Tales from the Crypt set 3 (40-46) by Insainment

NOTORIOUS 1950S EC COMICS!

7)o?o*jm-i

FEATURING

THE CRYPT-KEEPER

ITHE VAULT-KEEPER

THE OLD WITCH

u liras

TERROR vn >

w* w% fi

HEH.HEH ! I SEE YOU'RE HUNGRY FOR HORROR AGAIN. WELL, REST ASSURED. .YOUR APPETITE WILL BE SATISFIED. IN FACT, WHEN you're THROUGH WITH THIS PUTRID PERIODICAL, YOU WILL HAVE LOST YOUR APPETITE ENTIRELY. SO DON'T JUST STAND THERE DROOLING. CONE INF WELCOME ONCE MORE TO THE CRYPT OF TERROR. THIS IS YOUR HOST in HOWLS, YOUR NAUSEATING NARRATOR THE CRYPT- KEEPER, READY TO CH/LL YOUR SPINE AND CURDLE YOUR BLOOD WITH THE SPINE-TINGLING TALE OF TERROR .

IpOOO FOR THOUGHT The evening performance is over and the circus GROUNDS ARE SILENT SAVE FOR THE FLAPPING OF CANVAS AND THE OCCASIONAL SNORT OFA CAGED ANIMAL. OVERHEAD, A COLD MOON ILLUMINATES THE MIDNIGHT LANDSCAPE. SUDDENLY, A SHADOWY FIGURE EMERGES FROM ONE OF THE DARKENED TENTS AND GLIDES OUIETLY ACROSS THE MIDWAY... WHISPERING.,.

Ifâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The woman peers into the SHADOWS, STRAINING TO SEE, HER HEART RACING. THE MAN STEPS INTO THE DIM COLD LIGHT, HIS ARMS EXTENDED.

i~=

They embrace.. .warmly... PASSIONATELY... HUNGRY LIPS.

The man looks into the woman's EYES, GREY-GREEN IN THE MOONLIGHT.

HOLOING CLOSE.

WHAT ABOUT YyIE

CARL

OH, ERIC,

J HE

ASLEEP.

DREAMS OF

PAf}/s and the

^^^^WOMEN HE HAS

DARLING.

KNOWN ..

The man shakes his head sadly, stroking the WOMAN'S SOFT FLOWING HAIR...|p WHY DID YOU EVER IT WAS A MISTAKE, ERIC. I

MARRY HIM, MARTA?J MISTOOK this FREAK OF ' NATURE. th is ONCE IN A .

LIFETIME OCCURANCE... this ability of carl's to

PROJECT THOUGHTS MINE TO READ THEM... FOR LOVE

MISERABLE.' I KNOW NOW THAT CARL NEVER LOVED ME. I was HIS SUBJECT... HIS THOUGHT-

PROJECTION RECEIVER.. .a OF APPARATUS... NOTHING MORE.

BUT NOW

KNOW WHAT REAL

we DISCOVERED

BUT... YOU SAID' YOU CAN ONLY READ THE THOUGHTS IN HIS MIND HE 1 WANTS you I TO READ i

^ ^

this ability

HE TAUNTS ME, ERIC. HE HAS

ALWAYS TAUNTED ME WITH

POWER

AND YOU'VE BEEN

NIZED KNEW

ACCIDENT MANT YEARS .UNHAPPY EVER CARL IMMEDIATELY RECOGSINCE... . ITS GREAT VALUE. BEFORE IT, WE'D TEAMED UP AS A MIND-

QUITE BY AGO.

THIS

HE HAS OVER ME/

READING ACT, JOINED

THIS TRAVELINI

CIRCUS, AND WERE MARRIED.

The WIND SIGHS ACROSS THE CIRCUS GROUNDS, WHISPERS AROUND THE TENT ROPES, GASPS AGAINST THE CANVAS... CARRYING THE SIGHS, THE WHISPERS, THE GASPS OF THE LOVERS IN THE SHADOWS. AND IN HIS TENT, CARL STIRS UNEASILY. OPENS HIS EYES. .

ER BED.'

IT IS

IERE COULD SHE

Carl moves through the moonlit NIGHT. .illS EYES BURNING LIKE

HOT COALS ...LISTENING... THE END OF ^ THE MONTH WHEN I GET MY CHECK, WE WILL LEAVE... TOU AND I... T06ETHER...

...AND AT

)

VOICES COMING FROM BEYOND THE NEW ANIMAL TRAINER'S TENT...

HIS VOICE. ..AND MARTA'S/

LISTENING TO THE EAGERNESS

...AND THEN, SLOWLY, HE HIS TENT ONCE MORE.

HIS WIFE'S VOICE...THE PASSION, THE

HUNGER...

HEARD ENOUGH.

...BUT LET'S

NOT

TALK ANYMORE,

RETURNS

HE HAS

SHE. ..SHE HAS FALLEN 1

ERIC, DARLING. 4 HOLD ME.CLOSE...

The moonlight streams through the open ACROSS THE PRINT.. .BLACK LETTERS COLD WHITE. ..THE LOCAL

FLAP... FALLING

Carl slips on a robe and comes out of his tent... OUT INTO THE WHISPERING, SIGHING, 6ASPI NG WIND...

EMPTY/ BE?

OF COURSE?

IS I.

LOVE WITH

HIM.

SHE

LEAV/N6 ME. SHE... .1 MUST 5TOP HER' .

" TORN TO PIECES BY WILD BEAStA THAT'S HOW I CAN STOP HER FROM LEAVING. J THAT'S IT?

^ f

—

Later, when marta returns from HER RENDEZVOUS, AND CRAWLS BACK INTO BED, CARL PRETENDS HE IS

Only after MARTA HAS SLIPPED OFF INTO DEEP SLUMBER DOES CARL STIR. ..AND RISE. ..AND GO OUT OF THE TENT... ,

|ASLEEP-.r

AND CROSS DIRECTLY TO THE NEW ANIMAL TRAINER'S TENT WITH GUN

HAND...fi

5^^

HUH? WHO'S \GET UP.' THERE? WHO

AND DON'T

STUMBLES TO HIS FEET. WHAT'S THE MEANING ) SO YOU OF THIS,

CARL? PUT

/ WERE GOING

DOWN THAT GUN... )

RUN OFF

WITH MY WIFE, EH, ERIC?/

MAKE A SOUND

Carl motions

eric out of the TENT AND DOWN THE LONG SILENT MIDWAY TOWARD THE B WHAT ARE YOU r I, ERIC ? GOING TO DO, NOT GOING TO CARL? s' DO ANYTHING!

WELL, WE'LL

YOUR

SEE ABOUT l

They cross the tan bark floor of the big top UNTIL THEY COME TO THE LION CAGE. THE TAWNY BEAST PACES BACK AND FORTH HUN8RILV. . .

r MY LION.'?

JHAfl

}

YES, ERIC. I'M GOING TO

PUT Y0U IN THE CAOE WITH HIM. WITHOUT YOUR WHIP. .

WITHOUT ANYTHING. JUST YOU AND YOUR

w-, UON' r-^_

THAT?

UON

WILL DO THE

WORK ?

WITHOUT MY WHIP'? I'D BE 'T PITY IS AN EMOTION HELPLESS. ..PARALYZED.. \ BELONGING TO THE

UNABLE TO DEFEND myself? FOR GOD'S SAKE, CARL? HAVE PITY.' w

— .

MOVE.'

)

PITIFUL, ERIC.

THEN, THE CIRCUS GROUNDS ECHO WITH THE BLOOOCURDLING SHRIEKS OF A MAN BEING TORN TO SHREDS BY THE RAZOR SHARP FANGS OF A BL OOD- CRAZED BEAST ...

...AND

Eric's anguished shrieks awaken MARTA AND SHE LOOKS ARO UND

WILDLY...

CARL / WHAT WAS THAT CARL f CA...

/it's

com in'

And

She SCREAMS

HIS NAME TWICE, AND THEN SHE JUST STANDS THERE, WATCHING THE BEAST LICK AT THE SLASHED AND SHREDDED BODY UNTIL SHE HAS TO TURN AWAY AS TH E NAUSEA SWEEPS OVER HER... _

HOW DID ^THE CRAZY FOOL / HAPPEN?) MUST HAVE COME O, HERE TO PRACTICE

rest of them.

UNTIL THEY COME TO THE LION Tnnmrn'~ rnnr i

GOOD LORDf

t'sT don't KNOW/

"PROM THE DIG - TOP/

She runs with the

Carl's bed is empty? outside THE TENT, FOOTSTEPS POUND UP THE MIDWAY TOWARD THE BIG-TOP. MARTA SLIPS ON A ROBE AND B URSTS FRO M THE TE NT.

ERICf ERIC.'

then, sick, she returns to her tent and

SITS AND WAITS, CRYING, UNTIL CARL COMES IN WITH HIS COLD IMPASSIVE FACE-

r YOU

DID

IT,

DIDN'T YOU f

YOU KILLED HIM ? YOU

KNEW'

DIDN'T YOU HEAR

WHAT THEY SAID, MARTA?THEY SAID HE MUST HAVE BEEN PRACTICING HIS

ACTf

It happens suddenly... without CARL IS HELPING WITH WARNING.

THE DISMANTLING OF THE BIG-TOP

Marta looks down at the still form of her HUSBAND LYING ON THE TANBARK FLOOR. AND EVEN THOUGH SHE READS HIS THOUGHTS, SHE SHOWS NO SIGNS OF RECOGNITION

MARTA

IS ASSISTANT LIFT POOR CARL INTO THE WICKER, MARTA MOVES FORWARD.

MARTA.' PLEASE.' SAVE ME.' I'M ALIVE' MARTA /I'M ALIVE PARALYZED' NOT DEAD.'

MARTA, I AM ALIVE.' l'M MARTAf LISTEN TO me/

PARALYZED.' MARTAf PLEASE...

NOT DEAD/

am THINKING.'

MARTAf

I’m

I’M

CAN SEE.'

i'jR

CAN'T MOVE.'

OH MARTA.' THANK YOU.' THANK YOU.'. ,

~ yjt

PARALYZED,

NOT DEAD .'

PARALYZED .' CAN HEAR.'

I'M

PLEASE.' TRY to HEAR what i

' PLEASE DON'T

HIM. BURY HE IS. HE

EMBALM H/M AS

WOULD HAVE WANTED IT THAT WAY

—

-i

ANYTHING^ MARTAf T YOU SAY, ui'Aui

MARIA, )

unr

STILL SEE... WHISPERS INTO PARALYZED EARS THAT CAN STILL HEAR. . fjy |> n» I >l|i GOOD-BYE, V-sT MARTAf OH, GOD? 5", MARTA... .

gjy CARL? ST''.r"^-

SHOVEL DIGS INTO THE SOFT EARTH.

The

digging continues, the shovel scooping away THE SOFT EARTH. FINALLY THE LID OF THE COFFIN swings back- || wwmi iyvw nvtty

MARTA f MARTA, YOU DID COME' YOU DID.'

MARTA.' DARLING' OH, LORD .YOU'RE

NOT MARTA'

...

Ak,

And then as carl lies helpless, paralyzed... like a lion-tamer without A WHIP ...FEELING THE RAZOR SHARP TEETH RIPPING AND TEARING AT HIS FLESH. ..UNABLE TO SCREAM AT THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN, HE THINKS OF THE NEWSPAPER LYING IN THE MOONLI GHT... THE NEWSPAPER THAT FIRST. GAVE HIM

HEH.HEH' YEP, KIDDIES.' CARL ENDED UP JUST LIKE ERIC ... BEING TORN TO BITS AND UNABLE TO DEFEND HIMSELF. AS FOR MARTA.. .SHE READ CARL'S

FINAL THOUGHTS, AND GOT QUITE A MENTAL PICTURE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.' JUST

ONE MORE THOUGHT ON THIS WHOLE SUBJECT: AS THE BOP CEMETERY FORE-

MAN KEEPS TELLING HIS WORK CREWS, THAT CRA-AEY GRAVE'

'D/6

mg miif IHoRROWf?

heh,h eh 1 SALUTATIONS, SLIME SAVORERSff now it's time for a jaunt into the VAULT OF HORROR. IS YOUR HOST IN HOWLS, THE VAULT-KEEPER, READY TO ENTERTAIN YOU IN C.K.'S MAG WITH A FAVORITE YELP-YARN FROM MY CREEP-COLLECTION. SO HAVE THE BICARB REAOY AND I'LL UPSET YOUR STOMACH WITH THE TUMMY-TURNER I CALL...

THIS

mm* Our story

begins during world war ii.when the MARINES WERE SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY INCHING ACROSS THE SOUTH PACIFIC AREA, INVADI NG AND BATTLING FOR EACH BLOODY ATOLL, EACH JAPANESE-

UNITED STATES

INFESTED CORAL ROCK. ONE INKY BLACK STARLESS NIGHT, A SMALL BOAT MOVED SILENTLY TOWARD THE CORAL REEF THAT RINGED THE PEACEFUL LAGOON OF ONE OF THESE JAPANESE- HELD ISLANDS. INSIDE, TWO MEN CROUCHED QUIETLY, STUDYING THE DANCING FIRES

The ANCHOR SLID OVER THE SMALL BOAT'S SIDE AND DROPPED WITH A MUFFLED SPLASH INTO THE BLACK PACIFIC. THEN, STRANGELY, THE TWO MEN BEGAN TO UNDRESS...

They stood almost naked in the pacific NIGHT, MUSCLES RIPPLING. THEY BENT AND SLID THE WEIRDLY SHAPED BLACK RUBBER FLIPPERS ONTO THEIR FEET.. PULLED THEIR RUBBER MASKS WITH THE ROUND GLASS WINDOWS OVER THEIR FACES. .

AND WENT ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. BUSINESS OF CLEARING THE WAY FOR THE INVASION OF THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE ONE NAMED LARRY GLIDED DOWNWARD,

...

...THE

FLICKING ON HIS LAMP, SEARCHING OUT THE TREACHEROUS PROPELLER-

AS THE OTHER, THE ONE NAMED SKIMMED BELOW THE SUR-

PHIL,

WlTH THE NETTING CLIPPED AND SAWED AND CUT AWAY AND RENDERED HARMLESS, LARRY SHOT TOWARDS PHIL TO HELP PLACE THE DEMOLITION CHARGES, HIS LANTERN

BEAM

RUNNING ACROSS THE SANDY BOTTOM OF THE LAGOON. .

LARRY CIRCLED OVER THE BED, STUDYING THE SHELLED SEA CREATURES WITH GLOBED GEMS IMBEDDED IN THEIR

The two men surfaced beside their boat, gasping FOR BREATH..

DID YOU SEE IT, PHIL? THERE. W’ DON'T BE a' GASP... THERE MUST BE A FORTUNE FOOL \ • IN PEARLS IN THAT OYSTER BED* J LARRY I'VE I’M GOING BACK... GASP... DOWN.

SET THE

CHARGES,

Minutes later, the small boat was humming SEAWARD. BEHIND, THE DEMOLITION CHARGES E XPLODED IN THE PLACID LAGOON SIGNALLING THE MI6HTY BATTLE WAGONS OFFSHORE TO BEGIN THEIR BARRAGE. LARRY SWORE ABOVE THE DIN...

rrMrilB

PHIL' AFTER THIS CRAZY MESS IS OVER, WE'LL COME

BACK FOR THOSE PEA RLE,

AWE'LL

HERE.'

At DAWN THE NEXT MORNIN6.THE ASSAULT BOATS STORMED THE QUIET LAGOON, AND PROPELLERS CHURNED BLOOD INTO THE WATERS

ABOVE THE OYSTER BED.

The BEACHHEAD WAS SECURED. THE DEMOLITION TEAM'S WORK WAS DONE. LARRY AND PHIL WERE SHIPPED ELSEWHERE TO OTHER ISLANDS, WITH OTHER LAGOONS.. THEY SAY THIS ATOM' C'MONf BOMB WIPED OUT A STOP WHOLE CITY, PHIL. dream/h' MAYBE THE JAPS'LL ABOUT THOSE I

SURRENDER bl.THEN. .

NOW.

'WE'LL COMEBACK,

c ‘mon.' l et 's GET OUT OF

PEARLS' NOW GET I l gvsr/MM

Hfr&Q

BE RIC

V~J DAY?

PEACE

CAME SUD-

AFTER THE SECOND A-BOMB WAS DROPPED. THE JAPANESE SIGNED AN UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER AND THE WAR WAS OVER.

DENLY...

HEY, PHIL.'

ORDERS' WE'RE GO/HG HOME' WE'RE GETT/H6

^ OUT'

SHIPPING

S-M-

Larry tried to hide the jealous ANGER. ..THE HURT THAT HE FELT. GLADY'S PREFERENCE HAD COME AS A

[N,

PEARL HARBOR, AND THE U.S. WAS IN A WAR. THE COME TO LARRY AND PHIL... ASKED THEM THE UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAM. AND

And now they were back from THE WAR, STANDING ON A JAMMED PIER FULL OF RETURNED SAILORS AND SOLDIERS AND HAPPY LOVED ONES, AND PHIL HAD WON AGAIN. .

GETTING

HARRIED TOMORROW 1

They struggled wildly, there in the foaming SURF OF THAT LONELY CALIFORNIA BEACH. LARRY

And larry came out of the water alone A GRIM SMILE ON HIS FACE

with

AND THE STORY HE'D TELL

Gladys listened to larry as he SOBBED OUT THE STORY OF HOW THEY'D GONE SWIMMING. ..HE ANO PHI L. AND PHIL'D GONE DOWN. AND_ . .

Were

his eyes DECEIYIN6 him? was the foam and THE SPRAY AND THE CHURNING WATER BESIDE THE SHIP PLAYING TRICKS ON HIM, OR DID HE ACTUALLY SEE

THE BLOATED WHITE BODY?.

Was

DREAM?

or did larry actually SEE the IN the porthole

WHITE PULPY FISH-PITTED FACE

And was the FOUL ODOR of the SEA and DECAY AND ROTTING FLESH THAT SEARED HIS NOSTRILS WHEN HE OPENED HIS CABIN OOOR THAT NIGHT JUST LARRY'S IMABINATIOH?.

And was it the SEA, OR oid he actually HEAR THAT LAUGHTER... THAT RIPPLIN6 BLOOD-CURDLIH6 LAUGHTER COMING IN FROM THE MURKY FOG BEYOND THE SHIP THE NIGHT HE STROLLED THE

that plane trip south... SKIMMING LOW OVER THE BLUE PACIFIC... WAS LARRY CRAZY..

The atoll came .

OR DID HE SEE IT AGAIN... THERE JUST BELOW HIM... THAT ASHEN,

PULPY, BLOATED

FORM ?.

up... a pearl AGAINST A BLUE SATIN SEALINING. .. GUARDING ITS OWN PEARL TREASURE. LARRY CAST HIS FEARS FROM HIS MIND WHEN HE SAW IT. .

The tiny seaplane came down gently and sat BOBBING QUIETLY IN THE BLUE LAGOON AS LARRY UNPACKED HIS GEAR, REMOVED THE FLIPPERS AND RUBBER GLASS- WINDOWED MASK, AND BEG AN

MY YARN.

HEH.HEH' THE PILOT OF THE SEAPLANE WAITED AROUND FOR LARRY TO COME UP FOR YEP, KIDDIES' THAT'S

SEVERAL HOURS. FINALLY, HE SHRUGGED, WENT THROUGH LARRY'S PANTS, EXTRACTED THE MONEY FROM HIS WALLET TOSSED THE REST OF LARRY'S GEAR INTO THE LAGOON, AND TOOK OFF. AND YOU'LL TAKE OFF WHEN YOU READ THE NEXT JYAULT- KEEPER YARN.' â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

heh...heh.'

now

TURN YOU BACK TO C.X.f I'LL SEE YOU

I'LL

NEXT IN MY MAG, THE VAULT or HORROR 'BYE/

E.C., THAT

is.'

Mildred jackson flung open the door of her house and squealed with joy. he stood on the huntstarved FRONT PORCH, DRESSED RESPLENDENTLY IN HIS CAPTAIN'S UNIFORM, HIS FACE BRONZED FROM FORTY TEARS at SEA. HIS EYES COLD AND SQUINTIN G. HIS MO UTH GRIM, HIS TWO SUIT CASES BESIDE HIM, .

^ZRA? EZRA / WHY DIDNT YOU WRITE MeS^^^HElIo, MILLY.”GOT A PLACE TOR') YOU WERE COMING TO VISIT?/ OH, EZRA li; «|^H|^LYER OLD SEA DOG BROTHER TO Lrr's so good to SEE you again. JggifiBjQSSBC bunk down for a spell? 1a* I

[p.lOwjstfci'n

MlLLY LED EZRA INTO

That was how ezra jackson came HIS SISTER MILDRED. AT ......

to live with

FIRST, MILLY WAS VERY SHE WAS AN OLD '

^ ILLY

HA ° BEEN A SCHOOL TEACHER IN HER YOUNGER YEARS. SHE'D WORKED HARD AND MANAGED TO SAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY. SHE'D USED PART OF IT TO BUY THE HOUSE SHE NOW LIVED IN. THE REST, SHE'D INVESTED WISELY, AND SHE'D BEEN ABLE TO LIVE COMFORTABLY. BUT WITH EZRA'S ARRIVAL, HER MEAGER INCOME WAS NOT ENOUGH PHAAAH? YOU CALL THIS ’ it's. .it's the BEST) FOOD you DARE to feed! WE CAN AFFORD, THIS SLOP to your Ezra? PLEASE CAPTAIN ? YOU OUGHT TRY TO UNDERSTAND') TO BE STRUNG UP AND

UNDERSTAND ONE THING. YOU GALLEY PIG. EITHER

-YES, CAPTAIN k

JACKSON f

THE FOOD IMPROVES OR ^ /RONS FOR YOU. AND IT'S "CAPTAIN JACKSON “? ,

IT’S

y'HEAR?

W M

•

\GIVEN TEN LASHES^y&m

So MILLY WAS FORCED TO EARN EXTRA MONEY TO AUGMENT THE SMALL INCOME SHE DERIVED FROM HER INV ESTMENTS. SHE HAD TO TA KE IN W ASHING... ['"where in blazes YOU, YOU SLOPPY SEA COOK?

Ezra stood

)

EYES...

JUST THE PLACE FOR MY

QUARTERS. HERE ...YOU.. •SEND FOR THE SHIP'S .

CAPTAIN. SHIP'S

I'M

..THE

SHIP FITTERS.

'YOU'RE

"BELOW", YOU

stairs, screamin

DUMB ^JTY-YES, CAPTAIN

LANDLUBBER. NOT "IN

THE CELLAR". "BELOW"?

I'M ...BELOW?

DOING THE

LAUNDRY fjgt

the center of the cellar

FLOOR, STARING ABOUT

TPERFECT? PERFECT? ^ CARPENTERS

Ezra came down the cellar

ARe))^^.)\nthe^£uJr^\

Milly was helpless, she had no other

choice..

EXCEPT, PERHAPS, TO HAVE EZRA PUT AWAY. SO SHE IN A CARPENTER- A PLUMBER ... ' PLEASE GENTLEMEN. rOH, COURSE,! WE 1 UP THERE? MISS REMEMBER. HUMOR (UNDER-

CALLED ^AVAST, *

COME 1 BELOW'

HIM

HE'S ...QUITE

^ HARMLESS... m

NACKSONf^yT/fA^, miss

ytfi

U Ijackson?

Ezra stormed about OUT

HIS OROERS...

fRIP OUT CLOSE WALLS.

WALLS. SET IN SEAL PORT HOLES. ..THAT

the cellar, shouting

With her investments wiped out and the

INCOME FROM THEM GONE, MILLY HAD TO TAKE IN MORE WASH THAN SHE COULD HANDLE IN ORDER TO() MEET EXPENSES. AND EZRA'S ABUSE BECAME — i

WORSE A“" "nocc (SCRUB OUT THAT HEAD, YOU FO'C'SLE

-YES, CAPTAIN'

tt\DRUD6E/

One HOT SUMMER'S DAY, EZRA STOOD AT THE OPEN PORT HOLE, SHOUTING OUT AT THE SEA-SCAPE SCENE BEYOND... -

AHOY/ AHOY THERE/ SHIP AHOY/ HOLD f FAST. STAND BY/

Poor

milly would escape, every chance she could AND LOCK HERSELF IN THE UPSTAIRS BATHROOM IN ORDER TO DO THE WASH IN THE TUB. AND AS SHE SCRUBBED, SHE WOULD LISTEN TO EZRA'S RANTING AND GET,

Tease the helm.' 6/ye eh more + RUDDERf STEADY AS YOU 60/ HARD APORTf STEADY.' STEADY SO/

While upstairs, directly over-| HEAD IN THE BATHROOM, MILLY PANTED OVER A LOAO OF WASH..

T HE

HOT WATER, RUNNING INTO THE TUB OVER THE SOAKING CLOTHES SENT UP CLOUDS OF STEAM WHICH FILLED THE LOCKED BATHROOM...

his cellar ship's QUARTERS, CAPTAIN JACKSON LISTEN AS THE WATER, LEAKING DOWN FROM THE OVERFLOWING BATHTUB ABOVE, FILLED THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FALSE MAHOGANY PANELED WALLS AND THE

The CELLAR

Slowly the water rose

FILLED WITH STEAM. CAPTAIN JACKSON STAGGERED TO THE PORT HOLES, SLAMMED THEM SHUT. THE PRESSURE OF THE WATER CRUMBLED THE PANELED

in the cellar, boiling, SCALDING, BLISTERING EZRA'S AGED BODY. BUT HE STUBB ORNL Y S TOOD FAS T... ,

WALLS |

^^^K^abandonshipS the captain must remain...

JHNB’

ABANDON SHIPS WE'RE SINKINGf

Until the rising hot water reached his chin„.his neck_poured INTO HIS MOUTH AND STEWED HIS TONGUE... HIS THROAT.. HIS LUNGS... ...

glugg. GLUGG .

jgj

/HEE.HEE.' YEP, KIDDIES. THAT'S)

MY MORBID MARINE OFFERING./ EZRA FINALLY ENDED UP.AH HOT WATERS THIS IS THE FIRST) ^CASE ON RECORD BY THE WAY, OF ( A CAPTAIN GOING DOWN WITH / HIS SHIP in the MIDDLE of a \ KANSAS PRAIRIE... IN A CELLAR) AND NOW, i'll turn you over to \ THE OLD WITCH, I

^Hwho UP RAG /REMEMBERS] W is

WW/iS,, r \

mr*

WIlS&M

waitingto( MY R££K-\

V0URE

A SAN...

