Tales from the crypt 046 (03 1955),tales from the crypt v2 009 (2008),tales from the crypt v2 011 (2

jooajajm-i

GRUESOME THREESOME is now a REVOLTING FOURSOME, as 'THE CRYPT OF TERROR" joins with "TH VAULT OF HORROR, THE HAUNT OF FEAR? mo TALES FROM THE CRYPT * TO BRING YOU HEAPING HELPINGS OF HORROR in the OFT-IMITATEO E.C. TRADITION. I trust you'll BE AMPLY S/CKENEl LATEST COLLECTION of CADAVEROUS CAVOR TINGS, as Of NOW. all IS at PEACE at the EC

BY THIS

OFFICES, but x EXPECT TROUBLE whin THE VAULT- KEEPER mo THE OLD W/TCH realize that

£ NOW, HAVE TWO MUCK-MA6S TO THEIR ONE / OH, WELL, THERE'S NO USE SLAUGHTERING YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE YOU COME TO THE BURNED BRIDGES so, COME into THE CRYPT OF TERROR AND YOUR HOST in HOWLS AND HEAVES YOUR CRYPT-KEEPER will launch my NEW NAUSEATING NEWSPRINT- NARCOTIC with the BLOOD-CURDLING. SPINE-TINGLING YELP- YARN I Call:

wmSMmmmfi

Chester wayne truooeo tremulously along the macadam roao LEADING FROM PLAINSVILLE. HIS HIGH* POWERED RIFLE WAS REAO% HIS NERVOUS FINGER ON THE TRI68ER. ABOVE, A FULL ROUNO MOON THREW A PALE U8HT ON THE COUNTRYSIDE, SILHOUETTING EACH SHAOOWY BUSH INTO AN OMINOUS CROUCHING FIGURE. AROUND HIM EACH FAINT WHISPER OF WIND WARNEO. "QO BACK? GO BACK?*.^ X SWORE OVER MAMIE'S NAKED BONES I'D SETrnt ONE who D/D\t to her. I've got to -r keep TRriNSf ive sot to:. ^

THINKING OF MAMIE MADE CHESTER MAO ANO OROVE HIM ON. HE WAS ROUNOIN6 A TURN WHEN HE SAW (T NOT FORTY FEET AHEAD. HE STOPPED ABRUPTLY AND CALLEO OUT TO THE BLACKCLOAKED HULK IN THE SHALLOW ROAD^

SIOE DITCH.

-

WHO WHO'S THERE

.

The startleo creature turned FROM ITS HUMAN PREY. A CLAMMY SWEAT BROKE OUT ON CHESTER WHEN HE SAW THE HAIRY FACE, THE BLOOO DRIPPING FROM ITS LIPS AND CHIN...

GAGGGf ON, LORD*

The werewolf bareo its fangs AT THE HUNTER ANO SNARLED. CHESTER DROPPEO TO ONE KNEE THREW THE RIFLE TO HIS SHOULDER AND SOUEEZEO THE TRIGGER. A HOLLOW- NOSED .SS SHRIEKED ACROSS THE ROAD AFTER THE NOW- FLEEING BEA$I„

W/T HIT HIM 1 FOR MAMIE < 1 RIP HIM OPENf M.

Loath to look upon the gory remains that lay in the DITCH, CHESTER WAS NEVERTHELESS DRAWN TOWARD THEM AS THOUGH BY SOME MAGNET OF MORBIDITY. HE APPROACHED ON TREMBLING LEGS.. LOOKED. .THEN RECOILED IN HORROR AT THE SIGHT OF B ARE BON E ANO RAW, HALF-EATEN FLESH... chcki .

.

.

He was numb with horror, halfBLINO WITH RAGE AS HE BLASTED AWAY AT THE DISAPPEARING MONSTER TILL THEJIAGAZINE WAS EMPTY ANO THE HAMMER CLICKED OEAO ON THE EMPTY RIFLE CHAMBER.

MISSED

I

HIM. .

.

.

SOB.

SOB.

.

.

.

.

.

MAMIE

MISSED.

j

The MEN IN MARLEY'S TAVERN LEAPED TO THEIR FEET AS CICSTER BURST THROUGH THE DOOR, HEADED FOR THE BAR. THEY SAW THE RIFLE AND THE LOOK ON HIS FACE AND THEY KNEW. .

Chester tossed off a double BOURBON ... AND WHILE IT WAS STILL BURNING OOWN.HE PANTED OUT THE TERRIBLE OETAILS OF HIS HARROWIN6 EXPERIENCE.

THIS TIME, CHET?

IT

^—^M

.

If

7* FARMER

.

T QUICK, FRANK? J POUR ME SOME-

has A PLACE THREE MILES

TELL US WHO

WHO.. .WHO WAS

IT

WAS/ WEVE

ALL GOT

thin' STRAIGHT'

^

!

OUT.. .SEEN HIM IN TOWN... NICE BUY..

OU/ET. HE'S GONNA

BE OUIETA LONS,

LONGTIME now...

LIKE MY MAMIE'

At FIRST THE MEN EXCHANGED GUILTY GLANCES OF RELIEF, BUT AFTER A FEW MOMENTS OF BRCOCHNG SILENCE, PAUL MYERS CLIMBED ONTO A TABLE ANO SHOUTED. . .

THAT MAKES FIVE VICTIMS IN A MANY MONTHS. ANO WHY/ AIN'T WE PAYIN’ FOR PROTECTION IN THIS ROTTEN TOWN? ALL WE GET FROM MAYOR HANSON IS PROMISES DO WE WAIT TILL THAT WEREWOLF GRABS SOMEONE CLOSE TO US BEFORE WE MAKE HANSON DO .

.

SOMETH!N6ff

it ALREADY \ THAT gives you SOT SOMEONE MORE RIGHT TO CLOSE TO ME TELL THE MAYOR PAUL? MY / OFF, CHET. YOU LEAD THE WAY Mb WE'LL WIFE I

1

MAMIE ' / BACK YOU UR f

A

Fifteen minutes later, mayor cLWOOD HANSON WAS AWAKENED BY SHOUTS OF HIS NAME. HE LEANED UNEASILY FROM THE BEDROOM WIN-

Soon, his portly pajama-clad figure wrappeo in a silken robe, THE OISNIFIED MAYOR OF PLAIN3-

OOW OF IS COLONIAL HOME AND LOOKED 00 WN AT THE ANGRY C R OWD

VILLE STOOD BEFORE HIS TOWNSPEOPLE, LISTENING TO THE FRIGMT-

FUL NEWS.

PLEASE, GENTLEMENf/TMENC£l*f£ MY WIFE IS ASLEEP? J ON DOWN, -< «, -rmk, MAY °”?

^ I'LL

FAT LOT OF GOOD THATLL DO, MAYOR? WHAT ABOUT

THE

^

PROTECTION YOU PROMISED US?

^

WHAT CAN I

WAYNE

?

X DO, MR.

FOR

ONE

THING, THIS FIENDISH

ATTACK TOOK PLACE OUTSIDE Of TOWN. .

T/ON '

-vA.A

.

-

V

MY WIFE'S BODY WAS RAVAGEO R/SHT HERE

A

IN

.

to his

THE MORN.

.

VMORE WE WANTON? than 1

WIDOW

.

WHAT'RE ' YOU GOING

ON THE STREETS OF WORDS, MAYOR' TO DO -< ABOUT IT, a* Y PLAINSVILLEf ,

BEYOND MY JURlSDIC

.

TERRIBLE / TERRIBLE f SEND OFFICIAL CON-

DOLENCES

-

HANSON?

Mayor

man son tried to pacify

PLEASE

;

gentle- jSILVER.'

WAS VERY ADEPT AT SELF.

I

/ DON'T GET

MEN! NOW, MR.

WAYNE, YOU SAY

<

WELL, I MIGHT HAVE

AT THI9 WEREWOLF... / JJ'JL .

THEY

.

LEAD

I

WERE SILVER NOT SILVER.

BULLETS, OFCOURSE *

-

J

-

KNOWN

SOMEONE WOULD GO OFF HALFCOCKED! MY DEAR MR. WAYNE...

IF YOU'D TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO READ UP ON WEREWOLVES.AS HAVE, YOU'D KNOW THAT ONLY A S/LYER BULLET CAN KILL A j WEREWOLF.* ^

YOU, MAYOR.

YOU FIRED SEVERAL^ I USED HOLS/LYER BULLETS ) LOW- NOSED THEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE LIKE

DUM-DUMS...

The mayor WENT BACK INTO

HIS STATELY HOME, THE CROWD DISPERSED, AND CHESTER WAYNE JOINED PAUL MYERS AND

CHICK, ROGERSJN A

THERE NEVER

6-- 0 0MYJ ESSION WAS A MAN BETTER AT

HOT SPOT MAYOR HANSON

SQUIRMIN' OUT OF A

AT MARLEY'S TAVERN...

THAN

.

will BE

WORRYING ABOUT

i

.

~~

fr=

i

l

I'LL WELCOME ANYONE OF YOU TO MY L/BRANY WHO'D CARE TO

INFORM HIMSELF QNTwtHAB/TS OF THE L YCANTHROPE. MEANWHILE, MY FELLOW CITIZENS, BE

CALM

C ESTE R WAY

.

.

and.

GOOD-NIGHT

. .

.

E SRI M A CEP.

WE ARE * WE HAVE TIME... A WHOLE BEFORE THE NEXT FULL MOON. WE CAN START MELTIN' DOWN S/LYER COINS * WE

r YES,

MONTH

BULLETS! can BE READY the NEXT TIME THAT WEREWOLF SHOWS HIMSELF...

io MOST OF THE PEOPLE OF PLAINSVILLE LIVED OREAD OF THE COMING FULL MOON.. AND THE NIGHT IT ARRIVED. EVERYONE STAYED BEHIND LOCKED DOORS ANO 9HUTTERED WINDOWS. ONLY CLARA HANSON, THE MAYOR'S WIFE, VEN TURED OUT TO VISI T HER AGED ANO AILING MOTHER , l^-LLL'j^r rvE GOT to BE RUNNING ALONG, mama WHAT ELSE

ELWOOD

PATRONIZINGLY. ..

FOR

-

ME* PROMISE you'll TAKE IT EASY

The crowd fell silent with EMBARASSMEN^ FOR NO MAN WISHED TO ADMIT IGNORANCE TO HIS NEIGHBOR. MAYOR HANSON SMILEO

/

COULD I DO THIS IN

WHEELCHAIR, CLARA?

HOUSE TO THE HANSON HOME. CLARA WALKED, UNAFRAU UNTIL SHE SAW THE FULL YELLOW MOON HANGING HIGH ABOVE THE VILLAGE SQUARE... tpST

Q

r

FAN

-

/

.

f

ClAR* HANSON HURRIED HER

STEPS. FINOIMG SOME LITTLE COMFORT AS The OuiCK CLICKING Of THE DESERTED SI OEM ALA KEPT TIME WITH THE RAPID SEATING Of *«R RACING HEART SHE ’0 ONL» ONE BLOC* FROM HOME. * HEN SHE HEARD THE TERRIFYING SNARL SHE SPUN AROUNO INO TO ICE IN HER VEINS .

.

Her attempted scream came forth as no MORE THAN AN ASTHMATIC WHEEZING SQUEAL. THE FLESH-STARVEO BEAST SPRANG... SINNING ITS GLEAMING FANGS INTO HER THROBBING THROAT. .

RIPPING IT OPEN. . . FOUNTAININ8 THE 8LOOO OVER ITS HAIRY FACE.. .INTO ITS RED BOILING EYES...

JUST ACROSS THE SQUARE, IN MARLEY * TAVERN, CHESTER WAYNE AND PAUL MTERS WERE FORTIFYING SELVES AT THE BAR.. f» 1

WE RE READY FOR 'IW TIME, FRANK' YEPf GOT

SHYER BULLETS OU^lFiES...

,

THA'S

RIGHT

\ HMMPHf FAT LOT OF GOOO TOU'RC

FRANKS /DOIN'

in

IT

.

TALKIN’

ABOUT

HERE/ IF YOU’RE AETER him,

»Oin'

SO/

>f

YOU'RE

SCARED. THEN

ADMIT IT ako QUI T BULL IN*

Sheepishly..THEY PICKED UP THEIR SILVER-8ULLETLOAOED CARBINES AND STALKEO FROM THE TAVERN. ACROSS THE SOUARE. THEY GOT NO FURTHER THAN WHERE THE GHASTLY SKELETON OF CLARA HANSON LAY IN A POOL OF CONGEALING GORE, HER BLOOD SOAKED CLOTHES STREWN ABOUT. ' ^-gi "

—

.

'*W...CHO«T^^'wFRE...WE

WQHAl

Mayor hanson was plainly troubled when he FACED THE TWO WHITE -FACED MEN ACROSS THRES HOLD. .

—

Rf

TOO LATE/

c ‘MOM/ let's get THE MAYOR. - Er * Mi 'E hiu SEE FOR

mmself.'

HIS

.

i

STRUCK ASAIHI* OH. LORD no.' MO/ I just PHONED MY MOTHERIM- LAW/ CLARA hasn’t COME

HOME

\RAUL!

^

fl ^ mm .

>

i

YEAH/ I M YHINKltf THE

SAME

THIHSf

rou BETTER SE T

DRESSED.

MAfCR'

WOMAN

1m

At last the mayor arose ano

CLARA...'Tall that jCARRYIN ON

I

\

^^HER none... /

BODIED MAN

HIM ALONE,

this

in

TOWN

NOW.

.

%

.

REMEMBER

' '

'

.

AT

MIDNIGHT

HUNTING

IN

THE DARK

A

IS

DANGEROUS BUSINESS, MR. WAYNE.

SAFE

m BE WAITIN6/

9

^M

*E‘Ll y

T?

.STAY CLOSE TOGETHER and make SURE OF WHAT YOU'RE SHOOTING AT.' WHEN .

YOU

SEE

IT ISN'T

SOMETHING MOVE, MAKE CERTAIN ONE OF YOUR OWN PARTY. PAIR

UP! ONE MAN USE A LIGHT WHILE THE O THER MAN DOES TH E SHOOTING WE OON'T WANT ANY INNOCENT PEOPLE KILLED/

Yw

^

.

It WAS TWILIGHT WHEN MAYOR HANSON, WEARING a RED SUEDE SHOOTING JACKET AND SCARLET HUNTER'S CAP, CLIMBEO FROM MIS CAR AT THE RENDEZVOUS SP OT FO R HIS GROUP. CHESTER — WAYNE GRINNED. .

PIPE THE FANCY OUTFIT ON HIS HONOR, RAUL. YOU COULD SEE IT in A COAL

NEXT FULL MOON

OTHER FOOT/

'

.

INTO 6R0UPS COMB THE COUNTRYSIDE! COME THE

on the |

)

AFTER IT'/

paul.'

