So wow, we're half way through October already, it's seriously going by so fast, and we still have so far to go. Yep, lots more marvelous precode mayhem on the way from Joe Sinnot, Gene Colan, Bill Everett, and more! Stay tombed...
Sunday, October 14, 2018
The Mark of Death
Time to wrap up this July 1953 issue of Uncanny Tales #10 with the final remaining story, in this, our somewhat annual Atlas Halloween 2018 Countdown. And today it's an early John Romita chiller about an eerie exclusive men's club --for murder! If you've somehow missed the rest of the stories in this issue just check out the last 3 posts, and also dig way back into the 2011 THOIA Archive for my favorite tale-- Murder Will Out! Yes sir, chalk up another FULL ISSUE PRESENTATION... bag it, board it, and store it away, fiends!
So wow, we're half way through October already, it's seriously going by so fast, and we still have so far to go. Yep, lots more marvelous precode mayhem on the way from Joe Sinnot, Gene Colan, Bill Everett, and more! Stay tombed...
So wow, we're half way through October already, it's seriously going by so fast, and we still have so far to go. Yep, lots more marvelous precode mayhem on the way from Joe Sinnot, Gene Colan, Bill Everett, and more! Stay tombed...
A wonderfully suspenseful tale. Paced perfectly. The dead heads being an artistic highlight for me. Thank you Mr. K.!
ReplyDeleteThe first rule of The Glowing Circle is you do not talk about The Glowing Circle..
ReplyDelete"Hey, join our club..all you gotta do is kill someone"
"Cool!"
Wow this is excellent.
ReplyDeleteMan, twenty-three year old Romita was definitely bringing it. Look at all that. Certainly my favorite living comic book artist. Every page here is solid gold. As for Stan Goldberg, I really like how leaving the club men uncolored on page two (even the club itself is in black and white!) seems just like an effective stylistic choice--but then turns out to actually be foreshadowing. This one's a gem.
Yup, this is great!
ReplyDeleteIf you remove the supernatural elements this would make a great film noir tale, it's very clever in it's execution and how Richard manages to deal with his "problems."
I will say this might have made a better crime tale than a horror tale, but it works either way. The art is uniformly good and there's some very nice backgrounds. The dead faces engulfed in shadows is a cool visual from Romita, I haven't seen a lot of work this early from him.
These stories are firing on all cylinders this October!
When I reached page two middle right panel I was thinking the story was going to be a version of 'The Candidate' by Henry Slesar.
ReplyDeleteIn Slesar's story the weapon of choice wasn't a dagger but one thousand members of a secret society wishing an evil person dead.
You can find versions of this tale online and on youtube, and you are right, Brian, 'The Candidate' does make a great crime noir tale with a hint of supernatural/superstition to spice it up.
The best version, on youtube, look up 'The Candidate' - A Sci-fi Short Film presented by DUST
Not exactly an All Hallows tale but close enough.
That guy is way too eager to be liked! lol - Fun tale!
ReplyDelete