AN addict..

you're an

e. C.

SAN- ADDICTS ’

< \

8YE NOw v >

HEE.HEEf AND NOW, IT'S MORBID- MEAL-TIME. WELCOME TO THE HAUNT OF FEAR, CREEPS. THIS IS YOUR REVOLTING RESTAURATEUR, THE OLD WITCH, READY TO SUNG SLIME. and WIND UP C.K.'S MUCKMAG for THIS IDIOTIC ISSUE, care for some SEAFOOD? well, here's a TASTY TERROR TID-BIT .

TO TURN YOUR STOMACH. I CALL

Calvin dugan stood

THIS

SLOP-SERVING.

the spotless kitchen of IN MOR-

THE SEA SHELL RESTAURANT' STARING

I "

BID FASCINATION AT THE SQUIRMING, BLUE-GREEN, SPINEY- LEGGED CLAWED CREATURES THAT SCRATCHED

DRYLY AROUND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BUTTER TUB. CAUTIOUSLY, HE REACHED IN AND PULLED ONE OF

THEM FROM THE

TUB, HOLDING

IT UP.

HE LAUGHED

SADISTICALLY.

7 YOU'RE NEXT, YOU

DISGUSTING

THING. NOW, NOW? DON'T STRUGGLE? IT'S NO USE? HEH, HEH f

Calvin reached for a knife, he placed the STRUGGLING LOBSTER, BELLY Ul? ON THE HUGE WOODEN KITCHEN TABLE AND GRINNED DOWN AT IT. ..

Calvin moved the thrashing split lobster onto A RACK AND SLID IT INTO THE STOVE, BELOW THE LICKING BLUE FLAMES OF THE BROILER —

The LOBSTER SQUIRMED. CALVIN FORCED THE KNIFE BLADE AGAINST ITS SOFT- SHELLED UNDERSIDE AND, WITH A SLIGHT SAWING MOTION, CRUNCHED IT THROUGH. THE LOBSTER, NOW PRACTICALLY SEVERED IN HALF, STILL WRIGGLED ITS SPINET LEGS AND WAVED ITS HUGE CLAWS AWKWARDLY .. _ .

"and now, we BROIL YOU ALIVE. WE LISTEN TO YOU HISS AND POP UNTIL YOU TURN ORANGE-RED AND YOU STOP YOUR SQUIRMING..

H 0W

'HEH, I HAD SOME HEH.

I WISH THAT

SENSITIVE

INSTRUMENT

SO that i

HEAR YOUR

BLOODCURDLING SHRIEKS, COULD

LITTLE UGLY MONSTER..

Calvin stared into the stove AT THE BROILING LOBSTER. HIS EYES GLINTED ALMOST MANIACALLY AS HE WATCHED ITS STRUGGLING

Behind calvin, the sea shell RESTAURANT'S CHEF SHOOK HIS HEAD ASHE WATCHED HIS EMPLOYER I HATE WHY DO YOU TAKE THEM, SUCH SADISTIC * JOHN? DELIGHT in KILLING those POOR LOBSTERS, J

XMUST LOWER THE FLAME SO THAT THE

NEXT ONE

WILL

DIE SLOWER f

DEAD, ALREADY,

BLAST ITf

MR.

Calvin's face grew grim as he turned to his chef...

CREATURES? HORRIBLE CREATURES SHOULD r

DIE HORRIBLY

LOBSTER

ISA

LIVING THING, MR DUGAN. NO LIVING THING SHOULD BE • MADE TO SUFFER.

A LOBSTER IS

UGLYf

DUGANT^^f

HIDEOUS.

DESERVES TO ITS OWN an a

SUFFER, JOHN.

UGLINESS MERITS

M^UGL Y DEATH..

PERHAPS... TO A * LOBSTER... IT IS YOU

y WHO ARE UGLY, jgt L__ MR. DUGAN'^^H

Meanwhile, at that very moment, a few MILES UP THE SEACOAST FROM THE SEA SHELL RESTAURANT, A FISHERMAN GUIDED HIS INBOARD OVER THE TOSSING OCEAN SWELLS TO A CORK FLOAT FROM WHICH FLEW A TATTERED FLAG r THE LAST ONE. IF THERE IS NOTHI IN THIS ONE, WE WILL HAVE NO MONEY FOR FOOD/* â&#x20AC;&#x201D;rf

The FISHERMAN PULLED UP BESIDE THE BOBBING MARKER AND PULLED IT INTO HIS SEA SKIFF. SLOWLY, TEDIOUSLY, HE HAULED IN THE DRIPPING LINE THAT WAS FASTENED TO THE CORK FLOAT... X CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT. ALL ALONG THE COAST, OTHER LOBSTER FISHERMEN ARE FINDING TWO, MAYBE THREE LOBSTERS N EACH OF THEIR POTS. FOR TWO WEEKS

Finally, the lobster trap surfaced, and the FOUL SCENT OF THE FISH HEA0, PLACED WITHIN IT AS BAIT, SEARED THE FISHERMAN'S NOS TRILS...

E^^^^LMPTY/Tl L LOBSTER

EMPTY^~not^>NE

ANY OF MY

The FISHERMAN ENTERED PERHAPS ^TOMORROW

TOMORROW, AMBROSE...

TOMORROW ..WE

J HAVE SAID FOR

THAT

NOT A ONE, LUCY { NOT ONE LOBSTER I CANNOT JZB? UNDERSTAND IT.

LUCK?

HIS OINGY

SHACK AND SAT DOWN WEARILY,,,

Sadly, the fisherman guided his inboard back to THE BEACH WHERE A WOMAN AND CHILD STOOD IN THE DOORWAY OF A WIND-SCARRED SHACK, WAITING...

POTS.

POPPA [i

FISH/ THE BOy\f NEEDS M/LK, LUCY.

MAKE

LOBSTERS COULD

AM HUNGRY. < THE BOY SOME

BUY

ggf'F/SH, AMBROSE.

HIM MILK.

PERHAPS

TOMORROW J YOUR *

LUCK

will

CHANGE,

LOBSTERS BRING/JAND YOUR POTS ywiLL BE FULL,

A GOOD PRICE, BUT I CANNOT

TWO WEEKS /

J AMBROSE. THEMf my pots lie iwmQWLfifm/wBG

CATCH r

empty/

AND LEFT. CALVIN MOTOR THE NIGHT, TO THE ALMOST

After a while, calvin left THE RESTAURANT. HE LOCKED UP CAREFULLY. BUT HE DID NOT GET INTO HIS CAR. INSTEAD, HE WALKED DOWN TO THE BEACH. .

He MOVED DOWN THE BEACH TO WHERE A SEA SKIFF WAS MOORED. UNTYING IT, CALVIN PUSHEO THE CRAFT INTO THE ONCOMING BREAKERS.

Ambrose, the lobster fisherman, paced the floor OF HIS DINGY SHACK. LUCY, HIS WIFE, WATCHED HIM WITH SAD EYES. ,

Ambrose stopped .

pacing, he listened, far away.ov THE ROAR OF THE SURF POUNDING THE NEARBY BEACH, AMBROSE HEARD A SOUND... A DULL HUMMING SOUND..

COME TO BED, AMBROSE. YOU MUST GET UP EARLY.

SEA

SKIFF...

r I'LL GET HIM, LUCY! GET -

I'LL .

Suddenly calvin looked up. scarcely one hundred YARDS AWAY, ANOTHER SEA SKIFF GLIDED TOWARD HIM

OUT THERE...

THE NIGHT. SO THAT'S /T

H/Mf

what /s r AMBROSE

Far out on the moonlit waves, CALVIN DUGAN LIFTED A LOBSTER POT INTO HIS SEA SKIFF ..

SEVER TEEN ALREADY AND

I'VE

HALF Of

ONLY RAIDED Hli TRAPS...

^^^â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

'^iVO~BEAiJr/Ef^~^X%

^^B

Ambrose snarled. r

YOU UGLY THIEF/ T^ll PA, YOU HIDEOUS MONSTER7) YOU, W^AMBROS MY CHILD HAS GONE f fLL PA WITHOUT MILK AND MEAT AND CLOTHES r BECAUSE OF YOU/ I

Ambrose screamed.

TNO/

PAY me'? NEVER/ /don’t be I'M GOING to REPORT /a FOOL, YOU TO THE POLICE, i AMBROSE '" THEY'LL throw /i'll pay YOU IN JAIL, WHERE ) YOU WELL YOU BELONG/ VYo FORGET

THE

KNIFE BLADE IN CALVIN DUGAN'S

GLINTED

THE MOONLIGHT...

TO /OLL^YOU)

AMBROSE... TO KEEP YOU FROM TALKING...

WON'T TAKE f YOU J IEFORCE TO DO/ .

J .

JAIL...

THIS,

‘‘S '

B ROSE'

THIS.'

^^nowTTll'have

YOUR MONEY' IT'S JAIL FOR YOU. r^[

HAND *

Ambrose's shriek echoed across the heaving water AS CALVIN PLUNGED THE KNIFE INTO HIS WRITHING BODY AGAIN AND AGAIN... < ^ jiLllI I .

—

Slowly, the boat, with Ambrose's SANK BELOW THE TOSSING OCEAN WAVES... /—t-y T

BODY,

l\M

He'd started home... roaring down the coast ROAD AT BREAKNECK SPEED ...WHEN THE BLOW-OUT OCCURRED...

riE

CALVIN'S LURCHING CAR SPUN OVER, THE STEERING WHEEL SHATTERED, RIPPING INTO HIS BODY.. .TEARING ... SLASHING...

LAY THERE, PINNED, SQUIRMING, HIS BODY ALMOST SPLIT IN TWO, THE OVERTURNED CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND THE FLAMES LICKED AT HIM

and

HE SCREAMED AND SHRIEKED AND WAS BROILED

MY STORY, KIDDIES.' CALVIN ENDED UP like the LOBhe'd been STEALING, when HEE, HEE: THAT'S

STERS

ALIVE...

I CAME UPON HIS BURNING CAR, HE WAS JUST ABOUT DONE. I was SO {MAD. THERE WASN’T A DROP OF \

BUTTER SAUCE around?

and

TALKING about SAUCE, you'd HURRY UP AND join US

BUTTER

E.C. FAN-ADDICTS.1 but rememBER, MEMBERSHIP IS LIMITED TO

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) 7307

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HEH.HEH... ANO HEH< (JUST TO BE DIFFERENT.) CRAWL INTO THE CREEPY OLD CRUDDY CRYPT OF TERROR, TOUR MASTER OF CEMETERIES. -JJEADY TO^ is YOUR 6MOSTLY HOST, LE CRYPT-KEEPER. THRILL YOU, CHILL YOU, and KILL YOU with a SUMY SELECTION FROM my FIENDISH FILE OF FOUL FANCIES. READY WELL, HERE GOES WITH THE YOWL YARN I CALL fiends. THIS

•

. .

COMFORTABLE, philip? now let's RELAX AND ENJOY OUR CHESS 6AME.. just YOU AND I. AS WE'VE DONE THESE PAST TWENTY ODD YEARS. •

AHH... these QUIET EVENINGS TOGETHER, PHILIP. THEY'RE ALL we have LEFT. .

CUSPS 008608) VoM. No. 25. September «98. published quarterly in September. Oecember. Man* end June by Gemstone PiOHshing. #4 MO 65775-3532 Periodicals postage paid at West Plains. MO. Entire contents C 096 by WWam M. Gaines. Agent. Inc Tales From C S54 by 1C PubSshing Co, Inc, re e S79 by WWam M Gaines. Agent Inc A« rights reserved. Nothing herein contained may be reproduced permaswn of WWlam M. Games. New Ybrk, New York Annuel subscription rate *T) (*« outsde US payable in US funds) Printed m Canada Postmaster send address changes to Tales horn the Crypt. Gemstone. PO Bo> 469. West Plains, MO 65775-0469. Tales tram the Crypt

Court Square. West Plains.

The Crypt #41

without the Written

BEFORE HIMijaI

Doctor hobart placed the CHESSBOARO ON THE LOW TABLE

OTHERS might SCOFF, phiup, BUT I SAY OURS IS ONE OF LIFE'S RARITIES, a PERFECT A MEETING OF THE

The old doctor went on garrulously, ALWAYS THE MORE TALKATIVE OF THE TWO, HARDLY GIVING THE OTHER A CHANCE TO SPEAK. HIS VOICE DRIPPED ON... RICH WITH MELLOW MEMORIES. NOSTALGIC REMINISCENCE.. .

FRIENDSHIP

MINDS... A MENTAL MATINS FAR MORE LASTING mo REWARDINS THAN THAT OF MAN AND WIFE.

yes, Philip?

TJ LIKE YOU TOO,

' GOSH, ANDY' .

I LIKE YOU.J

PHIL. LETS BE

PALS FOR LIFE-

TWENTY

AND SEAL IT IN

YEARS OF THIS. REMEMBER HOW (TALL BEGAN, PHILIP? HOW, AS KIOS, OUR FAMILIES MOVED NEXT DOOR TO EACH OTHER? REMEMBER? j

BLOOD...

'Remember, phil? remember how

PWiniM HAS WAS A PACT or UtYUllUA ABLE TO TEAR APART IN ALL THESE YEARS? NOTHING L.'

inseparable WERE... I PLAYING TOGETHER. . .GOING PLACES TOGETHERFIGHTING TOGETHER.. .TWO OF U8 AGAINST THE WORLD?../

|j I

r OKAY' OKNT I

e/VE

UPT

PROMISE f

OWWWWW...A

'ReMEMBER.PHILIP? WE WERE A MODERN OAHON AND PYTHIAS. ANO AS WE 6REW OUT OF BOYHOOD, WE BECAME EVEN CLOSER. IF A NYTH IN6. REMEMBER.IN HIGH SCHOOL, MOW EVEN THE PRETTIEST GIRLS FAILEO TO PULL US APART?...' im l

—

SORRY, JOAN f PHIL AND / ARE GOING TO THE MOVIES

OURSELVES tonight. TOGETHER /

i won't ASK you AGAIi ANDREW HOBART? YOU'RE-

YOU'RE NOT

HUMAN

'None of the girls UNDERSTOOD, phil. tmcouli THEIR CHEAP THRILLS OF DATING AND PETTING WERE SAWDUST TO THE PLATONIC ECSTASY OF OUR ~~ =

EMBRACING MINOS— |

I’VE DECIDED ON MEDICINE, PHIL? WHY DON'T YOU STUOY

IT1T/WME?

SORRY, ANDY: [

ELECTRONICS

MY MEAT?

'COLLEGE' THE SAME COLLEGE, OF COURSE. NATURALLY, WE COULD NOT BE EXACTLY ALIKE IN ALL THINGS. J PROBED LIVING MECHANISMS AND TOO PROBED COLD LIFELESS ONES. BUT EVEN HERE, WE FOUND COMMON BROUNP-J^

*BER WOW WE WORKED TOGETHER ON YOUR THEORY. TX CRAZY MACHINE WE BUILT. REMEMBER THAT ...HOW WE KEPT IT ALIVE IN THE BRINE WATER... LISTEN. ANOYf’

/ irSA WELL KNOWN FACT I WAS JUST THAT THE BRAIN EMITS ELEC' / WONDER/NS, ANOY. TRONIC IMPULSES, PHIL. SUPPOSE WE COULD < WHY DO YOU ASK CAPTURE THOSE IMPULSES AND REPRODUCE them AUDIBLE

LISTEN'

WORKS, PMiL?/r

V WORKS'

SOUNDS ..ELECTRONICALLY.

TOGETHER. REMEMBER MOW WE FOUND THOSE TWO OFFICES SIOE BY SIDE? HUNG M.D. SHINGLE I

OUT MY

AND

YOU HUNG OUT TOUR ELECTRONIC ENS/NEERS SIGN../

—

Doctor anorew hobart stuoied THE CHESSBOARD BEFORE HIM AS IF ME WERE CONTEMPLATING THE MOVE HE'D HAD IN MIND WHEN THEY'O LEFT OFF THE PREVIOUS NIGHT... fj

WE BOTH MADE OUR MARKS, PHIL? YOU IN ELECTRONIC PATENTS. ..Z m SURGERY AND ALWAYS, from THOSE FIRST TEARS, LIKE NOW, WE SPENT EVERY EVENING TOGETHER. OUR FRIENDSHIP CEMENTING ITSELF FIRMER EACH TEAR. REMEMBER? .

‘AnO THEN CAME THOSE AWFUL WEEKS. I STILL SMUDOER AT THE MEMORY. PHILIP. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I FELT IT. EVERY EVENING YOU GREW

MAKE /T TOMORROW T SURE, Phil' f LGAN’T NIGHT, ANOY.' SOMETHING A I UNDERSTAND

CAME UP/

'YOU STOPPED COMING. FIRST YOU SKIPPED ONE DATA WEEK. THEN TWO. THEN YOU HARDLY CAME AT ALL. I HAD TO KNOW WHY-' '

WHAT'S

WRONG, PHIL?

CAN^ 'how

FEEL SOMETHING STANDING

BETWEEN US' WHAT IS

TELL ME.'

IT?

MUST KNOW '

r. * .

WjNT'lh

can I TELL you,andy?x..j:...i ISN’T .

EASY.'

f MA*Rrrt*n PHIL? OUR™

'YOUR HE3ITATK>N-.Y0UR AVERTED EYES. A COLD CHILL SHIPPED ME ANO I STEELED MYSELF FOR THE SHOCK OF WHAT I COULD ALMOST GUESS..

' \

OUR FR/END -

« .y

fM-I'MIN

NO, PHIL-

LOV£,AWv'

HER NAME

PLEASE, AHOY. DON’T MAKE ME FEEL LIKE A DOS' AFTER ALL, I AM SETTING ALONG IN YEARS? I'M ALMOST THIRTY? IT'S NORMAL FOR A MAN MY A6E TO WANT * A WIFE A HOME KIDS' AND OUR FRIENDSHIP ISN'T BREAKING UP. YOU'LL LIKE JONDRA. AND-

ALL THESE YEARS. YOU’LL BE BREAK

PRETTY?

NO, PHIL ? WON’T BE THE SAME WITH YOU

'Remember how

i pleaoeo with you, Philip... AR6UED -. RAVED... STORMEO GROVELED ON BENOED •— KNEES?./ l^. .

v V

SHIP.. .AFTER

JONDRA? HERE. ..HERE'S HER PICTURE? ISN’T SHE 2 IS

it?

LISTEN i

MARRIED YOU CANT/ TO

ME.../

YOU TURNED A STONEY HEART

TO YOUR OLD FRIEND, ANO THEN, ONE DAY, YOU BROUGHT JONDRA TO MEET ME. SHE WAS LOVELY, ALL RIGHT- ON THE OUTW/TN/N...

YOUR FIANCEE

PHILIP.

EKASSER?- J PH/LLY? SMART? AW, IT IS J 6 'WON? HE’S SIS AN' HAMDIS THE t f SOME AN'.. .AND HE CAN PLAY A / MEAN SAME OF TENNIS, BUT SMART f REALLY? VER KIDOW ? t l PNtLLY? YOU SMART? A.

ATES, JONORA?

PHILIP WHO

SIDEf BUT A MENTAL VACUUM

SMARTER OF the .

TWO OF

US?

AW THEN I SAT ALONE, PHILIP. MESS FOR YOU,

PHILIP...MISERY

FOR ME. I WAS YOUR SOB... THAT BIRL/ THAT. .JOB... FELINE/ ALL SHE WANTS OF MM A PLAYMATE KUO a LOVER. HIS PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES. WHILE HIS FINE MIND OOXOXO . WASTE/ IS

BEST MAM,

OF COURSE, BUT NO LONGER YOUR BEST E/f/EMD. .CLOSEST COMPANION../ fi .

S' LON®,

AMOY?

Those bitter lonely hours, philip... dragging BY. EACH AN ETERNITY. UNTIL I COULD STAND IT NO MOPE. I WAS BEADY to TAKE MY LIFE, PHILIP... READY TO SUT MY THROAT WITH ONE OF my OWN RAZOR-SHARP SCALPELS, WHEN / .

. .

two years tracking down the answerTHEN X FOU ND IX AND MY CHA NCE CAME WHEN YOU CAL '...Spent

LOBOTOMIES HAVE CUTAWAY WHOLE PORTIONS Of THE BRAIN THAT WERE DISEASED. ..ROTTED... TUMORED. THE PART OF THE BRAIN that was LEFT CONTINUED TO .

CARRY ON THE BODY PROCESSES..

WHAT? oh,I’m SORRY to HEAR that, phil?

NOT going WITH HER?

i'll

you're

then why not come HERE

AND SPEND THE TWO WEEKS WITH

EXPECT yol^then?

ME ?

6000/

6000-BYE...

HOW YOU TURNED ON

T I... I

YOUR HOVE.

ANDY/ HEH, HEH. JUST LIKE OLD TINES, EH?

SEE THE SIGNS, PHILf MARRIAGE

\ '

POOR LOYAL

ARE YOU HAD, ANOY? WHERE 010 YOU SET SUCH A CRAZY IDEA? I LOVE HER-.EVEN IF SHE ISN'T 90 BRILLIANT: SHE'S FUN.Ntmf I'VE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY... .

/jYOUR

PALLING OH YOU< JON ORA SICKENS I A. YOU. DOESN’T 1

(

PHILIP YOU DON’T WANT TO HURT HER, DIO YOU? YOU MOnY WANT to CAST HER ASIDE LIKE THE

TRASH

WAS

SHE

FOR

WAST/HS YOUR LIFE SUFFOCATING YOUR WONDERFUL HIND IN

DREARY

TRIVIALITIES, well, YOU OIDN'T FOOL HE, PHILIP. I PITIED YOU, FROM THE BOTTOH

OF HY HEART

SHE...?

’And

i save

you warning, as

ANOTHER...' r

1 \

ONE friend

SUBJECT

OH, YES.' COME I'VE SET UP A

MB//!/

ALONGf \ WHY, YOU'VE GOT A GREAT DEAL > LA BORA- OF ELECTRONIC EQU/PHENT .

HY RACKET.

NO NEED

TO GET ANGRY/ THE

V SUBJECT ^ /J

CLOSED'

)

Milk.

STUBBORNf

YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT SOME EXPER/HENTS YOU'VE BEEN D0IN6, ANDY' y

OR...

WRY IN THE CELLAR. J DOWN HERE,ANDY DON'T tell THIS WAY. ME YOU'RE HORNING IN ON .

/ ALL RISNT, PHILIP (

'Too BAD. PHILIP' TOO BAD YOU WERE F I D ONL Y CONVINCED YOU-..'

IT, IF YOU KEEP UP WITH THAT WOMAN. \ DRAG YOU DOWN to HER )aNDY< THAT'S HORON/C DEPTHS. YOU WILL BE / ENOUGH/ EITHER WE DEGRADING YOURSELF DROP THE

LET HER

I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THEORIES RELATING TO BRAIN SURGERY, RECENTLY. IN FACT... I'M ABOUT READY TO PERFORM MY FIRST SEVENTY>

"^NO, PHILIP f

FIVE PERCENT LDBOTOHY

—

OH, BLASTf I FORBOTf IT'S THURSDAY f TMETRE HERE EON THEIR WEEKLY ^

GOING

i'll be BACK in as SOON AS THEY'VE 6ONE. PHILIP? THEN WE CAN

AHâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; RHILIRf \ JONOffA f CONE IN... CONE IN- 1

0ANCIN6

YEAH... 1 MEAN. ' NO, ANDY > *

Nt-CANTf

CONTINUE OUR SANE

VIS IT

AGAIN,

PHILIP? AN EN'T YOU SETTING A LITTLE OLD PON THAT?

WELL, WE REALLY MUST BE GOING f COME ALONG, PHILIP?

"HUH ? OH, YEAH? BYE, ANDY? SEE YOU... A .

Doctor hobart led them to the front door, :

YOU KNOW, PHILIP, I DON'T THINK JONDRA NOTICED THE LEAST DIFFERENCE WHEN SHE CANE THAT VISIT TO HER FANIL Y TWENTY YEARS ASO. SHE STILL HAS THE THINGS SHE HUNTS OF HER HUSBAND. THE PHYSICAL TH/NSS . SHE'S PERFECTLY SATISFIED WITH YOUR BODY, AND

HONE FROM

...

f .AMD TWENTY-FIVE PER-

CENT of YOUR BRAIN, and I VE sot THE REAL YOU, PHI LIP... THE IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR BRAIN. .YOUR

The brain floated lazily JAR OF AMBER LIQUIO., .

CREA T/VE ARTISTIC PART.

the

AND SO THE YEARS STRETCH ^ HAPPILY AHEAD OF US, PHILIP 1 YOU AND I TO 6ETHER TILL DEATH... IN MENTAL COMPANION-

. .

SHIP,

Doctor hobart flipped on the VOICE AMPLIFIER SWITCH FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT EVENING ... AND TUNED THE VOLUME-

ALL R/6HT, r OH, 60Of WHY / DID YOU DO IT? 00 AHEAD ' \ WHY? 1 LOVED RANT AND ) HER/ I WAS HAPPY RAVEf J WITH HER 'WHY OION*T

PHILIP?

YOU BELIEVE ME?

Doctor hobart shook

his head, smiling

AT THE BRAIN SUSPENDED OH, DON'T BE A

warmly

THE BUBBLING LIOUIO-

FOOL, PHILIP / WHY MUST

YOU WOULD HAVE LOST YOUR MIND/

IT'S

WHY,

YOU WHO LOST YOUR YOU/ you're

MIND, ANDREW /

MAD/ MAO' AND, OH

LORD,

LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO ME/

ALWAYS 60 THR0U6H THIS. ..EVERY N16HT... BEFORE WE CAN SETTLE DOWN TO A NICE QUIET EVENIN6/T I DID THIS FOR YOUR OWN 6000 X RESCUED YOU FROM THAT NITWIT FEMALE. YOU HAO GONE ON L/V/N6 WITH HER FOR THE PAST TWENTY YEARS...