Within twenty- eight days, every capable man in plainsVILLE HAD RECEIVED A RIFLE AND FIVE SILVER BULLETS. EVERYONE HAD PRACTISED WITH MOVING TARGETS. EVERYONE WAS READY. THE AFTERNOON BEFORE THE NIGHT OF THE FULL MOON, HE MEN THRONGED BEFORE MAYOR HANSON'S MAN SION... * £ LL START NOW in groups of 5/*..: IN DAYLIGHT.. SO WE can ACQUAINT ourselves with EACH AREA/ JS&Z .

^ ^

WE'LL HAVE' WE'LL OIVIDE

T leave

1

CLARA Jwon't help

MINE

will be ARMED / THERE'LL BE SILVER BULLETS FOR ALL f A VI 61L ANTE COMMITTEE, THAT'S what

Tevery man

HIS TEAR-REOPENED ETESBLAZECl

—

STRIPPE O BON ES.._.

SOB...

f

^

«

T

The mayor recognized his wife's CLOTHES AT ONCE. WITH MUCH LOUD WAILING AND ANGUISHED SOBS, HE FELL ACROSS HER FLESR.-

X'D RATHER BE than SORRY. . .

.

When oarkness came.tne men were alert AND JUMPY/ MATT STEVENS, WITH HIS 6R0UP IN TOWN, SAW A SUSPICIOUS FIGURE, SCREAMED OUT AFTER IT. AND BEGAN SHOOTING...

CUT THAT OUT, matt/ SAID TO MAKE

SURE WHAT

SHOOTING AT/

i

J

Luckily, matt's shots

WELL.WHAT'oJl AIN'T SHO you RUN -/ SOUSED I'M FOR IF YOU / GONNA BE A AREN'T < S/TT/N' DUCK THE WERE-] WHEN SHOMCONE

WOLE? J'-OPENSH UP „

_

A

.

were

f

Meanwhile, mayor hanson and HIS PARTY‘0 SURROUNDED A STRANGE OLD WOMAN WALK INC ALON6 A LONELY PARK ROAD. -|

THE FIGURE TURNED OUT TO BE A FAMILIAR DRUNK THEY ALL KNEW WELL. 1

WILD,

HOLD ON,

a CHANCE BEING OUT TONIGHT' r BETTER LET US

^

SEE YOU

\

HOME/

y

1

j

I DON'T

NEED

MAYOR'

!

MAYBE YOU'VE

WHO SATS THE 'GOT SOMETHING WEREWOL E ‘S < THERE, M Y ERS. I

.

LADY, YOU'RE TAKING

R

GOT TO BE A MAN9

HADN'T THOUGHT THIS i OF a FEMALE '

I'VE SEEN QUEER DAME AROUND I NEVER L/KED HER LOOKS f

t'be

SEED home'

I

AIN’T SNEERED.'

y

ON

WEREWOLF I

^^ME.MATT SHTEVENS'

Mayor hanson and paul myers revealed THE ORY TO THE O THERS OF THEIR PARTY.

.

their

.

HOW CAN WeTwE'LL TAKE HER BACK TO MY ^ IF SHE IS THE PLACE? I HAVE THAT BOOK? WEREWOLF? IT TELLS HOW TO REC06NIZE

WELL,

TELL r

)

A WEREWOLF.. . EVEN SHUMAN FORM?

IN

YwrW

THE OLD MAO FOUGHT THEM AS THEY TRIED TO PUSH HER IN. SHE EVEN BJT PAUL 'S H AND. .

OWWRT THE DIRTY I AIN’T QO/N'.' YOU

Paul solved the problem, he swung his rifle- butt, clouting the old woman across the sioe of h er head..

.

JT

Cain't

MAKE

go?

IS KIDNAP P!N6' V" AHH, CLIMB OFF mi WE STILL have no SACK, mayor' ano YOU shouldn't J STEP ON ITf SHE'S HER. our COLD!

THIS. ..THIS

.

r/W

Krti,,

AFTER ALL

PROOF!

me L

HAVE

HIT

.

.

V M

J

f

Mayor hanson

ST/LL THINK YOU'RE CRAZY, HANSON 'IN LESS

y'

I

BOOK ANO COME ) RIGHT OUT' j HOLD HER' THAN THREE MINUTES THE

— m

h

MOON WILL BE -3k FULL... AND THEN

|Mr

WE'LL

KNOW

FOR SURE '

1*5^

TO THE OARK STOPPED SUODENLY AS HE REACHED THE DOOR. ..AND STARED AT THE GLEAMING EYES BURNING IN THE BLACKNES S BEYOR D

F' rn.

LIBRARY. HE

KILL

THIS

I

HE SCREAMED...

'ns

^

M

^

BULLETS' THEY UONT a COULDN'T MISS- NOT AT

RANGE

IN THERE IT'S..

THE SILVER

HIM '

;

I

m

“

[j

MYGOO?

Mayor hanson moved forward SLOWLY, HIS RIFLE READY. THEN, ALL AT ONCE, HE SAW IT.. THE HAIRY FACETHE GLEAMING FANGS FLASHING FROM BEHIND THE SNARLING CRUEL MOUTH.

WHAT THE-' SOMECNE

3

He FIRED. POINT-BLANK, AGAIN AND AGAIN. THE VILE FEROCIOUS BEAST JUST STOOD THER E -SNA RLNG AT HIM _ I

into

UT MALL

.

I'LL GET THE

the

hurried HOUSE, STUMBLING DOWN THE DIMLY

It took him over fifteen minutes TO REACH THE MAYOR S HOUSE

BY THAT TIME .THE OLD IN TOWN HAG HAD REVIVED ...

_

Outside, the men heard the shots and tore for the house ...THE MAYOR STUMBLED TO THE LIBRARY LIGHT SWITCH, FLICKING IT ON. HE SHRIEKED AS THE GL O W FLOODED THE ROOM..

7,4.

M

.

,7 .11,,## ''in THERE

Y&A &AAHHHHHff, THE LIBRARY' /ZA^£\\

Mayor elwooo hanson stood before the full-len&th library

mirror, snarling AND SHRIEKING .STARING IOIOTICALLY AT THE BULLET HOLES -N^|j HE'D MAD E W MEN HE'D SHOT AT "IS OW N REFLECT ON

M

GOOD LORD:

Y

^

Y

,

IT‘S

THE

mayor'

HE'S PROBably A T TACKED BY »l ?E*Vi >

w ,

ANO THAT'S THE FIRST SCREAMin my NEW PUTRID PERIODICAL, FIENDS. NATURALLY. THEY SHOT MAYOR WEREWOLF AFTER THAT. IN FACT THEY PUMPED HIM SO FULL OF SILVER BULLETS, ME MAO TO BE LOWERED INTO HIS GRAVE WITH A DERRICK 'THEN A COUPLE OF GRAVE-ROBBERS heard ABOUT THE SILVER ANO .BUT THAT'S

STORY

_

.

.

ANOTHER STORY/ THAT UP

I'll 010

K

7,

Td

wh, A A" Ff>Vr5*\ ?

U,VTKi-li i

HhErigHB

vKVBwV

SOME OTHER TIME. NOW THE VAULT-

KEEPER AWAITS HIS CREEPY

WITH

CONTRIBUTION TO THIS MORBID MESS. I'LL BE BACK. LATER. BYC N0W '

-

AHEH, HEH? ANO NOW THAT C.K. HAS CURDLED YO UR ANEMIC BLOOD, IT'S TIME FOR YOUR HOST IN THE VAULT OF HORROR. THE VAULT-KEEPER namely, ME... TO ENTERTAIN you with a SPINE- TINGLING, NAUSEATING NOVELETTE from MY CREEP COLLECTION, let's see? Oh... let's NOT SEE? YES' A THIS is a GOOD SORT ONE.' itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s calleo...

The "home- was old ano paint- star veo ano orafty AND BADLY IN NEEO OF REPAIR. THE ROOF LEAKED AND THE WINDOWS RATTLEO AND WERE COVEREO WITH YEARS OF OUST AND GRIME. THE INMATES OF THE HOME WALKEO GRIM-FACEO ANO SILENT THROUGH CRACKED PLASTER HALLS, OR SAT IN DINGY ROOMS ON CRAWLING BEDS. THEY SHIVERED IN THE COLD WHEN WINTtR C AME .. -WHEN THERE WAS NO STEAM TO WARM THE RUSTED RADIATORS.

...AND THEY SWEUEREO IN THE HEAT WHEN SUMME* BURNED.. .WHEN LONG-BROKEN FANS LAY IOLE AND

.

But they could not SEE the PAINT-PEELED WALLS... THE DIRT CLOUOEO WINOOWS... THE DUSTY AND COB-WEBBED HALLS OF THIS, THEIR HOWE.. -THESE INMATES. THEY COULD NOT SEE THE ROACHES AND THE RATS SCAMPERING ACROSS

THE UNWASHED FLOORS.

E

AS THIS WAS A "HOME" FOR the BUND. .FOR WRETCHED SOULS who L IVED in worlds of DARKNESS who stared

...

.

with UNSEEING EYES ATT* MISERY AROUND THEM... AND VETjy/llAND HATED ALL OF IT.

.

T HEY COULD TOUCH THE STICKY. FILMY COBWEBS...!**. DUST LAYERS COVERING EVERVTHIN8—

IThEV COULD SMELL THE FOUL ODORS OF MILDEW AND PAUL TY PLUMBING AND POOR SANIYA \t/on and negl cr.^Jtt’ - ip -

And they coulo hear OTHER creaturi OTHER creatures of filth that moveo.

For the loss of one sense only tends TO SHARPEN THE OTHERS. TO TUNE THEM MORE FINELY... TO MAKE THEM MORE ACUTE. THE INMATES KNEW BECAUSE THEY COULO TASTE... AND TOUCH... and SHELL ANO HEAR. THEY COULO TASTE THE SPOILED ANO ROTTED FOOD Pl ^cp BEFORE THEM AT MEALTIMES-

T HEY COULO HEAR THE RATS SCAMPERING ANO THE ROACHES CRAWLING AND THE TERMITES BURROWING ANO THE LICE AND BED-BUGS and FLIES and a THOUSANO OTHER CREATURES OF FILTH THAT MOVED-

HEAR HIS ALMOST MANIACAL LAUGHTER CLINKING OF CHAMPAGNE GLASSES .THEY COULD 5UTH-WATERING ODORS OF THE LAVISH

COULD SEE,

IN

HE'D

.

.

Wh y LAUNDER SHEETS and BLANKETS AND

Yes, gunner orunwalo had INDEED surrounoeo himselfwttm luxuries... paid tor with the ALLOTMENTS GIVEN HIM TOR EACH BUND INMATE. WHY PAINT and PLASTER DREARY HALLS THAT THEY'D HE COULO HAVE AN AIR-CONDI-

CLOTHES or

OIRT^SMEARS AND SWEAT- STAINS THAT

THEY'D NEVER SEE WHEN HE COULO HAVE A HEATER

NEVER SEE, WHEN

Why crvE

those poor miserable BEAUTY XT THEY

BLIND FOOLS

COULO NOT APPRECIATE BEAUTY? GUNNER GRUNWALO'D FELT THAT WAY? SO HE'D SKIMPED on THE inmates... CUT

CORNERS HERE..

DENIED THERE.. AND WITH the SURPLUS, me'c S upplied HIMSELF WITH BEAUTY.

And

Fine FURNITURE .GOOD BOOKS PLUSH RUSS. EXPENSIVE DRAPES. AN OCCASIONAL EVENING Of FEMALE

For ounncr'd known that ANOTHER SENSE HAD REPLACED THE INMATES' SENSE OF SIGHT... A DEER-SEEDED

COMPANIONSHIP THEY WERE ALL GUNNER'S TO ENJOY. HE'D

SENSE.. .BROMINS EACH DAY. HE'D SEEN IT IN THEIR WEBBED- BLINO EYES, IN THEIR SILENT GRIM FACES. HE'D SEEN THEIR GROWING HATE SO HE'D BOUGHT THE DOG fop PROTECTION .

.

..

.

EVEN BOUGHT A DOS. 00G.

HE'D

HAD

A

,

.

A

VICIOUS

Q OOP REASON

.

with the dog at mis sioe. ounncr'd walked SELFCONFIDENTLY before them.knowing that hiss«6ht AND THE OOG'S STRENGTH WOULD KEEP HIM FROM

.

.

And

so.he'd been able to CONTINUE to enjoy his FIENOiSH LITTLE AMUSEMENTS. .LIKE TRIPPIN6 HEIPLESS UNSUSPECTING INMATES AS THEY'D TOTTER .

B LINDLY B Y HIM.

( OOOPHf )

.

.

fgk

r ’ncMiJ

a

- OR REM0V/H6 SOMETHING THAT TMEV'o COME TO KNOW WAS THERE

AND

COUNTED OR.

"the

BANNISTER f WHERE'S THE .BA

OR ADDIN6 SOMETHING NEW.

OR

BE:

NG JUST

OWWWWf

MEAN HAM.HAW/J^

"her' HEHf

QHHH..

CHARGES'

YES.GUNNER'D AMUSED HIMSELF WITH HIS WITH HIS INABILITY TO SEE. HE'D BEEN SADISTIC OENIALS. TORTURES. AND HE'D GROWN FAT ON HIS ANO HIS CHARGES HAD SAT IN THEIR WORLD OF OARKNESS and WAITED LISTENING-

GUNNER ... PLEASE f IT'S THE DOB! HE MAKES ME

NERVOUS!

—

"

i

I'M

of dogs'

ISTENING FOB THEIR wo.. STAY OUT KYOU

Ugk,

IS

0P/>0ffTUMrK

».| n MklUFD THERE TILL GUNNER

WUL m ..

I

THROUGH f

-g-f-

I'M SORRY, BABY' HERE, BOY! HERE!

AFRAID

'

r*m*m

and TON/SHT.. their OPPORTUNITY came.

DOGGY?

HERE, DOGGY,' HERE'S SOME UEATf

SO THEY LURED THE DOG DOWN INTO THE 0L0 MUSTY CELLAR HOME WITH SOME MEAT-SCRAPS THEY'D SAVEO FROM THEIR SCANT MEALS..

.

..

OF THE

I

HERE, DOGGY/ COME, B

QUICKLY! LOCH)

IH/M UP.TjM

1 A WO THEN THEY WAITED. THEY WAITED FOR GUNNER'S FRIEND OF THE EVENING TO LEAVE .

.

6 OOO NIGHT' GUNNER J THANK ANO THANKS rou.tn f

^ I

^

FOR GUNNER TO MISS

BRUTUS'? where ARE YOU! BRUTUS? BRU-

.

.

.

no' PLEASE' BRUTUS, HELP ME' WHERE ARE YOU?^A

»*•

.

WHAT IS

WHAT 00 YOU WANT?\ GO BACK TO YOUR R00US ALLA TT=r?< OF YO Uh IT?

^

u

ANO ORAGGEO HIM TO THE CELLAR TOO...TO ANOTHER WAITING CUBICLE . . .

