Another gem from the August 1952 issue of Web of Mystery #12, highlighted by sexy female blood sucker art by Chic Stone. An interesting, underlying theme behind this tale too, in regards to naive people reaching for fame and fortune...
Interesting that the vampire bite is shown on Inez's wrist and not her neck. While it does make it a lot easier to conceal, I wonder if a neck bite from a female vampire was seen as too Sapphic...
"Who sold her soul to become a great star" ... but she didn't! The vampire just bit her, turning her into a sexy Miss Gene Simmons. OK, now instantly regret typing that!
This is a fun story. Obviously written around "vampire" and "floodlight" concept, it's got a speedy little story, the vampires have a great look (how it transforms clothes we'll never know), you can imagine a lesbian context (take that as good or bad), and somebody suddenly becoming human and falling to their death is relatively unique for a vampire story.
Last page, panel 4 is an example of bad coloring. I had no idea there were cops in that panel until I looked back over it.
I think there's a number of interesting levels to this one, though I wonder if they were intentional. I'm getting an Icarus vibe from the denouncement with the klieg light... A most unique story.
I agree with the positive remarks on this story. Lots of levels as Guy notes. It's like a vampire All About Eve with lesbian overtones and an Icarus twist at the end to really make it psychologically complex. And I always get a kick out of 1950's vampire stories where they give the vampire actual giant bat wings. I wish there were some vintage B movies when that happened -- that would be so entertainingly silly it would be amazing.
Thanks a lot for posting this one, Karswell! A great start to my day as I often read THOIA while I eat breakfast.
I certainly liked it. So many excellent panels--a devil mask charm necklace! Lightning bolt stare-downs! A skeleton sprawled head-first in a Klieg light! I love the end and the wild second act trip to the taxidermist. I don't know what's kookier, the idea that some hapless understudy would attempt to mount a creature of the night she'd accidentally lifted from the local boneyard, or that the squeaky-clean Ralph Bellamy-type taxidermist would take advantage of the resulting weird bat attack to finally put the moves on his old crush. There was just something in the air that night....
I am always very pleased with vampires who assume a special paranormal form when hungry or agitated; and the conceit here, that without feeding they continue to morph past the point of no return, is particularly nice.
For a horror story version of Eve from ALL ABOUT EVE, Inez isn't exactly a violent one. She doesn't try to harm Gilda physically, and she isn't even expecting the bat itself to get beaten up or killed! And when she becomes a vampire, she resists it in that Larry Talbot tradition. So for a character who "brings things on herself," she isn't exactly a terrible one.
Like Mr. Cavin, I found the "celebrity crush" idea worked into THIS PARTICULAR story about actresses pretty entertaining.
Interesting that the vampire bite is shown on Inez's wrist and not her neck. While it does make it a lot easier to conceal, I wonder if a neck bite from a female vampire was seen as too Sapphic...
ReplyDelete"Who sold her soul to become a great star" ... but she didn't! The vampire just bit her, turning her into a sexy Miss Gene Simmons. OK, now instantly regret typing that!
ReplyDeleteThis is a fun story. Obviously written around "vampire" and "floodlight" concept, it's got a speedy little story, the vampires have a great look (how it transforms clothes we'll never know), you can imagine a lesbian context (take that as good or bad), and somebody suddenly becoming human and falling to their death is relatively unique for a vampire story.
Last page, panel 4 is an example of bad coloring. I had no idea there were cops in that panel until I looked back over it.
I think there's a number of interesting levels to this one, though I wonder if they were intentional. I'm getting an Icarus vibe from the denouncement with the klieg light...
ReplyDeleteA most unique story.
Hmmm... "Lez" be friends?
ReplyDeleteThis one is a fun read. I love how the original vampiress is brazen enough to sit up front in the audience on the opening night of the play.
ReplyDeleteI also love how two of Olga's hairs stick straight up on her head like ears.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the positive remarks on this story. Lots of levels as Guy notes. It's like a vampire All About Eve with lesbian overtones and an Icarus twist at the end to really make it psychologically complex. And I always get a kick out of 1950's vampire stories where they give the vampire actual giant bat wings. I wish there were some vintage B movies when that happened -- that would be so entertainingly silly it would be amazing.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for posting this one, Karswell! A great start to my day as I often read THOIA while I eat breakfast.
BTX:
ReplyDelete"Hmmm... "Lez" be friends?"
Not only that, I bet Olga (note name) is a lousy Commie lesbian vampire!
Glad you guys liked this one... I think you'll enjoy the final story from this issue as well-- COMING UP NEXT! Thanks for the comments :)
ReplyDeleteI certainly liked it. So many excellent panels--a devil mask charm necklace! Lightning bolt stare-downs! A skeleton sprawled head-first in a Klieg light! I love the end and the wild second act trip to the taxidermist. I don't know what's kookier, the idea that some hapless understudy would attempt to mount a creature of the night she'd accidentally lifted from the local boneyard, or that the squeaky-clean Ralph Bellamy-type taxidermist would take advantage of the resulting weird bat attack to finally put the moves on his old crush. There was just something in the air that night....
ReplyDeleteI am always very pleased with vampires who assume a special paranormal form when hungry or agitated; and the conceit here, that without feeding they continue to morph past the point of no return, is particularly nice.
For a horror story version of Eve from ALL ABOUT EVE, Inez isn't exactly a violent one. She doesn't try to harm Gilda physically, and she isn't even expecting the bat itself to get beaten up or killed! And when she becomes a vampire, she resists it in that Larry Talbot tradition. So for a character who "brings things on herself," she isn't exactly a terrible one.
ReplyDeleteLike Mr. Cavin, I found the "celebrity crush" idea worked into THIS PARTICULAR story about actresses pretty entertaining.