Doctor hobart reacheo for the voice amplifier switch. the brain SEEMEO TO TWIST SLIGHTLY AS IT MUST i TURN YOU OFF, Philip, OR will you BE 6000 SO WE CAN GO ON

HEH,

HEH i WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT A

WEDD/N6 OF MINDS?

CERTAINLY

SOUNOS LIKE THE MAD DOCTOR AND HIS BOTTLED BRAJNkHZ MARRIED. LISTEN TO THEM AR6UE ABOUT WHO 6CES FIRST AND YOU'LL ARGUE ABOUT WHO GOES FIRST... TO JOIN

THE

E.C. FANADDICTS ... THAT IS... WHEN YOU SEE THE STUFF YOU CAN GET, LIKE

BACK ISSUES WHEN YOU WRITE US FOR ORDERING INFO. NOW, THE

VAULT- KEEPER

NOW THAT C.K.HAS CHILLED YOUR BLOOD WITH HIS CRYPT CAPE*. IT'S TIME FOR METOFNEEZ, irs YOUR HOST IN THE VAULT OF HORROR, THE VAULT-KEEPEP. READY TO ENTEPTA/H YOU WITH A TO AN INSA HE ASYLUM I CALL THIS MAD (PLUG' I YARN- THIS TALE OF PAM/C (DITTO?) IN THE BOOBY-

HEH.HEHf ANO

tTP YEP, VISIT

HATCH.

COME BACK

LITTLE

LINDAS

The old man sat

in the damp darkness of his subterRANEAN ASYLUM CELL, SOBBING OUIETLY. HE SAT WITH WI0E STARING EYES ANO CLENCHEO FISTS AMID THE FOUL ODOR OF DECAY ANO ROT AND UNREMOVED HUMAN E XCREMENTS . ANO HE

LINDA' LINDA f COME TO ME, LINDA.

BACK

Doctor Morgan ullman, the director of the COUNTY INSANE ASYLUM, MOVEO SLOWLY THROUGH THE DARK DIM PASSAGEWAY UNED ON EITHER SIDE WITH ANCIENT OAKEN DUNGEON DOORS. ANO THERE WAS A FAINT SMILE ON HIS HARO COLD FACE. HIS ASSISTANT. ERIC HAGEN. FOLLOWED CLOSE BEHIND... IT

WAS A STROKE OF GEN/US, THESE

ERIC, MAKING USE OF

OLO DUNGEON CELLS. DID I EVER THANK YOU FOR GIVING

THE AfOHEY YOU PAY ME \S THANKS ENOUGH, DOCTOR

ULLMANf

The doctor inserted the key mto THE LOCK AND TWI8TE0. THE BOLT SNAPPED OPEN. THE DOCTOR

The ooctor shook the olo man. the olo man

The doctor inhaled the nauseating odor of the

They slammed the cell door SHUT AND MOVED BACK UP THE CORRIDOR. PERHAPS YOU'RE N/6HZ) I*LL HAVE ERIC f A DEAD INMATEJ THE MORE MEANS WE LOSE HIS r- NATIONAL AMO WE \/NMA7ES

ALLOTMENT

DON'T WANT THAT

DO THE

CLEANING,

OOCTOR. ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;LL

SAVE HAVIN6 TO HIRE

Far below the bleak grey insane asylum, down IN THE VALLEY, LIGHTS BLINKEO ON AS TWILIGHT TURNED TO NIGHT. THE PEOPLE IN THEIR CLEAN WHITE HOUSES SAT AT CLEAN WHITE TABLES AND ATE FROM CLEAN WHITE DISHES AND NEVER DREAMED

f YES? WE WOULDN'T 1 HAVE ANY TROUBLE IF THEY WERE ALL

OH, I

HARMLESS

THIS

L /NBA f LINDA ,.7> IF THEY COME TO ME 1 ./WERE ONLY

WgfALL r

AND AS HELPLESS

ALMOST FORGOT.'

WHAT /

CAME

IT,

DOC? YOU'RE WHITE AS A

FOR YOU TODAY'

6HOST.'

A CHILL CRAWLED UP DOCTOR ULLMANS

SPINE.

STATE BOARD DISCOVERED WHAT WAS GOING ON ASYLUM. HE ANO ERIC WOULD BE THROWN INTO

FROM THE

THE THE 1

DOCTOR ULLMAN*

r ALL

RIGHT. LET'S

THERE'S

INTO THE PASSAGEWAY, ANO MARCHED UP INTO THE WARDS THAT HAD LAIN OESERTED AND EMPTY FOR TWO YEARS...

60 ^

UPSTAIRS' ON THE DOUBLE.'

DOf

WTmON OLOMANf .

BET MOVING.'.

WORN TO

OUT OF YOUR A CELL.' OUT.

Doctor ullman swung the heavy leather OUT AT THE OLD MAN...

UPSTAIRS I SAID* UPSTAIRS' U ,

NO.' NOf LINDA WlLLl . I DON'T WANT TO MISS HER* A LINDA...

IT'S

STATE BOARD OF HOSPITALS. ARRIVING

Y-YES,

BE COMING

JAIL...

The INMATES WERE HERDED

â&#x20AC;¢/

'THEY'RE

TOMORROW.-FOR an INSPECTION TOUR...

r. yr/^WHIM.EH.DOC^

rNO< NO.'

whip...lashin6

I WANT MY LINDA /I WANT

Doctor ullman turned to the OTHER INMATES. HE BRANDISHED THE

ONE WORD.. ONE HINT FROM ANY OF TOO THAT YOU'VE BEEN MISTREATED IN THE SU6HTEST .

DEGREE- AND YOU'LL RE6RET/T..

in fear and terror, there was IN THEIR EYES. EACH ONE OF THEM KNEW THAT THE DOCTOR MEANT BUSINESS. THERE WOULD BE NO SLIPS OF THE TONGUE FROM ANY OF THEM.

The inmates cowered

UNDERSTANDS

X WANT MY L INDAS) (SHUT URT\ LEAVE X WANT

MY..

HIM

4 UpU OLD FOOL^_££ERtC.

Ad'

They noted the tempt ins odors drifting FROM THE KITCHEN. ..THE GLEAMING

MASS OF THE

BEOS ...THE IMMACULATE CONDITION OF THE WARDS...

FROM

They went from beo to bed-talking to the INQUIRING...

inmates.

T HE BOARD MEMBERS PEERED INTO THE CELL WHERE THE OLD MAN SAT COOING HAPPILY. THEY SNIFFED. THEY SAW THE TELL-TALE SIGNS... SMELLED THE TELL-TALE ODORSTHIS CELL WAS

USED

ONLY FOR A

DAY OR SO?

WHEN HE GOT VIOLENT 'J

I SWEAR

Behind them, the other inmates were coming down THE STONE STEPS, MARCHIN6 ALONG THE PASSAGEWAY, FILING INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE DUNGEON CELLS

fYOU'RE LY/NS, ULLMAN? THEY'VE ALL LIVED HERE FOR YEARS NOT DAYS ' STRONG ATTACH ..

MENTS AREN'T MADE in OAYS..J

WHAT WITH ST. THE TURN YOU BACK TO WHO'S GOT A CIRCUS YARN to PITCH IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO KNOW

NIGHTMARES ARE

STORE FOR

YOU- IF YOtfD LIKE TO FIND OUT WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO DIE OR

have two jUlion comics and a fan IN you) I’m a lucky dog!

am a very gutlove your comics and your taste of words love CRYPT #13. busting fan of your comics. For Horror!'. People should not let little kids “Grounds. work because just drives them crazy. They seem to! make up stories of who really did their killing.

-CK

^he Crypt-Keepers Comer.

Keep

printing your stories.

You have a very horror-hunger my address and zip

dub out here. It's o k. to print code. I’m dying for a gut-bustin' pal.

fan

Orlando Garcia

1729

W Superior ST

-CK

truss?

Hi!

It's

need

Shawn again. have almost all your comics. All 6 more. Anyway, how are you? wanted to ask you WHY is your show not on anymore? am very I

issue #24: 'Food for Thought" It

Marta

page

7 panel

who

the other 47 panels

The caption on panel 6 page 4 of the story "Pearty to Dead" reads: "TheV both fallen in love with her. Who missed the "D" key on the typewriter? ."

quite a coincidence that in 1954

Titanic'

the

intro

the

because

1998

that

word

Dear Crypt-Keeper. 1

Martha?

It's

Chicago. IL 60622

May suggest a

story

the

used the word Schooner*;

"Prairie

talk of

the land.

"Half-Baked!* The Old Witch says that

membership

the EC FanAddict Club is limited to 250.000.000 people. Thats almost the entire population of the United States, thats a lot of Addicts!! It's a nationwide epidemic!!

something.

Kensington,

David Dellario

disappointed. Let’s slip

brother threw a party when he heard you weren't on anymore, and got a huge poster of the H BO version of You’re the last thing see before go to bed! Well. I I

you

gotta go. .

you into a buried box and check YOUR enunciThe 'Titanic’ disaster was common

ation, David-baby!

in the popular mind lor the first B5 years. Imagour reprint of WEIRD SCIENCE 6 had appeared in

enough ine

-CK

the last six months!

Shawn Van

Philadelphia,

Elsis

DearCK This

your late brother

-CK

promise).

Dear Crypt-Keeper, It

ts to

dining

the .,

savor,

each issue of your eerie oeuvre. Before #24, realized it represented 3 1/3% of

this one,

entirety.

On page

5 of "Food for Thought" there is an invisible robe Marta slips on. Perhaps it’s the emperor's new robe? Ya know, at the turn ol page 7. figured Marta was targeted for the final twist instead ol Cad. that

In "Pearly to

Dead",

guess Larry

finally

had

Bob Gorby

his

fill

of Phil.

Camarillo,

"Undertaking Palor", #24, seems to touch on a lot of taboo subjects for a 50s comic; death and its consequences in the form of the mortuary, murder of innocents by an

unscrupulous druggist in collusion with the mortician, a child's loss of a parent and the subsequent revenging by a group of kids on the evil grown-ups (defying authority in the process) and, finally, violent assault and murder in a graveyard. The kids witnessing the graveyard murder is straight out of HUCKLEBERRY RNN. Quite an intricate plot for a 'lowly* comic book)

How original (and typical) of EC to have a story narrated by a grave (The Craving Grave!*)! This is one of the traits EC above all others in its day, and continues to 40

that put

years thence!

Dear Crypt-Keeper. I

EC's retelling resucit.

have two dozen comics and a toy of you.

"The

Anchorage,

Sleeping Beauty!" resudt.

revives a tired old fairy tale with

a Transylvanian twist.

Jess Lovelace

snappy lingo and

Dear Crypt-Keeper,

Dear Crypt-Keeper, >s

from the Crypt" 24 was great. Here's

It's

(

me, Monsterman. again.

just read

your

latest ish,

#23,

yesterday.

I I

The cover: Jack Davis does what Jack Davis does best, he impresses EC fans, and often even sells comics to fans of non-EC comics and people who watch the TV show. The

greatest of the

are pathetic, though.

fish

"Food

for Thought": This story

comic

this

TV episode, which has

than the

story.

The next three

good, and

pretty

very, very

little

stories are

’

how George Evans

line

and shadow.

a great story with great artwork.

carefully

really like

are clearing the way for the

and

LOVE the panel where

his stones with fine

drew

the part

when PhH and

US Navy

Larry

blow up Japan,

Larry sees Phil's rotted lace

through the porthole, because

it's

very creepy. Great

EC artists.

"The Craving Grave!" was good, but K just felt like a remake of that one about the trunk. Besides, that thing about earth wombs' was way too necrophilicish.

better

do with

about the

all

ocean, or at least have something to do the ocean. "Pearly to Dead": This

"Undertaking Palor" was great, up to the nice little poetic Stilt more proof that Jack Davis was the justice at the end.

Your version of "Sleeping Beauty!" was funny, particularly the character of 'Melvin?!'. look forward to see how they I

on your show.

‘Shadow

of a Doubt" was too good a story for that old bat, The Old Witch. Who'da thunk that a shadow could kilt That's something to try on those dog days of summer.

someone?

address unknown

Monsterman

story!

Schooner": This is not a bad story, but donl like art. It's boring and ugly. If an artist with like Jack Davis, Johnny Craig, Graham Ingels, George Evans or Jack Kamen illustrated this story it would have been much better. "Prairie

Bernie Kringstein's style,

Er, you mean “Shadow of Death", no doubt DONT try it during a solar edipse! Only the late Jack Benny could do complete justice to the 'Melvin?!' line (but that shouldn't be a problem for me, should it?). -CK

"Half-Baked": The creepy ocean thing is wearing off a little bit and yet this still manages to be the best story in the book! The ocean scenes are great. Graham Ingels is a wonderful artist.

Too bad he never drew you or The Vault-Keeper. Jack Davis, usually the artist who's supposed to draw you, has drawn The Vault-Keeper and The Old Witch before; Johnny Craig, who’s mostly known for drawing The VaultKeeper, has drawn (and painted) you and The Old Witch before; but Graham Ingels, who's known for making the stupid, annoying character some p>eople call The Old Witch worth looking at has never drawn you or The Vault-

How sad! You and The Vault-Keeper are much much more original characters than The Old Witch, and hate the title of her comic. A "Crypt of Terror" makes Keeper.

Also Available this month are PANIC and PIRACY *71 Watch lor VAULT, TWO-FISTED and VALOR neit month II Don't lorgel HAUNT, FRONTLINE COMBAT and CRIME. Gal them al your local comic book shop or

(sea our

In this

comic lor

details)!

BACK ISSUES: CRYPT II, sold out; FRONT

11-4.

S3 each; PANIC 11-4.

$3.50 each; al others up thru Issue S3, $1.50 each; CRYPT 14-16, and VAULT. 2 FIST, HAUNT and CRIME S4-15, S3 each. All others, $250 each (Latest Issues: CRYPT Is up to *25. VAULT. 2FIST. HAUNT and CRIME are up to 24, FRONT to 13, PANIC to 7 and PIRACY to 7.1.

better, I

sense, a Fear" doesn't.

"Vault of Horror"

"haunt"

makes sense, but a "Haunt of not a type of creepy place.

1) Who's version of you is the most accurate, Al Feldstein, Jack Davis, Johnny Craig, Jack Kamen, the Amicus film or Kevin Yager, who created the TV version of you? 2) Are you related to The Vault-Keeper at all. even distantly? 3) Who is the oldest GhouLunatic? PLEASE

Questions:

ANSWER

THESE

QUESTIONS

SERIOUSLY

Don't forget: Ihe completed run of WEIRD SCIENCE-FANTASY/1NCREDIBLE SCIENCE FICTION, al II Issue*. SI-3 am $1.50 each, S4-11, S3 each; the completed run of SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES. all 18 Issues. II3 are $1.50 aach. S4-I6 are $2.00 each and Sf7-1B are $2.50 each; the com plated run of WEIRD SCIENCE, a* 23 Issue*. 11-3 am $150 each, 14-16 am $2-00 each and 117-23 am $350 aach; and the completed run of WEIRD FANTASY, al 22 issues. (1-3 am $150 each. S4-15 am $2.00 aach and (16-23 am $250 aach.

Add $5 par order ($10 outside US]

GEMSTONE POB469 WEST PLAINS MO 65775

dip the entire mailorder staff In liquid Mylar twice

when we spray them

COVER a

FROM THE CRYPT “#41"

(#25,

"Mess W.

Only Jack Davis captured the pure physical power and athletic grace that is me! -CK

54)

Jack Davis

George Evans

Back, Little Linda!" "Current Attraction" I

APR/MAY

by Jack Davis

"Operation Friendship"

"Come

for ticks.

you were a habitue of The Old Witch's haunts, as unwillingly am, you'd agree they’re mighty creepy! It

THIS COMIC REPRINTS

TALES

says “Phil floating past the porthole?"

S4H

CRYPT Encinitas,

Did you know if you play Lennon saying, “Charlie and The Deafheads" from the LET fT BE album backwards he

year,

lor

AND

HONESTLY!!!!!

Zeke Stem

Jack

.,|.|.u

Kamen

Graham

Call" JJJ

L-XiliK.ilu.

liUlWII

Inaels

KNOWLEGE chow ended

Morphee's War, Morphee Brown. Morphee Bed, Mrs. Morphea’s Chowder, all must bow to.

eight

Morphee's Law

the Plutonian KOLLEGE OF PLUTONIC with the retirement of bandleader Cy Cesium, his entourage dispersed to the comers of the solar system to start solo careers. luck, we got Ishl N does explain much about the

When

Our

career of Jerry Lewis, however. Showbix tidbit from Frank ‘Fracture the People’ Mattson, Spring City, PA, to start

THE CRYPT-KEEPER’S PAGE

OF.

FINE ARTS .sb.

Mood

the weather,

sultry,

seeking.

Spies rumored vampire, strolls on. peeking. Scent of a victim, wafting fine Beckons this Dark One, keen to dine.

‘Some say you're evil,' comes her greeting. ‘People will say things,' her eyes meeting. Foundering in eyes hypnogogic. She falls to charms more than hypnotic. Buries his canines, glisfning. keen;

Sups from her Jug'lar, feast unseen. Vamp-eyes like onyx, grasping, glowing; Blood of the

victim, ebbing, flowing,

Touch of the vampire, rite unholy; A kiss for the living who's Death to the maiden, now undead; Bridge of a monster with earthy bed.

Here's a switch; go into the crypt to tail them, Brian Shea, Waltham, MA comes out of the grave to read them. Is there any way to cut out the middleman (you can use I

-CK

my axel)? Send your con tribe big,

legible

Warning-wo

(not returnable, not too long, not too

doublespaced

text

A/or bold black art

Shudd'ring transition, m eta morph ic. Resur-un-rection. grave-euphoric "Well come,' he says, *to

Necrology"

But she proves to be a prodigy.

She grabs

his cloak, gives him a smack. Bares his neck and bites him back

recover from surgery, here's a candidate for the Fine

Arts Page. Please print address.

adit) to:

THE CRYPT-KEEPER'S

PAGE OF FINE ARTS

R.C. Gorby, 2/27/98

0153 Sunny LN Camarillo,

93012

CAL L THIS ELECTRIFYING

Jeam had been ten when her mother had mistimed HER DOUBLE FORWARD SUMMERSAULT AND INC DOWN TO THE Blfl TOP FLOOR. .. LEAVINB JEAN AN ORPHAN AND RUFE A WIDOWER. YEARS ABO.

THAT'S IT, HONEY' THAT'S ITT

REMEMBER.' TUCK.' TUCK

Jean sobbed as she climbed down from the net and REACHED FOR THE CAPE HER FATHER HELD OUT FOR HER...

ir#...irs

I'LL _ I'LL NEVER BE ANY GOOD, DADDY f NEVER/ SOB ? WHY DON'T WE 6/VE UP*/

all A/Mr,

tfONEY? RELAX RELAX mtYHENYOU H/T' _)/

YOU'LL 00 IT, HONEY? YOU'LL SEE/ YOU'LL j

BE A

STAR SOMEDAY '.-^A

k PLEASTHAT MAY? j TH/S IS . URE TO DADDY.' MEET TtC WHY, WHEN T YOUR )EVERYBODY, FATHER MOTHER)cALLsmt ( OF SUCH A 'RUFE*f — CHARM AND ME 1

MAN CAME STRIDING ACROSS THE 1

6 ROUNDS, GRINNING BROADLY.

YOU SO.' I SEE YOU I'U. HAVE BEEN PRAC-J NEVER) BE J/3/M6, LOVELY T BE ANY )6RL ;ONE? THAT IS —/ 0000, <SOI r-r 6000 j->f ENRICO?) DA [

OH DADDY/ ENRICO, AND MY EYE ARE ALL Rl

IT'S

YOU'RE

NEW

AROUNO HERE, AREN'T YOU? WHAT'S

YOUR

ACTS

ENRICO

kSTAR DADDY? )

HE USUALLY GETS TOP B/LL/N6/ HE JUST JO/HED OUR CIRCUS

YES TERDAT A KNIFE-

HE'S

J < )

THROWERf

)

ALSO

THROW THE

MACHETE AND the CLEAVER.

1 WILL SEE YOU LATER. THEN ...AS WE PLANMED.

AU REVOIR..

e/RL,

MR...ER...

STARTED...

RUFE?.

HE'S «

VERY

SWEET, DADDY.

AND VERY MISUNDERSTOOD HIS ft WIFE.

Old rufe and his daughter WALKED ON IN SILENCE UNTIL THEY CAME TO THEIR TRAILER. THEN,.

MOT HAVE DON'T BE SILLY MY DAUGHTER jI) DADDY f WE'RE 80/N6 OUT JUST FRIENDS'

I'LL

W/FEff HE'S

HIS

^0 r

OH, YES/ HIS

MARRIED?* y WIFE is his PARTNER in the act' she STANDS UP

WITH A MAMHIED MAM/

M0TH/M6 MORE! he's VERY UM-

HAPPY'

Iw7 AGAINST A boardan °

he...

THAT'S JUST IT, DADDY i X AND YOU MEAN THEY DON'T GET ALONG! TO TELL ME J SHE LETS HIM HE'S NOT IN LOVE X, WITH HER ANY LONGER. STAND THERE BUT SHE REFUSES TO A NO THROW GIVE HIM A DIVORCE KNIVES AT [

BRAVO.'\

6REAT*1'TERRIFIC') 6000 7 ISN*T HE I'D HATE TO WMTLORD.'}WONDER-]d E his WIFE |

pV FUL, DADDY? AND HAVE Rramra FT HIM sore L V at me/ one P^r J

ISN'T

SHE

HORRIBLE *

ENRICO IS A NERVOUS WRECK HE DOESN'T WANT

r\ sup. *

HER'?

I'M SORRY, DADDY? I CAN'Tjust TURN MY

HEART OFF LIKE RAD/Of WHEN IT

ARM

AVOIO

LETT/MS IT

He could see them in the moonlight., meeting AND WALKING OFF.

YOU CAN

A r- '

HAPPENS, IT HAPPENS.' AND \ YOU CAN'T DO \

HAPPEN

IT'S

•

IT'S

ALREADY HAPPENED'

,r!

this

CANNOT 60 ON/ r

INSANE/ 1

iOT TO him., I'VE

ARM ...HIS DAUGHTER, AND

r MOf

NO, JEAN?

WON'T

LET YOU RUIN TOUR LIFE? I'VE WORRIED TOO LONS ANO

TOO HARD WITH YOU TO LET YOU THROW IT AWAYf

That night, old rufus tried to wait up for his DAUGHTER TO COME HOME. HE REMENBEREO THECLOCK HANDS POINTING TO THREE BEFORE HE OOZED OFF AND WHEN HE AWOKE, IT WAS MORNIN6, AND JEAN WAS SLEEPING SOUNDLY.

’

LOOK FOR t ,T

AttyrmwADOUT

ENRICO.,

TOO LATE.

DADDY?

YOU DON'T

HAVE TO

talk

! -

1 I

Rufe dressed angrily and hurrieo across the 'THE CIRCUS GROUNOS to the trailer MARKEO

SREAT ENRICO he hammered on the door YEAH? WHAT DO YOUR... YOUR HUSBAND. 7 YOU WANT? _ I WANT TO SEE HIM.. ALONE.* T r~ 1

LD RUFE LEANED OVER THE SNORING ENRICO AND

HUH? SURE, 0L0 MAN

ONLY YOtfLL HAVE TO

WAKE HIM UP. HE WAS OUT ALL N/6HT LAST NIGHT. HE'S^£r4l r

STILL ASLEEP.

WHO... WHAT...

YAWN ...WHAT DO

T YOU WANT?

)

I I

WANT TO TALK TO YOU? ABOUT MY DAUGHTER > WANT YOU TO LEAVE N&

Old

rufe left enrico's trailer and stamped ACROSS THE CIRCUS GROUNDS, FUMIN6 HE CAME THE .

INTO

BIS TOP, HIS MIND WHIRLING... _

„

WKf&t cah't let himVwreck my

Ml.

•

mnm Wi

'eahhies life? :ve 10 GET fi/D OF

mu'

sc-

I'VE

•

HMMPHf YOU CAN ALMOST OUTLINE THE SILHOUETTE OF ENRICO'S WIFE FROM ALL THESE KNIFE MARKS.' AND THE CLEAVER MARK IS...IS...

OlO RUFE LET HIMSELF 1 FIND r

HER...

TOO

ATTRACTIVE.

OF COURSE' THAT'S IT* ATTRACTION' -g-r

THAT’S IT

INTO THE ELECTRICIAN'S SHED WITHOUTBEINQ SEEN. HE CHUCKLED SOFTLY TO HIM8ELE, EVERYONE FHOIVS ENRICO HO

LOHSER LOVES H/SW/FE. EVERYONE KHOWS SHE WON'T O/VE HIM A DIVORCE.

SO...

WHAT BETTER WAY TO SET am RID of her.. .

-i ,

RuFE CARRIED THE COIL OF FINE COPPER WIRE AND THE BAR OF SOFT IRON BACK TO THE SIS-TOI T0N/6HT... TOMGHT ENRICO THROWS THE CLEAVER DIRECTLY AT HIS WIFE'S HEAD.. SPLITTING IT OPEN ...F/LL/N6 HER. IT WILL BE SO OBVIOUS HE WILL BE CHARGED WITH MURDER f ALL THE EVIDENCE WILL POINT TO ITf EVEN JEAN WILL HAVE TO TESTIFY

THAT NIGHT, THE SHOW BEGAN AS USUAL. OLO RUFE STOOD BY, WAITIN6 FOR ENRICO'S ACT TO BEGIN... HE GOES ON ) IN

THIRTY

SECONDS '

\ k

HEY, RUFE / I GOT A JOB FOR

YOU • C’MON/

WOUND THE COPPER WIRE AROUND THE IRON CORE, CREATING A POWERFUL ELECTROMAGNET. THEN HE SECURED THE MAGNET TO THE REAR OF THE BEHINO WHERE ENRICOS WIFE'S

THERE? NOW...TO ATTACH WINDINGS TO A STRONG SET f

CURRENT... AND WE'RE

nsrE ROUSTABOUT FOREMAN LEO ACROSS THE CIRCUS GROUNDS. A

RUFUS OUT OF THE BIG TOP? BEHIND, THE DRUMS ROLLED-THE CYMBOLS

FIGURE STOOD

CLASHED..