.. .AND THEN THEY STRUCK/ BUNOLY. UNSEEING. .. THEY SURROUNOEO THEIR HATED ENEMY. .

^ BRurusfrnM

But gunner's only answer was the soft THE 006

IN

THE AOJOINING CUBICLE.

BRUTUS'

THEY'VE

.

.

60 T YOU TOO',

-

GUNNER LISTEN CO TO THE HAMMERING ECHOING THROUGH THE CELLAR. HE LI5TENED TO THEIR WHOLES AND CHATTER, AND HE WONDERED. .

.

And HE LISTENED AS THE NIGHT PASSED ANO MWN CAME AND THE DOG IN THE CUBICLE NEXT DOOR GREW HUNGRY AND PACED ANO GROWLEO AND SCRATCHED AS ITS STOMACH GNAWED...

FEED BRUTUS, you he'll get wild don't/ he'll be

if

fools you

WE KNOW, MR. G RUN WALD/

1

DANGEROUS

i% The day passed and night came AGAIN. GUNNER'S OWN STOMACH ACHED WITH HUNGER. AND STILL THEY HAMMERED ANO SAWEO ANO

The dog

in the next cubicle ALL THAT NIGHT SLOBBER

Dawn came again anothe SECOND DAY PASSED. NEXT DOOR, THE DOG WAS FIGHTING WITH ITSELF, THROWING ITSELF AGAINST THE

THET STOOD BEFORE HIM.. DIRTY, SWEATED, TIRED FROM LONG HOURS OF LABOR... THE INMATES. .. THE BLIND UNSEEING CARPENTERS. GUNNER BUNKED OUT AT .

!

'

G UNNER STOOD UP AS THEY OARTEO OPT. HE COULD HEAR THEIR FOOTSTEPS FADE AS THEY ROUNOEO CORNERS AND RAN OOWN LONG CORRIDORS THAT TURNEO _ANO_TWISTED AND DOUBLED BACK. GUNNER STARED. .

THEY BUILT A HAZE A PUZZLE.' I HAVE TO

THEY...

And then gunner saw the gleaming glittering SLIVERS OF STEEL EMBEOOEO IN THE MAZE WALLS HURRY, W GRUSWAL

RAZOR BLADES r JVC. WALLS ARE LiNEO with RAZOR BLADES' ) 'THEY WANT ME TO CUT /SELF'LL

H

HURRY

F/6URE IT OUT'

A

Gunner laughed to himself as he STARTED OUT OF HIS CUBICLE... '

THE FOOLS IF I'M CAREFUL I TAKE MY TIME. . I'LL

IF

.

NEVER HAVE TO TOUCH THE WALLS... JUST WALK SLOWLY LIKE THIS CAR

v

SOUND BEHIND GUNNER FROZE

Gunner began to run. he hao to

HIS BLOOO' A SNARL AND A SOUEAK

PEACH FREEDOM BEFORE THAT STARVED 006 CAU6HT HIM f HE RAN OOWN THE TWISTING MAZE CORRIOORS. THE SOUNO OF THE LOPING SNARUNG OOG BEHINO HIM

-A POOR OPEN IBS

HE BRUSHED

...

.

BRUTUS' THtY'YE FREED HIM .TOOf,

OH,

.

AGAINST THE RAZOR BLAOES SLASHING .

LORD

..LORO

bOPS' WRONG ..

Tt .GUNNER' NOW. HOW 'BOUT 80 TO “/ECES.'krrtn all it's

ALMOST LIKE WELL

.

KIDDI E3.

BEING BLIND? THAT'S MV

S ICFENIHG -STORT tor this FIRST ISSUE OF C K. S HEW

WAS' NOW

IT'S

W/ VW ly K' iVAI v Rrr/^f

TIME TO CLOSI

THE VAUL T

OF horror and turn you back to him.

as the

PARTS OF A CORPSE SAID WHEN THEY WERE SHIRPEO TO THE

UNDERTAKER If..

“WE'LL SET

TOGETHER i

AGA/H.'“'%'fV

It

was back-breaking work, but

done. Right away, too.

He

it

had to be

was he getting

asking mighty dangerous questions.

Dan Gret knew,

urgent, right

now,

No

coming

He

grown

to

crop!

up and surveyed

straightened

his

work

His eyes popped: one of

a critical eye.

Emily’s hands was sticking up out of the

Emily

He

soil!

for

sense in leaving a mur-

dered wife around for the law to

with

was

It

to dispose of

he was plowing

in this field

spring planting.

rid of this devil he’d

hate ... he was also helping to fertilize the

couldn’t risk hid-

ing the body of his wife in the cellar any longer . . . one of the farm hands might accidentally stumble over the corpse and start

lunged forward

.

.

.

and heard, with

dread, the sound of voices approaching. Those

bums who worked

find!

for

him were coming

across the field in his direction!

.

Dan

over

Gret heard the farm hands chattering the next

in

field

.

.

Dan Gret sprang

he’d have to bawl

.

If

'em out about time.

But

all this

at the

horsing around on his

moment he was

At

trouble.

much

The motor

much made

noise that those loafers working for

him wouldn't pay him any mind. And the bulk of the machine had been carefully maneuvered into place so that

it

acted as a shield

men seeding Dan Gret had re-

between him and the overalled the adjoining acre. This, solved,

was

averted. tell-tale

of the idling plow

toward the droning plow.

the machine sideways just a directly over Emily’s

it

the danger of the

into the earth,

but that had been taken care of without

so

...

moment

body

could be

first

he’d been worried about the noise his shovel

would make as he burrowed

move

he could

few feet ... set

too busy try-

ing to gouge a hole in the ground.

under as

he

He

turned once, to look back at the

mound

him'.

.

.

.

and his foot

His arms

flailed

out from

slid

the air frantically

tried to regain his balance:

his

crashed sharply against the gear lever.

plow bling

started immediately to

swing

because of the

circle,

in a

hand

The rum-

way he had

cramped the steering wheel. In motionless horror he saw the glittering blades bearing

down on him!

to be a private Burial!

Dan Gret

Then the

screeched in alarm.

razor-sharp metal slashed through his flesh

Dan Gret managed

qrouched low, in the shadow of

By

the plow.

stretching out full length,

to tug the corpse

he

from behind the

grumbling machine and nudge makeshift grave. There would be

into the

it

less

foot of dirt blanketing Emily’s body

.

.

.

the ponderous steel crunched over his

writhing body ... the huge wheels groaned over him so that he was drenched

in his

own

gushing bloocf

than a

but

By the time the farm-hands reached him,

soon as the hired hands got a day off he’d

the corpse. Within a few weeks the seeds’d be

Dan Gret was slashed almost beyond recognition. With gaping wonder the hired men stared down at Dan Gret’s corpse buried

sprouting and the

alongside that of his wife Emily, in the gory,

as

.

.

.

hurry back and dig a good deep hole to house

ous bloom.

field

Dan Gret

would burse

into furi-

grinned as he patted

the last shovelful of dirt into place.

Not only

.

blood spattered grave. plot!

It

was

.

.

a real family

umofi.

mm AND WE CAME UP WITH

. .

NOW YOU SEARCH FOR IT/

BUT IF YOU CAN'T FIND PIRACY AT YOUR LOCAL NEWSSTAND, YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE 1 JUST FILL OUT THE COUPON ANO MAIL, TOGETHER .

ONE HUNDRED PIECES OF CENT C THAT'S ONE BUCK, LAND-

WITH

LUBBERS/), TO:

THE SEASICK EDITORS

OP

225 LAFAYETTE STREET

OKAY. BILGE RATS' YOU SHANGHAIED ALE 1 6Ni,l °g E

*‘.0O FOR THE NEXT EIGHT ISSUES

OP P/RACV* NAAAE

ADDRESS CITY

STATE

“2*

A POINT OP ORDER/ IF YOU'RE EXPECTING E.C.S NEWEST HORROR MAG TO BE BETTER THAN TALES PROM THE CRYPT THE VAULT OP HORROR, MV THE HAUNT OP PEAR, YOU'LL BE SADLY DISAPPOINTED.' IPS ONLY JUST AS GOOD/

INVESTIGATE YOUR FAVORITE

!

NEWSSTAND FOR THE FIRST " JUSTAS- 600D "ISSUE/ HOWEVER IF yOU' RE TIED UP WITH RED TAPE ("ADHESIVE, THAT IS/) AND VOU'D RATHER SUBSCRIBE, FILL OUT THE COUPOH AND SEND IN, TOGETHER WITH AN UNDOCTORED F*HOTO OF GEORGE WASHINGTON ON A A 1.00 BILL

YOU'LL RECEIVE

UNCROPPED

ISSUES

IN

8

THE CRYPT- KEEPER

ROOM

(

70t>

225 IAFAYETTE STREET •

N.Y.C. 12, N.Y. , »

*

HERE'S MY BUCK. SENO ME THE NEXT 8 ISSUES OF YOUR NEWEST MAG, THE

CRYPT OP TERROR

.

NAME f

t

% • •

ADDRESS

ZONE NO

I

•

THE

STATE

CITY

*

AAAIL.

L

-

J

HERE'S HOW ONE FAILURE {MISERABLE LIFE INTO A

The police surgeon inserted the hollow needle into Elmer's arm and seconds later the sodium PENTOTHAL SOLUTION WAS FLOWING INTO HIS BLOOOSTREAM, TAKING ITS EFFECT. ELMER S SHRILL MANIACAL LAUGHTER FADED INTO A WHEEZING GASP THE RABID FURY OF HIS CONVULSIVE STRUGGLING SUBSIDCO INTO HELPLESS EXHAUSTION. TMe THREE BRAWNY POLICEMEN RELAXED THEIR HOLO THEN. AND MOPPCO THEIR SLUMPED LIMPLY ON THE SHABBY SOFA, HIS FLACCIO FACE CHAINED EYES WERE GLAZED ANO STARING NOW. ME

'MAYBe WE COULD HAVE BEEN HAPPY TOGETHER

IN

OUR

-

.

'SURE YOU WONDERED,' 7

'

V

ONE

^

I SHOULO HAVESAIO, "NO THANK BUT I SAW NO HIDOtN TRAP AT THE MOMENT. AND WHEN .EXUDING GOOD WILL, MR. WALLACE OFFERED ME HIS HANOJ CLASPED IT GRATEFULLY. /

WELL, SON.. .WE’VE GOT THOUS. ) A SURPRISE/ WE RE / WHY, MR.1 GIVING YOU A START ON/ WALLACE.'] A HOME OF YOUR HARDLY,

‘NOW THAT I THINK BACK, IT SEEMS THAT IDA MUST HAVE KNOWN ALL

YOU.'*

/LI

OWN? ONE THOU-} KNOW what < SAND DOLLARS A. to SAY ...)

JUST 'bCqOODtoJ'th-THANR ,

MY OAUGHTER, A. YOU, SIR. ELMER. ..AND BE

.

.

THE TIME. BUT THAT NIGHT; SHE RAN TO HER FATHER, THREW HER ARMS AROUND HIS NECK, AND WEPT FOR JOY.

.' .

I

OH DADDr.' DADD Y.

I

YOU'RE so

WON-

DERFUL

TO US...JFICE TO GIVE Y0U AND euier -

HAPPY

t

fs

For an ecstatic two weeks.ida and i house HUNTED. WE FOUND THIS PLACE. . .SMALL, COMFORTABLE, A DREAM COTTAGE. THE DOWN PAYMENTS FURNISHING THE PLACE EMPTIED MY BANK ACCOUNT, BUT X WAS BLISSFULLY HAPPY. THE SUNOAY AFTER WE MOVED

WALLACES CAME TO SEE OUR NEST. .' ’you REMEMBER I SAIO MIN AND J THE UNDERI WERE MAKING A SACRIFICE 7" POINT, IN, THE

STAND, MR. WALLACE...

.

TO HELP YOU GET STARTED YOUR OWN HOME, ELMER.

^

F

^ \v

THE POINT IS, ELMER. WE HAO TO GO INTO HOCK TO GET THAT"

THOUSAND

DOLLARS FOR YOU. AND THEN MY BUSINESS SLOWEO DOWN, AND.. V RIGHT NOW. WHAT WITH WHAT I TT-. »imt owe... i...x i PB .

.

.

\

it’s

worth'',

rANYSACRIOUR CHILDREN

PROPER START

r-WELL, WE'RE

HAVING T TROUBLE

WARING

ENDS WEET, Elmer'

‘

IN

HERBERT' / GET TO

f

THE POINTY

I WAS BEING TAKEN FOR A WELL-PLANNED RIDE..

AND MY LOVING BRIDE HAD THE STEERING WHEEL IN HER

OWN LITTLE CLUTCHING HANDS../ WE CAN'T LET MOTHER AND OADDY

HAVE UNTIL THINGS ARE rr'-r" "re Turn-

WHAT WE

r

‘That was the first faint rumbling of the tempest YET TO COME. THE WALLACES GAVE UP THEIR APARTMENT AND MOVEO IN WITH US. IDA WAS A MOST GENEROUS DAUGHTER../

'

SUFFER. .NOT AFTER ALL THEY’VE DONE FOR US ,CAN WE, dear? tell \ THEM THEY'RE WELCOME TO SHARE .

THAT'S

.

.

.

\

THAT'S RIGHT/'

of

COURSE/J

IN HERE, mother W RIGHT THEM OUR LET

CLOSER

(ITS

and daddy' we’ll HAVE ROOM, ELMER. IT'S TO THE BATHROOU. and SINCE ] ONLY TEMPORARY <t—

_

I

BEL live

‘

I

INCOME.

I

CAN'T AFFORD A T.V SET, MR. WALLACE. NOT EVEN A SMALL-

BUT,

SCREEN SET

y THAT'S I )

GRATITUDE'

GIVE YOU

$1000

L

FOR A HOME. ANC YOU EXPECT ME TC

j

'

Vf

ME, I'M GRATEFUL.. BUT THEN A F£W THAT MONEY WAS JUST ENOUGH TO LET MOPE DOLLARS ME 00 INTO DEBT FOB THE NEXT TWENTY J A MONTH WON'T YEARS. SADOLEO WITH A MORTGAGE. I'VE HURT.' TELL YOU got PAYMENTS TO MEET... ON THAT.. J WHATf I'LL AN 0 THE OTHEB FURNITURE... AND «.

PUT THE TEN BUCKS DOWN ON THE

T EMPORARY, SHE SAID? BUT BEFORE 1 KNEW it. THEY'D BEEN THERE FIVE WEEKS. 1 COULD JUST ABOUT MANAGE TO MEET MY BILLS. IF THERE WEREN'T OTHER DEMANDS ON MY SMALL

’

PUPN/SN IT, TOO

T.V. SET.'

