Monday, July 28, 2008

Step into My Empty Shroud

Step into my blog for story number one from the January 1954 issue of The Beyond #24. We’ll be looking at this Ace issue in its entirety starting today and up until Thursday, and if my most excellent math wizardry has not failed me that means 4 big stories total. And we kick it off with one of the most visually stunning Lou Cameron zombie classics of all time. Seriously, it’s amazing this guy has been so overlooked all these years; someone really needs to think about a nice hardback Cameron Collection for us pre-code freaks.








13 comments:

silvano said...

Great story , I totally agree with you on the artwork ; yhose unbordered panels in pages 2 and 3 are INCREDIBLE !

Thanks for sharing !

Unknown said...

Now he could get on Hollywood Squares. Well, a few years ago anyway.

Anonymous said...

CAMERON NEVER FAILS TO DELIVER. VERY CHILLING ART, ESPECIALLY THE EYELESS ZOMBIE CHICK. THIS ONE WAS A MIND BLOWER!

AND CONGRATS ON THE PLUG IN SUPERNATURAL LAW TOO. I DIG THAT COMIC TOO.

Kitty LeClaw said...

Supernatural Law

You look so dashing in print!

*swoons*

Tenebrous Kate said...

"Handsome... even if tough!"

"Stop it, you idiots! You can't nail me into this lousy box!"


Hmmm... gay necrophilia subtext right on page 1. And then it only gets better, right up through the zombie babe in the graveyard! Doubleplusexcellence on my Monday morning, dear Mr. K.

Frederick said...

Excellent story and chilling artwork!

I wonder if this was one of the inspirations for the Amicus "Tales From the Crypt" sequence where the man is killed in the accident, then wanders around not knowing he is a hideously rotted walking corpse?

Another great post.

Kitty LeClaw said...

"strange things happen in the lonely unhallowed ground of the restless dead."

This passage actually stopped my breath. Delicious!

And, Maisie's still pretty hot. I'd hit it.

Anonymous said...

pardon my french but this was fan fucking tastic!!!

Patrick said...

Leave it to THOIA to vastly improve the quality of a Monday with a sweet zombie story like this one!

Lou Cameron's art is excellent- those fight scenes in the graveyard were way too cool!

Mr. Karswell said...

Good to hear everyone dug today's tale, and thanks to everyone who stopped by... more great stories from this classic Ace issue of The Beyond #24 continue tomorrow, and next--- These, My Hands of Doom!

Anonymous said...

Since the 60s I always thought I was Cameron's Number One Fan, but it's great to see so many others appreciating his greatness!
I wish someone would do a website making all of his stories available, eventually, to download and print in color. It's already too expensive buying those old pre-Code comics.

Alex Whitington & Rob Turner said...

That stuff with Lucky and the corpses is just brilliant.

Arben said...

The first panel on Pg. 6, of him running straight through the zombie with its head separating from its body, is such a great frozen moment suggesting forward motion.