WAI TING...

THAT'S ...THAT'S •

STARTING.* I WANTED, to iTf i ... -m

SEE

Q-r

IMPORTANT?

OW£

THE MOONU6HT,

LEAVIN' H H/M/lOW YDAUGHTER

THIS IS

YOU.'J YES/ ME? I'M

SEE L, to*o/wow*)

YOU'LL

ENRICO 'S ACT

THIS

SOMEBODY A

\ favor/

RUFES'S BLOOD FROZE? THE DRUMS WERE BUILDING UP TO A CRESCENDO NOW. THE END OF THE GREAT ENRICO'S ACT WAS AT HAND. RUFUS COULD SEE THE CLEAVER RAISED ...SEE IT FLYING THROUGH THE AIR... SEE IT WAVER AS IT ENTERED THE MAGNETIC FIELO...SEE IT SWERVE INWARD... CUTTING- SPLITTING... THE BLOOD... THE RED RAW FLESH AND BONE... THE BRAINS

-J

SHE'S TAKIN6 MY PLACE IN

THE ACT,

fcg-T

TOO* C'MON*

LET'S GO*

—n

|M||

^HEH.HEH? SO

A NY BOOTS

IN A SU6HTLY US£0SECOND - HAND FN/FE-THROWER'S BOARD, IT'S

AVAILABLE. ONLY THING

IS, IT'S

A BIT

STAINED f OF COURSE, AS FAR AS/'* CONCERNED, IT OUGHT TO BE USED THAT WAY* SORT OF ADDS SOMETHING, DON'T YOU THINK? AND NOW, IT'S TIME TO TURN YOU OVER TO THE OLD WITCH, WHO WILL WIND UP MY MORBID MAS FOR THIS ISSUE. OH*

REMEMBER THE E.C. FAN ADDICT CLUB/ooh T DO NOTHIN’* JUST

REMEMBER BYE* Behind them.cymbols crashed and a base-drum boomed. txcrcwo

IT *

HEE, HEEf WELL, DON'T JUST STAND THERE WITH YOUR T0N6UES HANGING OUT/ COME IN/ COME INTO THE I've 60T ANOTHER SL /ME- SERVING brewing in my CAULDRON, all READY TO DISH OUT. YE Pf IT'S ME, AGAIN. THE OLD WITCH HEE, HEEf HUNGRY FOR HORROR. ARE YOU? GOOD. THEN CLOSE YOUR DILATED NOSTRILS AND OPEN YOUR LITTLE LEERING MOUTHS ANO ILL SHOVEL IN FOUL FARE THIS is HANS GRUBER'S REEFING RECIPE vintage 1918. listen, now, to THE TASTY TALE

HAUNT OF FEAR/

OF TERROR HANS CALLS.

. .

Ahhh/ it is warm and dry here, it IS good to FEEL WARM ANO DRY. I AM SO TIREO...SO VERY TIRED. ANO MY EYES ARE HEAVY WITH SLEEP X CLOSE THEM. I SLEEP...

CONE, CORPORAL/ WARE UP/ ON YOUR FEET/ I H A VE FOR YOU AN IMPORTANT ASSIGNMENT/\ COME AT ONCE/

I AM

GOING OUT THERE AGAIN. I DO NOT LIKE IS WET ANO COLD OUT THERE. HERE

THERE. IT

WARM ANO DRY

IT IS

HWF

T ..

YES, .YOU WILL PROCEED TO AREA 14 YOU WILL DATE YOUR REPORT NOV. OBERLEUTHl 81,1917... AND THE EXACT HOUR/JfmCT

that

IMPORTANT/

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

I AM FRIGHTENED. HIS ARMS SWING OUTWARD. Z PULL MY BAYONET AND THRUST A4AM... 8TABBINB... SL ASHINS... CUTTINS HIM TO RIBBONS. Z SEE HIS PACE... HIS EYES AND THE POURING... AND Z AM SICK... .

8LOOO

air is cool, but x am warm, we are walking to HERR HEINRICH'S SHOP. I FEEL OOOD-. ^

The

Sfi^*"v*E ARE SOON THERE, HANS? ONLY . UNTIL THE END OF THIS

W HUH? OH

..HERR

HEINRICH/A

T NARROW STREET?

ACH? OF COURSE YOU DON'T SEE IT, HANS? I AM EXCLUSIVE IF I WERE TO HAVE A BIG OPEN STORE, ALL 6ERHANY WOULD pCOME TO ME TOR ME AT... AND PROOF.. IN J .

ONE DAY... THEY WOULD CLEAN HE OUTf UNDERSTAND? ah?

XTW

There is much meat in herr heinrich's shop and MANY PEOPLE COME TO BUY. f-

1 60 TO MY ROOM ANO UNDRESS AND LIE ON MY SOFT BED... SOFT AND WARM AND D RY... —

—

JHHRIIjfcOHE,

C ORPORAL

ilnflBrJP WAKE UP' ON YOU EAT ANY HERR

YOU?,..

HEINRICH?

...THERE YOU ARE, HERR ACH? NOT ONLY DO YOU ] LUD MEYER* 2 POUNDS? SELL ME HEAT BUT YOU CORRECT? ER.. -HOW INVITE HE TO YOUR ABOUT SOME SCHNAPPS HOUSE/ YES, I WOUU) I ) AT MY HOUSE TONIGHT? WE ENJOY THAT, HERR CAN TALK ABOUT THE HEINRICH?

^ /rU

HERE WE ARE

YOUR FEET '

•

f THERE.' THAT IS 6000' HA' HA'

NO ONE

ALL 6ERMANY HAS MEAT AS If AH..

AS MUCH

ANOTHER CUSTOMER to- IS HERE'

AM STRONG.

VES, GUSTAV,

we MEED

FINE.' )

RELAXATION' YOU.. YOU .AlE IN RICK' ANO YOUR WIFE.' COME f FINEfx TO MY HOUSE TONIGHT. /BRING MY WE WILL HAVE /wiFE.' TELL ME' WHERE DO YOU SAY?f 00 YOU LIVE? .

SCHNAPPS WHAT

IT IS

rOH, FRAU SHOTZ. YOU HAVE TASTEO NO THINS UNTIL YOU HAVE TRIED THE IMPORTED

MINES

YOU ARE A GENEROUS HEN RICH?

HOST; HERR

^X~.I AM VERY

GO TO BED, NOW' A Jl GOOONIGHT.

IN MY WINE CELLAR. COME, GUSTAV... FRAU —•'-'T} SHOTZ ' I WLL SHOW B1J you'

SLEEP Vf

WILL

OARK HERE' I AM DIZZY' EVERY-

is cold a no damp ano AMD MY TEETH CHATTER

shiver

THIS

WAY,

CORPORAL' THIS CAREFUL? THE

r LISTER,

WAY. BUT BE

ENEMY

JUST OVER

HANS?

LISTEN?

THAT HILL...

TAKE THIS? YOUR

MAUSER-

An ENEMY

SOLDIER- X SWING AROUND, SEN0IN6 MY BAYONET INTO HIS SOFT BELLY.. .FEEUNG THE CRUNCHING BONE ...HEARING THE SUCKING SOUND-

THERE HE IS, HANS' SET HIM?* rjrT SET HIM? r-rTfl

'6000, HANS' 6000? NOW, SO TO WORK?

I PULL OUT MY BAYONET AND THRUST SLASHING -CUTTING HIM TO RIBBONS.

AGAIN... STABBING

CAREFUL. HANS .

CAREFUL?

SEE HIS FACE.. POURIM6.

ANO

HIS EYES.. SICK.

AND TH E BLOOD POURING

WHY 00 YOU STOR?^%

FINISH? FINISH YOUR

work?

CHORE? THESE... THEBE IS A BODY ON THE BLOCK? IT IS...

CORPORALI] I_I_HAVE DONE A HORRIBLE I ORDER TERRIBLE THINS? BUT.. .RUT HOW ( i

) MANY OTHER TIMES HAVE Z DONE I yovtRH/SH J HERR SHOTZ'kHQ \ YOUR f lTHIS? HOW MANY OTHER TIMES THIS IS HO BAYONET! ASSIGN- U "hAS HE.. ME...? OOOOH...MY HEAD'^k THIS IS A CLEAVER i/ MENT.' If MY MEMORY HANS' J COMING BACK' M IN MY HANO? 1

)

WOH.LORD! A * BUTCHER'S 4

OH. HANS?

CHOPPING BLOCK !

RINISH!

.flVI

UPSTAIRS'*

1 REMEMBER^NOW? YES? YES? I WAS A BUTCHERT. A GOOD BUTCHER! THEN, A SOLDIER ? I WAS A SOLDIER AND I KILLED A MAN IN A SHELL HOLE!

THERE WAS AN EXPLOSHJH! EVERY N/SHT HAVE OREAMED OF THAT KILLINS? Y-YOU! YOU MADE ME DO THIS RIEHDISH WORK ..

<YE8f-.YES? YOU ROUND

OUT I WAS

A BUTCHER.'

LIKE HO OTHER SHOP IN ALL SERMAHY, YOURS IS PULL OR MEAT' ALL OF THE VISITORS YOU HAVE BROUGHT DOWN HERE! YES ! OR COURSE YOU*

^.EXCLUSIVE SHOP IS RILLED WITH

^HUUAN HEAT'rJtj

WHILE I DREAMED!

EUKH

V*o-Vl

'hEE.HEE? WELL^iInOS? THAT'S my DELIRIUM DISH FOR THIS ISSUE 0 FCK.S MA6. POOR HANS? ] THAT BLOW ON THE H066/N CLEARED IT TOR A REW MINUTESBUT HE SOON SLIPPED BACK INTO THE OLD 6RIND! ANYWAY, HE WAS PUT INTO A NICE WARM DRYROOM. WITH CUSHIONED WALLS ANO BARRED WINDOWS AND HE NEVER J

J A

ROOD LORD!*

ATE ANOTHER HAMBUR6ER

{

LONG AS HE

LIVED? 'BYE, NOW. WE 'LL

1 1

ALL SEE Y0U

sâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;" wr JUAiVJ

C '' i

NEXT '

*. s 4,46 k THE VAULT >

v)Jwm\ or horror!

LET ME BRING YOU UP TO DATE! THE 32-PG FACSIMILE REPRINTS OF THE EC COMICS OF IS PROCEEDING APACE! GET UP TO SPEED! NEW TO THE LINE ARE PIRACY AND VALOR (THEY REPUCE WEIRD SCIENCE AND WEIRD FANTASY, WHICH HAVE COMPLETED THEIR 22-ISSUE RUN AND ARE AVAIUBLE AS BACK ISSUES). BRIM-FULL OF SAGAS OF THE

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GREETINGS, BOILS ANO GHOULS! WELCOME ONCE AGAIN TO THE MAGAZINE VOTED “I'D MOST LIKE TO BE SHIPWRECKED ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH, IF MARILYN MONROE WERE ALONG TOO/" mm! THERE MUST BE AN HONOR IN THAT SOMEWHERE. ANYWA-P.IT’S YOUR CRYPT-KEEPER AGAIN, WELCOMING YOU TO ANOTHER with this SCREAM-STORY GUARANTEED TO DRIVE YOU A FAVORITE OF MlNEf I CALL THIS DISGUSTING DELVING INTO DELIRIUM.

SLIMY SESSION of SICKENING SELECTIONS STARTIN6 NOTES it's a MASTERPIECE OF MUSICAL MORBIDITY..

Sacha barak, the famed concert violinist, CLUTCHED HIS PRECIOUS STRADIVARIUS PROTECSOFTLY TO

BREAST AND CURSED TO SELF AS THE OLD COACH RUMBLED ANO BUMPED OVER THE RUTTED ROAD THROUGH THE ROUMANIAN COUNTRYSIDE. THE OLD COACH HAD BEEN THE ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO SACHA. TAXI DRIVERS HAD LOOKED AT HIM WIDEEYED AND TURNED AWAY WHEN HE TOLD THEM HIS DESTINATION. SO HE'D CLIMBED INTO THE ANCIENT VEHICLE, WITH ITS TIGHT- LIPPED DRIVER, AND NOW HE WAS BEING WHIPPED AND JOSTLED ABOUT AS IT THUNDERED INTO THE NIGHT. TIVELY

HIS

HIM-

^ BLAST! THESE CONFOUNDED TRANSYLVANIAN HIGHWAYS ARE EVEN WORSE THAN I REMEMBER THEM. IF IT WEREN'T TO SEE VASIL IORGA, I WOULD NEVER EVEN ATTEMPT SUCH A

JOURNEY?

THE FOAM-FLf.CKED HORSE CHARGED INTO THE OMINOUS BLACK HILLS WITHOUT SLACKENING ITS MAD PACE. SACHA LEANED FROM THE COACH WINDOW AND SHOUTED AT THE DRIVER, WHO REMAINED AS HE HAD BEEN FROM THE START OF THE TRIP, SULLEN AND MUT E.. r SLOWDOWN, SLOW DOWN, YOU FOOL ? 00 YOU WANT TO GET US BOTH KILLED?

So THE FAMED VIOLINIST COULD ONLY PRAY FOR SAFE DELIVERANCE TO HIS DESTINATION. SOON, THE CREAKING GROANING ObACH CLATTERED LOUDLY OVER COBBLESTONES. THEY WERE MSS NG THROUGH A TOWN THAT SACHA RECOGNIZED... [ = CHISASI f THANK HEAVENS? ONLY SEVEN MORE MILES TO BRUDJA Y I

The LAST SEVEN MILES BETWEEN CHISASI HEH.HEH? 'ONLY A FOOL AND BRUDJA WERE EVEN WORSE THAN WHAT HE SAYS. PARDON HI PUTRID HAD GONE BEFORE. THE COACH BOUNCED PUN, KIDDIES, BUT YOU'VE AND HEAVED OVER THE PITTED AND SCARRED NEVER SEEN SACHA FOOL

Vasile iorga lived in an ancient HOUSE AT THE EDGE OF TOWN. SACHA STOOD BEFORE THE MAN HE'D DREAMED SO LONG OF SEEING, BUT TIME HAD DONE NECK ITS WORK ON HIS OLD TEACHER... ',

OIRTROAD. BUT AT LAST.

so THIS

AND A $26,000 FIDDLE TO REACH THIS HORRIBLE HAMLET? YOU'LL SEE WHAT I

BRUDJA f ..J WONDEII THEY DON'T PAVE the road here, only a < FOOL WOULD COME TO THIS GODFORSAKEN TOWN NOW! WHY EVERYTHING IS MOLDED!NG with DECAY AMO ROT.. is

Sacha almost wept

SACHA

...

"WLENT WHEN I WAS BUT A CHILD... AND

TAUGHT ME ALL knOw. .

PUPIL...SACHA...

JM) \

/ WHO RECOGNIZED MY

rjfJBSak

SACHA BARAK.'

||—

I DO y AS IF I COULD EVER USED TO (J FORGET THE MAN

IA?

/ITSMAESTRO.' YOUR OLD

WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU .

Suddenly, sacha noticed the old man stiffen... SAW his face grow grey and his eyes fill with ~~ ' TERROR... aBTiiT^ Mm SACHA? YOU SHOULD NEVER DANGEROUS?' HAVE COME TO VISIT ME HERE \ WHY, MAESTRO? IN BRUDJA.' IT IS DANGEROUS.. N— -

RECOGNIZE YOU?

NO.' I DON'T

WANT?

as LOOKED AT THE FACE OF HIS TEACHER... A FACE THAT HAD ONCE BEEN SO HANOSOME AND POWERFUL AND NOBLE, BUT NOW WAS WITHERED AND TOOTHLESS, WITH FADED WATERY EYES. VASILE WAS A MERE SHELL OF THE STRICT, STERN MAESTRO SACHA HAD SO LONG REVERED. .

R1 S K ING HIS

—

FORMER PUPIL ANO WHISPERED. H0W DON'T YOU REMEMBER, COULD SACHA? THIS IS WERE-

^ I

WOLF COUNTRY? DON'T

I? SO

'A FULL MOON HAD HISEN .FILTERING THROUGH THE GNARLED OLD TREES, AND AN OMINOUS SILENCE

'Don’t YOU remember that young COUPLE? THEY'D DRIVEN HEREFROM

The OLD MAN LOOKED AROUND UNEASILY, THEN STARED AT HIS

YOU RECALL THE INCI~ \ MANY DENT THAT TOOK PLACE \ THINGS HAVE ALMOST TWENTY YEARS AGO WHEN X WAS LIVING /HAPPENED SINCE' IN CHISASI AND YOU USED J WHAT TO COME FOR LESSONS?/

BUDAPEST, IMPULSIVELY RISKING A TOUR THROUGH THE TRANSYLVANIAN ALPS. THE RUGGED ROAD BETWEEN CHISASI AND 8/WOJA HAD PROVEN •..r.B MOTOR UATn O ^iD CAR. TOO- ....... MUCH FOR THElR BE PATIENT,

MARTA f X WILL

FIND THE TROUBLE IN

YOU DON

SUR-

)

MOMENT?

’

I SHALL

FREEZE

HAD ENVELOPED THE LONELY ROUNDING COUNTRYSIOe. A RUSTLING OF NEARiY BRAMBLES CAUSED THE WOMAN TO TURN HER HEAD, ANO WHAT SHE SAW BROUGHT A SOULPIERC NG SCREAM FROM HER THROAT,

;

THIS MOUNTAIN NIGHT AIR, / (

INCIDENT?

RUDOLF'

WHAT

;/S

it,

MARTA

'AS THE YOUNG MAN CAME AT THE SLOBBERING SHAKING SNARLING, BLOOOTHIRSTY WEREWOLF, IT FLED. AFTER THE WITH HORROR, HE FLUNG HIS LANTERN AGAINST FLEEING BEAST. THE LANTERN SHATTERED SAW, BY A TREE TRUNK, BURSTING INTO FLAME, AND HE THE SUDDEN LIGHT, HIS WIFE'S ARM DANGLING FROM THE WEREWOLF'S DROOLING MOUTH

young 'It was a werewolf? IT sprang upon the WOMAN, SINKING ITS RAZOR-SHARP FANGS INTO HER SOFT WHITE FLESH ..WHILE THE YOUNG MAN SCRAMBLED FROM BENEATH THE CAR-’

MARTA? MY GOD...?

CHOKE.

screams ’Don’t you remember, sachat you heard the THE GROWLS. ..THE COMMOTION OUTSIDE. YOU WANTED

W' SACHA.' YOUR DEBUT IS ONLY TWO WEEK OFF' WE MUST PRACTICE. IT IS

NOTHING /GET BACK TO YOUR MUSIC STAND'

BUT,

maestro?

f THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WRONG? i

LOOK?

MFN RUNNING ...WITH

£ £gK

LANTERNS...

SHE'S.

DEAD?

NO? OH.X MAESTROr LORD...>VC>/J ?

COME AWAY,

> SKHtf.COME WHAT A RAY? HAPPENED

•v TO HER?

The old teacher finished

his

STORY WITH A SIGH. SACHA NOTICED THAT he was shaking and covered WITH SWEAT, AND HIS TOOTHLESS OLD 7— MOUTH QUIVERED. __^ .

.OH,

REMEMBERT)

YES' OF COURSE,

THERE HAVE BEEN DO YOU EXPECT MORE INCIDENTS,/ ME TO BELIEVE SACHA? HERE .' i THERE IS A ¥ READ THIS NEWS - T WEREWOLF PAPER SENT TO 1 ", HEREIN ME FROM BUCHAREST') BRUDJA

7 A MEMBER OF BUCH-

\ I

—

SYLVANIAN TOWN OF BRUDJA. THERE WAS A FULL MOON, AND

maestro? i

the EXPLANATION OF the incident was

HIS BODY, STRIPPED OF

SIMPLE ENOUGH, the WOODS ARE FULL OF

m^mWOLYESf THEY'VE

WnV

k FLESH, WAS FOUND...

BEEN

known to ATTACK a "

MAN.

The OLD MAN POINTED to the ARTICLE IN THE NEWSPAPERTHERE WAS A FULL MOON,' NONSENSE, MAESTRO < SACHA? a LYCANTHROP/C 4 ^ AM AS SAFE HERE AS moon, in TWO DAYS, there'llX YOU ARE' if i am not

BE ANOTHER X BEG «F YOU WELCOME in your DO NOT STAY IN BRUDJA/ J HOME, i will go to the n —T MM. but i WILL NOT Ij

BE FRIGHTENED INTO

...

Sacha ope ned X

AREST SOCIETY PAID WITH HIS LIFE LAST NIGHT WHEN HE IGNORED WARNING TO STAY AWAY FROM THE TRAN-

\ THE I?)

DO irr^ REMEMBER but

LEAKING BRUDJA f

his sIjitcass

CARRY

IT TO PROTECT MYSELF AND MY srsAD/VA/nus.

and took out

~ A STRADI

his

VAR/US ' A

GENUINE S TRA D!VAR/US?

LET ME SEE.'

YOU WERE ALWAYS STUBBORN, SACHA ? 1 OF COURSE, AND I DO WANT YOU TO STAY. IT S JUST MAESTRO? THAT, AT THIS TIME OF THE MONTH. KNOW how AND A STRAN6ER IN TOWN. ..WELL... TO TAKE CARE PROMISE ME YOU'LL KEEP YOUR ) OF MYSELF? BEDROOM WINDOWS AND DOOR LOOK...

fey-T

LOCKED...

.A0T

Old vasile opened sacha’s violin case and drew forth the STRAP/VAR/US. he fondled it reverently AS SACHA STARED AT HIS GUN ... ita IF I

REMEMBER

RIGHT, MAESTRO,

LEGEND HAS IT THAT ONLY A SILVER BULLET CAN KILL tar A WEREWOLF.'

TbEAUTIFUL?

BEAUTIFUL' IT...

EH? SACHA.' WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

Sacha's eyes narrowed. hesmileo6Rimly.. I'M THINKING ABOUT T DON’T BE A FOOL, KILLING ME A WEREI SACHA? WHY RISK y \ YOUR LIFE? WOLF, VASILE. DO YOU

HAVE AN IRON KETTLE X MAY USE TO MELT DOWN SOME SILVER. ..

SO STOP WORRYING ME. TELL YOU

I AM NO FOOL, MAESTRO' THINK OF THE PUBLICITY I

ABOUT

WILL RECEIVE. ..HEADLINES IN ALL THE PAPERS THROUGHOUT EUROPE '.'FAMED VIOLINIST

WHAT YOU UNI PLAY my STRADI VAR!US AS LONG AS I STAY HERE. THERE NOW SET ME

FREES ROMANY TOWN OF RAMPAGING WEREWOLF '/YOU SEE, VASILE, THERE'S

THAT KETTLE...

MORE TO

SUCCESS THAN MERE GENIUS.' EVEN I MUST HAVE PUBLICITY/

Sacha spent the next few hours

When

the cellar,

MELTING DOWN SILVER COINS AND POURING THE MOLTEN SILVER INTO A MOLD HE'D MADE BY PRESSING THE SLUG FROM AN ORDINARY BULLET INTO MOIST EARTH. AND AS HE WORKED, ELEGIAC STRAINS OF A SAD GYPSY AIR PLAYED ON THE STRADIVARIUS BY THE FALTERING HANDS OF HIS OLD TEACHER FILTERED DOWN FROM THE PARLOR ...

HMMM ? THE OLD BOY CAN

STILL PLAY..

The NEXT MORNING, EVEN THOUGH THE OLD MAESTRO WARNED HIM AGAINST IT, SACHA WALKED INTO TOWN. THE SUN BEAT DOWN ON THE MARKETPLACE, BUT THE WARMTH IT BROUGHT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO OFFSET THE COLD, SUSPICtQUS STARES OF THE TOWNSFOLK...

jjB

A FR/ENDL Y FACE AMONGTHEM' THE WAY THEY LOOK AT ME, YOU'D THINK I

HMMM? NOT

%fa

tHE silver slugs were cooled, sacha

REMOVED THE LEAD SLUGS FROM THE REGULAR BULLETS AND REPLACED THE SILVER ONES IN THE STEEL JACKETS. HE WENT UPSTAIRS, FILLED THE CHAMBERS OF HIS HIS HANOIWORK, AND PLACED THE GUN ~ OVERCOAT POCKET.

REVOLVER WITH

IN HIS

[SUCH TONE,

THERE, MAESTRO? NOW

j—MB

SACHA.

such MELLOW SOUNDS COME FROM THIS GLORIOUS INSTRUMENT

READY FOR THE' WEREWOLF OF BRUDJA t MtiBk

I'M

SUSPICION AND COLDNESS IN THE TOWNSPEOPLES STARES. SACHA SEEMED TO SENSE A CERTAIN TENSENESS. ..PERHAPS HOSTILITY. HE PLUNGED HIS HAND INTO HIS OVERCOAT POCKETS, FEELING FOR THE REASSURING STEEL OF HIS REVOLVER.

But THERE WAS MORE THAN

MY GUNf GONE.'

CHOKE... IT'S

Sacha returned

at.ONCE TO VASILE lORGA'S HOUSE. HC WAS VERY UPSET AND SPOKE EXCITEDLY TO THE OLD

Sacha stared at his toothless maestro. WAIT A MINUTE' HOW DID ANYONE YES, SACHA f IT KNOW I HAD A GUN HOW DID THEY ) WAS 1 X TOOK

I THOU6HT rr was ACCIDENTAL that now that / someone JOSTLED ME when x FIRST /your GUN ENTERED the marketplace, but now Sis gone, I REALIZE that HE must have 57V?Z^v)perhaps * MY GUN. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT YOU WILL MEANS, VASILE? ONE OF YOUR LEAVE

KNOW IT

WAS LOADED with S/L- /the gun from VEP BULLETS f HOW COULD s' Y0UR POCKET AND

THEY? VASILEf YOU.

TOWNSPEOPLE

^m^voLF

tLD

^ IS

the

WERE

THREW IT DOWN THE WELL f IT was ONLY BECAUSE I AM

AFRAID FOR

you..

S-HSj

MAN BEGAN TO CRY.