*

'Months went YOU'LL SEE, ELMER' WITH WHAT YOU SAVE ON LAUNDRY FOR THE FOUR OF US. THIS WASHING MACHINE WILL PAY ITSEL F '

^

W FOR^^M,

by, my buroen GREW AND WEIGHED UPON ME LIKE A MILLSTONE. ONE OAY Z FOUND THE COURAGE TO TALK TO IDA..'

I LIKE TOUR FOLKS, IDA,

WSUPPORTINGf*

SUPPORTING THEM FOR

AFTER WHAT

I

BUT I CAN’T ^ GO ON

THEY'VE \

I

.

DONE.'

WHAT A LOATHSOME WAY TO REPAY THEM FOR THEIR

GENEROSITY F

YOU'RE BLAMING MOTHER AND DADDY BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT A

GOOD PROVIDER,

you might AS WELL KNOW IT, ELMER I’M NOT SATISFIED...HOT AT ALL SATISTHOUGHT YOU HAD AMBb I THOUGHT YOU'D BO PLACES ...GET AHEAD IN THE

FIED. Z

T/ON/

WORLO. INSTEAD, YOU'RE IN

Ida spoke bitterly and loudly._louo enough for HER PARENTS TO HEAR. THEY ACCEPTED IT AS AN INVITATION TO JOIN HER FIERCE HARANGUE,.,'

SOMETIMES I wish ioa HADN'T.. .RILL, I’O BETTER NOT SAY WHAT I'M THINKIN6f

r

I THOUGHT YOU HAD GUTS, SON? I THOUGHT WANT TO GET 1

YOU'D

AHEAD?

STUCK

A POOR RAYING JOB

‘Driven MORE BY OESPERATION AND OEBT THAN BY THEIR SCORN, I FINALLY GATHERED THE COURAGE TO ASK MY BOSS. MR. BENTLY, FOR A RAISE. BUT THE MIN' UTE I ENTERED HIS PLUSH OFFICE. I'VE BEEN MEANING TO

TALK TO

y

I... I

DIDN'T

REAL HE. MR YOU ABOUT YOUR WORK, PRESTON, YOU'VE BEEN GETTING CARE\ BENTLY? I'M SORRY.

A

LESS

.

LATELY... SLOPPY...

VERY SLOPPY

1

^*1

oo GETTER THE FUTURE? I a

SIR'I'LL IN

| PROMISE.*

f 'I H AO UNCORKED A DAM BY COMPLAINING AGAINST IDA'S FOLKS, ANO FROM THAT DAY ON. A SPITEFUL TORRENT OF CRITICISM POURED THROUGH

‘...ANO

I'O

ALWAYS GET THE SAME

I'D FORCE MYSELF TO EAT, ANO THE JASTELESS FOOD WOULD SOUR ON THF WAY DOWN '

’

RESPONSE...*

IWU-DIDN'T.

GOOD

LORD,

MAH'

>—

DON’T YOU WANT TO 6ET AHEAD • THIS WORLDff

^./N

I

,

if

Y

J

J

llR-SW-BmiWm,

A

ALL

Mr

LIFE I

STAND a FOUGHT TO FAILURE *JlljGET AHEAD...

' SuODENLY THERE'O BE A VIOLENT CHURNING IN THE PIT OF MY STOMACH ANO 1*0 HAVE TO RUN FROM THE ROOM...* GO ONf RUN IF/ WERE SEE /? you try to '<&' IN YOUR SHOES,/ WOULONT TELL HIM SOMETHING I ] WANT TO HEAR THE TRUTH FOR H/S OWN GOOD £3 ABOUT MYSELF, EITHER f ANO HE RUNS OFF IN >

If

y

YOU'RE A FAILURE, ELMER' I CAN'T >/

L

HUFFfHVS INSULTED/

DON’T WASTE YOUR BREATH, S HERBERT* YOU CAN’T TURN A

JELLY-FISH INTO A T/SER ,SHAR/f.

I

ALWAYS SAY*

’I'D MAKE IT TO THE BATHROOM. .MOST OF THE TIME ..AND ALL BUT HEAVE UP MY INSIOES-.*

HE'LL

NEVER

AMOUNT TO ANYTHING?

_j

Y

J

No* DIB THE TORMENT STOP WHEN WE WENT TO BED. IOA WOULD NAG ME TILL SHE WAS HOARSE, AND X'O COVER MT HEAP WITH MV PILLOW. BUT I'O STILL HEAR.' '

ONLY SIXTY-SEVEN MISERABLE PLEASE. 00 L LAPS A WEEP... IN THESE DAYS. \ I'M ASHAMED TOR MOTHER ANO DADDY TO KNOW... BUT OF COURSE THEY DO *

YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU BOUGHT THAT WASHING

|

1

W

HEN I'o HEARD ALL I COULD STAND, I’D HURRY FROM THE LIV-

E VEN A LOCKED DOOR WAS NO GUARANTEE OF PRIVACY.

ING ROOM.,.’

ARE YOU GOING TO STAY IN THERE ALL NIGHT, ELMER? LISTEN.. .ABOUT THE TV. SET?

^

msEsr

t

1

aA

<

.

THREADBARE..JUNK?

NEVER MIND, MOTHER ( FROM NOW OH, I'LL 00 THE BUYIN6f WE AFFORD MUCH, MAYBE. BUT WHAT WE DO GET WILL BE THE 4 / j

>

LONELY THERE,

MACHINE? I TOLD YOU N. BELIEVE ME. IT'LL ITOIDN’T PAY TO BUY CHEAP?] HAVE THAT STINKING WELL, IT'S READY FOR THE TWELVE - NCH -SCREEN T. V. SET FOR JUNKHEAP?

KNOW. THEY KNOW THE KIND OF CLOTHES I WEAR. THEY SEE THE FURNITURE. .

CAN T

’’ll

A

__

COMPANY

...

-J

1

.

I

WAS

ING

DOWNTOWN

TODAY. TALK-

TO A DEALER ABOUT A

TRADE-IN ON

A

LARGER

SCREEN, AND ...

jgn

I OON'T SEE

WHY DADDY.

SHOULD HAVE TO KEEP

P0UND/N6 IT INTO

YOU/ WANT

f

^ V

YOU SHOULD TO GET AHEAD YOURSELP, ELMER.^®

'This morning, as always, we sat at the break-

’

And

TODAY, for the first TIME IN YEARS,! DIDN'T

:

.

"When i got home that night, late for

dinner,

'T HEN, SUDDENLY, THE STORM TORE LOOSE -HOWLING.. .SCREAM

THEY OUST STARED AT ME.. IDA AND MR. WALLACE AND MRS. WALLACE. THE STORM RUMBLEO AROUND-

ME-THUNOER1NG...WILO TEMPEST- FURY

THREATENING ...THREATENING TO BREAK. ..THERE...

IN

MY

*1 RAN OUT- BUT NOT TO THE BATH' ROOM THIS TIME. I RAN TO THE KITCHEN -THROUGH THE RAGING STORM. I CAME BACK WITH THE MEAT CLEAVER../

'The storm shrieked BRAIN

in

my

Elmer preston stareo straight AHEAD, SMILING. THE WILD GUAM RETURNED TO HIS EYES, AND HE CHOKED OUT MORE WORDS BETWEEN SHORT, HIGH-PITCHED BURSTS OF

WHITE BLINDING LIGHTNING FLASHES EXPLODED. THE BLACK FURY TURNED RED- RED-SPURTING RED AS I SWUNG THE CLEAVER.. .

1

!

LAUGHTER.

ELMER

.

SO YOU SEE, 1...EH.EH..

DID GET AHEAD. AFTER ALL f

And SLOWLY, THE POLICEMEN FOLLOWED ELMER'S WILD GAZE TO THE OINNER TABLE... TO THE NEAT PLACE SETTINGS ... ANO THE PLATES WITh THEIR HARROWING FARE STARING BACK AT THEM...

r HEAD - X — EH, EH... I GOT

THREE HEADS f

YOU were a

PRESTON f

HEH.HEH. A f/llPLE

HIa61B,

EH,'

KIDDIES? SO, IDA AND HER FOLKS DROVE ELMER BATS, BUT THEY WENT OUT ON STRIKES... IN ONE. TWO, THREE ORDER... ALL RIGHT OVER THE PLATE, well, The

~1

REAL SUCCESS, Ifc

I

J

OVER NOW, CALLED ON ACCOUNT OF MENTAL STORM f AND YOU AND/ WILL TAKE A RA/NCHECK TILL NEXT WE MEET. HOPE GAME'S

YOU L/KED MY NEW MAG. NOW THE OLD WITCH awaits TO WIHO UP

THE FIEHDISHTIVITIE5. THIS IS ...^ your CRYPT-KEEPER. BIDDING YOU 6000BTE ANO WISHING V0U N0THING BUT the best

u(ij£/r

* \M

^

[

.

NIGHTMARES

'

.

HEE.HEE/ AND NOV* IT'S WIND-UP SPOT IN WITCH.lS READY TO STIR up HER CRUDDY

THIS TASTY TALE OF TERROR -TREMORS V

THE DELIRIUM

DISH HE

C.IC'S NEW CREEPS COMIC, AND YOUR SHIVER- CHEF, THE OLD CAULDRON and LADLE OUT a LURID L/rCRARY LUNCHEON.

TOLD BY ONE TONY BARRETT. LISTEN, NOW. as HE gasps OUT

IS

CALLS...

Met

I’m TONY BARRETT. I’M NOT A BAD-LOOKIN' GUY I'M YOUNG. TOO THIRTY- FOUR. OKAY. SO HOW COME I COULD SIT AROUND ON A ROT-REEKIN' COUCH, HOLDIH ‘ HANDS with a snaggle-tootheo hag hameo FANNY OGDEN? HOW COME I COULO STAND THE MILDEW-YELLOWED WALL PAPERS.. .THE CRACKEO CEILINGS. THE WHOLE HOUSE STINKIN' LIKE THE INStOE AND THE STINK OF FANNY HERSELF? yeah, THAT'S R/6HTf YOU GOT the PfCTUREfnmi OGDEN WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LOADED? ' I...I OH, TONY f I'VE BEEN BEEN MEANIN' T' ASK YOU, FANNY. I JUS’ PRAY/NG YOU'D ASK ME oon't know HOW? x...

DREAMING OF IT. BUT I BEEN MEANIN' T' ASK NEVER REALLY BELIEVIN6 YOU IF YOU'LL MARRY YOU WOULD/ OH, YES. TONY/ YES! I WILL MARRY YOU/ “ Ef .

.

OF A DUG-UP COFFIN..

.

.

.

.

m

^

.

.

OMASTbV SURE I WANTED THAT WOEBEGONE WITCH FORA WIFE. I WANTED TO MARRY THE HUNDRED BRAND FORTUNE I'D HEARD ABOUT.. .THE OOUGH HER FIRST HUSBAND had LEFT HER. THE MISERABLE MISER WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE EYERY LAST CENT of \t.:.H!D... THERE- w that foul-smellino FILTHY HOUSE...

THEN I GUESS ...CHOKE...

THIS CALLS FOR A KISS?

BEEN SO LONS SINCE IVE 8EEN KISSED, TONY?

IT'S

Well, i'll skip the disgustin' DETAILS EXCEPT TO SAY THAT FANNY ICCAME MRS. TONY BARRETT, AND I STARTEO HITTIN'THE BOTTLE TO

BRACE MYSELF AGAINST

LIVIN' WITH

H».y

^"XREN'T

YOU COMING UP. HONEY-SUN? IT'S

’

BUM STEEN FROM

.

.

SUT

The

t

cat

TONY*

IS

/tmBEGINNiN' r TMJNK TVS BEEN A SUCKEN-.tMW.tH' MTSELF WITH

THERE

WKON6 ? 1

'

(

told Jj

!

A DRIED-UP WITHEREO EXCUSE ‘ > FOR A FEMALE. I'LL MAKE UP \ > ONE OAY AND FINO OUT THERE

f

J

C AIN'T NO HUNOREO B'S...WELL, j ( in A p/S S EYE 1 WILL

So Z WENT UR WTO THE BEDROOM WHERE FANNY SAT WITH THAT STRAGGLY MOP OF HERS UP IN CURLERS. BUT DIDN'T LOOK AT FANNY TWICE. I HEADED FOR THE CLOSET.. FOR MYSUITCASE... / «s SOMETHING

two weeks, i got

HI NTQF

J

/"'fanny f

I f

first

REAL DISGUSTED. THERE WAS NO THE DOUGH.. ^

—

a

J AHEAD.

LATE.

After thi

Trouble with drink in' was it USED TO GET ME DOWN. I'D WORRY. WORRY REAL BAP. .( y MAYBE THERE A/NY NO DOUGH MAYBE I GOT .

I'O

YYOU 60

YOU ANO MEf I'M CLEANIN' OUT

TEAM. BABY f

.

tony I KNOW Tm U6LV ugly and ^OKAY.BABY'l OLD. SUT I'M RICH. I NEVER TOLD OKAY? you YOU, £/£ I? I'VE GOT A LOT OF TALKED ME < MONEY. AND I LOVE you, tony.

INTO TTf J AS MUCH AS I CAM. 'RE HANDSOME. Y0UN6. I HAVE JUST A FEW YEANS LEFT STAY W/TH ME ANO MAKE THEM HAPPY YEARS.OEAR, AND WHEN I'M SOME, ALL J THAT MONEY WILL BE YOUNS? .

1 BOUNCED MY SUITCASE ONTO THE BED ANO TOSSED MY CLOTHES INTO IT. MY BRIDE JUMPED UP LIKE A BEE 'D STUNG HER, ANO SHE THREW HER BONEY ARMS AROUNO ME...

r

^

vv*

rTONYf PLEASEf DON'T / WE made a MISTAKE LEAVE MEf PLEASE yFON6ET ITf FORGET

^

ME. fanny?

DON'T..

J

y/

Well, it turned out there WAS money after all.

THE guy'o been RiSHT. so I did my NEST to make FANNY HAPPY. I STAYED BUT I WONDERED WHAT SHE LIVED ON, IF SHE NEVER SPENT ANY OF HERDOUGH AND ONE OAY, J FOUIID OuT. MBS 06ULNJ&{VI >JUf THE GUY I MET/ “ PTHE GUY THAT TOLD ME ABOUT HER...^^* |H|| II 1 .

'IS Tf AT HO--...

.

•

I'M 4 RA6MAN.' MRS. 060EN ALWAYS SELLS ME HER OLD A

YOU HAVE A M/CE | MAYBE I'M WIFE, SIR. SHE'S BUT

V

)

f

rass

..

mJ

But at that minute, fanny trunOLEO DOWN THE STAIRS WITH A LOAD OF OLO RAGS.. .MEN'S SUITS.. .

WOMEN'S ORESSES... (CIOS' CLOTHES.

WWW

VERY 6000 TO ME. ( I COULO SHE ALWAYS HAS JI SWEAR IT RA6S TO SELL was rou ME. rM A J I MET THAT (

/

y

Ay

RAGMAN

’

NIGHT...

*

THE RAGMAN GRINNEO LIKE AN IDIOT WHEN HE SAW THEM.

