One more killer tale from the March 1953 issue of Suspense #28, and it's a Maneely / Stan Lee team-up with a super hot ending to boot! Also, big bad Bill Everett returns with a screamingly superb cover illustration as well!
Since the movie Sunset Boulevard, a “Dead Man Telling A Tale” has been a staple of horror for years. What I like about the twist is that there really isn’t any…. Nothing supernatural, just a very smart Geezer and a very dumb crook….
As I repeat: Maneely dying before the silver age really changed things. He would have been up there with Kirby and Ditko and super hero comics would be very different. It's an amazing shame.
Two 4 panels: Page 4 which is very cinematic, but on page 7 has to be one of the most gruesome ones I've seen from Atlas. You can really feel the guy burning to death, and the twisted hands in the end -- followed by the great face of Creeze, is really effective.
And that last panel, how it's framed is awesome.
This really feels more like a crime comic. I love there's really no twist; just greed and it's results.
I thought for certain that the money would be in the bookshelves that Creeze ordered our villain away from. But a villain so stupid as to imagine money would be hidden in a fireplace in use probably didn't think of that either.
It's too early a story, but Hunk's appearance seems almost modeled on the actor John Davis Chandler. And if there were a filmed version of the story, John Chandler would actually be pretty right for the role.
Another good story that's narrated by a nearly dead character is "The Hiding Place," which I know from Vault of Evil # 2, evidently reprinted from Strange Tales # 13. I don't know if it ended up here yet.
I agree with Mr. Barnes about the effective four-panel progressions here. Both are stellar examples of the patented Atlas thing. And they slot so smoothly into (the top half of) page four and seven that they don't even feel like a gimmick--it's continuous wow factor.
I want to spare a little love for panel two page two, also. That green face looking around the old blue and purple house just drips thrilling intrigue. The father of Corman; the grandfather of Sala. I definitely want to trick-or-treat at that place.
Since the movie Sunset Boulevard, a “Dead Man Telling A Tale” has been a staple of horror for years. What I like about the twist is that there really isn’t any…. Nothing supernatural, just a very smart Geezer and a very dumb crook….
ReplyDeleteAs I repeat: Maneely dying before the silver age really changed things. He would have been up there with Kirby and Ditko and super hero comics would be very different. It's an amazing shame.
ReplyDeleteTwo 4 panels: Page 4 which is very cinematic, but on page 7 has to be one of the most gruesome ones I've seen from Atlas. You can really feel the guy burning to death, and the twisted hands in the end -- followed by the great face of Creeze, is really effective.
And that last panel, how it's framed is awesome.
This really feels more like a crime comic. I love there's really no twist; just greed and it's results.
I thought for certain that the money would be in the bookshelves that Creeze ordered our villain away from. But a villain so stupid as to imagine money would be hidden in a fireplace in use probably didn't think of that either.
ReplyDeleteIt's too early a story, but Hunk's appearance seems almost modeled on the actor John Davis Chandler.
ReplyDeleteAnd if there were a filmed version of the story, John Chandler would actually be pretty right for the role.
On a few panels, Hunk looked somewhat like Peter Lorre.
ReplyDeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteAnother good story that's narrated by a nearly dead character is "The Hiding Place," which I know from Vault of Evil # 2, evidently reprinted from Strange Tales # 13.
I don't know if it ended up here yet.
What a glorious splash panel!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mr. Barnes about the effective four-panel progressions here. Both are stellar examples of the patented Atlas thing. And they slot so smoothly into (the top half of) page four and seven that they don't even feel like a gimmick--it's continuous wow factor.
I want to spare a little love for panel two page two, also. That green face looking around the old blue and purple house just drips thrilling intrigue. The father of Corman; the grandfather of Sala. I definitely want to trick-or-treat at that place.
I have to agree with JMR that the crook had a young Peter Lorre face. Thanks for the fun entree Karswell. I enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete