Surprised this eerie Bill Everett heart-pounder hasn't found it's way into the THOIA Archive by now! It's a short but shivery one, and sure to FILL YOU with an AWFUL FEELING of, umm, dread. From the awesome April 1952 issue of Marvel Tales #106 --and a truly classic cover by rockin' Russ Heath too!)
This is a beautiful piece of work from Everett. Every face in this thing is grotesque or twisted, even the server at the restaurant (page 2, panel 2.) Everything feels spooky and unnatural.
ReplyDeleteI'm of two minds to the coloring. It really does bring out the atmosphere, but it also looks like one of those 2 color books in places.
The line work is incredibly crisp. You can see the snap ending coming a mile away but it still works; it's the atmosphere waiting for the reveal that makes the story.
Page 3, panel 1: These books were meant to be disposable entertainment yet Everett puts so much work into that one panel. Great stuff.
Yeah, super neat fog effects. Would have made a great way to visualize the picture on a fifties television, too.
ReplyDeleteI might have also accepted an ending in which Harry turns around and it's the cops, gasp!, who catch him red-handed with the undertaker's money because they're already at the crime scene, investigating the murder of the one guy who woulda kept the dumb lug hidden.
I like the story, even though it's absurd but ending with the cops waiting for him would make more sense. They could be waiting with an electric chair if they wanted it more surreal. Great story though, not because of the story but because of the telling of the story.
ReplyDeleteThe line work is kind of grungy and has a feeling.
Almost surprising this gem wasn't already shown in all these years of HOIA. It just goes to show how many great entries are waiting.
Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I have the song, "Der Kommissar" stuck in my head. There are worse earworms.