That

night, a gibbous moon, not QUITE FULL, BATHED THE OLD MAESTRO'S HOUSE IN A COLD PALE LIGHT. INSIDE, SACHA SCANNED A NEWSPAPER WHILE VASILE PLAYED THE

£W

I DID IT FOR ANGRY AT YOU ? OWN NO, MAESTRO/ I GOOD, ‘A, AM TOUCHED by SACHA/ NOW \ YOUR CONCERN YOU ARE ANGRY) FOR MV SAFETY. AT ME/ BUT X HAVE NO

YOUR

gM AtB

BOB

VALUABLE

WHY THIS

INTENTION of

VIOLIN...r IS

LAST

LEAVING BRUDJA!

AREST JOURNAL, VASILE. AND IT CAME TODAY.

the mail is j

MONTH'S BUCH-

SLOW COMING TO BRUDJA.

STAND

A SEARCHING PARTY FOUND THE FIVE BODIES THE NEXT OAY OUTSIDE

THE TOWN. THEY HAD ALL BEEN STRIPPED OF THEIR FLESH'L'BARt SKELETONS" M UNIDENTIFYABLE "...

BEFORE A REPORT CAUGHT HIS EYE. HE LEAPED UP WITH A START. VASILE LISTEN TO THIS/ "THERE WAS A FULL MOON LAST NIGHT WHEN FIVE PERSONS FROM CHISASI

BECAME DRUNK WHILE CELEBRATING A WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AND WANDERED INTO THE /LL-FAMED

TOWN OF BRUDJA..!'

SACHA /YOU CAN UNDER-

)

Sacha was well into the paper

YES, SACHA/

YOU SEE,

THAT HAPPENED LAST

MANY TIMES TO SO MANY HUNDREDS OF POOR <-

MONTH...

UNFORTUNATE PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS, THAT WE HERE IN BRUDJA ARE

HAS HAPPENED SO

NO LONGER SHOCKED

—

BY IT/

I RECALL SOMETHING ' I READ ON MY LAST CONCERT TOUR, VASILE/ WONDER ...HMMM/ OF

7 I

COURSE/ HOW STUPID OF ME / TOMORROW, I .

AM GOING FOR

INTO CHISASI...

ANOTHER GUN.

. .

Early the next morning, sacha BARAK, THE FAMED VIOLINIST, WALKED THE SEVEN MILES TO IN ORDER TO PURCHASE THE GUN AND BULLETS HE NEEDED^ HE CARRIED HIS EMPTY VIOLIN CASE... L SHOULD HAVE GUESSED WELL, TONIGHT THE MOON WILL BE FULL AND I WILL BE WAITING FOR THEM... IN THE MARKETPLACE..

CHISASI

It was past noon when he returned TO VASILE'S HOME. HE GRINNED CONFIDENTIALLY AS HE

SHOWED THE OLD MAN THE G UN HE'D BOUGHT.

CASE

AND

TWILIGHT WAS BEGINNING TO SHROUt TOWN, SACHA RETURNEO TO THE PARLOR WITH K AMMUNITION, LOADED HIS GUN, AND REPLACED VIOLIN CASE. .rgg= THEH^'DONEf AND NOW... HOT THIS ONE, SACHA i GOOD HEAVENS, vasile, J not a STRADIVARIUS! DON'T YOU EVER TINE < BESIDES, yo u SAID I OF PLAYING THE VIOLIN? ) COULD PLAY IT WHILE YOU STAYED...

HIS ROOM, LISTENING TO THE LILTING STRAINS OF THE VIOLIN. SUDDENLY HE FELT VASILE'S 'll HANDS SHAKING H1M...|pp—

—

\ USf? NO SIR, OLD MAN' IT IS ALMOST TIME, SACHA' THE MOON IS YOU'NE STAY N 6 HERE ALMOST FULL fCOMEft YOU TOLD ME YOURSELF LET US GO f 7-r—"4, IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS... I

A .

INSISTED that he WOULD FOLLOW SACHA ANYWAY, SO THEY WALKED INTO TOWN TOGETHER. ABOVE, THE MOON CAST AN EERIE GLOW UPON THE COBBLESTONE STREETS. THE MARKETPLACE WAS DESERTED, YET SACHA WAS AWARE OF A FRIGHTENING PRESENCE ..SOMETHING HE COULD ONLY FEEL INSTINCTIVELY. THE WEIGHT OF THE WEAPON IN THE VIOLIN CASE COMFORTED HIM. ..

J tM&S>'M

Sacha rested

And WHEN

But vasile

MIKZS8

WHO

WOULD SUSPECT IT CONCEALS A GUN. .

SPENT IN THE CELLAR, CAREFULLY MOLDING BULLETS FROM MOLTEN SILVER- fT—

NO ONE TONIGHT I 60 INTO TOWN (of COURSE

...and will

CARRYING MY VIOLIN

then, slowly, the frightening presence MADE ITSELF KNOWN. THE TOWNSPEOPLE ... ALL OF THE POPULATION OF BftUDJA... BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM ALLEYS AND DOORWAYS AND DEEP SHADOWS. THEY CAME TOWARD SACHA AND VASILE.,

And

And as they

came, sacha could see thsir red eyes glowing IN THE FULL MOONLIGHT, AND THE HAIR BRISTLING ON their faces, and their gleaming white fangs dripping spittle, he could see their snarling, drooling wereWOLF FACES, AND HE RETCHED IN DISGUST...

And then sacha began to laugh, he knelt AND placed the violin case on the cobble STQNSS, FU MBLING WITH THE LATCHES.. I KNEW I WAS RIGHT' WHEN I READ IN THE PAPER THAT FIVE BODIES WERE STRIPPED OF THE/R FLESH, I KNEW THERE HAD TO BE

MORE THAN ONE WEREWOLF.

He shrieked shrilly. THEM, HIS WORDS MINGLING WITH THEIR LOW THROATEO GROWLS. HE OPENED THE CASE

VIOLIN

——r

READY FOR

YOU.

The SNARLING HOWLING BEASTS WERE ALMOST UPON HIM NOW ...AND THEIR HOWLING SOUNDED LIKE LAUGHTERTOO SACHA REACHED FOR THE GUN... f? " WELL, X AM READY FOR YO \J...AU OF YOU' BECAUSE EVE GOT A GUM... LOADED WITH S/L VER BULLETS ' NOT JUST ANT GUN'

—

AND THEN I REMEMBERED A STORY I'D READ IN AN 1 AMERICAN COM/C BOOK 0 n m y L AST CONCERT J TOUR. A STORY CALLED 'MIDNIGHT MESS'\ N a A magazine CALLED TALES FROM THE CRYPT.. ABOUT A TOWNFUL OF VAMPIRES' and I KNEW/ I KNEW THAT BRUDJA WAS A TOWNFUL OF WEREWOLVES, and i KNEW I'd have to

THOMPSON SUB-MACHINE GUN FOR GOOD LORD f

REACT. FOR .

I'M

Sacha's laughter choked back in his throat and the howling came UP AS THE BEASTS SPRANG UPON HIM. FOR THERE WAS NO SUB-MACHINE IN H IS VIOLIN CASE ...ONLY A USELESS OLD STRADIVARIUS.' AN D AS FLASHING DROOLING TEETH TORE AND RIPPED AND GORED SACHA ,HE HEARD HIS OLD MAESTRO'S SQUEALING VOICE

GUN

CAREFUL OF THE VIOLIN.' AND SOFT PART FOR A TOOTHLESS OLD WEREWOLF. REMEMBER.' I BROUGHT HIM' I F/XED THINGS * I TOOK OUT SAVE SOME

THE GUN...

-r-

—

AND

THAT'S MY

VIOLENT VIOLIN IT BE A LESSON LET

PIECE, KIDDIES. TO YOU. DON’T

FIDDLE AROUND WITH

WEREWOLVES or you might end up listening To A FUNERAL MARCH IF SACHA’D ONLY HAD A BETTER MEMORY, he would have REMEMBERED THAT HIS OLD MAESTRO ALWAYS PULLED A SWITCH o'* HIM. YOU'VE HEARD THE EXPRESSION,

BEAT ME MAESTRO, EIGHT TO THE SODA FOUNTAIN! BAR t

WAS CENSOREO BY A BLUE-NOSE ASSISTANT EDITOR WE'VE GOT) NOW, THE VAULT-KEEPER awaits, i'll LATER,

DIG YOU

mean-

while, I'VE

GOT A TUBA LESSON,SO I'LL BLOW, don't FORGET THE EC FAN-ADDICT CLUB WANTS YOU-EVEN IF

NOBODY ELSE DO ESf

HEH, HEHf AND NOW IT'S MY TURN TO FREEZE THE WATERY BLOOD IN YOUR VENTURE INTO THE VAULT OF HORROR... and your HOST IN HOWLS, THE

WITH ANOTHER

SCREAM-STORY FROM MY COLLECTION

SICKENING SWEET SMELL OF FLOWERS MIXED WITH THE BLUNT AROMA OF BURNING WAX. YELLOW CANDLE FLAMES FED ON WHAT FRESH AIR SEEPED INTO THE PAR-

LOR OF HAYSON'S FUNERAL HOME FRANK WILLIAMS LOOKED FOR THE LAST TIME AT JOAN LORIN'S LOVELY WHITE FACE ...THE DEATH-MASK FACE OF HIS BRIDENEVER-TO- BE. MR. HAYSON TIPTOED RESPECTFULLY ACROSS THE THICK RED CARPET AND SPOKE IN A DOLEFUL VOICE, JUST ABOVE A WHISPER. .THE DEAD GIRL'S FORMING A BACK.

IRONIC

WO RDS...

TERROR TOMES. 1CALL

THIS

Frank williams picked up his bags AND LET HIMSELF BE LED FROM THE FUNERAL HOME. HE SMILEO BITTERLY AT THE GRIM JOKE...

EARL BOYD MADE J OLD MAN HAYSON f HER BEAUTIFUL IS STUPID ) FOR me. A WEDDING PLAIN STUPID.' PRESENT FROM MY ) WHAT AN \BEST FRIEND... IDIOTIC THING to SAY.' )

They sat in

a booth in the ALMOST DESERTED BAR.. FRANK WILLIAMS, STILL WEARING THE CLOTHES HE'D FLOWN FROM NEW YORK IN. ..AND HARRY MARTIN, WITH THE BLACK ARM- BAND ON

WHAT REALLY

BUNK ABOUT

BUNRFRANk!

VAMPIRE OION'T VIZ

VAMPIRE

YOU DON'T

BELIEVE

ME,

FRANK, BUT I SAW IT.. THE VAMPIRE.' I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT IT AND YOU'LL BELIEVE

RILL

I DID.'

ALL DID?

The night after Charlie's funeral, i got down my HUNTING RIFLE. I DIDN'T BELIEVE THE TALK ABOUT A VAMPIRE I WAS GOING TO GET THE MANIAC THAT WAS ROAMING OUR

fwHERE'RE 1QU GOING WITH A GUN, HARRY? WHAT GOOD A 6 UN? YOU CAN'T KILL A VAMPIRE WITH A GUN.' SPREAD GOTTA USE A STARE... 1 A WOODEN...

IS I

IT? YOU

t’So I WENT' EACH NIGHT I HUNTED THE MANIAC, WITH] THE WIND MOANING THROUGH THE DARK STREETS AND THE 'SNOW CRUNCHING UNDERFOOT... J I'LL

GET YOU.'

I'LL GET YOU FOR

NEW

BUT THE

JOAN.

AND YOU'RE

YOU’VE BEEN IN ]

HIS SLEEVE...

HAPPENED, HARRY? WHAT'S ALL THIS YVAMPIRE ISN'T

VANPIRE KILLING am JOAN?

TRYING TO TELL ME THAT A -V

WHAT

ARE k YORR FOR THE PAST YOU ( MONTH, SO YOU DON'T TALK-\ KNOW WHAT'S BEEN ING < GOING ON. SEE THIS ARM BAND? I'M IN MOURNING TOO.' MY BROTHER CHARLIE OIEO LAST WEEK. THERE WERE TWO OTHER DEATHS THE —I WEEK BEFORE?

ABOUT?

CHARLIE/

I KNOW WHAT I'M DO/NG, NINA' JUST LOCK THE DOOR BEHIND] ME AND DON'T OPEN J IT FOR ANYONE 1 ’

/ 1

^ j:

BUT ME.'

‘For five nights i went out into the winter blackness. I GOT TO ASKING MYSELF WHAT GOOD IT WAS DOING TO GO WALKING IN THE BITTER COLD WITH THE SLEET WHIPPING IN MY FACE. BUT THEN I'D THINK OF POOR DEAD CHARLIE WITH THOSE TWO BLOODY PUNCTURES IN HIS THROAT, AND I'D KNOWN THE ANSWER./. '

MAYBE ...MAYBE I’LL NEVER FIND HIM. BUT I CAN'T

QUIT.' X CAN'T... NOW...

jrtm

'I RAISED

Then, one night, x heard a gurgling cry then a ^ MOANING JUST A LITTLE LOUDER THEN THE MOANING OF “the WIND. I STARTED RUNNING THROUGH THE DARK J STREETS. AND THEN I SAW IT... BENDING OVER THE BODY OF A GIRL... ITS UGLY FANGS SUNK INTO HER THIN .WHITE THROAT. .

MY GUN, FIRING AS

HEARD THE BULLETS THUD

RAN TOWARD

IT.

INTO- ITS VILE FLESH.

MY GOD! BULL ETS DON'T KILL IT! rr/5A VAMPIRE... ONE OFTHEL/V/NB DEAD /

IS!

GETAWAY FROM HER, YOU FILTHY®#*?!!

Pi kept after

it,

emptying the rifle AT

IT,

V-V-

FINALLY LOST IT. IT JUST SEEMED TO VANISH INTO THE SHADOWS. X WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE

S^MEO TO BE BREATHING. ' TWO PUNCTURES IN HE R TH ROAT, JUST

GIRL. SHE

Harry’s voice faded, he looked at frank sitting IN THE BOOTH IN THE DESERTED BAR. .it... was JOAN? YEAH! JOAN LOR/N! I... I RAN ALL THE WAY TO THE FIREHOUSE.

ACROSS FROM HIM

I STARTEO PULLING

CHA RL IE'S..

‘The fire-bell was the only

THE BELL ROPE.

COULD THINK OF TO GET \ THE TOWN OUT. X KEPT PULLING> MAKING ITS MOURNFUL SOUND SHATTER THE WINTRY SILENCE. ) AND THEY CAME/ THEY CAME <

,*I

TOOK THEM TO WHERE JOAN’S LAY. DOC MORRIS LOOKED

BODY

^THING I

AT HER AND SHOOK HIS HEAD../

SOMETIMES A

BLOOD

DRAINED \ VAMPIRE'S

(

ALL

VICTIM

RIGHT.'

...IS

WITH,

A STAKE. DRIVEN

IT SAW IT! \ IT, HARRY?) GET I I SHOT AT IT? TOO SAWJ ANY- •< BULLETS < BODY? I DON'T KILL | A IT! IT... IT GOT THE LOR/N GIRL

'you SAW) DID I

THE VAM•PIPE?

.BUT SHE’S \

ALIVE SOME-

BECOMES

VAMPIRE. f'ATHE. ..THE

HOW f )

ONLY WAY TO KILL IT is...

INTO ITS

? HEART...] AFTER / l I

y!y.

DAWN...

They handeo me the stake, frank HELD IT AGAINST JOAN'S HEART. SOMEBODY ELSE STOOD OVER IT WITH

He REACHED OUT, GRABBING

A ROCK

...'

IT WAS AWFUL, YOU LOUSY FRANK/ THE REST MURDERERS’ OF THEM... THEY YOU KILLED COULD TURN AWAY/ ' HERf BUT J[ HAD TO LOOK/, I HAD TO SEE! Warn

Frank released his hold, his rage and hate was STILL THERE, BUT HE KNEW HARRY MARTIN AND THE OTHERS HAD OONE WHAT WAS RIGHT... DIDN'T I SEND YOU THE TELEGRAM FRANK, TELUNG YOU TO COME RIGHT

BACK HOME? rw

AT THE

DIDN'T

XMEET YOU

AIRPORT/

x...rM

SORRY, '

harry!

T HAT

NIGHT, FRANK WILLIAMS WENT ON A HUNT THROUGH HIS QUIET ILLINOIS TOWN...‘ARMED WITH A SH ARP CRUDELY-

HEWN WOODEN STAKE AND AN ANGER WITHIN WU...ABITTER HATING ANGER. i'll

GET that

IT IF

vampire' i'll get I have to LOOK FOREVER..

MKnwwwijmj

But frank bio not have to look forever, towaro MORNING, HE HEARD A BLOOD-CURDLING, GURGLING RASP COMING FROM THE DARK STREET AHEAD. HE SPRINTED THROUGH THE SNOW... SAW THE LOATHSOME HIDEOUS JHING BENDING OVER ITS VICTIM, SUCKING ITS FILLOF

BLAST

HEARD ME/ HARRY f

IT'S

GOTTEN

HARRY..

WE HAD TO DO IT, FRANK. WE HAD T0 1 BY NOW, SHE 'D BE SLEEP/N' IN A COFFIN WITH DIRT IN THE BOTTOM DURING THE DAY... AND AT NIGHT, SHE'D BE ROAMING THE BACKSTREETS, thirsting for BLOOD/ CHARUE GOT HIS after THAT. .JUST TO MAKE SURE/ AN D THE OTHERS/ WE EXHUMED THEIR BODIES. .DROVE STAKES INTO EACH OF THEIR HEARTS...

Frank turned, his glance fallON THE SOMBER FAMILIAR STRUCTURE. HAYSON'S FUNERA

its black cape FLOWING BEHIND, DODGED THROUGH ALLEYS ANO DOWN NARROW WINDING STREETS, SEEMING AT TIMES TO ALMOST FLY. FRANK POUNDED AFTER IT IN BREATHLESS UNRELENTING

SuODENLY HIS QUARRY DARTED AROUND A CORNER. BY THE TIME

ING

FRANK REACHED THE SPOT, THE VAMPIRE HAD VANISHED INTO THIN

HOME

AIR...

HER COFFIN.

PURSUIT...

ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS: * IT MUST HAVE GONE...

The vampire, with

HE CROSSED THE EMPTY DESERTED STREET, TRIED THE DOOR, FOUNO IT OPEN. HE PULLED THE COIL OF ROPE HE'D BROUGHT ALONG FROM HIS POCKET, AND ENTERED CAUTIOUSLY... EARL TOLD ME ABOUT THE

CELLAR...

WHERE

THEY STORE THINGS AND PREPARE BODIES. PERHAPS DOWN THERE. I ftp

COFFIN TO COFFIN, PEERING INSIDE, SEARCHING FOR THE TELL-TALE SIGN. ANO THEN...

He MOVED FROM HERE IT IS f

THERE'S

DIRT

THE BOTTOM OF THIS ONE'

.WITH JOAN STILL LYING

HIS WAY ACROSS THE DARK PARLOR, BRUSHING AGAINST JOAtfS COFFIN. THERE WAS A STAIRCASE IN THE REAR. HE STRUCK A MATCH STARTEO DOWN, HIS SHADOW PERFORMING A GROTESQUE DANCE ON THE WALL BESIDE HIM-

HE MADE

CERTAINLY ARE PLENTY OF COFFINS DOWN HERE. ANO... j CHOKE... A BODY...

Suddenly, frank blew out the match' he'd heard a SOUND ...GRIT GRINDING ON THE STAIRS ABOVE. HE COWERED IN THE DARKNESS, LISTENING, WAITING, AS A FIGURE CAME SLOWLY DOWN THE STEPS ...

COFFINf of COURSE A VAMPIRE SLEEPS IN A COFFIN BY DAY. WHAT BETTER PLACE TO T HIDE ONE f fdgy

MUST. HAVE GONE INTO

Frank forced the slenoer, wiry figure to what.. WHAT'S 601NS ON?.'/ LE 'ME 60.' HEY/

its

FRANK.' WHY DIDN'T YOU LET ME KNOW YOU GOT HOME SAY, IS . THIS YOUR IDEA OF A JOKE? TI O'MON.' UNTIE ME.'

BOYD'

YOU'RE THE VAMPIRE.AREASrJ ARE YOU, EARL? MY BEST FRIEND. YOU A VAMPIRE YOU'VE OOME rfCRAZY?

BACK HERE FOR YOUR SLEEP, HAVEN'T YOU?

YOU

KNOW I

Kgar HVjriflEI

WORK

WHAT ABOUT THE

THERE'S BLOOD ON YOUR MOUTH, EARL f

;

/ f INS 1

OF THIS

SAKE,

FRANK. JOAN'S

FRANK?

DEATH MUST

»ereat

HAVE BEEN

NIGHT.

TOO MUCH

2*1 TRANK'

FOR YOU? YOU'RE

OUT OF YOUR MIND/ A -

OUT OF MY MIND, AM I? ALL R/6HTT THEN YOU WON'T MIND PROVING YOU'RE NOT THE VAMPIRE? YOU WON'T MIND BEING TIED UP

IN THAT COFFIN... J|

don't

)

DIRT, EARL... THE 1 KNOW WHAT \ DIRT IN THE BOTTOM you're ra**COFFIN. ABOUT,

HARRY'S rBLOOD? iTV

IS IT

BECAUSE IF YOU ARE VAMPIRE, YOU'LL FALL ASLEEI.

franF' I KNOW HOW ' MUCH JOAN MEANT TO

YOU DO, I'LL BE READY WITH THIS STAKE. 6ET IN ?

IT ON ME? I LOVED YOU BOTH? I WAS

THE^

YOU. BUT

6ET INTO THATCOFF/N

WHY BLAME

GOING TO BE YOUR

BEST MAN/ I...

AND SHUT UP/ IT’S

r '

ALMOST SEVEN. SUNRISE

OUGHT TO

VERY SOON

BE I

Earl relaxed suddenly, he climbed / THAT CALENDAR u,

FRANK?

UPSTAIRS.' THERE ISN'T A

WINDOW

Frank looked at

The MINUTES CRAWLED

BY.

T-'

EARL? LET'S SEE...TODAY THE TENTH...

THERE IT IS f SUNRISE. ..7: IS

THIS PLACE. IWANT TO SEE THE RISE...

R/6HT,

ELL

WHERE YOU SO/NS.

SUN

THAT'S FIVE MINUTES FROM NOW, EARL? FIVE 7 MINUTES' )

his watch.

YOU'LL SEE.'

Y0U'LL5£f I'M r

NOT THE

VAMPIRE'

AM. I

FRANK PEERED AT HIS

WATCH. 7*12 CAME AND WENT. EARL WAS WIDEAWAKE. 7=30 CAME. FRANK HURLED THE STAKE AWAY IN DISGUST..

SEE?

TOLD YOU?

YOU'VE BEEN

NEW

YORK, HAVEN'T YOU,

J) AND THE REAL VAMPIRE ...THE ONE WHO USES THIS COFFIN ...HAS GOTTEN AWAY.' UNTIE

STRANGE

FLEW 8ACK THIS

Y-YEAH? I

AFTERNOON... WHEN

GOT HARRYS

TELEGRAM.' took THE 2:30

FRANK?

PLANE out

OF...OUT OF...

MET

Earl's leering grin changed as he sprang, fangs erupted from [behind HIS SNARLING LIPS. FRANK SCREAMED...

___

MY GOD.' HOW STUPID OF ME? ILLINOIS IS AN HOUR BEHIND NEW YORK'

THAT'S RIGHT, FRANK? YOU FORGOT TO CHANGE YOUR WATCH. I'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME TILL SUNRISE? ANOTHER HALF-HOUR,' ENOUGH TO DRINK MY VrsrKSFZ

FILL ...AGAIN ...

gaga—

SHAME, KIDDIES? JUST BECAUSE FRANK'S WATCH WAS A LITTLE FAST, HIS TIME RAN OUT. YOU MIGHT SAY FRANK CAME TO A DEAD STOP, EM? WELL, YOU'LL COME TO A DEAD STOP flHHf WHEN YOU SEE THE STUFF YOU GET

WHEN YOU

“SF XML

JOIN

THE E c rFAN-ADDICT CLUB. -

(

/fUjfWsM

0IG

HUgff V |

l I

™ E A0 F0L

L0WING THE TEXT FOLLOWING THIS YARN R)R INF0 I'LL SEE YOU NEXT -

IN AFX in THE mi MAG, me VAULT OF HORROR!

'BYE, NOW.

r m "m

Plimpton fingered the wad of bills as he slithered through the shattered basement win-

dow. Stepping carefully over the shards of he slipped his cigarette lighter from his

glass,

pocket and glanced around the murky room. There was enough scrap paper scattered on

make

the floor to

his job a snap.

He picked up

crumpled wad of paper: printed on it was the name of the firm whose plant he was about to destroy by arson. He shrugged his shoulders and spun the flywheel of his lighter; if the a

owner of Freeze-Out Frozen Food Lockers wanted to pay a bundle to have the joint go up in smoke, who was Plimpton to argue?

A minute later he had emptied his tiny cans A sprinkle

In one convulsive

himself into the big freezer.

there

and the scattered debris was primed for the match.

Wadding

wooden desk rapidly,

would make eral

the saturated paper under a

crammed the

would be sure to catch

this job a

trails of tightly

out from the

wooden

doomed

complete success. Sev-

twisted paper radiated

another crossed the

paper-packaging

One minute

for the central

which

fluid-soaked paper to catch

dump would

wad

and the whole

fire,

be a seething inferno.

had

just one minute in which to scramble out through the shattered basement window .

he could do in his

mind:

huge

this

him-

refrigerator, letting

Through the

him out

the

darkness.

scant inch between the freezer

and the

lid, he saw the old watchman advancing toward him slowly. Plimpton tensed to leap free of the box, but before he could move,

the heavy lid had been

The

outside.

slammed shut from

the

lock on the freezer lid snapped

audibly.

Plimptonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fingers scratched frantically at the door, but the big chest was sealed tight.

screamed

anguish and pounded on the

ice-crusted inner surface already the numbing cold was strangling the breath in his lungs.

His

stiff

did

fingers whirled the flywheel of the

and a bluish flame leapt up. The heat

lighter

little to dispell

the awful cold.

There was no question job was as good as on ice!