. [

FINE, MRS. BARRETT* Ts£YEW

VERY FINE

/BUCKS

ro u

.

SEVEN OOL- \FO*THATO LANS for THESEfJ garbage?

GET

After the ragman

The olo creep stoppeo cold and gave me a FISHY STARE, LIKE 1*0 INSULTED HIM. FANNY TRIED TO COVER UP. WSRN / DIDN'T

MEAN ANY-

r WHAT'S WITH THIS NAS BUSINESS, BABY? WHERE

TOUR WIFE HAS

YEAH, MAC

J

*

THING. HE \FEEUN6Sf just DOESN'T /if you want

i

BEEN

6000

ME...

AND

'TO

TO

I TRY

paio fanny, he left,

i felt pretty

SICK INSIDE... YOU CAN IMAGINE.

gT*

WNO HAND .

TONY

i

00 YOU

SET THEM ?

why TONY.

W

NICK THEM UN.

J .

.

HERE AND

THERE.

BE 6000 TO

UNDERSTAND >0 OVENNAY. \HER. HERE YOU IT'S YOUR ARE, MRS, 0GD-...

r I

wE2m M

BUSINESS.

|

.

.

*

MRS. BARRETT.'

Nice, huh? bein' married to an old hag was ENOUGH' NOW I HAD TO FINO OUT SHE WAS A RAG PICKER BESIDES. THAT WAS THE LAST STRAW. I'D MADE UP MY MINO WHEN FANNY

ANNOUNCED AFTER LUNCH I'M GOING OUT, DEAR DON'T BE TOO LONELY WHILE I'M GONE' ,

Fanny didn't say what she was coin out for, but i knew IT WAS TO 00 SOME RAG- PICKIN'.' WELL THAT WAS OKAY WITH ME. THAT GAVE ME TIME TO RUMMAGE THROUGH THE RUBBLE CRAMMED ATTIC AFTER SOME PlCKIN'S OF MY OWN.

* .

.

I GOT TO FIND THAT DOUGH!

.

r

YEAH. FANNY

SURE/

dough and

SET AWAY! ME

I’ll 60 NUTS LIVIN' WITH HER,'

RA6-N/CKER!

L

I got to find that married to a TDAD-FAC, _ IF I have T'keep on

«

I TURNED THAT IUT

IT

ATTIC UPSIDE

,

DOWN

—

WAS WO SOAP I OlDN T FINO

a thino...

rirs eor to be in the HOUSE SOMEWHERE ' YOU JUST DON'T HIDE * HUNOREO BRAND IN A

MOUSEHOLE f

W.PINO

IT

I’LL

'

TONY J WHERE APE you, ) '

TONY?

J

It NAS FANNIE-..CAUJN'

i

couldn't stano the

MESS

LOOKIN' AT HER. ..THAT PATCHEO ANO FAOEO DRESS. THE TWO DIFFERENT COLOREO COTTON STOCK IN'S ...ANO ON HER FEET ..NO K DOIN' f -.SNEAKERS. SHE HAO A OIRTY SACK STUFFEO FULL OVER

HOUSE ANY MORE SO I STARTED

AROUNO THIS

IN

...

in

the

^

THE

attic'

*

<

OH, WELL-.

.

CLEANIN'

up

THAT'S

j

awc.^

g.

NlCE.

\

y

I

HER SHOULDER...

>F ...Mgftf

ME- X

WENT DOWN AND SOT NAUSEOUS

f— -

LOOKS LIKE HUNTIN' WAS

PRETTY 6000

TOOAY,

«

FANNY. HOW MUCH YOU COT E/SHT BUCKS WOPTH... MLJ6C TENT

Fanny didn't seem disturbed about me nos in AROUNO UP IN THE ATTIC, SO I FIGURED THAT'S NOT WHERE THE HUNDRED S'S WAS STASHEO AWAY. I WAS ALL ON EOQE WAITIN' FOR HER TO CO OUT AGAIN BO'S I COULD START LOOKIN' SOMEWHERE ELSE. BUT FIRST THE RA6MAN TURNED UP... r I COULD SWEAR 'SUCH NICE PASS. MRS. HE'S THE SAME GUY BARRETT. SUCH BEAUTHAT TOLD ME ABOUT MA TIKUL RAGS

Finally fanny left with her racsack ano i went to WORK ON ONE OF THE UPSTAIRS ROOMS FEELIN' THROUGH BATTEREO MOTH-EATEN FURNITURE PLOWIN' THROUGH THE TRASH -STUFFEO CLOSET... .

.

WWtTT

IT'LL r

TAKE ME

MONTHS

TO FINO THAT OOUGH.

A YEAR, MAYBE. ..UNLESS I'M

LUCKY

»

After a while : dot mad ano ripped open the MATTRESS ON THE OLD BRASS BED I WAS SO BUSY, t DIDN'T HEAR FANNY SNEAK UPSTAiRSANO CREEP INTO THE ROOM LIKE A SCRAWNY OLO CAT BUTSUOPCNLY I FELT HER THERE., p Ml

—

FANNY- ' )( I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU RE STILL Ic KCLEAN/NS UP, TONY

fc

I

I COULD TELL SHE KNEW WHAT I WAS UP TO. ‘CAUSE SHE MAO A SMILE INSIDE THAT GLINTED THROUGH HER EYES. SHE WAS LAUGHIN' IN HER OUTS ‘CAUSE I COULON'T FINO

HER HOARO. AND

IT

MADE ME MAO..

I

YEAM. THAT'S WHAT IM DOIN' ..CLEANIN' up this filthy pigstye' maybe you don't LIKE THAT.

—

-A

I

SAID

6 LAO. HONEY..

I'M ’

That's how

it went ton weeks.

RAGMAN CAME ANO practically delirious over

ijEVERY OAY THAT •;got ‘

some foul rags my WIFE solo I GOTTA FIND LOVELY...

ABSOLUTELY

'

LOVELY, MRS. BARRETT.

IT

I,

!

MINUTE I STAY

IS

[

TIME OUTTA MY LIFE. WORSE! IT'S TORTURE*, 5

Finally x couldn't take it no more, i couldn't STAND FANNIE 6IVIN' ME THE HORSE-LAUGH. I COULDN'T STAND LOOKIN' AT HER. SO ONE OAY. I WENT DOWN THE CELLAR AND STARTED 01 GGI N* BUT NOT FOR HER MONEY.. ...

NOW, LET HER

COME DOWN HERE-

JUST LET HER COME.,

r—

cold uke and whispered

^

'

YOU MEN ARE ALL ALINE. WHEN YOU TRY TO TtDT UP A HOUSE, IT LOOKS WORSE THAN WHEN YOU STARTED...

And when she got home that HER CALL ME, BUT NOISE AND WAITED [why, TONY!

X

day, x listened to

OION'T ANSWER. I

MADE SOME

-

HOW CLEVER f

YOU'RE GOING TO SORT ALL THE OLD TRASH INSTEAD OFj, [having TO CARRY ITJSl

mr

Fannie looked at me real

And she'd come back...knowin' WHAT X WAS UP TO, BUT 1 DIDN'T GIVE A HANG EXCEPT THAT SHE WAS ALL THE TIME LAUGHIN' AT ME ANO I'D SET ALL CHOKED UP WITH HATE " " FOR HER'

SOON* I GOTTA GET ^ OUT OF HERE EVERY

i

AW,

COME OfF IT,

BABY* YOU

KNOW

THAT'S NOT WHAT

.I'M

DOIN'...

outside..

Fanny coulo see by my face i was levelin'.it was LIKE SHE'D NEVER EXPECTED THIS TURN OF EVENTS. SHE LET OUT A LITTLE SQUEAL SWUNG

f

f

.

After

i finished i dumped her bloody boot into the GRAVE AND COVERED THE WHOLE THINS OVER WITH OlRT.

WELL.ZABt! GUESS YOU KNOW WHO I^ThE LAST LAUSH NOW I

GOT

WAS DOG-TIRED FROM WHAT I'D J HIT THE HAY EARLY THAT ANO SLEPT UNTIL I HEARD A KNOCK ON THE FRONT DOOR. IT WAS THE RAGMAN. j

I WAS READY

TO SLAM THE DOOR IN HIS FACE BUT, JUST TO GET RIO Of THE PEST, I ORAGGED DOWN SOME OLD TOWELS FROM A CLOSET HE DIDN'T SEEM HAPPY WITH THEM.

I SPENT DAYS COMBIN' THROUGH THE REST OF THE HOUSE. I EVEN TORE UP THE KITCHEN, SMASHEO APART THE OLD STOVE. NO DOUGH' IT WAS GETTlN' ME DOWN gg^LH

MY WIFE ^CAN'T J TOOK OFF ON A LONS TOO * TRIP SHE WON T BE 7 SELL ME SACK FOR A COUPLE \ SOME OF WEEKS. COME BACK J RAGS? THEN,

'these aren't ^ r FORQET it, VERY NICE RAGS, PAL ' TAKE mr. Barrett' i 'EM AS A

r

1

00 NE SO NIGHT

.

m

LOOK, PAL.

J

v

.

you

can't pay

MUCH F OR THEM.

.

.

j

{/

GO AWAY AND

,

I'VE BEEN OVER THIS DUMP FROM ] MRS ATTIC TO CELLAR/ I GAVE YOU Ibarrett EVERY RAG X COULD FIND X WOULD

GOT NO MORE RAGS/ FOR GOD'S SAKE, LEAVE

ALONE/

now,

ME

J

®

HAVE RAGS FOR ME ...

TO

SOT

TO BE HERE

I CAN'T QUIT' CAN'T..

..

If

jtML

4

DON'T

BOTHER

Ano to top it all off, that crummy creep kept COMIN’ BACK, TILL THIS MORNIN' I FLIPPED MY LID..

|T'S

SOMEWHERE/ ITS SOT

6IFT/ now.

i

|\Jow I'M A GUY WITH A STRONG CONSCIENCE, SO WHAT WITH THE RAGMAN PESTERIN' ME AND FANNY LAVIN' OEAO THE CELLAR, I COULDN'T SLEEP TONIGHT. AROUND MIONIGHT OR SO, I HEARD A NOISE IN THE HOUSE. I GOT A GUN OUT OF MY SUITCASE ANO WENT DOWNSTAIRS FOR A

LOOK

...

MT3i^

L.

I

1

A* PUMP £Z= TOLD YOU I NOPE f SOT NO

HIM.

.

Hass' no*

ONCE.

' J BUT YOU DO'

'

.

.

.

TWICE.

EVEN WINCE.

NICE PASS

.

.

r

.

HE DIDN'T

I

AT SUCH

SHE NEEDED

NOPE ThAN/COULO

GIVE HER. ..SOMEONE YOONS...

^

SOMEONE LIKE YOU THAT'S WHY I TOLD YOU ABOUTYDIFf HER NONEYT I wantedX. u S QT HER TO BE HAPPY' /'you C/Y

.

LOVED her, COULDN'T miss / MR. BARRETT' CLOSE RANGE' I HIT T WANTEO HER TO BE HAPPY you TWICE ) I CAN SEE THE ) I didn't

THE CLOTHES - on HEP' .

r

X EMPTIED THE GUN AT MUTT.FOUM MOPE SHOTS. BUT HE JUST STOOO THEME ...

He was pointin' to fanny's grave.

HE KNEW I‘0 KILLED HER AND Z KNEW THEN I'O HAVE TO KILL Z PULLED THE TRIGOER.

Tie -».! WAS COMIN FROM THE CCLLAR. I WENT DOWN. IT WAS HIM A,AiN IN 41Y HOUSE. ..NOSIN'

fI

S

.

.

_

HOLES,../

I KEPT STARIN' STUPIOLY AT THE SIX HOLES BORNEO INTO MIS CHEST. THEN I SNATCHEO UP THE PICK. X IT, CATCHIN HIM BELOW THE SHOULDER-SINKIN' INTO HIS BACK. / 1

SWUNG IT r

.

YOU'RE NOT HUNAN YOU'RE NOTf THERE'S NO BLOOD YOU'RE NOT EVEN FLESH i

w

AND

AT ME, WRAPPING HIS HANOS AROUND MY THROAT-. FUNNY KINO OF HANOS, SOFT ANO STRINBYLIKE HE KEPT CHOKIN' ME-CUTTIN' OFF MY AIM. I TOME T' MAKE HIM LOSE MIS' MOLD, ANO MY HANOS CAME AWAY WITH CHUNKS OF SOFT FOUL-SMELL -

He LEAPED .

AT HIS BOOT, TRYIN’

.

PASS' YOU'RE NOTHING BUT CHOKE RAGS'.

BONE

BUT X KNEW SHE COULO NEVEP LOVE A RAGMAN'

V.

COUPSE NOT, MR. BARRETT

OF

EXPECT THIS'

TS6nNnHN6G 6&

THAT'S WHY I SENT YOU TO HER f SHE NEEOEO MOPE THAN MEf I LOVED HER-^

t

she's discin' PAS- TIME MUSIC, ‘ FEEL BAD' ...

NO DOUBT, TOMY* WELL, DON'T THAT YOl/RE DEAD .YOU WON T HAVE ro'D/S/r.' THEYlL WG YOU

NOW

.

6PAVE, THAT ISf W EL L, KIDDIES ... NEXT Time you hear the old expression...

A

’CL

OTHES MAKE THE AW-V/'pemembER

i

the BAGMAN.' OLD CLOTHES DIDN'T < HIS CASE WELL, I'VE 80T TO BE { SHOVELING OFF! HOPE you ENJOYED THE CRYPT- KEEPERS new morbio muckMAG. WE THREE ! £mouZ.unatics will J "rlw SEE YOU NEXT IN IN

.'

x

PTr BAA

,

XL

S

MY

PUTRID PERKXXCAL

K 1 (^*> j Y the HAUNT OF Br 7'Vavi fear

l

1

f

F|

*>

till then.

'K^$l*£EP A STIFF,

f

<

New Christmas

-*Q1

feotur*

n

«*•

iTo

QrlMlnfi

t

Showing 0T to V°

tf.lovety

ch , w«o‘“^

Stverl

,oW*

n :on s°'

w

,h

A moling Get-Acquainted

Offer For

MEN! WOMEN! BOYS! GIRLS! Imagine! This big box of 21 beautiful new Christmas Cards is you without one penny's cost to you. You won't be asked to return tl off cards or pay for them, now or erer. We're making this amazing to s|iow you how easily you can make as much as $75.00 and mo with our exciting new Christmas Cards!

ANYONE CAN

MA'KC

MONIY

THIS 1A5Y

WAY

I

Whether you're 8 or.fiO ... a student, housewife or have a full-time job you can make big money in your spate time! You don't need any experience! We'll supply you with a big outfit of actual samples APPROVAL. Just show these samples to people you know Our big' values sell on sight— and yotrkeep up to half of each dollar .

.

.

ON

SEE WHAT OTHERS DO! "1

make $50

time.

