We've seen a few posts around here based on Henry Kuttner's classic, "Graveyard Rats" story (HERE!), so how about another one, (this time with a mole spin), and art by the always wonderfully weird, Bernie Krigstein. From the April 1952 issue of Marvel tales #106, plus a bonus post code story today to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, this one from the frightfully fantastic, February 1956 issue of Marvel Tales #143.
That's a fine twist on a tale we've seen a hundred times in pre-code. The moles are actually drawn well, and then the rats end up looking like weasels, but hey, that's a lot closer than most artists.
ReplyDeleteI love the crazy bats. I wonder if page 1, panel 2 was meant to be that way, or it was a later correction or simply something not finished? BTW, the trees on the splash are so weird but super cool.
Louie's Leprechaun has to be one of the silliest things I've seen in a while. So he wife never mentioned her father was a a leprechaun? And he lives under a rock by their house? I love the art; it has a weird 50s Leave it to Beaver kind of look.
Fun stuff! Don't know why the coloring is so ... odd in this issue, though. Still don't know if I like it or not.
The Splash page from 'The Dead of Night' is just so bizarre- a couple walking along a cemetery, at night, apparently without a care in the world, while a bat with a rhino horn where its nose should be flies overhead, and a hand is protruding from a nearby grave. I would expect something like this commonplace in, say, Transylvania, but not in the US.
ReplyDeleteThe night watchman was almost begging for misfortune to befall him, if he hated the moles why didn't he just get some weasels to flush them out or leave poisoned bait to add to the body count in the graveyard, human and rodent. The greedy are just stupid in and out of comics.
In Louie's Leprechaun, Louie was a bit of a louse to the leprechaun. Even if the little man didn't provide gold, there was no reason for Louie to mistreat him. Louie should have just treated the little fella as an eccentric, play along with his harmless fantasy and leave it at that.
These were fun tales, Karswell, thanks!
Enraged Moles Tore My Skin. All due respect to Bernie, who totally rocks page four, but what I really want is one of Mort Kunstler's adventure mag illustrations.
ReplyDeleteThis shift toward moles is an odd one. Like, moles aren't scary or smart or even a little bit aggressive. It leaves this story with a kind of modern satirical feel. Like a horror movie with a killer lamb or a comedy with a deadly rabbit.
I can't ever know of course, but the color here (and in the last one--and likely throughout this book) is consistent with the effect of the yellow ink fading away from age or sunlight. Or perhaps from correcting for very darkened old paper. I like the way it looks, especially in this dark story, but I don't think things were initially intended to look this way.