Sunday, December 28, 2014
Shattering the Time Barrier
Some really interesting art and super panels highlight this ghostly shocker from the June 1953 issue of The Hand of Fate #23. Anyone got a clue who the artist is? Even the cool Ace Horror site seems to be stymied. This issue also contains the tremendous Lou Cameron classic "He Who Robs the Dead" which we posted way back in 2008 HERE! Be sure to check it out after today's post too!
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ReplyDeleteUgh, certainly a story for our times. Replace those ghosts with weaponized drones and you're thoroughly modern again! As it stands, I'll bet this happens all the time in places with electrical wiring. Explains a lot. The smart plan of action would be to execute a bunch more kindhearted settlers to fight for us on the other side.
ReplyDeleteI liked the drawing a lot, but think the sequential storytelling relies a little too much on the fifties habit of narrating the action in the word balloons. Normally that style is pretty tiresome, but here it was a little necessary to follow the absurdity closely. This may have been a feature rather than a bug, though. At least the usual redundancy is lessened.
Man, fifties comic chicks fall in love at weird times. He's a transparent executioner, and she's dead pilgrim; can it be love at first sight?
That's a pretty progressive story for 1953! I think this speaks a lot to the author of this tale, and his thoughts on crime and punishment, more than the tale itself.
ReplyDeletePage 4, Panel 5, I didn't know TV's Frank was a pilgrim!
"...if I had my way, I'd make 'em suffer even more!" Philip Spayne would fit right in the CIA today (it is a sad commentary of our times and The US when torture is considered acceptable.)
ReplyDeletePage 6 lower right panel, she shows a lot of leg for a pilgrim!
I was thinking some of the same things. Philip Spayne has the kind of attitude the government makes a big show out of HATING, but (whether it's a "Conservative" White House OR a "Liberal" one) you almost always have to take that with a big grain of salt or more.
ReplyDeleteI notice that when the ghosts first appear on Page 2, Philip recognizes a lot of bald men immediately. With a knack for doing that one thing, he would fit in very well right now!
ReplyDeleteAnother slightly funny thing is the way he reluctantly turns down a romance with the settler woman in order to go on with his crusade, just like the stereotype of the superhero or vigilante or whatever who decides he has to swear off a romantic life. It's odd to see that idea in a story like this one.
I notice this is one of those horror comics where the host steps into the story (in this case, the host warns Philip to quit while ahead). Was that a recurring idea in HAND OF FATE?
I have read a few Hand Of Fate comics, Grant, and yes, Fate intervenes in almost every tale.
ReplyDeleteAnd now if I may, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, and may the only horror in our lives be the ones found on Karswell's Blog. Here's to a new year of comics horrors for 2015.
Happy New Year everyone, especially to you Karswell!
Search the archive for more Hand of Fate stories, you'll see he's quite the co-star.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year everyone