STUART GREETINGS,

It's

Cards

Deal. FB-117

to

$40

easy. 'Four

sell

them-

+436 N. CLARK ST CHICAGO 40. ILL. I

am

interested in

mo king money

sample assortments. Rush

it

ON

with yoer outfit of APPROVAL. Include

*1 feoture Christmas Assortment TREE, per your offer-

STUART GREETINGS, INC. +436 N CLARKST-

..

Dept. FB-117. Chicago^Otll

EAPERCUTM PROUDLY PRESENTS THE NERVE-WRACKING, PALIN-FREE NINTH ISSUE OF THE ALL-NEW...

,* :

'EFKlg

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO WILLIAM M. GAINES, AL FELDSTEIN, REED CRANDALL, JOHNNY CRAIG, JACK DAVIS, WILL ELDER, GEORGE EVANS, GRAHAM INGELS, JACK KAMEN, BERNIE KRIGSTEIN, HARVEY KURTZMAN, JOE ORLANDO, GEORGE ROUSSOS, MARIE SEVERIN, AL WILLIAMSON, AND WALLY WOOD. “GLASS HEADS”

“CHICKEN MAN”

JOHN

L.

FRED VAN LENTE WRITER

LANSDALE

WRITER

RYAN DUNLAVEY

JAMES ROMBERGER & MARGUERITE VAN COOK ARTISTS

ARTIST

MARK LERER LETTERER

GHOULUNATICS SEQUENCES JIM SALICRUP

WRITER RICK

PARKER

ARTIST/TITLE LETTERER /CO LOR

TERRY NANTIER

JIM SALICRUP

MARK LERER LETTERER

STEVEN MANNION COVER ARTIST CHRIS NELSON & SHELLY DUTCHAK

PRODUCTION MICHAEL PETRANEK EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

THE PUBLISHER

Caricatures by Rick Po

TALES FROM THE CRYPT, Vol. 2, No. 9. November 2008. Published bimonthly by Popercutz, 40 Exchonge Ploce, Ste. 10005. Copyright ® 2008 William M. Games, Agent, Inc. The EC logo Is a registered trademark of William M. Gaines’, permission.

Nothing may be reprinted, reproduced, or posted on the internet or in chat groups in whole or port without w the publisher.

Any

unsolicited materials.

similarity to reol

people and pieces

in

fiction

Return postage must accompany submissions.

and semi-fiction Terry Nanfier.

is

purely coincidental.

CEO and

Sotryb, Art Director; Tony Shenton. Sales Manager; Martha Samuel. Traffic Manager. Printed

Publisher;

m

Canada.

Publisher

{

U] 73

73

0 73

FEATURING

THE CRYPT-KEEPER

THE VAULT-KEEPER

71896 45306

CHICKEN MAN

BY LANSDALE & ROMBERGER!

!

WELCOME BACK, BOORS AND GHOULS, TO THE NEW AND IMPROVED CRYPT OF TERROR FEATURING MY CAULDRON OF CHILLS! IF YOU WERE EXPECTING THE DECREPIT CRYPT-KEEPER AND THE VACUOUS VAULTKEEPER TO GREET YOU, THEY’RE HELPING ME .

COOK UP A REAL POT-BOILER FOR YOU!

^

>GLASP! GLUGG CHOKE!< 4

^

QUIET!

V

PESKY INGREDIENTS'.

BUT

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE COOKING UP CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE HORROR FAN? „ AND ToNWti

DOG

J

IT’S

NOT GETTING CHICKENS! JUST ASK WILL BENDER, BETTER KNOWN AS...

*

My

^

NAME'S WILL senoep.

.

^

I

HEAPD

^

VOODOO MAN WAS IN NEED OF SOME CHICKENS, SO HEPE I AM.

THE

^

.

If#/-

c

f

lOW DO l\ KNOW THAT, MAN? V

I

i

-Oâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

L.

~T~^rr/J

<y

I

CAN'T

A

L

^

W

THESE * 7 APE THE BEST BLEEOEPS

YOU EVEP SEEN. POP OFF THEIP HEAD AND THE BLOOD A

L

poups.

Jm

\

' CHECK WITHOUT BLEEOINS ONE.

/ r

you WANT ME TO DO THAT?

/

T TAKE My fop

W OPD > sell

you A DOZEN FOP A HUNDPED DOLLAPS APIECE. L.

A

yOU THINK NED SSTUPID, \ MAN? NO WAy I

PAy you THAT KIND OF MONEy. I SO SEE OLD

MAN

SMITH. HE SELL ME CHICKENS FOP FIVE

DOLLAPS

S.

S I

NOT ANyMOPE, > eOUSHT HIM OUT.

THESE APE THE ONLY CHICKENS WITHIN

LIVE

MILES OF VA HUNDPEO y HEPE.

y MAyee you > SHOULD HAVE STAyED

IN HAITI

...TAKE IT

V

LEAVE

OP

IT

>

APIECE.

/

TAKE fALLOKAY, OF THEM, MAN.

>.

I

MASIC DON'T WOPK WITHOUT THEM. I FIX

V

yOU

v

LATEP.

you know^v ^NOTHING. WOULD I

8E MOPE CAPEFUL WHAT I SAY, WILL N. 8ENDEP. .

T

.

^ VOODOO THAT

NONSENSE DON'T WOPK

^ ANYWAY, y WE

BOTH KNOW^ Y YOU'PE JUST '

HOODWINKINS PEOPLE.

I

DON'T

CAPE THOUSH, EVEPYSODY *o vi*e /

!

\

/1

f/

)

A<

/'

k

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

-JR

BJ^ryou may r

r

^

IT. PUT T THE CHICKENS ON

PESPET

L MY

TPUCK.

^

MSmi

WHAT DID you do?

NOTHING. I NOTHING, MAN.

DO s.

Keoy, x could use soMe eASy MONey LIKe THAT. My OLD exUAC>y IS PUSHINS

Bjw

Me

FOP AUMONy.

THepe's

MOPe if you ^ SOT THe 6ASKeowe pop it. Hetp Me S6T IT AND

f

^ L

I'LL SPLIT

IT

WITH you.

^ A

^ AeOUT^ peAoy fop ANyI'M

THINS, THe

WAy

THAT WOMAN'S

\

HOUNDINS Me.

^

I SAW THe MONey THIS AFTePNOON. you SOT

>

A SUN?

.X

1

"'yeAH, I SOT A > SUN; THIPTy-eiSHT

My OLO MAN S.

sAve Me.

ri

Keep

it

V

hid >

so My papolc OFFICeP DON'T Sv KNOW,

r

THE ©UN'S

^

OUST FOP SHOW PISHT? I DON'T

WANT TO SHOOT ^

ANyeooy.

WHATEVEP IT

TAICES.

a

1

III 1

* i-

,$• p

.

„

*

k;'-j \

firUm jmh

.

no mope do you CHEAT ON yOUP MAN. .

"we soins TO DO THIS, OP NOT?

^

I'M

^

LOOKING THE

PLACE OVEP.

^

SHHH.

s

MONey weu, 5PBST.

JA.

x-r

-s

ML

'

I

WANT THAT ^

t?OU- OF BILLS I THIS AFTEt?-

SAW

NOON, VOODOO

MAN—

—AND HUl?1?y L

y

nevep/ you >v nevep know whepea NED'S MONEy IS.

J

(

SO AHEAD, > MAN, KILL ME IF yOU HAVE A MIND TO. >

V

UP/ J

THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M COINS TO PO, IP YOU PON'T COME UP

WITH THAT MONEY.

NOW WHAT? HOW YOU 6OIN6 TO FIND THE MONEY NOW?

WHAT

THEâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;?

t

Vv {

KNOW

I it's Heee.'

1

(

®/>A

l

Of

Cidvi OWWW

h&rti

Vpj

i

WE AGREED TO LET YOU COOK DINNER— NOT FOR US TO BE YOUR CANNIBALISTIC CULINARY >£>_

CONCOCTION!!

^ SAID

HEY, IT

I

^

WOULD

BE POT LUCK

>GASP!!< >CHOKE!<

r

REALLY OUGHT TO GET A MICROWAVE

k

|

OVEN! WHILE THESE TWO SIMMER AND STEW, HERE’S A PSYCHIC .

SHOCKER FOR YOU THAT CALL... .

I

'

FORGET

IT,

>

CHANDLER. TUOSE

r

of us wrruour trust FUNDS HAVE TO (30

GO HOME?

>

WHAT ARE yOU

V

TO WORK

IN

/

ABORNING.

v'

v

\

>

WHEN ARE YOU NO TO DECIDE THERE ACTUALLy 15 SOMETHING you WANT TO DO WITH yOUR )

(301

TALKING ABOUT? IT'S ONLy MIDMIGHT/

yEAH,

CHANDLER,

THE

J l

\

LIFE?

/

(3000

LORO UER PROBLEM?

WI4AT

.VUA-UUU?

SINCE WUEN DO EMPTY TABLES UAVE A GENDER, DUDE?

YOU DEALOUS WAGE SLAVES TRYING TO PULL A PRAM OfJ ME OR SOMETHING? YEA14...

^

SUE

MUSTA OUST.

t¥UOA... GO EASY ON THE CttA/ R/CE M/UC LATTES, THERE, PARDNER..

THERE'S NOBODY

,

X

THERE''

^

I

DON'T THINK

THERE WAS ANYBODY THERE, UNLESS SUE WALKED

BY REAL FAST, OR

EITHER.

V

SOMETHING...

J

SOMCTUlhG.

'VETTE I C'MOW/ IS OUT!

TUE 5UW

^ Ml

\

TUE BIRDS ARE RINGING' IT'S APRIL ) IKI AJEW YORK/

^

17-

V

wuy do you WAWT TO WA5TE IT Ik) TUE LIBRARY?

BECAUSE > Y DOWT WANT TO I

WASTE My UFE FLIPPING BURGERS,

CUAWD'

>

RATS/

^

GOT My ANALYTICAL P5C«yE FINAL Ik) TWO

I

^

0AY6! TUERE'S GOTTA BE D02EN5 OF PEOPLE YOU COULD ASK TO TUE PARK

< .

yEAU,

BUT

TUEtO

I

WOULDNT UAVE TUE PLEASURE OP CORRUPTING TUEM AWAy FROM TUEIR STUPID BORING UEU-UEU...S

'

>

UA, UA.

ALL I'M SAyikJG

WUAT

IF

15,

TUI5

I6WT A .

VI5I0N?

WUAT IF POOR

.

TUI 5

CUICK REALLy

TO CONTACT

15 TRyikJO v

you?

>

' IF 5ME 5 REAL, TUEN 5UE'5 IN REAL TROUPU. AND 5UE'5 Rt&UT ONLy you

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

V

CAtJ UELP UER.

/

> "WE BREATHE MATURALLy, PREFERABLY

f

TUROUGU TUE

/UOSTR/L5,

WITUOOT ATTEMPT! MG

\

TO CONTROL OUR BREATH..."

"..AMD

WE

N

TRY TO BECOME AWARE OF TUE 66N6AVOK OF TUE BREATU AS IT EMTERS AMD LEAVES TUE

V

MOSTRILS."

WAAAAIT... I

BET

y

WETTE AMD TUE

GCJY5 ARE ALL LA<J<3UIM<3 TUEIR

BUTTS OFF RIGHT NOV! TUAT SUE WAS ABLE TO COM ME IMTO

w

BUYING TUIS DUMK.

r > THEY'RE ALMOST FINISHED

^

WITH ME!

WYEAAAA6UUW!

a

UNLES5 you come POR ME

WAIT...

AM

I...

TOTALLY

LOSING

IT...

r

yVETTE'5 MOT AM5WERIMG mer /##£/ PtfoMe.

My U5UAL LOCK.

r

ALTWOUSU... > TW/5 MIGHT BE A

mucu evem for uex TO 5 WALLOW. /

err

^

MAYBE

WUAT I'VE &EEM LOOKING FOR My WHOLE

LIFE.

,

hello?

MV5TERV &RL?

BREAKER,

you THERE?

BREAKER...

COME

Ik), <3000 BUDDy..

HAIUMG PREQUEMCIES OPCk), ET CETERA...

~ I'M (/ERE, IM

^

MHQUTOk) TWE MEIGUBORUOOD WHERE yOU TOLD .

ME TO GO. &EACU,

^ PUT MOW yOU'RE GOMMA HAVE TO GIVE SOME MORE

r

.

5PEaFlC5

TO...

.

?

15 TUI5

wuere you ARE?

*

WA5 THAT TUE^ POINT OP TUE QLA55 UEADS 1(0

My-youR-vi5iofj?

COULD

TOO

I

BE

LATE.

AIIMAJ&S&S-

AAAAUU"

i

TO

uave KUOt¥f

r

you SUOULD

^

CONSIDER yOURSELF ujc/fy you found AW EXPERIENCED

.

OUVEML5 DeUhQUEHT AS yOUR TELEPATUIC

L

RECEIVER/

yOU BETTER BE WORTW TUI 5,

DREAM

GIRL...

private

“

I

WEVER

STUCK My NECK

our for IW

Ajjydooy

My WUOLE

LIFE...

J

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

uey

...

MAy&E 5UE' 5 A KIDNAPPED UORE55

OR 50METUING'

..I

MAy&E TUERE'LL BE A REWARD FOR UER RE5CUE/

BETTER

SET A DATE OUT OP

v

TUI5/

>

15 TMAT WU? 15 TUAT

â&#x20AC;¢

CUOKE'-

O ?

V

<1 UATE TUE 6CPEAMER5 TWE/M05T>

AAAAUUf!

AAAGUUUU

r <TUAT’S

ALL

TUE^

TEST SUDDECTS

DR.

KRyLOV WEEDS, DA?

WE COLLECTED TUEM IW RECORD TlME/> a

.

<OCIR r"&R0ADCA5TER‘

<IT'S

WORKED WOWOERS, l

tvumiii?

AS

(JSUAL.>

>

AMAEIWS^

MOW A PRETTY PACE WILL DISARM EVEW TUE MOST POWERFUL LATENT

^

TELEPATUS.>

^

<bow voyAse, eoys/ Eio^oy 5/aecw/>

—

r

TURNS OUT

^

CHANDLER WELLS WAS JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER - A SUCKER FOR A PRETTY FACE! a

MAN .

SPEAKING OF SUCKERS, THE CRYPT-KEEPER ^ AND THE VAULT-KEEPER SEEMED TO HAVE HAD SOME UNFORTUNATE MY CAULDRON’S CREEPY CASSEROLE

^

.SIDE EFFECTS TO

!

^ >BBLLARGHFF!!<

”

w C-K

WHILE OL’ UP-CHUCKING IN HIS INNER IS

SANCTUM

K.

>BLAA RRRFFF!!< ~

~

—

V-K HAS SUDDENLY BECOME ALL WARM AND

‘

FUZZY!

^

I’LL GET YOU FOR THIS, OLD WITCH!

