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Haha, bet you didn't see that ending coming! Does the last panel remind anyone of Boris Karloff's blackened fate in the gruesome climax to Michael Reeves' 1967 thriller "The Sorcerers"?
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Ashes to Ashes! (x2)
Two hot stories with the same "Ashes to Ashes!" title today, our first from the March 1953 issue of Mystery Tales #9, (pretty sure the art is by Al Eadeh), and our second roaring classic is from the August 1952 issue of Black Magic Vol. 2 #9 [15] (art by Bill Draut). May is finally coming to a close, and as the season turns warmer THOIA is officially turning up the heat on you-- burn, baby burn!
I definitely did not see that coming.
ReplyDeleteUm, surprise!
OH MAN. GOOD DOUBLE BUT I BET SOMEONE WILL PROBABLY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE SECOND STORY BEING RACIST.
ReplyDeleteThe Ashes to Ashes story is actually a very good interpretation of a classicly-themed story. Great choice!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Steven G. Willis
XOWComics.com
whoa, that ending is something interesting.
ReplyDeleteOne bonus of the 1950s pre-code comics is their "time-capsule" effect: They accurately reflect the cultural atmosphere of the times (woman referred to as "dames" and "sister," old men called "Pops" by strangers, etc.).
ReplyDeleteBlackface skits were acceptable as late as the mid-1950s. (As a child, I remember seeing them at local fund-raiser events.)
>I definitely did not see that coming.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone possibly could.
>I BET SOMEONE WILL PROBABLY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE SECOND STORY BEING RACIST.
Well so far so good, though I'm pretty sure people who come around here know better by now. Drew's comment above makes a point.
>a very good interpretation of a classicly-themed story.
Indeed Steve, the charm of many of these precode tales is not only in their over the top scares and violence, but the influence they draw from, from obvious better eras of simple storytelling and as you said, themes.
>whoa, that ending is something interesting.
It's a twist you were looking for, I hope it delivered.
There's some zombies shuffling your way next-- don't move a muscle!
I have never seen The Sorcerers but that does look alot like Karloff! ha
ReplyDeleteThe first tale is classic pre-code. I feel like I just read that one recently, probably in all my old 1970s Marvel reprints I've been plowing through lately. A real scorcher.
ReplyDeleteThe second tale was racist. Just kidding!
Thanks as always for the great posts, Karswell.