Sid Greene really knocks it out of the old "maul park" with one of the best Atlas splash panels ever! Yes, smile and say "cheese", because it's another creepy classic from the jolting January 1953 issue of Spellbound #11.
I like the long shots in this story: The old house and the shiny yellow car in the corners of page three, the similar house frame at the bottom of page four. That's a pretty good way to add some beats to a story that is otherwise mainly concerned with people talking to each other.
It's hard to read this without associating it with the work-for-hire publishing practice alive and well in the comic book industry at the time. I feel like EC and Atlas were at the verge of ushering in a new and better way of doing things--but there's still no credit on this. I mean, what must it have been like to illustrate this story for the publishers byline? Ironic? Sid Greene didn't even sign it.
The story felt a tad abbreviated. It could easily have been 50-75% longer and not lost anything by going into the history of the camera and what exactly happened to the other things Calvin had photographed with it.
I want to know in what jurisdiction I can just demand a mortgage be signed over to me, with immediate possession of the house and everything in it. I'll even be nicer about it than Mr. Breen!
I love the pre-code deck-stacking setups! Is this guy evil? No, he's *super* evil! We spent most of the story showing what an ass he is, which makes his fate all the more fun.
This has the interesting twist that the guy he wronged still works hard -- risking jail -- to save him.
The splash is great, the text being in a balloon is different for Atlas, and I love the details on the portraits by the window. I love how the camera (even extending to the tripod) is wrapped and twisted.
Greene does a good job with what is a pretty action free story (really puts it all into the door chopping!) The old house and the crazy camera are all well done.
I feel like Mr. Cavin nails it: it's hard to read a story about a credit-stealing, cheapskate publisher who exploits struggling work-for-hire artists getting his comeuppance and not to think, "Subtext, much?"
I imagine there have been quite a lot of comics artists who would have been very happy to pencil a publisher onto paper and out of existence....
Enjoyed the Clive Anderson Skeleton splash. Great job commenters on letting me see the true nature of this tale. So many things go over my head. Thanks to you and more especially to Mr.K.
Breen is awful, but he's one of the relatively few characters of this kind who never end up actually murdering someone, which is interesting. And I've almost never seen a victim do more than Calvin does to try to save the villain - usually they just give those dramatic warnings and leave it at that. So that's two surprising things.
I like the long shots in this story: The old house and the shiny yellow car in the corners of page three, the similar house frame at the bottom of page four. That's a pretty good way to add some beats to a story that is otherwise mainly concerned with people talking to each other.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to read this without associating it with the work-for-hire publishing practice alive and well in the comic book industry at the time. I feel like EC and Atlas were at the verge of ushering in a new and better way of doing things--but there's still no credit on this. I mean, what must it have been like to illustrate this story for the publishers byline? Ironic? Sid Greene didn't even sign it.
The story felt a tad abbreviated. It could easily have been 50-75% longer and not lost anything by going into the history of the camera and what exactly happened to the other things Calvin had photographed with it.
ReplyDeleteI want to know in what jurisdiction I can just demand a mortgage be signed over to me, with immediate possession of the house and everything in it. I'll even be nicer about it than Mr. Breen!
ReplyDeleteI love the pre-code deck-stacking setups! Is this guy evil? No, he's *super* evil! We spent most of the story showing what an ass he is, which makes his fate all the more fun.
ReplyDeleteThis has the interesting twist that the guy he wronged still works hard -- risking jail -- to save him.
The splash is great, the text being in a balloon is different for Atlas, and I love the details on the portraits by the window. I love how the camera (even extending to the tripod) is wrapped and twisted.
Greene does a good job with what is a pretty action free story (really puts it all into the door chopping!) The old house and the crazy camera are all well done.
Short and sweet -- I do love a good comeuppance story!
ReplyDeleteI feel like Mr. Cavin nails it: it's hard to read a story about a credit-stealing, cheapskate publisher who exploits struggling work-for-hire artists getting his comeuppance and not to think, "Subtext, much?"
ReplyDeleteI imagine there have been quite a lot of comics artists who would have been very happy to pencil a publisher onto paper and out of existence....
Enjoyed the Clive Anderson Skeleton splash. Great job commenters on letting me see the true nature of this tale. So many things go over my head. Thanks to you and more especially to Mr.K.
ReplyDeleteBreen is awful, but he's one of the relatively few characters of this kind who never end up actually murdering someone, which is interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've almost never seen a victim do more than Calvin does to try to save the villain - usually they just give those dramatic warnings and leave it at that.
So that's two surprising things.