IF

r

BARF-BREATH

IS

^

ABLE TO GET HIS ACT TOGETHER HE SHOULD BE READY TO HOST HIS CRYPT-KEEPER’S CORNER COLUMN, FEATURING YOUR COUNTLESS REQUESTS TO DUMP HIM AND THE FAULT-KEEPER, AND TO HAVE ME TAKE OVER TALES FROM THE CRYPT ON A PERMANENT ^ BASIS! BE HERE NEXT ISSUE TO SEE IF JUSTICE PREVAILS.

.

.

BUUUURRPPU

“Palin,

‘Scuze me, kiddies, your of pal the Crypt-Keeper just had the most DREADFUL DINING experience, thanks to The Old Witch! Would you believe she made me SICK and the Vault- Keeper RAT-ATOUILLE! Ifshe ever invites

you to lunch, LIFE!

RUN FOR YOUR

.

.

were

still painfully

issue's

SCARY

Press

a conversation about

mayor of

GOP

and

Wasilla, Alaska.

ban books

candidate has said

who

book banning

is

even entertains

a natural

enemy

from the Crypt,’ according to Jim Salicrup,

editor-in-chief of Papcrcutz, the publisher that revived title

about 16 months ago. ‘This was not

a

partisan thing. People tend to think of everything as

black and white these days

one of the

parties

special editorial received!

history of

EC

1

— you are either for or against

00%. But

for us this

was about the

Comics, the original publisher of

‘Tales

from the Crypt.’ Anyone who knows that history knows of whiff of banning books is going to get us that even

angry.”

which was picked up by the Associated

it,

and SPLATTERED

Geoffy wrote.

“The cover

as

on two occasions she asked ‘a rhetorical question’ about removing objectionable books from shelves, but that she never pursued it or mentioned specific titles. that

CATHY GAINES MIFSUD'S

For example, GHOULISH GEOFF (THE BUTCHER) BOUCHER of the L. A. Times wrote a GHASTLY

PIECE about

1996 while

a local public library, the

the classic

SARAH PALIN cover (drawn

by Ricko “the Sicko” Parker)

from

to ‘Tales

(don’t

try this at home!) over all the

attention last

in

Criticized after reports that she sought to

“But any White House candidate

Meanwhile, back at the

CRYPT.

PINCHING ourselves

meanwhile, has taken heat for some overtures

made

she

Well,

across newspapers world-wide.

la-dee-dah!

Who knew

Salicrup

was such a

PUN-DIT? GRUESOME GRAEME McMILLAN writing the Political Science (Fiction) column

POLITICAL .

is

a reference co cwo instances of content

debate, one that played out on a national stage and the

other a seemingly minor

made major by

moment in Alaska

on io9 asked “Are Comics Part of the Left-Wing Media Conspiracy?” as well as. .

that has been

the current political season.

“You may be wondering exactly what Sarah

Palin’s

personal policies arc, ahead of tonight’s Vice Presidential '“Tales

names years

from the Crypt’ became one of the signature and American pop culture after five

in horror

That was

after

mayhem

ended in 1955. months of intense pressure and new

of memorable

that

industry regulations targeting the lurid comics, spurred

by televised Senate subcommittee hearings on juvenile delinquency and

its

causes.

Debate, and we’re happy to help you with she’s anti-witch... or, at least, that’s

that:

Apparently,

the message that

we

from the October issue of the revived TALES FROM THE CRYPT. And, as this year’s US Presidential election nears, this one previously nonget

from

this cover

partisan genre staples

the Republican ticket arc trying to get in

move is

into editorializing against

only one

on the

action.”

way

in

which comics

^VVAVV<^^Vvv^Vy^AiwVV\ But the

POLITICALLY INCORRECT INSANE

bestest

Skeleton

Man

just three pages earlier... pretty

funny!

observation was online at Gawker.com, where

In closing.

IAN SPIEGELMAN wrote:

back

“The

highlight

guest spot front

of Sarah

on SNL, or her

of screaming crazy

page.

scary

not her

It’s

stump speeches

The

lettered

comicbooks, and so few ...

two

CO

SHOCK-

we did receive a couple of RIOTOUS

REACTIONS... (In

have them.

Sincerely,

Colorado Springs, that! There were

FILLED STORIES in TALES FROM THE CRYPT if8 as well.

And while were still tabulating the votes on which SCARE-TALE was our ROTTEN

READERS fave,

still

a

such a great aspect of

Mark Robinson

Tales from the Crypt.”

But enough about

thank you for having

is

in

cover for

racists. It’s this

thank you for bringing

just like to

I’d

this classic title. Also,

letters

Palin’s career?

the meantime, go to the

TALES

Hey, Mark, did you ever think that those other comics don't have letter

columns

my

to write 'em in

face

how can

it,

‘cause they can’t get Yours Truly

HORRIFIC style? Let's

world-famous

they really compete with

me?

FROM THE CRYPT section of www.papercutz.com and vote online for your favorite story from

THIS

issue!)

Dear Crypt-Keeper, Hello

Subject:

TALES

editorial

fan of F.C

Comics,

welcome the

I

FROM THE CRYPT

and the guest

and

by Cathy Gaines Mifsud.

a long-time fan

of

EC

Comics,

it’s

interesting

Ray Bradbury “Home to #13). You forgot to acknowledge Stanley G. Weinbaum’s (writing as John Jesse!) oft-reprinted “The Adaptive Ultimate"

how can

I

am

I

(WEIRD FANTASY

(originally published in

1935) or

its

Astounding

film adaptation

source of “She

Who Would

Stories,

comics.

I

loved

it.

but

hard to get hold of your comics.

subscribe? first

6

And also

will

I

be able ro back

issues as well as future ones.

Brett Stephenson

England

November

SHE DEVIL

(1957) Rule the World.”

wish you the best of luck

as the

What’s the matter, Brett? Too lazy to travel to the to get

your horror comics fix? Fortunately for you

US

there’s

milehighcomics.com for back issues, and barnesandnoble. comfor our CADAVEROUS COLLECTED EDITIONS,

in the future.

Leonid Doroschenko

available in both soft

and (for those who collect STIFFS...)

hard covers.

CREDS as DANGEROUS! Sadly,

If only we had an editor with the SCI-FI

LEONID,

wed

then

really

be

and he lamely pleads that TALES FROM THE CRYPT

we're still stuck with Salicrup,

the correct credits in both

comic

8 and graphic

ff

novel

ff

5 should have

Keep those emails and

BY STANLEY ADAPTED BY

G.

letters

any Pcpto, we could use that

coming

-

Send

too.

and

you've got

if

letters to:

read:

The

“SHE WHO WOULD RULE THE WORLD” (BASED ON “THE ADAPTIVE ULTIMATE”

Crypt-Keeper’s Corner

40 Exchange

WEINBAUM)

CHRISTIAN ZANIER

Place, Suite

New York, NY Or

email your

comments

to the

1308

10005 Old Editor

at:

salicrup@papercutz.com

WRITER, ARTIST, LETTERER, COLORIST,

MARVIN MARIANO COLORIST

Dear Crypt-Keeper, Just wanted to make a few comments about TFTC #8.

Who Would Rule the World” was very well done.

Both the story and the art were great. Very enjoyable.

As for “Virtual Hoodoo,” it was passable, but did not do much for me. One thing I found hilarious... Barts left hand shot up from the crypt when the monsters called upon him. In and of itself, not funny. However, when you consider his left arm was ripped off by Crazy

;“She

a

purchased number 7 of the new

it is

order and get the

England, and

the return of the

see

Stay” precedent

I

in

FROM TOE CRYPT

here in England

So

As to

just recently

I

TALES

I live

FROM THE CRYPT comics

big fan of the old TALES

FROM THE CRYPT #8

TALES

As a long-time revival of

my name is Brett,

SUBS ©WTff IONS! For a one yeor (six-issue) subscription to

FROM THE CRYPT, order, in

Send

to:

just

TALES

send o check or money

US funds only, for $24.00. subCRYPTions, PAPERCUTZ,

40 Exchange

Place, Suite 1308,

10005. Make checks payable Or call 1-800-886-1223.

to

MC, VISA, and AMEX accepted.

New NBM.

York,

NY

â&#x201A;¬.C. FA NS/

YOU'VE WRITTEN! YOU'VE E-MAILED! YOU'VE PHONED! YOU'VE THREATENED US!

you've (

mmtw

BUT WE'RE COMING OUT WITH

THESE COLLECTIONS ANYWAY!)

PROM THE

CRYPT

COLLECTING STORIES BY BILGREY, CABRAL, MR. EXES, GNIEWEK, HUDSON, KAPLAN, KLEID, LANSDALE, LOBDELL, MANNION, MARTINEZ, McGREGOR, MURASE, NOETH, PETRUCHA, ROMBERGER, SIMMONS, SMITH 3, TODD, VELILLA and VOLLMAR!

ON SALE NOW AT BOOKSTORES EVERYWHERE!

PAPERCUTg. PROUDLY PRESENTS A PUTRID POP-ART PRODUCTIONTHE ELEVENTH EMBARASSINGLY EXPLOITIVE ISSUE OF THE ALL-NEW...

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED TO WILLIAM M. GAINES, AL FELDSTEIN, REED CRANDALL, JOHNNY CRAIG, JACK DAVIS, WILL ELDER, GEORGE EVANS, GRAHAM INGELS, JACK KAMEN, BERNIE KRIGSTEIN, HARVEY KURTZMAN, JOE ORLANDO, GEORGE ROUSSOS, MARIE SEVERIN, AL WILLIAMSON, AND WALLY WOOD. “HEX AND THE CITY”

‘LITTLE DARLIN’

JOHN

L.

STEFAN PETRUCHA WRITER

LANSDALE

WRITER

MR. EXES

JAMES ROMBERGER & MARGUERITE VAN COOK

ARTIST

ARTISTS

THE CRYPT-KEEPER

MARK LERER LETTERER

JAMES ROMBERGER LETTERER

GHOULUNATICS SEQUENCES JIM SALICRUP

WRITER RICK PARKER

ARTIST/TITLE LETTERER /COLOR

TERRY NANTIER

JIM

MARK LERER

SALICRUP

LETTERER

STEVEN MANNION COVER ARTIST CHRIS NELSON & SHELLY DUTCHAK

PRODUCTION MICHAEL PETRANEK EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Caricatures by Rick Parker.

TALES FROM THE CRYPT. Copyright

Nothing

Any

° 2009

may be

Vol. 2, No.

!1,

March 2009.

William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

reprinted, reproduced,

similarity to real people

and places

Published bimonthly by Papercutz,

The EC logo

Is

in fiction

Return postage must accompany submissions.

and semi-fiction

Terry Nantier,

is

40

Exchange Place.

Ste. 1308,

a registered trademark of William M. 6aines, Agent,

or posted on the Internet or in chat groups

In

purely coincidental.

CEO and

Tony Shenton, Sales Manager; Martha Samuel, Traffic Manager. Printed

Publisher

Publisher; Jim Sallcrup, In

Inc.

New

York,

NY 10005.

used with permission.

whole or part without written permission from the publisher.

assumes no

VP and

Canada by Lebonfon

responsibility for unsolicited materials.

Editor-in-Chief; Martin Satryb, Art Olrector;

Printing, Val-d’Or,

QC. www.papercutz.com

This comicbook

FEATURING

THE CRYPT-KEEPER

THE OLD WITCH

THE VAULT-KEEPER

896 45306

rot

your brain!

will

HEE, HEE! BACK AGAIN, EH? BET YOU’RE WONDERING WHAT THE OLD WITCH

r

^ IS

DOING HERE? YOU WERE EXPECTING THE DECREPIT CRYPT-KEEPER AND HIS PARTNER-IN-SLIME THE J ** VAULT KEEPER, RIGHT?

THE SHOCKING TRUTH IS THAT THEY’RE BOTH HERE-VICTIMS OF CRYPT-FEVER!

^

THEY’VE TOTALLY FREAKED OUT! TOO MUCH TIME SPENT IN THE CRYPT OF TERROR WATCHING YOU TOOMB! WORST CASE EVER SAW! THEY EVEN HALLUCINATED SEEING ME j Ik. DRESSED IN A FRENCH MAID’S I

.

IMh.

UNIFORM!*

r

NOT TO WORRY— I’M

BREWING UP A

CURE RIGHT NOW! “HAVE CAULDRON-WILL TRAVEL!’’ THAT’S MY MOTTO! v*

v

WHILE THIS SIMMERS,

^

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT ANOTHER LADY WHO HAD TO TAKE CARE OF A LITTLE BOY, A REGULAR...

*YOU SAW IT TOOL AST ISSUE!

MRS. SANOteZ, TH1C \S HUMAN. SDPJty

to vwa^

YOU. UAV/E am SAKE RC?£NCy. 1

HUMAN, P© you kKjou/ WHAT TiA*£ ir is ?

\

ser yarn MUM6R-Y-

V&S/9 ursow&*te DUKP6P A BABY e»4 our c^es^p.

Afjp

\

I»N'T

WAveA^ornc To p'eeo

Mika.

7T F77

couecme stories by bilgrey, CABRAL, MR. EXES, GNIEWEH, HUDSON, HARLAN, HLEID, LANSDALE, LOBDELL, MANNION, MARTINEZ, McGREGOR,

â&#x201A;¬.D. FA NS/

MURASE, NOETH, PETRUCHA, ROMBERGER, SIMMONS, SMITH 3, TODD, VELILLA AND VOLLMAR!

#3 ZOMBIELICIOUS

#2 CAN YOU FEAR ME NOW?

#1 GHOULS GONE WILD!

|TlA7UEJN3

CRYPT

CRYPT

#4 CRYPT-KEEPING

IT

#6 YOU TOOMB

#5 YABBA DABBA VOODOO

REAL

CRYPT

www.papercutz.com

PAPERCUT0

ON SALE NOW AT BOOKSTORES EVERYWHERE!: $ 7.95 each

in

paperback, $ 12.95 each

handling for the

Papercutz,

first

book

,

40 Exchange

in

hardcover. Please add

$4.00

for

postage and

add $1.00 for each additional book. Send Place, Suite 1308,

1-800-886-1223

New

York,

NY 10005

to:

TALK ABOUT A TALE WITH BITE!

>GASP!

^

CHOKEH

STRANGE! SWEAR HEAR THE OLD WITCH..

I

I

^

SHE PROMISED TO CLEAN-UP CRYPT-BUT HER WICCA-WARES ARE EVERYWHERE!

BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SHE’S HERE-TALKING ABOUT

THIS s

s.

SNAKE! SNAKE! IT’S KILLING ME!

fW

“HALLUCINATING”!

AS

IF...!

-

PISLCAIMBP/ THIS IS /vor a commentary on wiccan beliefs, but a cautionary TALE OF WHAT BEFALLS THOSE WHO USE WHAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND FOR SELFISH ENDS'

7/THEM.' PEOPLE ^ IGNORE

GROSS.

