Friday, July 4, 2014
The Corpse That Lived!
Science gone goofy is a popular theme in pre-code horror, and none came more goof-infused than those featured in ACG's variety of terrific terror titles. Like this wonky one from the September 1954 issue of Forbidden Worlds #33, art by Lloyd Cynwald (who?) Click HERE for another corpse currently living under the same story title in the THOIA June '08 Archive-- this time from Alex Toth!
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ReplyDeleteMan the art in this one was so great. I really love the sinewy, veiny wrinkles on everything. I get so used to seeing these things done all Caniff style--with that brush stroky impressionism--that it's nice to see that drawing can be done in a different way, all without deviating too wide of recognizable comic art standards. This guy's no brut iconoclast, but it is a breath of fresh air. I really dig all the shiny clear glass jars and science machines too. And the hard-hitting violence!
ReplyDeleteIt's a little like the movie COLOSSUS OF NEW YORK, which makes a point of telling you at the beginning what a great humanitarian the Ross Martin character is, to make his killing spree later on that much more awful. This story doesn't have the space to do a lot of that, but it makes it clear how admirable Dr. Crane was before HIS killing spree.
ReplyDeleteAs said, great art on this one, and the artist has a firmer grasp on action than a lot of the more low-budget artist. Also, a good range of facial expressions, though the expression on the corpse in the splash is a bit bewildering! He looks like he's really stunned to just come out of a smoking coffin, and why not, that doesn't happen anywhere in the story!
ReplyDeleteThere's certainly a lot of Frankenstein in this, especially the concept of the "damaged brain", but really, this creature was a money-maker. Rent him out to a baseball team, he's got uncanny accuracy to hit people on the head!
Anyone know anything about Lloyd Cynwald?
ReplyDeleteThe art in the story 'The Corpse That Lived'.,Forbidden Worlds No.33 Sept.1954, is by Mike Sekowsky.I can only think that Lloyd Cynwald was a pseudonym used by him .At the time this story was issued Sekowsky was working for DC Comics who frowned upon their artists working for other comic companies.Lloyd Cynwald's name was attached to another ACG story 'The Hidden Talents of Archie Worple'.,Adventures Into the Unknown No.108 May 1959.,Lloyd Cynwald is given credit for the art on the Splash page, some of which looks to me by Sid Greene perhaps....but I'm no art expert.
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