Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Drum of Doom
Show of hands, how many of you knew that zombies could fly? Sounds silly, but even by the usual obnoxious ACG standards it works amazingly (and eerily) well in this super top-notch entry from the April-May '52 issue of Out of the Night #2, pencils by the great Al Williamson and inks by the underrated king of atmosphere, King Ward.
I, for once, might have to disagree with you here, Kaswell. I love Williamson (or the Fleagle gang, you can never really tell), but I don't think these inks serve him very well -- though it could be the printing!
ReplyDeleteI just like Williamson when he was more cleanly inked, or inked himself.
There's a lot of Alex Raymond in this! From the riding pants to the poses on the first two panels on the last page.
[>] Brian
Sure was convenient to have that meat cleaver handy! Every night club should be so well equipt!
ReplyDeleteVery nice art on this one.
I always enjoy the simple ignorance of the authors, as well. Cliche much?
I agree that Williamson's style does not suffer bad printing well. He's frequently a little airy and hatchy for me anyway (eh, it's an unpopular opinion, I know), and disrupting his brittle shading makes the panels look kind of cruddy. Man can sure draw a figure, though.
ReplyDeleteI love tony New York voodoo lounge stories. If I ever grow up and own a lounge, you can damn well bet it'll be a voodoo-themed place. And my red carpet bouncers will open the velvet ropestands to any Haitian zombie who flies by, just like here in this story.
>I, for once, might have to disagree with you here, Kaswell. I love Williamson
ReplyDeleteI'm not really clear on what you're "disagreeing" with, this was not a slam against Williamson, I merely said I think King Ward is great at inking atmosphere, and he scores BIG again in my opinion in this post... just as he did in all the other tales that I've posted here over the years by him, dig:
http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/search?q=king+ward
>Sure was convenient to have that meat cleaver handy! Every night club should be so well equipt!
Possibly from the juggling act that went on before Annette?
>I love tony New York voodoo lounge stories.
That would make for a good themed week of posts, I'll see what I can dig up and, um, fly your way.
Speaking of flying, anyone interested in the flying giant scorpion story also from this issue? It's pretty silly but I'll post it if there's interest.
>I'm not really clear on what you're "disagreeing" with, this was not a slam against Williamson,
ReplyDeleteOh no no, Sorry Karswell, I didn't mean it like that at all (damn internet!) I meant I disagreed that the inks were good for this story (but again might be the printing.) Basically, I didn't like the inks.
I love silly stories, they can be good in their own right!
[>] Brian
I can't imagine the freako world in which I would not want to read a story about a giant flying scorpion, dude.
ReplyDeleteHaha, okay... an order of giant flying scorpion coming up next! Don't say I didn't warn ya!
ReplyDeleteHeck yeah, I'd be interested in seeing a giant flying scorpion story!
ReplyDeleteAnd heck yeah Liz, you're gonna get it!
ReplyDelete"They don't eat the right things...."
ReplyDelete