SOMEONE

..PLEASE..

HELP ME.

FASHION

SHOULD CALL THE

^

poucef

POLICE.'

a

ARE ONLY HOME- 1 LESS BECAUSE WANT TO BE.' OUST LIKE WB'QB HAPPY AND PRETTY BECAUSE THAT'S what we A

THEY

.

.

WANT.'

HOWLSWORTH'S^i

' TAKES OVER > TODAY.' I CAN'T WAIT TO ASK HIM FOR A PPIVATB

SON

SO I CAN SPEND MORE TIME SEEKING V TRUE eOMANCB ON OFFICE

THE wee.'

y :

:

1

PEALLY?

HOT, SO

L

I HOPE HE'S I CAN SPEND

MOPE TIME LOOKING FOP SOME FUN A WITH H\bh!^/jfj

E-E-EXCUSE ME, BUT THEPE I— I— IS MOPE TO LIFE THAN

AND F6BUNG j G-G-GOOD/ VLOOKING y

.

l

JUST WANT A SISSEP SPACE I CAN PPACTICE DANCING.'

SO .

ANYTHING EXCEPT

IVOCfc',

PIGHT, LADIES?

,

,

MY LATE F-P-PATHEP f

LOVED BYB-CANPY AND HEAVEN KNOWS I DO, TOO, BUT THEBE ABE P-P-PLENTY

I

I WAS PLANNING TO FIPB YOU ALL BECAUSE YOU NBVBP DO ANY WOBK/ THANKS FOB M-M-MAKINS

!g^

OF TALBNTBP AND

CAPABLB WOMEN AND MEN OUT THEBE/

r

OMS/ THE

>

SON WAS supposeo to ee a .

pushovbp/

,

DID

WE KILL THE OLD MAN FOB k

''THIS

OVEP

^

ISN'T I'VE

YET.'

SOT AN

tPBA.

FOLLOW My L£APf

NOTHING?

a

r

MAyee we

BEPOBE you MAKE yOUB FINAL DECISION ABOUT US, THEBE'S SOMETHINS

yOU MISHT WANT TO

THEBE ,

didn't

WAS ONE

PCX? yout?

wobk, but

THINS

WE

DID

FATHEB THAT MADE

^us wobthuseverything AND MORE.' PAID

—

^

HE

KwiCCAN/^l abe^N

OH,

yEAH...

J

§£§^B|

|||^K

V WICCAN ’ LIKE you WOULDN'T .believe/.

AND WE PEBPOBMED A RITUAL THAT MADE yOUB PATHEB A REAL MAN/

THE BEASON HE COULD WBAP HE WANTED

UH.,.IT'S

ANYONE

ABOUND

HIS

PINSEB/

vepy TIGHTLY

ukb us

you to peppopm oue PITUAL POP VOW, 'o

k

WOULDN'T

you?

^yes/ yes/ A THOUSAND .times yes/

r >so e/<

I've

SEEN SO LONBLY' SO AFPAIPS AND My pathep nevep paid 4/W' ATTENTION ME/

.

« A

^^^TO

ALL HE

EVEP^^

SAVE ME WAS THIS LOUSy BUSINESS' M. AND I'M ABQAIO OP BUSINESSES,

TOO/

OUST TELL ME WHAT I HAVE TO

DO AND .

I'LL

IT/

DO

^

^ j,

.

"PICST, CENT A SECLUDED SHACK WHEPE NO ONE CAN FIND YOU... UH... I MEAN US' THE PITUAL PEQUIPES POWEQ SEMS, BUT A BICH SUY LIKE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO APPOPD THEM/ NEXT..."

AH,

^

^

fr

NICE TOUCH FINDINS THESE

k.

.

^ r BEADY

TO DPAW

DOWN THE

MOON,

HANO -

L

SOMSP

BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS eiTUALP

oh, yy-YEAH/

I

FOUND

^

SOME eosus

CEPEMONY ONLINE CALLED OQAWtNS DOWN TH£ MOON, BUT AS LONS AS WE'PE

OLD HALLOWEEN COSTUMES'

.

DANCINS APOUNO, HE'LL >< DO WHATEVEP WE

.

W

^

AT THE OF THE1 PITUAL, YOU'LL HAVE TO DPINK THIS AND SAY THE WOPDS I

'heisht

L

TAUSHT YOU/

^

A

"GGEAT SOD CEGNUNNOS, GETUPN TO EAGTH AGAIN, COME AT MY CALL AND SHOW THYSELF TO MEN,

SH£P£QO OF GOATS, UPON THE WILD HILLS WAY, LEAD THY LOST FLOCK FGOM OAGKNESS UNTO PAY/

gBBsggar

oeiNk:

and

CHUG-A-LUS/ CHUG-A-LUG/ CHUG-A-LUG/

AM THE poweQt

I

r THE >eui,p-eui.pk 6ULP/<

>w

I AM H0QN60 GOD/

.•

MILLION

k

we CAN ST APT OUP OWN gusiNess we won't HAve TO WOPK

POP.'

WHO SUMMONS SO O?

THE HOPNE0

WHOSE WISHES X FILL TO BUCSTIN&P

SHALL

you WHO

^4

WISH ONLY TO PANCB SHALL ENJOY THE PAW UNBPIDLED POPCE OF

as youp ^ lATuce PAPTNEP/ a

MAYBE LATEP?

^ THEPE

IS

NO

^

LATEP/ ONLY THE ETEPNAL, BLESSED

v

NOW'

/

y OU(? MIND AND BODY APE .

HEAPT.'

QBHOLO you APE PAPT OF THE

DANCE OF THE PEAL/

NOW

A

WPITHINS WOUNP THAT PULSES TO THE COSMIC BEAT OF HUNSEP'S

AND you WHO WANTED ONLY PHYSICAL PLEASURE, WHEPE SHALL WE . ee&iNP

^ L

yow? POPM HAS A 6ILLION NEPVE ENDINSS POP PEELINS PLEASURE, WHY NOTi L SET THEM ALL AFLAME AT A

ONCBP

HBLLLPPP.'

as lL

Ml

7"

"}

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;*H

;

i-i_-_ZZZ|

1 " 1

pr

Cl

^LJ !

7

a

j

r

NOT

^

WITHOUT THE

U ..

..

AND WHAT

WAS

IT

YOU

WANT edp.

OH, NOTHIN©/ I'M

SOOO'

r QOMANCBf

^

THE SWOONIN© THAT

MAKES THE WOPLD

^

©O POUND/

.4

NO, PEAU-V, THANKS, 6UT.

^

I

CAN ©IVE

you MOPE THAN .THE WOQLDf

^ I CAN ©IVE YOU THE MOON AND THE STAPS'

"AND FINALLY, YOU'LL NEVEP HAVE TO WOPK ASAIN."

X

CAN YOU believe thpee joss OPENED AT THE SAME COMPANY AT THE SAME WE SOT

v TIME? AND

X.

.

THEM? IT'S LIKE I

ALWAYS SAY,

LADIES, WISH

HAQO

ENOUSH AND YOU'LL

X

AND THE rHOMELESS APE ONLY^ THEPE BECAUSE THAT'S L WHEPE THEY WANT^

i^TO BE/^^fl

A V

Xir Ji

SET

IT/

^

CAN'T WAIT

TO MEET THE NEW OWNEP.'

r

I

HEAP

HE'S TOTAU-y

^

HOT/

,

MENTION THERE’S A OH, DID SIDE-EFFECT TO MY POTENT POTION? DON’T WORRY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO WRITE YOUR CRYPT-KEEPER’S I

L.

CORNER COLUMN BEFORE COMPLETELY KICKS IN!

IT

'CHOKE!'

TO BE CONTINUED...?

CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED® Presents:

Featuring Stories by the World’s Greatest Authors

Other Poems By

Inc

Edgar Allan Poe

Classics.

Illustrated by

First

20(19

Gahan Wilson

© is

1 1

Coming

In

April

2009 From

PAPERCUTZ Special preview on the following two pages...

Copyright

0 1990

All

First Classics, Inc.

Illustrated name and logo is ÂŽ 2009 First Classics, Inc. Rights Reserved. By permission of Jack Lake Productions Inc.

The Classics

Then

— — in my childhood — in the dawn — was drawn

Of a most stormy life

From ev’ry depth of good and ill The mystery which binds me still:

From the torrent, or the fountain,

From the red cliff of the mountain, From the sun that In its

'round

me roll’d

autumn tint of gold

From the lightning in the sky

As it pass’d me flying by From the thunder and the storm, And the cloud that took the form (When the rest of Heaven was blue) Of a demon in my view.

Don’t miss CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED #4 “The Raven and Other Poems” by Edgar Allan Poe, adapted by Gahan Wilson. On sale soon.

?

.

The Old Witch

and

time keeping

much

and

right!

The Vault-Keeper

Crypts,

much time and not enough

SANE! Maybe

contact with our

Fan-Addicts!

Toomb?

it's

from

Or watching it’s

too

INSANE EC too

BIONICLE graphic series from

novels, the biggest-selling

Papercutz! Perhaps

SEVENTH TOA ? Or maybe I’m

hallucinating again

my

time once again to present

CRAZY COMMENTS and INSANE

FEAR-Y TALE from

To vote for your fave

the issue you now grasp in your FETID FINGERS, just go to www.papercutz.com,

FROM THE CRYPT

INSIGHTS!

find the TALES

now that MY sanity is in how do I know that these are really YOUR letters ? Or in the case of our ONLINE READERS POLL, how do I know these are really the correct results? Well,

for your favorite story from

section,

Although,

question,

outside of a quick crossover with the shrinks from PSYCHOANALYSIS, there’s no way to test let’s

my state

just live

we should’ve

mentioned that Murder M.A.I.D. was actually the

much You

Well, despite the great risk to

mental health,

your

is

I have been spending too

keeping Vaults

of mind at the moment,

so

DANGEROUSLY, and accept

and

and click on

it really

computer machines

this issue!

Oh,

of those

to get online.

And don’t PANIC or get MAD ifyou somehow missed a TERROR-FILLED issue of the

TALES FROM THE CRYPT comicbook,

you can

still find

the

same scary

stories

collected in equally scary, but albeit smaller-

sized paperback

whatever comes our way!

this issue’s cover to vote

helps ifyou have one

and hardcover

editions,

available from booksellers everywhere!

According

to

our

PUTRID POLL,

Brain

"

Food” by Rob Vollmar and Tim Smith 3 won an overwhelming 61 % ofyour votes, leaving

Murder M.A.I.D., ” by Greg Farshtey and

"

39% of the vote. That’s SHOCKING when you

Mr. Exes, a paltry actually rather

consider that Mr. Farshtey

is

the writer of the

TALES

FROM THE CRYPT Graphic

Novel #6 " You Toomb”

is

features all your favorite

on

sale now,

and

BRAIN-EATING

MONSTERS, VOODOO HITMEN, KILLER ROBOTS, and BABY VAMPIRES! But ifyou’re looking for FIENDISH FANS, here they are.

.

,

Subject:

Dear Crypt-Keeper,

new

have a

I

you on TV.

story for

It’s

a

nasty tale about a boy who likes to draw horror pictures and put them on the wall.

One day call

come

his pictures begin to

alive.

I

stuff

great.

is

remember reading

1

reprints of the originals back in the ‘80s,

came

so as a 35 year-old reader that this

new

series,

absolutely love

I

love the tales and

“'The Wall of Horror.”

it

This

TALES FROM THE CRYPT

across I

it.

enough.

can’t get

I

just

finish

I

#1 each book and #2 and have read about your plans for CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED, which I think is great. Keep up the good work! thirsting for more. I just read

Love Your #1 Fan,

Tony Chavez

may

We’ve established that I

CRAZIER your

tiny

be even

UNOFFICIALLY

ANNOUNCE that there’s an all-new TV movie in

the works based on

FROM THE CRYPT. especially for

It’s

TALES

being created

our younger fans, so you

BLOOD-THIRSTY GEEZERS will just have

to stick

series

on the

with the reruns of the

HBO

CHILLER channel! But if BOILS and GHOULS watch

enough ofyou the all-new

TV movie,

starring me, the

A fan, Steven Ortiz

than usual, so keep that in

minds when I

an all-new

ORIGINAL

TV series

Crypt-Keeper

Speaking of ROTTING

UNAWARE,

original issues of TALES

FROM THE CRYPT

all the

are being collected in a series ofgreat, big, full-color hardcover volumes by

But

Publishing.

Gemstone

a particular Jack

there’s

we may

be including

Davis-drawn

tale that

in one of our

upcoming Papercutz

All we can say

now

collections.

may

that it

is

CRYPT tale

requested

could be in your future!

REPRINTS,

Steven, in case you were

be the most

oj all (by me)!

Stay tuned!

Dear Crypt-Keeper,

And what better way

looovwe the new TALES FROM THE series! Cool cover on issue #10. I also have a request. Can you reprint some

CRYPT OF TERROR

to stay

than

tuned

to the

to subscribe?

I

CRYPT

of the old TALES FROM THE CRYPT stories in your new mag? And try to make your stories kind of like the old ones. Keep up with the stories of monsters! But please, no art like the art in issue #9, the story “Chicken Man.” Again, try to make the

SUBS tWfWT IONS!

more horror-science fiction, if you I mean. Anyway, keep up the gruesome work!

10005. Make checks payable Or call 1-800-886-1223.

stories

know what

For a one year (six-issue) subscription to

FROM THE CRYPT, order,

Send

40

US funds

in

just only,

TALES

send a check or money for

$24.00.

subCRYPTions, PAPERCUTZ,

to:

Exchange Place, Suite 1308, New York, to

NY

NBM.

MC, VISA, and AMEX accepted.

Your Fan, Jared Hershman,

So prove that you’re actually ALIVE out

Age 10

and send your own CRYPTIC

The Well, Jared, ifyou

want

us to keep

up the

“gruesome work” then we gotta keep using

James Romberger! We’re thrilled

(and

others were

on

—

“ Chicken

” “the Sicko Parker!

Or email your comments

Comer 1308

10005

to the

Old Editor at:

salicrup@papercutz.com

including

fellow CRYPT-contributors John L. Lansdale

and Rick

New York, NY

there,

COMMENTS to:

Place, Suite

sorry you weren’t

chilled) by his art

Man” but so many

Crypt-Keeper’s

40 Exchange

And if any let

ofyou are licensed psychiatrists

me know

if I’m

NUTS or not!

CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED DELUXE® Presents:

6

Vz

x

9,

144 pages,

$13.95/$15.50

full-color.

CAN

ISBN-13: 1-59707-131-4

Also available in hardcover.

Available

Now

At Bookstores Everywhere Send

Or order from Papercutz: Please add

$4.00 postage and

Make Check payable

to

NBM

handling.

Publishing.

Papercutz,

New

York,

www.papercutz.com

to:

40 Exchange Place, Suite 1308 NY 10005, 1-800-886-1223