If you enjoyed the removable mannequin limbs in our previous post, you may get a similarly weird kick out of this gory 'n brutal Goldfarb 'n Baer story as well, --as THOIA's Awful Wedded Bliss 2025 Fest continues! From the December 1953 issue of Mysterious Adventures #17.
6 comments:
I'm not one to question the plot holes in a horror story, but I have a few for this one.
1.Both Fred and the narrator mention that the accident occurred 5 years ago. Yet when the reveal that Frieda isn't actually paralyzed comes to light, she mentions that she's been playing this role for 3 years.
2. Maybe Frieda actually was paralyzed at one point because Ralph wasn't her first doctor. The first doctor who reveals this to Fred mentions that it's possible that the paralysis was caused by shock and will wear off. So my guess is that Frieda was actually paralyzed for 2 years and was faking it afterwards once she met Ralph.
Regardless of those nitpicks, you REALLY feel sorry for Fred. Yes, the accident may have been his fault, but the fact that Frieda had been playing him after all that is really painful. Also, I assume that Frieda is dead by that last panel. All that blood loss from both legs being chopped off and not a doctor in sight. It's a satisying ending for two horrible people though. Frank deserved better.
I'll just echo Glowworm and point out a fault anyway: Fred is 41, but looks in his mid-60s. Fair enough, I thought, it's because if his wife's nagging...but 5 years ago when he was 36 and there wasn't, presumably, any nagging, he *still* looks in his mid-60s! One wonders why Frieda married him in the first place, since he had neither money nor looks.
Telegraphed ending, the pity being that Fred died and didn't get direct revenge on the phoney doctor, too. Or on the pharmacist who has to be in cahoots to fake the medicine. That one got off scot-free.
These are the kind of horror stories that I like but are a hard read. I mean, they are so dismal. Even if a monster kills our hero at the end, usually the hero put up a fight.
Here, everybody is just either mean, a liar, and I know Fred is setup as a victim but he's also (1) was a drunk driver (2) was sort of a "worm" of a man (this is not passing any kind of judgement, but in a comic story it has it's importance as a stereotype.) He's not likeable. So it's a collection of very unlikable people in a collision course with horror, and not a vampire or werewolf to be found!
It's just dark. It's gruesome. It's just ... human. Humans being awful. I mean, I see enough of that every day!
I love how Frieda is dressed like she's going out for a night on the town on the last page! Yeah, she won't be dancing a jig tonight!
This one feels like a Hitchcock type tale with the surprise twist ending, or twisted twist ending if you prefer.
I am not an expert on EC Comics, and I am glad this blog features non EC horror that deserves to be seen and enjoyed, I am just curious if this was lifted from an EC tale. It wouldn't be the first time one comic company 'borrowed' a plot from another.
Maybe its just me, but this art reminds me of 60's comic art. Again, it is just me thinking this, but it just has the look of bronze age work.
So the drunken jerk nearly kills--and temporarily cripples--his wife, even through she's asked him not to drive, and certainly not while groping her, time and time again. Her revenge seems on point to me: Rip that bastard off for everything he's worth and then bounce with some a hot doctor. But then, once he discovers she's all healed up--along with her plot--he isn't happy for her or delighted to be relieved of his crippling guilt; no, he's angry enough to exact his own revenge for her revenge for his actions. Usually of course, murder is way worse than nagging in the eyes of the law.
Anyway, the cycle of revenge for revenge must continue indefinitely. So I like imagining the next round: The War the the Roses-style haunted house third chapter of this story. The Amityville Furor! What will the new tenants think?
PS, I totally forgot to mention that I really like the steering wheel panel on page two, and the science lab coronary row at the top of four. And the cover, which is dynamite!
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