Saturday, July 3, 2010

The Horror of Candle Lodge

Presenting more eerie "believe it or not" style filler terrors from Standard Comics, and the July 1953 issue of Out of the Shadows #9. Really nice art from Nick Cardy on the "Candle Lodge" tale, I think I'm going to do a more indepth retrospect of his work one of these days for sure... but for the next few posts you can expect lots more from the underrated Out of the Shadows series.





11 comments:

Turok1952 said...

Hahahahahaha!

I LOVE "The Spanish Steed."

It was just too short. I sure would have loved to see the faces on the yokels that El Padrone told that story to, especislly after Pedro vociferously denied it to prevent his being called un loco as well!

Chuck Wells said...

You are absolutely right about Cardy's work on this short piece. I enjoyed seeing this!

Anonymous said...

I AM DIGGING THESE STANDARD QUICKYS. IS IT JUST ME OR DID THEY HAVE SOME REALLY KICK ASS ARTISTS OVER THERE? WOW!

Mark Armstrong said...

Well, sheesh.

It was fitting for Major Balmer and the back-stabbing Christine to get their comeuppance in that shipwreck. But Helen and Pascal? They were mere skeptics. Petty vandals at worst. Where's the justice in their deaths? This story is too much like the senseless violence that goes on in real life.

Mark Armstrong said...

As for "The Spanish Steed," the ending could have had a bigger kick if the wealthy sportsman found himself turning into a female centaur, or maybe just a mare. Now THAT would be a good reason for no cowboy daring to track down the Gray Stallion.

Mr. Karswell said...

>I LOVE "The Spanish Steed."

Great! I am certainly relieved, felt a wee bit apprehensive about posting a cute centaur story here at THOIA.

>absolutely right about Cardy's work on this short piece.

I need to see what else I have by Cardy and get a tribute lined up on the THOIA schedule ASAP. Thanks Chuck!

>IS IT JUST ME OR DID THEY HAVE SOME REALLY KICK ASS ARTISTS OVER THERE?

They had some AMAZING artists, it's just the writing that was occasionally questionable (as you're likely to see in some of the upcoming Standard Comics posts.)

>Where's the justice in their deaths?

Where's the justice for any innocent victim in a horror movie or story for the last century? Two teens smoke a little pot and have sex and it's ok for them to get butchered at summer camp? The horrors of senseless violence is horrific because of exactly that-- the senselessness of it all.

Lots more more senseless coming up next week. Stick around!

Prof. Grewbeard said...

Centaurs freak me out too, and i'm glad you've provided an opportunity for me to admit it...

AGHHH!

Mr. Cavin said...

Re: the Spanish Steed. I really think this shorty works best read as a FIGHT CLUB-esque split personality chat between a man and his horse. Opening dialog is from the man, the next is the horse's; and so on. At the end it is revealed that the man-horse is a centaur, and he's been talking to himself all along. I want you to hit me as hard as you can. Come on, isn't it obvious?

Unknown said...

So, did he die of a heart attack just to see the centaur? Or did they go out for tiki drinks?

Mr. Karswell said...

I'm surprised that there's more comments about the Spanish Steed than the Cardy story, haha... it's such a throwaway.

Okay, got a visit from the Devil up next.

Balakrishna said...

These quickies are really wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Spanish Steed". As for the art, the panels instead of being so even spaced could have been altered a bit. Still very good considering the year it came out.