Two minutes passed . three then the flame flickered and died. Plimpton tried to .

hammer on were

useless

to himself, thinking of the

stumps

...

of bills in his pocket

and the

still

greater amount waiting for him when he rendezvoused with Mr. Freeze-Out Frozen Food

Lockers. Then, suddenly, there was the sound of a door opening somewhere behind him.

agonized body a core of icy

fire

rigidly

now by

brace of the frozen packages. to scream,

tracery of

gagging

His tongue began

before,

but his ice

sent pulsating

fiber.

In a frenzy he struggled to

purple

and deep inside his

shocks along every nerve and

body was held

mouth

the frosted metal, but his arms

it easily.

Plimpton smiled

wad

toward

desk, one leading to a

filing cabinet,

floor to stacks of

fire

which

details

foods to be consigned to the big freezers were

wrapped.

into the

close almost completely as a flashlight

lid

that

he checked the minute

He flattened

self against sharp-cornered food cartons

probed

of lighter fluid in the right places. of the liquid here ... a dribble of

moment Plimpton darted

across the room, swung open the ponderous door of a huge enameled chest and hurled

move, but opened

over his cracked

to swell

and

his

became a

orm

the color of a flame that,

was poised

He moaned once,

his

em-

the chill

spittle

lips.

blue-

moments

to touch off a searing

firÂŤ.

and then became merely another consignment of quick-frozen meat.

YOU,

WO, CAN MEET NEW

UMN-AmCT cimp

MEMBERSHIP HIT TODAY. f^.^YWR CERTIFICATE A STURDY

RECEIVE A FULL- COLOR I'/zX IO/2 ILLUMINATED WALLET IDENTIFICATION CARP A SNAZZY EMBROIDERED SHOULDER. PATCH, AND A STUNNING ANTIQUE BRONZED?NISH BAS- RELIEF

For an individual membership, fill out THE COUPON AND SEND IT IN, TOGETHER WITH 254. IF FIVE OR MORE OF YOU WISH TO JOIN AS AN AUTHORIZED CHAPTER, ENCLOSE EACH MEMBERS NAME AND ADDRESS ALONG WITH 25 f FOR EACH NAME, AND INDICATE THE NAME OF THE ELECTED CHAPTER PRESIDENT. WE WILL NOTIFY EACH PRESIDENT OF HIS CHAPTER NUMBER EACH MEMBER, CHAPTER OR INDIVIDUAL WILL RECEIVE HIS KIT D/RECTLV ... BY RETURN MAIL?

THE E.C. FAN -ADDICT CLUB

ROOM 706

225 LAFAYETTE

NEW YORK,

12,

STREET N.Y.

b 1 waMt il, e things * JtefVft dud stuff (ike the kids wearing/ 1 want to meet new friends like the kid's meeting " Im a fan-addict:/ I'm wad / !

ADDRESSCITY

THE CRYPT-KEEPER’S Heh, heh!

It's

amazing how additions

TERESA SEWER

the E.C.

HIT PARADE keep pouring in from you pretty clever little creeps. Some of ’em are gettin’ corny though ... let's lace it! The following not-soones were suggested by: Leonard Lrmewood. I.; Sioux Falls, S. D.; Billy Wilson, Queens Village. L. Walter LePete and Betty Anaya, Las Vegas, N. M.; Knight. porgti. Corona, N. Y.; Arnold Zalisus and Judy Elgin Field, Detroit, Mich.; and Donna C. Thomasson,

MUSTY VAPOR SID SQUEEZEER IMOGENE CHOKE'ER

HORROR comy

Fla.:

SEAMS

STITCH

YOUR HAND, MADAM

COME FROM ALABAMA WITH A BANSHEE ON MY KNEE GORGIN' ON MY MIND OH JENNY GRIEVE. SWEET JENNY GRIEVE

ACHIN' TO BLIND

I'M

YOU

TRYING WITH A SCALPEL SAY, SEE BONES! KNEW YOU WERE COMING. I'D'A IF MILKED A SNAKE LOATHE YOU A BUSHEL AND A PECK (AND A ROPE AROUND YOUR NECK) WHILE DROOLING IN THE DARK. ONE DAY FILL MY VAULTS AGAIN WITH GOO BRAIN ON THE ROOF THE THIRD MAN SCREAM

Stanford dent.

OH, MAIMED PAPA |

UP IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN TO HACK WILD CORPSES CARRY MY BACK TO OLE VIRGINIA PRANCING WITH SPEARS IN MY EYES

HER HEART AND

THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTS THE THREE MUSKET’S EARS UNCLE TOM S STABBIN" AROUND THE WORLD IN EIGHT SLAYS MY DEAR SLAYED HER THE LADY ON THE STAKE PERVERTED POETRY by Carole Abbott

When was I

1 11 be six can carry The ghoul that I marry must be.

her hair

(she's not

Just

Michael Fitzgerald of N.Y.C. and Gordon Lewis, Jr. Ga. suggest the following PUTRID PRO-

of Atlanta,

GROMS:

enough room

letter:

Manila,

THE EDDIE FISHED HER SHOW EAT THE CLOCK GREATEST FRIGHTS OF THE MORTUARY TROUBLE OR NOTHING PLAYHOUSE OF SCARS

HUNG

for

Dear Gruesome, sell In case you dont know, American mags here more copies than local ones. And among the comic books, E.C. sells fastest, according to the owner ol my favorite stand. They are to comic book creeps what Marilyn Monroe is to movie manigcs. Tony Abaya

BLED THREE WIVES

GHOST OF THE TOWN

DR.

MALONE

Manila

where the envelopes

DIMENSIONAL

THREE TALES FROM THE CRYPT OF TERROR, starring yours and THREE DIMENSIONAL E.C. CLASSICS! SubISc each ... or two lor 30c! lust mail in the moo la. Commercials:

3-D

mags!

truly...

scriptions to this mag Address lor 3-D orders,

or just plain ole mail

Clay Kimball of Draper»N. C. and Sally Anne Shaw ENTERof Hazelton, Pa. suggest the following EVIL

TAINERS:

bitten.

A corpse

of Baltimore.

buried at sweet sixteen

Ghouls came to my funeral, it seemed. They said they were sorry that I was dead. And one of them began to munch on my head. They said I was pretty and very sweet And another began to munch on my feet. They said I was nice, with many young charms And then they began to munch on my arms. They said they were sorry I'd had to depart Then someone reached in and tore out my heart. Luckily I awoke from this terrible dream But then I really began to scream For there in my room sitting on stools Were my mother, my father, and six other ghouls

will be sharpened, and wear a green eyeshade

there!) ’Stead of flittin'. I'll be sittin’ Next to her, and I'm sure

was donated by

RUMPEL'S STILL SKINNED

cologne. She'll

BONES

following

TOM'S NUMB

The ghoul that marry will have to be As dismal and grey as a mortuary. The ghoul I call my own Would be greatly improved if she used somi Her claws

JULIET'S

The LURID LITERATURE Doug Stewart of?:

MARRY:

... or

BRINGING UP SLOBBER TIM TYLER'S MUCK STEVE ROPED HER MICKEY'S PINNED KERRY'S WAKE

And Irom E. Nelson Bridwell of Oklahoma City, we received the following LURID LYRICS to THE GHOUL TH AT

of Detroit, Mich, suggests

JIGGS

Grossman

CRUDDY COMICS AND MAGGOTS

is:

one buck lor eight issues! sub orders, ham-on-rye orders,

The Cryp ,. Kee per

Room 706, De£t. 47. 22S Lafayette Street N.Y.C. 12. N.Y.

THIS YARN IS DRIPPING WITH SWEET AND CLEAN HORROR...

FOOL'

MOMENT, MASTER.'

FILLING THE

I AM

TUB...

My NAME IS RAOUL VENOOZA. IT IS I WHO UNDRESSES SENOR TOBOSA. IT IS I WHO PREPARES HIS BATH. IT IS WHO PERFUMES THE WATER AND SCRUBS HIS BACK ANDI WASHES HIS EVILNESS AWAY.. . NOT TOO HOT... NOT TOO COLD, RAOUL' IT MUST BE EXACTLY B/GHT. HUBBY, YOU IDIOT f

THE WATER IS JUST B/GHT, MASTER... AND THE TUB IS M-MOST FILLED.

'MY B/ENf

MAKE CERTAIN THAT' YES, MASTER f AM)' YOU HAVE DRAWN THE SHUTTERS SHALL I ALSO ANO CLOSED THE DOORS. I DO f SPRINKLE A FEW NOT WISH TO CATCH A DBAFT/1/ GRAINS FROM THIS RECENTLY ARRIVED CAN OF BATH SALTS LlNTO YOUR TUB ? J

AS X OPEN THE lio OF THE CAN, I THINK BACK OVER THE MANY YEARS X HAVE SPENT WITH THE GREAT SENOR. THERE BATHING. LET ME SAY, IS NOT HIS ONLY PLEASURE. ARE MANY OTHERS. TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT DAY SO

And

SeNOR TOBOSA NEEDS NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION. I ALREADY KNOW WHAT HIS ANSWER WILL BE. SEfiOR TOBOSA LOVES HIS BATH-SALTS AND HIS GERMICIDALS AND HIS PERFUMES, TO TRY A NEW ONE IS ALMOST A NECESSITY. DO I NOT WRITE EACH WEEK FOR NEW BATH PRODUCTS TO BE SENT FROM THE COAST? BUT I WAIT FOR HIS EXPECTED ANSWER

WrOF COURSE, STUPID.' WHY DO YOU ALWAYS BOTHER me WITH SUCH questions? isrr^KfiVDER OR PINE ?

FASTER? RAOUL f stay NEAR WITH THAT FAN/ BAHf THIS SUN' WILL MAKE ME SWEAT WHEN I BEAT,

MOVE

LONG AGO.

/those LAZY WRETCHES are holding BACK PRODUCTION. WHY CAN'T THEY

TURE, MASTER. WILL CLEANSE YOU AS YOU HAVE

ME IT

IT >

" .

—

THEM...

* BEEN CLEANSED BEFORE.

NEVER

How HAPPY HE WAS WHEN THE NATIVES And i, his faithful servant, WOULD BE AT HIS SIDE, READY TO JUMPED TO HIS WHIP STING. AND HOW DO HIS BIDDING ; THEY CRIEO AND MOANED IN MISERY. " SEfiOR TOBOSA LOVES HIS SILVER (FILTHY CARRIOnTY VES, MINE, HIS PLANTAC/ON, AND THE / MASTER. AND THEY'VE MADE ME WEALTH THEY BRING HIM. BUT MOST I WILL I EXERT MYSELF. O F ALL. HE LOVES TO HURT QUICK, RAOUL? THE \ PREPARE ’YOUR BATH rwoRK HARDER, you dogs' show' AT ONCE/, I DO NOT WANT TO some RESPECT for MY AUTHORDEVELOP A FEVER. ITY. work HARDER or you'll GET NOTHING BUT BREAD AND

X KNEW THAT SENOR TOBOSA ALWAYS INSISTED UPON BATHING AFTER

For

ONE OF THOSE DAILY CONTACTS WITH THE NATIVES.. AH-H-H-H ? BUENO. ..BUENO!/ WILL YOU WANT THE THE VERY CRAWL/N6 R0U6H DUST FROM THOSE ( \ TOWEL CREATURES HAS BEEN OR the WASHED DOWN THE

-7

\ ( SMOOTH,

DRAIN...

WATER TO EAT?

KNEW THAT HE FELT POLLUTED AND DEFILED UNTIL HE COULD CLEANSE HIMSELF OF THE AURA OF HIS

CONTACT WITH HIS WORKERS. WILL TRY THE ROUGH TOWEL TODAY, YyOU ARE

RAOUL. IT WILL CIRCULATE MY BLOODJD/SPLEAi ABOUT AND ELIMINATE ANY DIRT PARTICLES THAT MAY HAVE REMAINED IN MY J\ SOMETHING

PORES. ._

THOSE...

WRETCHES'

FILTHY I

Vmaster?

ZeS LA VERDAD, RAOUL? I WILL REMAIN A POOR MAN MINE AT THE RATE THOSE LAZY DEVILS WORK MY STARTING TOMORROW, I WILL START A NEW POLJC WITH THOSE BURROS EACH MAN MUST DIO H/S WE/QHT IN SILVER ORE OR HE WILL BE L ASHED SPREADIN THE SUN for TWO DAYS with NO .

EAGLED '-—-7 FOOD OR WATER.

Yes ...EL SENOR TOBOSA WAS A MUCH respected man. HAD HE NOT COME HERE TO THE MAYTO SRASSO AND WORKED HIS SILVER MINE WITH THE HELP OF THE NATIVES? HAD HE NOT PROMISED TO TREAT THEM FAIRLY IF THEY WOULO WORK FOR HIM* HAD HE NOT BUILT A MARVELOUS PLANYACtON AND SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH GOLD AND JEWELS AND OTHER TREASURES? HAD HE NOT DONE ALL THESE THINGS? HAD HE NOT DONE THE THINGS

OTHER TOO... WE CANNOT WORK ANY HARDER THAN

We' ARE WORKING, MASTER. WE DO NOT GET STOMACHS

ENOUGH FOOD .' OUR GROWL AND WE GROW T/RED. OUR FAMILIES STARVE. POR FAVOR, MASTER...

Had

HE NOT BEATEN AND KICKED AND CURSED AND THREATENED THE NATIVES INTO SUBMISSION?...

(AND HERE'S

MY ANSWER. '\

|TAKE...OOOF...THIS BACK TO I

YOUR WORM-INFESTED HUTS. TELL THEM OOOF...OBEY MYyj ORDERS OR DIE.' ...

WyOU

DARE ^1 f DEFILE me \ WITH YOUR

touch get \

BACK, YOU P/6.'

Kback'V

But ALWAYS AFTER THESE DISGUSTING EXPERIENCES ...THESE CONTACTS WITH THE NATIVES .MY MASTER WOULO TAKE HIS BATH. FOR THAT SEEMEO TO BE THE ONLY THING THAT WOULO CALM HIM AND P UT HIM INTO A GOOD HUMOR .

And GENTLY.. .SMELLING OF SOAP AND GER MICIDES AND BATH SALTS. ..

CATCH

afterward, when he woulo

DRESS... '

MY FACE LOOKS GOOD'

GOOD' THE HOTTER^, TODAY, EH,RAOUL._ SO THE BETTERfl MUST clean] SMOOTH AND WHITE... f THEIR SLIME FROM ME. •y^AND CLEAN.' ^

-jTAHr I

AGAIN..

RAOUL? I MUST REMOVE

iVTHEIR POLLUTION'^/}

(ANYTHING FROM THAT MISERABLE TOAD, I'LL HAVE HIM HACKED DEATH.'

Then and only then, when he felt that his body HAD BEEN PURGED OF ANY CONTAMINATION, WOULD SENOR TOBOSA BE IN HIGH SPIRITS. AND MANY WERE THE NIGHTS I WOULD STAND AND WATCH HIM COUNT IS GOLD AND CHECK HIS DAY'S PRODUCTION... THE VENT/LAWRS ANO AIR VgOOD? GOOD? I../N.

PURIFIERS ME WORKING,

MASTER?

/ WHAT

THIS ? ONLY

THREE TONS OF SILVER) [ORE DOG TODAY.'

BEING

I'M

CHEATEDf^U

'ONLY THREE TOHS OF ORE' I'LL ) MET rvE BEEN LENIENT LEH/EHT LONG L0H6 ENOUGH.' EHC FROM NOWON I’LL LL SHOW THEM THAT I MEAN WH I SAY.' FRON yON I'LL DRIVE THEM AS THEY'VE NEVER BEEN DRIVEN

BEFORE

master was angry

when my UKE THAT, I KNEW THAT MY DUTIES WOULD BE HEAVY AND TRYING...THAT THERE WOULD BE MANY MOREBATHS-

And

BUT WORST OF ALL WERE THE DAYS WHEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED..

DAYS, ALL WOULD FEEL HIS WRATH. IT WAS BEST TO OBEY HIM INSTANTLY OR SUFFER GRAVE CONSEQUENCES..

On THOSE

(SPRAY THE ROOM? BRING ME MY METAL VAPORIZERf DRAW MY J BATH f QUICKL Y, RAOUL f IF I COME OOWN WITH A COL O...

[yes, MASTER

Senior tobosa would shriek for HIS GUAROS AND THEY WOULD CLOSE IN ON THE POOR SICK NATIVE WHO DARED INSULT HIM...

THE NEARBY I REMEMBER THE DAY EL SENOR RAIOED N ATIVE VILLAGE FOR MORE WORKERS

/ho! IS TOO HEHC.X CA'ABISOFOK TOO TOUHS! HE WILL NOT j STAND THE BCOJ. ' \COME WITH US YOU. TAKE US. BUT...

OUR SON AWAY' HE

VOF

And then he would come panting

at me, abhorred

Yes, I REMEMBER IT WELL... ALL OF IT. THE BOY GREW WEAKER AND WEAKER UNOER THE ONSLAUGHTS OF MY MASTER'S ANGRY BEATINGS .FINALLY COLLAPSING.. .TODAY...

HE IS DEAD, MASTER'

HE...

I REMEMBER HOW THE BOVS PARENTS RUSHED FROM THEIR STATIONS TO THEIR DEAD S ON'S SIDE... ^ YOU HAVE DONE TH S TO \/ you ARE EVIL /\/kEEP OUR BOY, YOU FAT FOREIGN j_ W0U LD LIKE TO XaWAY'I \ SQUEEZE YOUR ^AWAY SOB. ..OUR QUMHOO*/ FAT UGLY NECK' Mfflra]

rBAHf

HE WAS LIKE A TOY.' I SHALL HAVE TO FIND WORKERS WITH MORE STAMINA.' ^4

...

...AND

HOW THEY EACH FELT THE STINGING BULLETS

FROM EL

I REMEMBER HOW HE STOOD OVER THEM, SHUDDERING I I'LL

/NOW GET BACK TO

YOUR CRAWLY HANDS'

I'LL LET YOUR CARCASSES ROT IN THE SUN... js

GLEAMING REVOLVER...

HOW HE SCREAMEO AT THE OTHERS..

REVULSIO N ...

TEACH YOU TO VIOLATE

MY PERSON... TO DARE TOUCH \

ME WITH

SENQR'iS

WORK, YOU SWINE' OR YOU'LL ALL ROT

JN THE SUN WITH

^THEMT

HOW HE CAME

/MY BATH, RAOUL

PANTING. f

GET '

MY BATH READY' I MUST CL EANSE MYSELF OF j F" Tu

L. THEIR

I LEAD MY MASTER TO THE TUB AS

I OPEN THE LIO OF THE CAN.AND I EMPTY ITS CONTENTS INTO MY MASTER'S BATH. IT IS A BIG CAN 8UT HE DOES NOT SEE ME DO THISEH? OH' GOOD' WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG, RAOUL WHERE DID YOU GO WHILE

WAS UNDRESSING?

The boards creak under my

fat master's

HAVE DONE SO

into the I listen to his screams of pain as he sinks swirling and eddying bath water...

(raoul' my GOD' FILTHY AFTER ALL THOSE

RAOUL.'

JUST AS THE BOY HE I LISTEN TO MY MASTER SCREAM, BEAT TO DEATH SCREAMED... AND THE BOY’S PARENTS HE SHOT TO DEATH SCREAMED. FOR MY MASTER'S BATH WITH A CANFUL OF THE TERRIBLE f-EATING, P/RHUANA FISH OF ,

^cpFaGGG YAAEE£CC

The

SILVERY PIRHUANA...RIPPING...TEARING...STRIPPING

MY MASTER'S FAT FLABBY FLESH FROM HIS BONES ... CLEANSING HIM AS HE HAS NEVER BEEN CLEANSED BEFORE. PARENTS. WHO WERE ALSO

The AIR IS STIFLING IN THE OLD HOUSE... STINKING OF WHISKEY AND IODINE AND DUST AND SWEAT. THE SHABB FURNITURE, USUALLY SO ORDERLY, SHOWS SIGNS OF THE STRUGGLE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE. LEON LETS HIS GAZE WANDER ABOUT THE ROOM... STARING AT THE STAINED AGED WALLPAPER WITH THE FADED, ONCE-GAY PATTERN. .. THE FOUR Sad WALLS.. .AS IF THEY MIGHT TELL HIM WHAT THEY'D WITNESSED BEFORE HE'D GOTTEN HOME HE GLANCES OUICKLY INTO THE BATHROOM ACROSS THE HALL, STUDYING WHAT LIES THERE ON THE HARD COLD TILES. THE GORGE RISES IN HIS THROAT AND STICKS IN IT. HIS EYES DART TO HIS BROTHER. ..TO CHET'S TORN SHIRT AND THE SCRATCHES. CHET LOOKS UP AT LEON, TRYING TO READ WHAT IS IN HIS EYES, BUT THEY TELL HIM NOTHING. FINALL' CHET SCREAMS. AREN'T YOU GOING TO YELL AT ME, LEON? AREN T YOU GOING TO GET MAD? DON'T JUST STAND THEREf

SAY SOMETHING

Leon’s face is cold, his mouth SHUDDERS...

CHET

is a grim tight lime. LOOKING DOWN AT THE FLOOR. .

WHY don’t YOU BEAT ME TC

\BLOODY PULP? WHAT

ARE

WAITING FOR? WHAT ARE Lr THINKING about j

sS I'M THINKING ABOUT HOW THIS I r WHOLE CRAZY

YOt

—

THING GOT STARTED.

I’M THINKING ABOUT WHAT A EOOL I .

WAS.. .TWENTY YEARS AGO...

UPSTAIRS, LYING

IN HER BED, GASPING FOR BREATH...

I PROMISE, ma'

f )

TAKE CARE

I'LL LOOK AFTER CHET. I'LL KEEP

of him', you'll be... ALL ALONE. .Just F'THE TWO... OF... V YOU. PROMISE...5

HIM

it very DO YOU, CHET... THE DAY MA * DIED? WELL, I REMEMBER IT. I REMEMBER IT SO CLEARLY' I MADE

'yolTdon ^IREMEMBER

A PROMISE, CHET.' AND I .THAT'S THE KIND OF GUY I

PUSHOVER

KEPT

AMf

LEON

IT IN

THIS

JOY WAGON SET YOU BACK ?

few

L EON' THE BIKE! you j BOUGHT IT FOR ME.' OH, GOLLY, LEON! GEE! you’re the BEST BROTHER in the WHOLE WORLD..

with

EYEBROWS AND IN THEY -Y

JUMP/-—-~r~^i

SCHOOL

FROM ‘YOU MIGHT AS WELL HAVE STAYED HOME OF THAT DAY.. THE WAY YOU DREAMED ABOUT A JALOPY .

YOU WERE YOUR OWN, AND HAVING OATES, AND PARKING. THAT ALL SET FOR ME WHEN I CAME HOME FROM WORK NIGHT,

new

COVERS, CHET. I M TELL/N 7 / SEAT I YOU, THE CHICKS IN SCHOOL GO NUTS OVER A JALOP. I JUST RAISE l

THE WINDOW AND BEGGED ME FOR IT? YEAH 1 YOU I WAS A PUSHOVER.' I DID A LOT Of OVERTIME IT WAS TH E BEST.^^I MPORTED ffiOM

ENGLAND..

the bike.chet? it was a big thing to BUT THE THRILL DIDN'T LAST LONG./V/7 IT? JERRY BOUGHT HIMSELF A SECOND-HAND CONVER-

WHAT'D

'c'mon.chet'

GONE'

TO GET THAT BIKE F OR YOU

HUDSON JER'

that promise,

I MADE IT, BUT IT FELL ON EADS, she ii as DEAD.. .'

KNEW

'Remember YOU.

DEAF

Remember the BICYCLE, chet? remember how you saw

IT'

TIBLE AND YOUR TONGUE HUNG OUT. / ON£-TW£KTY. \Vs't7eNUTS,

("sax *

CHET.'

/'mama.Tmama.

SPEAK TO ME.

ME...

WORK FOR

HIM... l'LL. ..I'LL.

KNEW IT, TOO.

YOU

WITH

I'LL

WELL, '

'Ma never HEARD

SHE MADE ME PRO MIS E.

^..TWENTY YEARS AGO, WHEN MA WAS

(

WEREN'T YOU?-

Q™-

TWO HUNDRED BUCKS!

at's

Tz SOLD

LOT OF MONEY, CHET^ CAN*T YOU 1 MAKE the BIKE DO for ANOTHER

YEAR?

LEON...

the

bike,

FOR

TWENTY BUCKS!) .

TWEHTr bucks!

DID y'ever TRY TO SELL A J SECOND

TOR PETE'S SAKE, CHET/ X PAID SIXTYTWO FIFTY FOR THAT BIKE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO / ,

HAND BIKE

)

THAT'S

ALL THEY'RE WORTH! THE TWENTY WILL GO TOWARDS DOWN PAYMENT ON the

CAR, LEON. ALL THE GUYS AT SCHOOL ARE GETTING

CARS.

Yea h ,YOU KNEW ME, CHET / you KNE

PUSHOVER!

you KNEW I’D kick a li GIVE IN. REMEMBER HOW SH OF THE CAR YOU'D PICKED O UT.

I D FINALLY

™E PRICE

LOOK AT I

)HUNDRED

.MR, DOYLE/

That's the way i was,huh,chet? x always ENOEO OP SPENDING MORE BECAUSE YOU HAD T HAVE THE BEST. '

^T*0inTE FIFTEEN MONTHS TO PAY jS AFTER OFF THE BALANCE. LET'S \lEON.

