Had a couple more requests for some additional Lin Streeter slickness, and it doesn't get much more slick 'n slimy than this silly swamp creature classic from the May 1954 issue of Forbidden Worlds #29. Thrills, chills, and amphibious adventure await! (Cover art by Ken Bald.)
Another more super-hero-ish adventure story, with fun visuals. Both the frog man and the tadpoles were cool creatures.
There's always one place I can suspend disbelief in horror stories and that's the automatic sussing out of the rules. There's absolutely no proof that the tadpoles used to be men (really, the necklace?), or that the frog man needed to be killed in the water, or that you had to die first before turning into a tadpole. But they just knew it, without doubt!
Maybe the Frogman was murdering people so that his tadpole offspring could get their watches and jewelery? And those dumb humans were just supposing things? I would propose then that the tadpole with the spear-gun was not unlike the dictator Kim family where the son murders the father to gain control of the filthy poor swamp empire. Put a big schlock of hair on the top of the tadpole's head and he's a dead wringer for the Korean dictator. Something to consider.
This could have been turned into a 50's horror movie with its concept of "we all of a sudden know why these strange things happen" logic.
Now who could produce such a frog monster movie, American International or Ed Wood? Either way it would have made a great drive in horror flick, not as great as Creature From the Black lagoon but better than Alligator People.
It makes you wonder whether the frog-people are a "close-knit society." If so, George might have a lot of explaining to do after killing one of them to save a human character.
Man, lovely Lin Streeter art here. That splash is completely amazing; and so is the last half of page two. And so is all that swimming around in the waving swamp grasses. And the impaling panel on the last page, too. The colorist should also take a bow. Nobody was half-assing around on this one but the write--and I find the ham-fisted exposition dialog everybody's pointing out to be pretty charming. This is a great story to read out loud in funny voices.
I would love to see Streeter's stuff collected someday....
I just wonder whether the frog people are anything like a "close-knit group." If so, George could be in a lot of trouble for killing "one of his own" to save a human character.
I'm surprised no one has brought up "The Maze." This story resembles it, especially if you imagine George becoming a frog through some kind of "devolution." Of course, that also makes it similar to "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" and other Lovecraft and Derleth stories.
Very cool blog. I am new to this site and new to reading non-EC precode horror. (I grew up with EC) After looking at that first page of Frogman, I found and read the original issue of Forbidden Worlds. This story is a standout, and the titular creature far better rendered inside than on the cover, and the penultimate tale, The Firewalker's Revenge is comparably good. Less atmospheric art but more engagingly/cleverly/crazily plotted.
As a new reader of non EC pre-code who is interested in acquiring issues...is there a list any place on this site of say your top ten or top twenty pre-code horror issues or some resource you'd recommend that singles out specific issues?
In terms of writing, This Magazine is Haunted has impressed me the most from my first, limited samplings.
Very cool blog. I am new to this site and new to reading non-EC precode horror. (I grew up with EC) After looking at that first page of Frogman, I found and read the original issue of Forbidden Worlds. This story is a standout, and the titular creature far better rendered inside than on the cover, and the penultimate tale, The Firewalker's Revenge is comparably good. Less atmospheric art but more engagingly/cleverly/crazily plotted.
As a new reader of non EC pre-code who is interested in acquiring issues...is there a list any place on this site of say your top ten or top twenty pre-code horror issues or some resource you'd recommend that singles out specific issues?
In terms of writing, This Magazine is Haunted has impressed me the most from my first, limited samplings.
13 comments:
So now her brother George is going to grow from tadpole to the new Frogman of the lonely lake? A bitter sweet ending. Will they visit him on weekends?
Liked the art on this one a lot and the adventure-horror vibe was fun. Thanks for posting.
Another more super-hero-ish adventure story, with fun visuals. Both the frog man and the tadpoles were cool creatures.
There's always one place I can suspend disbelief in horror stories and that's the automatic sussing out of the rules. There's absolutely no proof that the tadpoles used to be men (really, the necklace?), or that the frog man needed to be killed in the water, or that you had to die first before turning into a tadpole. But they just knew it, without doubt!
But he was wearing a watch!!!
Maybe the Frogman was murdering people so that his tadpole offspring could get their watches and jewelery? And those dumb humans were just supposing things? I would propose then that the tadpole with the spear-gun was not unlike the dictator Kim family where the son murders the father to gain control of the filthy poor swamp empire. Put a big schlock of hair on the top of the tadpole's head and he's a dead wringer for the Korean dictator. Something to consider.
This could have been turned into a 50's horror movie with its concept of "we all of a sudden know why these strange things happen" logic.
Now who could produce such a frog monster movie, American International or Ed Wood? Either way it would have made a great drive in horror flick, not as great as Creature From the Black lagoon but better than Alligator People.
Thanks for the swamp scare, Karswell!
It makes you wonder whether the frog-people are a "close-knit society." If so, George might have a lot of explaining to do after killing one of them to save a human character.
I love when Marilyn punts toad-boy in the lake with the car and, of, course, KUHRRROAK!
Man, lovely Lin Streeter art here. That splash is completely amazing; and so is the last half of page two. And so is all that swimming around in the waving swamp grasses. And the impaling panel on the last page, too. The colorist should also take a bow. Nobody was half-assing around on this one but the write--and I find the ham-fisted exposition dialog everybody's pointing out to be pretty charming. This is a great story to read out loud in funny voices.
I would love to see Streeter's stuff collected someday....
He's definitely worthy of his own chilling archival collection
I just wonder whether the frog people are anything like a "close-knit group." If so, George could be in a lot of trouble for killing "one of his own" to save a human character.
I'm surprised no one has brought up "The Maze." This story resembles it, especially if you imagine George becoming a frog through some kind of "devolution." Of course, that also makes it similar to "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" and other Lovecraft and Derleth stories.
Very cool blog. I am new to this site and new to reading non-EC precode horror. (I grew up with EC) After looking at that first page of Frogman, I found and read the original issue of Forbidden Worlds. This story is a standout, and the titular creature far better rendered inside than on the cover, and the penultimate tale, The Firewalker's Revenge is comparably good. Less atmospheric art but more engagingly/cleverly/crazily plotted.
As a new reader of non EC pre-code who is interested in acquiring issues...is there a list any place on this site of say your top ten or top twenty pre-code horror issues or some resource you'd recommend that singles out specific issues?
In terms of writing, This Magazine is Haunted has impressed me the most from my first, limited samplings.
S. Craig Zahler
Very cool blog. I am new to this site and new to reading non-EC precode horror. (I grew up with EC) After looking at that first page of Frogman, I found and read the original issue of Forbidden Worlds. This story is a standout, and the titular creature far better rendered inside than on the cover, and the penultimate tale, The Firewalker's Revenge is comparably good. Less atmospheric art but more engagingly/cleverly/crazily plotted.
As a new reader of non EC pre-code who is interested in acquiring issues...is there a list any place on this site of say your top ten or top twenty pre-code horror issues or some resource you'd recommend that singles out specific issues?
In terms of writing, This Magazine is Haunted has impressed me the most from my first, limited samplings.
S. Craig Zahler
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