No, it's not about the Green Bay Packer of the same name, and it's definitely not the TV show from the Philippines (or whatever it is), it's THOIA's Werewolf Wednesday taking a decidedly weirder ‘n woolier turn this week, courtesy of the August - September 1952 issue of Eerie #8 again! Sometimes I'm at a loss for words on these tales, I mean, I guess it's some sort of Werewalrus, maybe? And possibly if it's cold in your corner of the world right now, the Bulaga might just send a proper chill up your spine. I just hope if one of you ever experiences the unfortunate predicament of having your throat torn out, that you too will sit down and write a nice long story about it, instead of getting to the hospital, of course-- we'll all thank you later in the afterlife! This one’s also a bit similar to the Twisted Hands yarn I posted here back in September... you can run, and you can try to hide, far away in that same, seemingly safe corner of the world, but--
Poor Jon, at least he got killed by a monster with a pretty face!
ReplyDeleteI like this monster (the artist had a bit of a problem with the size, it seems to get bigger and smaller in places.) It's not other-wordly, it's pretty natural looking (changing into a woman aside) and I like the completely useless tusks and that it's a natural color instead of some bright green or blue. Almost like your regular jungle adventure story.
A pattern in these stories is the great hunters who have "hunted everything" but turn chicken and run immediately. This guy has spent his entire life hunting. Sure, a strategic retreat is advisable, but come back with dynamite, or do some research on the origins, figure out a trap, etc. It seems like it's your whole purpose in life!
I had no idea Antarctica was full of very European Eskimos.
I'm a sucker for a good stalked by a creature story, and I like the concept of it freezing everything. A fun one!
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ReplyDelete"European Eskimos."
ReplyDeleteAlso Eskimos with names right out of Greek mythology, like Althaea.
"Bulaga" looks like an anagram of "Beluga" (the whale or sturgeon).
Thank you Mr.K. for this "Double Indemnity" style story. It seems funny for a dying man to talk or write in such a manner. The production on this offering was very clean and well done. I wanted the resolution to be with the splash monster, and they delivered. I don't quite understand how the monster could glare and then open it's eyes, but I quibble sometimes.
ReplyDeleteA female bigfoot with a beauty queen's face- the fifties were a wild time for comic book artists.
ReplyDeleteIf the Bulaga had been female and stayed in its human/bigfoot form (after some serious electrolysis to remove her hair) she could have become Mr. Freeze's girlfriend. The Joker has Harley Quinn so why not?
This tale was as wild as the Great White North, thanks!
That's gotta be the sweetest looking morphing pit-yeti I've ever seen. I always did wonder why fiction assumed that someone able to transform from one form into another needed to settle for only the polar options: On or off just like a light switch, right? She's either a Bulaga or she ain't. But I always thought anyone who could go from all-the-way human to all-the-way wolf (for example) should also be able to adopt whatever middling formats produced the best results. In that respect, I kind of dig how this monster varies quite a bit from frame to frame. Which monster is all-the-way Bulaga? I guess I'll never learn.
ReplyDeleteI also like this thing's paranormal weather effect. Really Christmasses the place up, you know?
This story was worth it for the comments above, all of which are gold.
ReplyDeleteI like how he is indifferent to an entire ship sinking, with no other survivors, just because he put one over on that silly Bulaga.
"IT GLARED AT ME WITH INTENSE HATE, THEN IT OPENED IT'S EYES!" The Best!
ReplyDeleteAntarctic natives who are white Europeans, yo.
ReplyDeleteCan't have any human beings in a 1950s comic who aren't white Europeans.
Bulaga! Bulaga! Bulaga!