GET A JO,

SCHOOL

iU BUY*

SEE, THAT'S THREE- HUNDRED THE 6AS AND ) DIVIDED BY FIFTEEN... ./ YOU CAN USE a INTERESTS. /-< THE CAR 1

\X CAN'T

'Remember YOUR promise, chet? you never DID keep a YOU NEVER DID FIND THAT AFTER- SCHOOL JOB. YOU NEVER EVEN LOOKED. AND I LEARNED THAT A CAR CAN be can BE an AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION,. / BUT I JUST^/that WAS FOR GAS AND O/L '

\ 1

SAVE

youITHREE

•

BUCKS... Si

can't

GO ON A DATE WITHOUT A my pocket, CAN X?A

YESTERDAY!^ CENTju

KEEP HP WITH

YOU, CHET i

A CAR.,LIKE ) L

BUT,

.PLUS

THIS WaTYT

DOLLARS /THIS STANDS UP CHET! jYOU SAVE ON JYOU SAID. .7 REPAIRS. If

VYfTHANKS,

NEW CLOTHES!0 t

LEON /

TIRES' SPECIAL HUB 'I'LL SEE CAPS! DATES ! I can't... h

^ THE

morning/

UNEASILY AS BROTHER LEON'S VOICE DRONES ON. THAT CAR MUST'VE COST ME r IT A THOUSAND DOLLARS ALL A WAS TOLD BY THE TIME I GOOD PAID IT OFF. BUT IT WHEN WAS JUST THE TWO W- THERE OF US THEKANDIT WERE ONLY

IT DIDN'T MATTER TILL I MET CLAIPE' THREE TEARS AGO, IT WAS f it S BACK ,

ooesn't SEEM that LEON LONG/ YOU WERE AWAY ( I'LL

^ B

DIDN'T

MATTER

THAT I WASN'T JI* SAVING A DIME... Jn

TWO OF US...

COLLEGE, THEN/

L YOU'D [

WANTED TO

STUDY LAW.

/ .

Leon looks away from the bathroom WITH ITS COLD TILE FLOOR AND THE COLD BODY LYING THERE. HE LOOKS AT HIS BROTHER, AND A SHADOW

'She was twenty three when I MET HER... SIX YEARS YOUNGER THAN X. IF EVER THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE THAT WERE MADE

'Claire was satisfied just walking with me. she KNEW X COULDN'T AFFORD TO TAKE HER OUT, WITH _ YOU IN COLLEGE. may sound' FUNNY FROI j I ONLY WENT WITH A GUY MY AGE, BUT YOU'RE IONE OTHER MAN, LEON. HE TRIED TO THE FIRST GIRL l'VE...ER... GET FRESH WITH GONE WITH. GUESS I'VE BEEN TOO BUSY. y ME SO X STOPPED

'it

'Claire was a good girl.chet. that's the way i wanted HER TO STAY. REMEMBER WHEN YOU MET HER? YOU'D COME HOME FROM COLLEGE FOR TH E S UMMER VACATION ..! ^

/WELL,

SEEIN6

him.

'While claire was out in the"kitchen,i told > ABOUT HER. . . HOW WE SAW EACH OTHER EVERY NIGHT.. . HOW SHE CAME TO THE HOUSE TWICE OR THREE TIMES A WEEK TO COOK FOR ME. ONLY YOL

— YO U STARTED IMAGINING THINGS / ^**r HOWITIS KTALL.C son/ATS HOW Ythat's IT \S, EH, LEON? J SHE COOKS f PERIOD.' CLAIRE .

SAY, SHE

IS A

GOOD-LOOKING...

X ARE GOING TO BE MARRIED..

IT'S

LEON...

[

'Claire was like tmat.chet* no MATTER WHAT SHE MAY HAVE THOUGHT; SHE NEVER ONCE SUGGESTED THAT X

ABOUT TIME' /CLAIRE

F/NALL Y...GOT

MAKING SOME-

TH ING SPECIAL TO CELE-

HIMSELF A 6/PL' WELL, ) BRATE YOUR HOMECOMING,

W— IT'S

ABOUT

'But MY NEWS MADE no DIFFERENCE to YOU. ..to ATTITUDE. THE NEXT NIGHT, WHEN I GOT HOME FI THERE WAS A NEW T.V. SET IN THE LIVING ROOM. /crTpes, I've been SAVING for .CLAIRE AND ME TO SIT MARRIED.' )

/J )

/ >/ CHETf SHE CAN REALLY rrnnsrm COOK. ' WAIT' YOU'LL SEE...),

TIME...

THINKIK

J LEON. BUI

THAT SET'LL COST ME MORE THAN I'VE GOT IN THE BANK...)/

WAY’

Leon's voice fades ano he

Leon stops before him, anochet CAN SEE THE ANGER MOUNTING IN

SILENT FOR A MOMENT. CHET WATCHES

HIM PACE BACK AND FORTH THAT T V. SET WENT Tl NEEDED WITH YOU WHEN YOU K MONEY WENT BACK TO COLLEGE. LEON... I

HIS FACE..

BEFORE

FINISHED YOU'D IT,

EVEN

PAYING FOR

SOLD IT'

NEEDED )

FOR SOME CHEAP UP THERE' BECAUSE OF SOME

DAME

know'

YOU'VE GOT

A PLENTY TO CHEAP DAME, CLAIRE BE MAD ABOUT, AND I HAD TO PUT OFF GETTING MARRIED..

QUICK'

Leon turns and looks again at THE BODY ON THE COLD HARD TILE FLOOR OF THE BATHROOM.. YOU ALWAYS NEEDED SOMETHING.' I NEVER — REFUSED CLAIRE I WERE CONSTANTLY PUTTING OFF OUR MARRIAGE. FOR THREE YEARS I KEPT HER WAITING BECAUSE OF YOU ' FOR THREE YEARS. 'THEN YOU CAME HOME FROM COLLEGE' and

AND

"t au,Tf

YOU HAD PLANS. BIG PLANS. YOU STARTED TALKING FAST. BUT I

WAS THROU GH

...'

ifrl

DIDN'T HAVE TO FINISH' I COULD SEE

fwCOLLEGE MONEY. CHET? WHERE IS IT? HAND IT OVERT

It WAS OUT THERE, PARKED AT THE CURB. ONE OF THOSE FANCY FOREIGN SPORT CARS

'I TRIED

/you know what that JOB COST NEW ST ILL { YOU.. l LEON ? SEVEN THOUSAND OWE A BUCKS ' THREE YEARS AGO.' I GOT it for / THOUSAND TWO.' THE EIGHT HUNDRED I GOT ) DOLLARS BACK FROM COLLEGE AND THE TWO /' ON IT...

THIS

BUY.

TO SPEAK TRIED TO GET MAD. WOULDN'T COME OUT. AND THEN CLAIRE MY SHOULDER-' .

’

FOR

YOUR

LOOK, LEON.' I GOT IT BACK FROM THE BURSAR WHEN 1 HAD CHANCE FOR

~\REAL

HUNDRED THEY ALLOWED ME OLD HEAP .

FACE...'

SO THIS OTHER GUY AND I_. FINE CHET' IF THAT'S ) WE SAT DOWN AND FIGURED J WHAT YOU WANT GO TO OUT HOW IN A YEAR WE \/Tf BUT DON'T EXPECT COULD PAY OFF A SERVICE ANY WORE HELP FROM STATION AND EVENTUALLY ( ME I'M FINISHEDYwhen ) RUN IT INTO A CHAIN... THAT COLLEGE MONEY

hr the

IT IN

ALL RIGHT, LEON' T AND IF I OWf I'LL WAIT’.' j'rrn'' STATION. LEOr

IT'S Jir

So Claire and x put off our WEDDING AC AIN. BUT IT WAS ALL JUST TALK. YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT SERVICE STATION. YOU WERE THE SAME OLD CHET. AND THAT EXPENSIVE

*Yqu NEVER LOOKED FOR A JQB.

CAR WAS EVERYTHING...'

IJUST THE RADIO, A

DOWN PAYMENT FOR LEON. I'LL

THE REST MYSELF when I

GET A JOB.

MR. WILSON SAID X IT

COULD BRING

TO YOUR OFFICE TO

LEON.

HORN

SHOW

YOU.

ON SALE' TWELVE

IT'S

BUCKS

ISN'T it

YOU EVER

THE

SNAZZIEST

SAW?

I'VE JUST

GOTTA HAVE IT.

PAYOFF

‘YOU WERE STUNNED, WEREN'T YOU, CHET? IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I'O EVER REFUSED YOU ANYTHING! MAYBE THAT HAD SOMETHING TO 00 WITH WHAT HAPPENED THIS AFTERNOON. MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED ANYHOW. YOU CAME HOME ANO FOUND CLAIRE HERE. ..ALONE. AND YOU WANTED NER TOO. IF YOU WON'T HAVE A I DON’T DRINK, CHET. NOW, CHETf STOP ITf. DRINK WITH ME, HOW'S \

YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL, CLAIRE/

DON'T CHET/ PLEASE DON'T.

>><•

GASP.

NO.

. .

ST0P

ABOUT

A LITTLE

KISS?}

'LATER.WHEN YOU LOOKED FOR HER, YOU COULDN’T h fp ./ ,

—

ToaIrEp CLAIRE, WHERE ARE

YOU*}

OH, CHETf

'.UNTIL YOU CAME TO THE BATHROOM AND SAW HER LYING ON THE COLO WHITE TILE FLOOR WITH THE IOOINE STAINS AROUND HER MOUTH AND THE MEDICINE CABINET OPEN AND THE EMPTY IODINE BOTTLE IN THE SINK. YOU SAW HER AGONY- TWISTED FACE AND KNEW THAT SHE WAS DEAD.'

(

Before long.leon doyle

tearing along the

HIGHWAY, FEELING THE WARMTH OF CHET'S BODY BESIDE 0 LEON IS LAUGHING A MANIACAL KIND OF LAUGH.

I GAVE YOU CHET.'

NOW.

X .

EVERYTHING YOU WANTED, YOU CLAIRE AND EH.. YOU'VE GOT YOUR

BUT CHET'S BODY

SILENT' HE DOESNT

HOW CAN HE. THE HOOD ORNAMENT,

LEON'S QUESTION'

r LIKE

ANSWER

EVEN GAVE EH

ORNAMENT/ EH... eh! LIKE /T s- CHET? LIKE I T9 jggg—

For CHET'S EYES are closed to the sight of the ROAD FLYING A HIM. HIS EARS ARE DEAF TO THE ROAR OF THE ENGINE. HE DOES FEEL THE WIND RUSHING BY HIS HEAD WHERE LEON HAS FASTENED IT .SECURELY TO THE HOOD Y . .

HEE.HEE.' WELL, CREEPS? THAT'TtHE' DOESN'T THAT TOP 'EM ALL ? ANYWAY, IT PUTS THE LID ONC.K.'S ,

YARN.'

PERVERTED PERIODICAL FOR THIS > ISSUE' we'll ALL SEE YOU NEXT IN THE VAULT OF HORROR, by the way/ did YOU HEAR DE ONE ABOUT DE HEADLESS BODY THAT GOT S/CK ON A BOTTLE OF POP BECAUSE. ..GET,DIS...^f CAP./T ATE! HEE.HEE/ MO YOU'LL EAT UP ALL THE CAP YOU GET FROM THE E.C. FAN- ADDICT CLUB, j . • SEE THE AD FOR < j/

JitTW

|£V

THE INFO. DON'T FORGET '.ENJOY yourself/ NO ONE

ELSE DOES?

'BYE,

NOW'

J \ J

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pEATURINGj j |

THE CRYPT-KEEPER

THE OLD WITCH

llHE VAULT-KEEPER e

MJSV—

—

THE TOWN OF SAZOOSKY IN THE HEART OF SOVIET RUSSIA, YOUNG MELVIN BLIZUNKEN - SKOVITCHSKY PU BUSHED A COMIC MAGAZINE...

iwj ;>r if HERE

****

AMERICA, WE CAN 5 T.U

^ ^^ ™ ™6

TJ^SSifiSSSs^ns sswsks r REVELATION

AFTER MUCH SEARCHING OF

”*

NEWSIER

EILEE, WE'VE

MOST ANXtQUS rODBSTROY COMiCS WMuPARB THB COMMUNISTS f

WE'RE SERIOUS/

KIDDIN'/

HERE/ REAP THIS:

OF JULY 13, 1953 THE (COMMUNIST) 'DAILY WORKER" POLE OF: SAID THAT COMICS PLAY THE CONSCIOUS "...BRUTALIZING AMERICAN YOUTH, THE BETTER TO PREPARE THEM FOR MILITARY GOVERNSERVICE IN IMPLEMENTING OUR MENT'S AIMS OF WORLD DOMINATION TO ACCEPT THE ATROCITIES NOW BEING PERPETRATED BY AMERICAN SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN IN KOREA FLAG OF THE UNITED UNDER THE NATIONS "

LE6MAH &HO CLAMS.JO THIS ARTICLE ALSO QUOTES SERSHON WERTHAM, THE AUTHOR BE A GHOST WRITER FOR DR. FREDERICKPUBLISHED IN THE OF A RECENT BLAST AGAINST COMICS LEGMAN, IN ISSUE 3 LADIES HOME JOURNAL*). THIS SAME G. OF *NEUROT/CA / PUBLISHEO IN AUTUMN 1948, SAIO: '

TO ^THTThlLO'^ATURAirCHARACTER MUST BE DISTORTEDHIS VIOLENCE WILL PARALYZE FIT CIVILIZATION... FANTASY .

S©

SOCIETY,

&ETS SO THE NEXT TIME SOMEL JOKER LOC YOUR ^q^Jl^ANDY THE "NAUGHTY COMIC BOOKS AT

AND F’REVENT REVOLUTION. '

of THE WHOLE ^"rs°Zsr 'S^TJS^^SSS’^SS HOOK, UNE, AND SINKER e

THAT HE'S

THING/ HE

MAY BE A

SW*UO»*>

THE

BAIT...

nuuam ai. Q 1Q7(I T irk 12. itooncn^maDu^rip^^wi^i C. fbuStog aJ’*S? I**.

m-.any of the Characters,U.S.A. cidental. Printed in

Published Hi -Monthly by

those living or dead

intended, and a

^850.

aAbf

HEH, HEHf HI, LOW-L/FERSf YEP, IT'S YOUR LUR/D LIBRARIAN, THE CRYPT-KEEPER, READY TO OPEN ANOTHER SQUEAL- SESSION HERE in THE CRYPT with another of my favorite TWISTED-TALES OF TORMENT MO TORTURE, so, COME ON IN AND SIT DOWN ON THAT BLOOD- STAINED STONE MARKER THERE AND ILL

CALL ...

Roy dixon awoke with a start, knowing something WAS wrong, he opened his puzzled eyes, looked around blankly. ; .AND screamed, where was he? WHAT WAS THIS COLD GREY STONE ROOM THAT BOXED HIM IN LIKE A TRAPPED ANIMAL? WHAT WAS THAT STEADY HISS, LIKE A THOUSAND VENOMOUS REPTILES? WHY WAS HE BOUND HELPLESSLY TO THIS IRON CHAIR? HE STRUGGLED FURIOUSLY, BUT THE ROPES ONLY BRUISED HIS FLESH. HIS THROAT WAS TORN RAW BY

(7 li

NOW

HOLLOW-TON EO VOI CE ECHO AND REVERBERATE THROUGH THE GRIM ROOM.. . fc v, \ I

****CHMh I SENTENCE YOU, ROYDIXONif SEN ffHOtMOf MURDER.

LET me ,s

THE WILOLY

^Hof

S EXECUTION IN THE QAS CHAMBER FOR FIRSTDEGREE > TO

COULD

SQUIRMING PRISONER IMPASDIMLY THE HOODED FIGURE PEERING IN AT HIM REGULASIONATELY THROUGH THE OBSERVATION WINDOW HISSED FROM TING THE FLOW OF LETHAL CYANIDE GAS THAT THE GRILLED VENT IN THE FLOOR. HIS EXECUTIONER!..

came to release roy from his nightBut _nobody _ .... <pa uriO A ACT V

THE WAY

OUT! WR0N6f

CAN'T BE?

this

PLANNED

I THIS' IT'S A

Was

VAPORS WERE ABSORBED FROM HIS HEAVING LUNGS INTO HIS RACING I

BLOODSTREAM... HIS CHIN SAGGED.. LOLLED. HE WAS DY/NG...

[HIS HEAD

THIsZis^ZZ WRONG -i

CAN'T BE. ..TRUE/

a M

it li

IT.

>AlR (

\ (

FORCE BUDDIES...

BOMBARDIER TO PILOT/ TARGETS

PRIME

TONIGHT ! UNDERSTAND ?

TARGET MISS OR

—

YOU'LL SHIP AGAIN. ...

NEVER

RICE

course, that sort of thing had been during OFF-DUTY hours. ON DUTY, it was CAPTAIN buck GORDON, PILOT, AND SECOND LIEUTENANT roy dixon, bombardIggaggSr IER. AND NO MORE. SHAKE THE LEAD 'T'^BUCK ' I... out LIEUTENANT' \ih~YES,SIRF

—

FOR

LET'S

\ GO GET 'EM'

pilot™ BOMBARDIER

ROGER /READY JY RUNf

GUIDING HIS ROARING- METAL MONSTER, in PREGNANT WITH BOMBS, BUCK HAD ALWAYS BEEN AL L BRASS SPINE RIGHT THROUGH TO HIS STEEL-SPRING

um.c

—

A hideous -

DREAM ? unaum

it must be that' ROY CLUNG Tg THAT REASSURING THOUGHT AS THE STONE ROOM SPUN AND FADED BEFORE HIS BLURRING EYES. 0REAMILY.HI8 MEMORY REACHED BACK-BACK TO THE RAW, RED DAYS OF WORLD WAR IT WHEN HE AND BUCK GORDON HAD BEEN

HiexniAiie?

BRAIN CLOUDED NOW. HIS SENSES REELED CRAZILY AS THE DEADLY

SEE...

WRONG.' not

ALL! YOU CANT

MISTAKE1 PLEASEf

OH.LORD ...STOP HIM

IBut there was no answer from THE HOODED WATCHER. ROY DIXON’S

yW\

BROWBEATING Yes, that'd been buck. .PULLING RANK, I

authority. ;rew, glorying in his silver barred MAKING BUCK SQUIRM A lOY'D RUBBED IT IN GOOD, HELPLESSLY WHEN HIS CHANCE QAME...ON THE

BOMBING RUN. WHEN HE WAS IN COMMANDTARGET S/6HTED f TAKING OVER,J

captain' STEADY, now... STEADY. CUT THAT ®> THAT SIDE-SLIP, HEAR ME? AN ORDER, captain ' .

y—^rpm

LIEUTENANT'

And so, one glorious post-war MORNING .THEY'D STOOD PROUDLY BEFORE THEIR QUONSET HANGAR...

But then.between missions, they'd BEEN THICK AS THIEVES AGAIN... BUYING EACH OTHER DRINKS AND PLANNING THEIR FUTURE.. .AFTER

THE

BUSINESS PARTNERS...

THINK OF IT, ROY.. OUfiJ SOUNDS

OWN AIRLINE. AIR FREIGHT .

AN D

. .

.. .

HAULING

YOU

.PA RTNERS/

\ I

6REAT, BUCK t count

Roy lifted his head groggily. the past faded.the HISSING OF THE LETHAL GAS WAS GONE...

ALIVE the GAS CHAMBER HAS VANISHED. WAS A DREAM f IT'S DAWN NOW? I'M AWAKE f

I'M IT

Finally, after weeks of leg-work, THEY'D LANDED THEIR FIRST CONTRACT. AND FLYING THEIR FIRST LOAD HAD BEEN JUST LIKE OLD TIMES.-TOO MUCH LIKE OLD TIMES-

]

THIS? WHAT WAS THIS NEW TORTURE ROY WAS SUDDENLY AWARE OF? WHY WAS IT SO HARD TO BREATHE; WHAT WAS AROUND ROY'S NECK.„SQUEEZING-SQUEEZIN8._

But WHAT WAS

THEY NEVER BROUGHT ME TO TRIAL NEVER SENTENCED ME TO THE GAS CHAMBL IT WAS ALL...A ... DREAM. I KNEW I

KNEW

The NOOSE STEADILY TIGHTENED, CLAMPING

HIS WIND-

PIPE SHUT FROM THE WEIGHT OF HIS BODY. SOMETIMES THIS GHASTLY THING HAPPENED-THE VICTIM'S NECK UNBROKEN BY THE DROPPING TRAP... LETTING HIM DIE

A SLOW HORRIFYING DEATH BY STRANGULATION. -DRAGGING HIM INTO A SUFFOCATING ETERNITY...

Roy's mind sank into a deep dark pool again out of WHICH PUFFED VISIONS OF THE PAST CAME ONCE MORE... REVIEWING HIS ASSOCIATION WITH BUCK GORDON. EVEN THOUGH THEIR AIRLINE’D EXPANDED THROUGH THE YEARS, UP INTO GOLDEN BRACKETS, BUCK'0 KEPT IT UR-HATEFULLYPULLING RANK...

Ror'O ALWAYS HANDLED THE 'DIRTY WORK" FOR THE THAT HAD COME UP FROM TIME Al RUNE. -THE LAW CASES NIGHT TO TO TIME. HE'D EVEN TAKEN LAW COURSES AT HELP NOW, HIS LAW WORK WOULD HELP HIM TO COM-

MIT MURDER... AND GETAWAY WITH IT...

And so roy'o prepared and waited... and his opportunity^ COME ONE NIGHT, WHEN THE OFFICE HELP HAD GONE HOME AND BUCK WAS WORKING LATE, GETTING A micut

FBFIRHT SHIPMENT CHECKED

OUT...

Roy remembered how he'd raised THE MONKEY WRENCH... BRINGING |1 DOWN ACROSS BUCK'S HEAD

CARRIED BUCK'S UNCONSCIOUS FORM.. INTO THE REAR OOOR OF THE HANGAF .TO THE SURPLUS B-29 THEY STILL

CAREFULLY.

EASY.

NOT TOO

HARD... HOI HARO ENOUGH TO

'All loaoeo

up.

SET

.Then stowing THE OTHER ITEM. THE ITEM ROY'D BOUGHT AND RECONDITIONED .

SsMH

SORTA BRINGS BACK OLD MEMORIES • YOU KNOW, BATSON? . LIKE TO COME ALONG FOR A TONIGHT? OKAY WITH YOU?

Mr BABY I'o

And

AS THEY'D SOARED WEST, IT'D BEEN Si ROY TO PRETEND A WAR HERO'S NOSTALGIA. YOU KNOW, BATSON? IT'S JUSTCOME 'Y I’m... x'm n OVER ME I’D LIKE TO MAKE LIKE A 'not GR/NN/N' BOMBARDIER again. FOR OLD MR. OIXONr I TIME'S SAKE. I’M GOING EORWARD UNDERINTO THE NOSE. FOLLOW MY ORDERS \ STAND.' .

ON THE

INTERCOM.

RIDE

.And waiting around tm— THE GROUND CREW'D TRUNDLED THE OLD LADyI OUT ONTO THE FIELD AND WARMED UP HER ENGINES. IT'D BEEN SO EASY TO BUMPjNTO BATSON.THEPILOT...

PAINFULLY.,. THE SURPLUS BOMBS/GHT... into the CLUTTERED NOSE OF THE OLD .

ready to go. ' NOBODY'LL check the cargo HOLD NOWf ALL I HAVE TO 00 IS SHIFT A FEW CRATES,.. AND I'M

TRIP..

SUPERFORT.

BOMB RACKS.

LAST ORDER' YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE

It'd been so easy. ..tying suck up, GAGGING HIM IN CASE HE'D COME TO, AND STRINGING HIM UP ONTO THE OLD

USED FOR SHORT FREIGHT HAULS... SHORT NIGHT HAULS... LIKE TH E ONE TONIGHT..

r ...THAT WAS YOUR

.JUST LIKE YOU'RE

MY PILOT AND WE'RE HEADED OVER BERLIN.' AND STOP GRINNING

WHY...UH...

SURE

It'D 8EEN SO EASY TO UNCOVER THE BOMB-SIGHT AND PLUG IN THE LEADS HE'D WORKED ON FOR WEEKS- THE LEADS THAT CONTROLLER THE AILERONS ... THE ELEVATORS. .THE RUDDER THE BOMB-BAYS. .. AND THE B0M6.

RACKS.

THE

BOMB RUN f.

|c»

|||,

ALL RIGHT, BATSON? LET'S BUT THAT'S OFF HEAD HER AROUND TO A READING OUR COURSE, MR. OF THREE OEGREES SOUTH BY .DIXON? JWEST.

’fiBZZip.

-eT/M

THING, MR. DKON? YOU'RE THE BOSS '

But

it'd

ROY.

it'd

been no idle game for BEEN A GAME OF DEATH.

AND THE STAKES WERE HIGH. THIS HAD TO BE 'ON TARGET.'.. 'DIRECT ON THE NOSE 'f BUT HE'D HIT.'. TIMED IT PERFECTLY .'THE MOON HAD ATED EVERYTHING BELOW... .

The first jolt ripped into roy dixon like

it HAD been 'right on target', roy's pin-point BOMBING HAD DROPPED BUCK JORDON ON THE STONE MARKER THAT DELINIATES THE COMMON CORNERS OF UTAH, COL ORADO, ARIZONA, AND NEW MEXICO STAINING IT RED WITH BLOOD AND RUPTURED FLESH...

Yes,

a million

WHITE-HOT NEEDLES.. .BOILING HIS BLOOD. HE COULD

SMELL HIS OWN FLESH FRYING. THE SECOND JOLT SPIRALED HIM INTO A BLUE-WHITE FLASHING ABYSS THAT CHANGED INTO A PICTURE OF THE PAST. .OF

BUCK GORDON'S BODY SMASHING TO EARTH DIRECTLY UPON A LARGE FLAT STONE MARKER .

RIGHT ON TARGET.

BUCK GORDON HAO MET HIS DEATH AT THE FOUR MUTUAL CORNERS OF THESE STATES. EACH ONE DEMANDED ITS RIGHT TO PROSECUTE, CLAIMING SOLE JURISDICTION. ROY'D BEEN ABLE TO HAVE HIMSELF RELEASED ON $50,000 BAIL VIA A WRIT OF

A LEGAL BRAWL HAD DEVELOPED.

It HAD ALL GONE ACCORDING TO PLAN. ROY'D OPENLY AND BOLDLY PLEADED GUILTY TO THE GRAND JURY’S INDICMENT. BUT THEN THE FUN HAD STARTED, AS THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COURTS OF FOUR STATES WRANGLED LIKE ALLEY-CATS OVER ONE MOUSE...

Y ARIZONA

UTAH CLAIMS JURISDICTION THIS MURDER

case

IN .

jmm

HABEUS CORPUS

COLORADO

’

CLAIMS 4 ) THE RIGHT TO TRY THE

..fj

THIS’LL DRAG THROUGH

COURT AFTER

COURT. AT ANY DECISION TO TRY ME. THIS WILL GO ON FOR I'LL APPEAL YEARS? I CAN APPEAL RIGHT UP TO THE

PRISONER.'

