the "Alias The Scarf" episode of The Green Hornet featuring John Carradine as a loony wax museum curator and part-time serial killer...
ReplyDeleteYou know, I was surprised to like the art better in the second story. Both stories are really well drawn, but I usually like that slightly cartoony and detailed Wolvertoon-looking corruption stuff better. I may be changing? Into what?
ReplyDeleteWriting challenge: do you think it's possible to do a "wax museum" type horror story without the line "...but they're only wax!" ?
PS, the cover of Chamber of Chills (#23) is flipping awesome.
I really liked the first one. Twist ending I did not see coming, and a rare case of a monster who posed no threat to anyone dying along with his crazed killer. Goodbye, gold digger.
ReplyDeleteSaddest looking cyclops ever.
Ah, well, those well thought out plans. I will marry the revolting psycho and be stinking rich! He may be doing terrible, perverted things to me, but at least I have the house! They never learn, do they? :-)) It still amazes me how obsessed these writers were with the gold digging shrew. This is more often a plot than the revenge of the mummy.
ReplyDeleteGood ending though. I really thought it would be the other way round, that the familiy would become alive or something.
Also loved the second story. It doesn´t make any sense, but it is funny. Especially how the owner can´t afford a bottle of wine from the entrance fee but can bet 10 grand on a whim. Maybe he married a rich widow and Dr. Suave killed her. :-)
Thanks for a great week, Karswell. It was fun again.
I agree, the ending of the first story actually caught me by surprise. Very cool story!
ReplyDeleteAnd the second story was probably based on many kids (and adults) fears that those wax 'people' moved around after hours!
BOTH EXCELLENT STORIES, I LOVE WAX MUSEUM TALES BUT MAYBE THE FIRST ONE WAS A LITTLE BETTER BECAUSE OF THE WEIRDNESS OF HIS FACE DISFIGUREMENT AND THE CREEPY FAMILY PREDICAMENT.
ReplyDeleteBOY OH BOY....... SINNOT AND POWELL BOTH IN ONE DAY, YOU'RE TOO GOOD TO US!
I agree with Andy about the gold digging shrews in pre code horror. All of these stories make me glance at my wife with deep suspicion. Could it be possible she married me for my teacher's salary!?
ReplyDeleteI also like how the first story didn't have real bodies under the wax like I suspected. And the artwork was great. Jonathan sort of looks like one of the creatures from the Twilight Zones' "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder".
Don't sit too close to the flickering fire?! Oh yes -- that makes sense for wax people. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAnd I like the Vintage Harvey ad. Love those old colorful ads. I remember filling out tiny forms like that, clipping and mailing. Those were the years...
ReplyDeleteI hate to bring bad news, but it appears that Forrest J. Ackerman has just passed away according to the Classic Horror Film Board. I'm in tears, he introduced so many of us to the genre.
ReplyDeleteTwo great stories. I preferred Bob Powell's art, but the first one had a great twist ending too it. Wax figurine stories are ALWAYS creepy.
ReplyDelete