SUPREME COURTf

And ROY'D BEEN RIGHT HIS PLAN HAD WORKED EXACTLY AS HE'D PREDICTED IT WOULD .THE RED TAPE HAD PILED ^...TANGLING NTO A THICKER | AND MORE COMPLICATED KNOT- fp I

FOUR STATES. ..BICKERING.

NEVER

T HE MEMORY

FADED. THE PAINFUL JOLTS OF ELECTRICITY WERE * GONE. ROY LOOKEO ARO UND. IT WAS DAWN — .DAWN OVER A DESERT WASTELAND... |

]

BRING ME TO TRIAL.. J jgk AT LEAST NOTIN Afl- LIFETIME?

THEY’LL

-»

Wr I.

IH§|? EACH STUBBORN... JEALOUS...PROUO?

..I'M AWAKE AGAIN? X WASN'T ELECTROCUTED? OH GOD? WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME? WHY AM I BEING TORTURED LIKE... LIKE .../WO/WHAT AM I DOING HERE? Yrgj ,

Roy looked oown

he was standing

ON A FLAT ROCK... A MA RKER. - A ILIAR MARKER. This

NO, Roy

where BUCK'S )

BODY LANDED f

DIXON'

/ MUST BE DREAMING / THIS IS NO DREAM *7 AGAINf

T HE

hooded figure stooo

The hooded figure pointed to the GREY walled structure with the LITTLE OBSERVATION WINDOW...

beside

THE MARKER...

THEN LET

BUT THEN I MUST BE DREAMING^ I'M

US SAY I AM YOUR

^OFFICIAL

(

FREE MAN f the sEXECUTIONERI COURTS DION'T DECIDE a

YOU ESCAPED LEGAL EXECUTION BY YOUR CUNNING PLAN, ROY? YOU ESCAPED THE GAS CHAMBER of THAT STATE ...SO X LET YOU DIE A

A LITTLE

ANYTHING / they WON'T FOR YEARS. SO YOU

CAN'T BE

my OFFICIAL

EXECUTIONER/

The HOODED

FIGURE SWEPT HIS ARM.

YOU ESCAPED THE SCAFFOLD OF THAT STATE... SO I LET YOU TRY

THAT ONE TOO

...

A CIRCLE-POINTING.

CHAIR OF THAT STATE ...AND SO YOU'VE FELT WHAT TO OIE THAT WAY/

IT IS

r-m

SHADOWS

THE LONG ON TH E DAWN DE SERT SAN D ...POINTING

AND NOW FOR THE LAST AND FINAL EXECUTION... THIS IS ALL SOME THE ONE I WILL NOT ' BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU / NIGHT\ MARISH JUST A TASTE'VF THE FIRING SQUAD/ I DREAMY READY.. .AIM...

FIRE/

GOT FOUR WAYS' WELL,

HEH, HEH.' SO POOR OLD ROY

But the executioner removed NO DREAM...

IT FROM

BUCK.

BUCK/ BUCK

YOU GET IT FROM E.C. FOUR W»YS WHEN YOU READ ONE OF YOUR

GORD...NNN_

<?houlZ.unatic's

MAGS: FOUR CHILLING SCREAM-STORIES.

NEXT COMES Y. K. WITH HIS... THEN i’ll be BACK TO RE- REVOLT YOU.. AND O.W. WILL COMPLETE the

CREEPY QUARTET. SO READ ON AND RETCH DEAR FIEND. I’LL DIG

YOU

LATER 1 OH, BY THE WAYf HAVE YOU

HEARD ABOUT THE

FAN -ADDICT CL UBf TOU HAVE/

E.C.

OHf THEN YOU* KNOW! BYE

HORRIBLE 'HI' TO ALL YOU HORROR-HAPPY HID/OTSf WELCOME NOW TO THE VAULT OF THIS IS YOUR NARRATOR OF NAUSEATING NOVELETTES, THE VAULT-KEEPER, READY TO READ ANOTHER REVOLTING REGURGITATION FROM MY LIBRARY Of LECHEROUS LITERATURE. TH IS TERROR-TOME, TH S CHOICE of CHILLING CHARNEL CHATTER 'S APTLY ENTITLED HEH.HEH' AND A

HORROR.

CHUNK

There was a biting frost in the late November night air which HOVERED ABOUT THE LAST REMAINING FALL FLOWERS, BESTOWING ICY KISSES OF DEATH UPON THEIR SHRIVELING PETALS. THE LEAVES HAD LONG SINCE LEFT THE TREES, BARING THEIR GNARLED TRUNKS TO THE COMING WINTER WINDS, UNCOVERING BRANCHES THAT REACHED SKYWARD LIKE TWISTED AND MISSHAPEN GOUT-WRACKED FINGERS. THERE, IN THAT GARDEN OF GLOOM, SAT THE WIFE AND THE LOVER. AND ON THE GREY COLD FLAGSTONE TERRACE STOOD THE HUSBAND, WATCHING...

AND

WAITING...

E MOMENT NORMAN KING HAD MET MARIA HOLT AT THE PARTY GOING ON WITHIN THE HOUSE BEYOND,

HE'D FALLEN IN LOVE WITH HER. HE 'D WAITED TILL SHE WAS ALONE. .THEN COAXED HER INTO THE GARDEN, BRAZENLY FLAUNTING HIS ATTENTIONS UPON HER IN FRONT OF HER STONE-FACED HUSBAND. NOW, AS NORMAN PASSED PAUL HOLT, HE NOTICED HIS .

CYNICA L SMILE..

YOU'RE PRETTY SURE OF YOURSELF, HOLT f WELL, WE'LL,

SEE

...

HE FINGERED THE SNUB-NOSED BLUE-BLACK 38 AUTOMATIC HE'D TAKEN FROM HIS OVERCOAT, AND IT GAVE HIM

Norman hao noticed the cold and impassive inoiferENCE THAT HAD SEEMED TO BLANKET MARIA AND PAUL AND HE'D ASSUMED THAT THE PASSION- FIRES HAO COOLED FOR THEM. SO HE'D SET HIS SIGHTS UPON THE POOH UNHAPPY WIFE, DETERMINED TO STIR UPTHEFLAMES WITHIN HER ONCE AGAIN. ..FOR HIM. HE GOTMORE THAN MARIA'S WRAP FROM THE CLOAKROOM.

I HAVE EYES, MARIA? I

CAN

SEES YOUR HUSBAND

ANO YOU ARE LI K E TWO _) STONES/ THE LOVE

WHAT'S

THE USE IN

SUN-

THAT WAS ONCE BETWEEN AlORMAN? YOU

DEAD/ WHAT IF YOU]

WEREN'T MARRIED?.. .< HAVE A IF YOU HAD NO HUS- ) HUSBAND...

BAND ?

COULDN’T

CON FI PENCE... 'i

ALWAYS GET what I WANT, ONE WAY

OR ANOTHER, and

Suddenly maria turned and ran T OWARDS THE HOUSE..

T A

AND THERE'S

NOTHING WE CAN

DO ABOUT

\V.

MARIA

COME

L BACK/

I'VE

NEVER WANTED

Maria disappeared through the FRENCH DOORS AS PAUL HOLT'S JEERING LAUGHTER RANG OUT FROM THE FAR END OF THE GARDEN.

WHY YOU OIRTY, YES, MR KING? THERE'S NOTHING \ SNEAKING. ..YOU YOU CAN DO ABOUT 1 WERE HIDING IT.

•

lifStj

THERE IN THE SHADOWS ALL THIS TIME...

LISTENING/ B

Norman's hand went to the LOADEO AUTOMATIC IN HIS POCKET AS THE SNEERING HUSBAND APPROACHEO, AND HIS FACE FLUSHED RED WITH HATE AND ANGER AT THE AMUSED TWINKLE IN PAUL’S EYES .

Norman whipped out the gun, PRESSING THE COLD BLACK SNUBNOSED MUZZLE AGAINST PAUL HOLT'S

YOU'RE TRYING TO STALL ME

CHEST. THE SNEERING SMILE VANISHED FROM PAUL'S FACE.

SEES

TILL

SOMEONE

( |

(

US, HOLT.

WELL. IT

WON'T

| I

NOBODY WILL COME OUT IN THIS COLD, KING' I MERELY WANT TO TELL

THERE'S THIS OON'T BE A ) DO.' X < FOOL, KING (

CAN

:an K/L L

YOU* J BEFORE you

THAT TRIGGER, LET TELL YOU

WON'T

00 TOU ANY 1

Curiosity had gotten the better of norman. he relaxed a bit AS PAUL BEGAN HIS STORY, BUT HE KEPT THE GUN MUZZLE LEVELED AGAINST PAUL'S CHEST. . IT'S A STRANGEMO FRIGHTENING STORY, NORMAN' IT BEGAN WHEN I FIRST SAW MARIA. IT WAS A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. SHE WAS SURROUNDED BY SKELETONS AND

VAMPIRES AHOWEREWOLVES.

'YOU SEE, I’D GONE TO VISIT SOME RICH FRIENDS IN PORT-AUPRINCE, HAITI. THEY'D TAKEN ME TO A HALLOWE'EN MASQUERADE PARTY. MARIA WAS MADE UP AS A LITTLE SENSUOUS RED DEVIL. I

'At MIDNIGHT MARIA UNMASKED AND I UNMASKED AND WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND KNEW. WE KNEW WHAT ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA, AND

her 'Outside, maria stopped ...shivering, i looked at AND SHE WASN'T LAUGHING ANY MORE FEAR LURKED IN HER EYES...'

TOOK HER BY THE HAND AND PULLED HER AFTER ME THROUGH THE SWIRLING CROWD OF MERRY MONTINKLING STERS. SHE LAUGHED AND IT WAS LIKE THE

OF SILVER BELLS..

'don't TALK ABOUT ghouls, PAUL ? I- 1 DON'T LIKE THEM.

I'M GETTING YOU OUT OF fHERE BEFORE ONE OF THESE

BEATS ME TO

GHOULS

HONEY ?

^ I.

you TMT/iW me?^y

—-3 STOP.

•*

ARE

PAUL... WHERE

)

DIDN'T MEAN... I WOULDN'T... WELL, I'LL

AFRAID?

-T I ..I'M

IT?

JMTKB? MENTION THEM msf AGAIN/ u r

“I

TOOK HER

I'M PAUL HOLT, AND YOU'PE BEAUTIFUL

MY ARMS AND

TRIED TO KISS HER RIGHT THEN AND THERE AS YOU JUST DID, NORMAN. BUT, AS WITH YOU, SHE’D HAVE NONE

AND NOW THAT WE KNOW EACH OTHER

I didn’t TRY. I could wait; ALTHOUGH IT WASNT EASY. THE NEXT EVENING, X TOOK HER TO

YOU )- 'So

MW5r

'j ON TRYING

J^ TO K/SS

ME, PAUL, X LL '

DON'T

MARIA. THAT'S WHAT OUR LIPS

WERE MADE rJ

PAUL/

NOT

YET/

WE...

FOR.

flF

YOU'RE PLAYING

HARD-TO-GET,

YOU'LL

SEE ME

ftp AGAIN?

DINNER. I TRIED TO HOLD HER HAND ACROSS THE TABLE, BUT SHE PULLED ./ IT AWAY BEFOR E I COULD TOUCH IT. IT WOULD START WITH HOLDIN6 MY

'^T^venV'' THAT,

MARIA?

V )

HAND... AND THEN

K/SS. ..AND THEN..

IT'S

WORKING, maria. YOU'RE DRIVING ME

W MAD/

$/££AND NEVER

WE don't know EACH OTHER. .)

w&R

60 BACK IN-

NOT MINE,

SAY NO,

[

YOU'RE IMPATIENT,

PAUL.. .THERE ARE girls...

'OTHER

MUCH EASIER -TOK/SS6IRIS. PERHAPS

U )

BETTER FORGET ABOUT ME? RH

YOU'D

NOT going to FORGET * ABOUT YOU, maria? X

i'm

I WANT YOOl I WANT YOU TO MARRY ME/ THERE/ i've SAID it? MARRY ME. MARIA? j

COULDN'T

OH, PAUL/ YES?

I'LL

YES,

MARRY YOU... UY MOTHER

if... IF

AND

FATHER GIVE

PERMISSION

K /,

you'll

have to ASK THEM...

' QUALIFICATIONS'? I HAD TO CONTROL MYSELF TO KEEP A STRAIGHT FACE. YOU’D THINK I WAS APPLYING FOR A POSITION INSTEAD OF ASKING TO MARRY THEIR DAUGHTER...' ' WHY... I HAVE. ..QUIT A BIT FINE, MR. HOLT . BUT MORE >

Maria and her parents lived in a large old house OUTSIDE PORT-AU-PRINCE. WHEN I WENT TO SEE THEM THAT NIGHT, THEY SAT STIFFLY ACROSS A DRAWING ROOM THAT MUST HAVE BEEN FURNISHED IN 1880. THEIR ATTIRE FITTED THE SURROUNDINGS

I'VE

YOUR

COME TO ASK FOR

PERMISSION

INDEEDf NAO PRECISELY

‘

MARRY YOUR DAUGHTER, AND MRS. HARMON f JEj

WHAT

ARE YOUR

^ CATIONS

MR.

Of MONEY,

SIR.. .A

GOOD

EDUCATION MY OWN "J

QUAUFIHOLT?

(

BUSINESS... 'lBSgfl

IMPORTANT

. .

WILLING TO

.WOULD YOU BE

DIE FOR MY^J j

DAUGHTER?

MR.

ideas of gallantry WERE VICTORIAN. I SUPPRESSED MY AMUSEMENT AND GAVE THE ANSWER

’Even his

LOOKING FOR.

MyY

AH' THEN OH, PAUL. you HAVE OUR PERPAUL, MISSION, YOUNG I HAPPYf f MOMENT'S HESITATION, rr man? < fl'D GIVE

’MR. HARMON GRINNED, BUT MARIA PERMITTED ME TO 00 NO MORE THAN BRUSH HER COLD LIPS WITH MINE T. BLAMED IT ON SHYNESS BEFORE HER PARENTS. I ACHED TO CRUSH HER IN MY ARMS...'

'To MY SURPRISE, MR, HA8MGN_ SAID WE COULD BE MARRIED THE VERY NEXT DAY. SO MARIA AND I WERE WED IN THAT COLO BLEAK CHAMBER BY A LOCAL OFFICIAL...'

LIFE FOR

MARIA WITH L OUT A |

]

‘

SIRf

When

LOOKED AT ME REASSURINGLY, AND WHISPERED.

the official that had married us had gone,

MARIA TURNED TO HER FATHER. MR. HARMON TOOK A SMALL SILVER CASE FROM HIS WAISTCOAT POCKETAND REMOVED A SINGLE WHITE TABLET. WHAT IS IT? IT SMELLS TO XhERE, YOUNG Ihim.FATHERM man' swallow L funny.'medicinal?

f GIVE IT

THIS'

I SWALLOW IT, PAUL] DARLING.' IT'S ALL

RIGHT.' ySTRYCHNINE ^ IT'S

SSTRYCHN/NE.'Lvou said T THAT'S POISON.'} you'd d/E WHArS THE IDEA? y FOR MY

WHY,

DAUGHTER, paul' r-

'-r

I DROPPED THE DEADLY LETHAL TABLET AND BACKED OFF. MARIA KNELT AND PICKED IT UP A|$D TRIED TO GIVE IT BACK TO ME. SHE PRESSED HER HAND IN MINE. HER FLESH WAS COLD. .COLD AS

'A CLAMMY CHILL CREPT ACROSS ME LIKE AN INVISIBLE HAND OF HOARFROST. NUMBLY. I MOVED BACKWARDS THERE WAS A LOOK OF DEADLY GRIM DETERMINATION ON THE FACES OF T HE HARMONS AS THEY CAME SLOWLY AFTE R ME...’

DEATH.

^THAT'S WHY

SCREAMED AND BROKE FOR THE

DOOR..

NEVER LET YOU

‘The door was locked... the key GONE. I WHIRLED, CONFUSED. MY ONLY AVENUE OF ESCAPE WAS UP THE STAIRS. ..

TOUCH Y~f!

'The doors on the second floor WERE ALL LOCKED TOO. FOR A MOMENT, THEY TRAPPEO ME THERE. THEIR COLD LIFELESS HANDS HOLDING ME IN A STEEL GRIP. BUT WITH A STRENGTH OF SHEER TERROR, I WRENCHED

* There was no time to think... only to run. i saw the narrow stairway leading upward and with a wild FRANTIC SCRAMBLE, I STUMBLED UP INTO A MUSTY DUST-LADEN FOUL-SMELLING ATTIC. I REACHED THE ONE WINDOW IN THE JUNK -CRAMMED ROOM, THREW IT OPEN, AND STARED DOWN THREE STORIES TO A BRICK PATIO. I GLANCED BACK AS X CLIMBED TO THE SILL AND SAW MY ZOMBIE WIFE AND IN-LAWS THROUGH A HAZE OF COBWEBS, COMING FOR

ME. ..COMING...

AND

HEARD MARIA'S PLEADING

VOICE...

Norman king listened in amazement to THIS TALE OF TERROR THAT POURED FROM THE LIPS OF THE tfuSBAND OF THE WOMAN HE WANTED SO OESPERATELY. HE LOOKEO DOWN AT THE GUN IN HIS HAND, THE GUN LEVELED AT PAUL HOLT'S CHEST...

Norman screamed

in fury, he squeezed the trigger AGAIN AND AGAIN AS HE SHRIEKED.

I SAID ID

KILL YOU' TAKE THAT... AND THAT... and

AND I MEANT IT.' ’

THAT... ANO... CHOKE...

The automatic barked

into the night, four ugly BLACK HOLES APPEARED IN PAUL'S CHEST. THEY GAPED DRYLY... BURNED BY THE POWDER AT SUCH CLOSE RANGE. NORMAN STAGGERED

BUT THERE WAS NO BLOOD iHIS FACE

FROZEN

BACK,

AN EXPRESSION OF STARK HORROR...

TOLD YOU THEY

A KILLED I r

Paul holT's cold lifeless hands caught norman king's throbbing THROAT IN AN ICY DEATH -GRIP. HIS POWERFUL DEAD FINGERS CLAMPEO T)GHTLY, CUTTING OFF NORMAN'S AIR SUPPLY- CUT TING OFF HIS LIFE..:

( [

MY \

HEH, HEH f AND THAT'S MY FOR THIS ISSUE OF C.K.'S

YELP YABN

PUTRID PERIODICAL OF COURSE THE CHOKE WAS ON ,

)

THEY MADE ME A ZOMBIE, NORMAN? AND NOW, IF YOU WANT MY WIFE SO BADLY.. .I’LL HAVE TO MAKE YOU ONE. AT LEAST... THEN ..YOU MIGHT HAVE A

*£ NORMAN.

AM DEAD... LIKE

WIFE MADIA...

NORMAN

...

FALLING FOR A

COLD BABE

MARIA. BUT EVERYTHING'S ALL R/6HT NOW. NORMAN'S BEEN ACCEPTED NTO ZOMBIE ZOC/ETY AND MARIA'S PAWNED HIM OFF ON A DISTANT COUSIN OF HERS. THIS GAL'S BEEN DEAD SO LONG, SHE HAS TO KEEP HER DISTANCE. ANYWAY

NORMAN'S HAPPY AS AN UNDERTAKER AT A

PLANE CRASH WITH HER. SEEMS HE GOES FOR THE STRONG TYPE...SMELL !NG, THAT IS. AND, TALKING ABOUT STRONG SMELLING, I'LL

TURN YOU BACK

TO C.K/’BYE.NOW?

They couldn’t be far behind, Of all the dumb luck ...

knew

that his

two

him

in an-

to a stop suddenly. In the

empty

pursuers would be closing in on

The .

some kids were fooling around box, which sagged ludicrously atop

was

While he

stale

and

ice

was hard

lot

to breathe

squatted inside the sealed box,

figures in blue raced

One

around the corner.

of them pointed at the boys in the empty At the same moment, the kids spotted the

lot to his right

lot.

an old

police.

ice

air

but those cops’d pass by in another mo-

ment, and he'd hop out and make a getaway!

two

other minute!

He skidded

box was a

back. But sitting

cosier than sweating out a prison sentence!

badly as this time! His chest pounding as he

rounded the corner, Fitch

out in the

Fitch realized. for years he’d

snatched purses, and he’d never fumbled so

With

a yelp of fear, the boys scattered,

sat insfde the

their legs thrashing frantically as they ran

enamel box, while the others yammered, pretending they were about to shut the door. It

away. "T-They catch us here again," one boy

took Fitch only a moment to see beauty

warned us

mound

of rubbish.

sordid scene; the ice

than any other he’d

One punk

box was

in this

a better hideout

grunted, "and they’ll run us

slammed one kid when he protested against an adult joining their fun ... the others calmed down fast. Hunching over, Fitch

the police ran on. the

for

The

lot

pounded on the enamel pounded till blood from

one half of the

the skinny kid nearest

ran

him. "I’m gonna duck into the

ice box, see?’’

he whispered. "Slam that door shut after I’m then just keep on playing. You get the in

down

box

side of the

his slashed knuckles

the slick surface.

With

all

his

strength he hurled himself against the door,

but

held firm.

was growing hot

in the

box

increas-

other half

when you open

While the screw fashion

me!”

box and maneuvered cork-

till

he was able to squat down

"Okay!” he called.

inside.

the door for

kids chattered excitedly, Fitch

stepped into the

side of the box,

"When

you open

’er

rap on the

up and get the

ingly hard to breathe. Fitch’s fingers ripped his collar open, but

a curious buzzing in

other half of your reward!

Now

slam

'er

his

closed!" tight

face. It

fit,

Fitch thought, a smile

was dark, and already the perspiration to swim down the small of his

was beginning

didn’t help.

his ears,

There was

and he found

painful to keep his eyes open. His heart was

beating strangely in his chest, and the white-

seemed to be growing whole tortured body, as if it would soon burst. Just one breath of air, that’s all he needed! Let the cops come and take him ... let them throw him into solitary! Just let him gulp some air, and relieve hot

all

Except

ice box.

two pieces. He handed

we’d

silent.

After the footsteps died away outside, Fitch

swiftly tore the bill into

around him grew big with anticipation. Fitch

was

deep-throated groaning inside the

abandoned

pulled a five-spot from his pocket and the eyes

Last time they

In another minute the boys were gone, and

Fitch

bill to

in!

to stay outa this lot, or

to jail!”

find!

lump

in his throat

seemed

to be filling his

the agony that was melting his insides! Air

. .

E.C. FAN-ADDICT

CLUB/

SEND FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP KIT TODAY, RECEIVE A FULL-COLOR 7>iX 10/z ILLUMINATED CERTIFICATE A STURDY WALLET IDENTIFICATION CARD, A SNAZZY EMBROIDERED SHOULDER. PATCH, AND A STUNNING ANTIQUE BRONZE- FINISH BAS-RELIEF PIN.

For an individual membership,

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» I «

: *

THE E.C. FAN-ADDICT CLUB ROOM 706 225 LAFAYETTE STREET NEW YORK, 12, N.Y. -Here's mu two bits / 1 want the thugs and stuff /ike the kid’s wearing / 1 want to meet rwuifriend s like the kid’s meeting/ I'm a fan -addict/ I'm mad /

CORNER THE CRYPT- KEEPER’S m Heh, heh! So everybody's "high days! So

who am

to stand in the

As I drive the hearse through the gutters. Crazy folks will break through their shutter*

fidelity" crazy these

way of progress? So

And

snap on your ten watt all-triode amplifier, flip on your no-rumble, non-tracking-error, four-speed, sunk-insand record player with the diamond stylus variable reluctance magnetic plug-in pickup head, dust off your base-reflex cabinet with the infinite baffle containing .

ear to the crystal-clear needle scratch of these latest ad(now HIT dilions to the E.C. irritating you at a flat response from 1.0 to 84,000 cycles, plus or minus .003 db. at maximum horse-

power,

PARADE

minimum hum

level at

If you care to flop In that terse little hearse th the fringe on the top.

revolutions per

3600

minute!), as sent in by Frank Field of Port WashingN. Y-; Carl Nelson and Dolores Zielinski of Detroit, Mich.; Rod Masanet and ferry Santabasci of 1selin, N. ].; 2 Allegany High School Ghouls of Cumberland, Md.; and Paul Block and Douglas Tuchman

insane

You can look right in In case you run over a pedestrian. Two bright fog-lights out on the fender Spare tank of blood if you go on a bender An unemployed mortician who'll service render

HORROR

their jaws will drop.

The driver's dead The upholstery's skin The dash-board'll drive you With a solid glass bottom

the twin 15 inch woofers, 6 cross-over networks, and and lend a shattered 8 matched-in-series tweeters

ton,

of Elmhurst, L.

Al Fuller

MAGGOTS GO WHERE MY

PILED

GUTS GO

SIOUX CITY SHREW HAGS TO WITCHES WHEN YOU AND WERE YOUNG MAGGOTS

If you pretend. You'll find a body you can share,

One you can j

call all

your own.

Just close your eyes, blood You'll nevag be alone.

there.

And

if you sing this melody, You'll be pretending just like me.

The blood is mine, it can be yours, my So why don’ t you pretend.

Kevinsky O'Brien and Tom Olive of no address; Steve Wishart of Detroit, Mich.; William Gobi of Philadelphia, Pa.: and Dom Poriolana of N. Y. C. suggest the following PULSATING POGRAMS:-

PERVERTED

Portland, Ore. pens this

Pretend you're drainin' when you're blue, It isn't very hard to do. And you'll find blood without an end Whenever you pretend. Remember, anyone can dream. And nothin's dry as it may seem. The clots you haven't got could be a lot

EAT ME IN ST. LOUIS, LOOEY STRANGLINGS ARE HAPPENING SOME HAIR OVER MY SLAIN BEAU YOU MADE ME SHOVE YOU I'LL BREi\K YOUR BONES AGAIN, KATHLEEN COMIN' THROUGH THE EYE DROWNED IN THE VALLEY YOU WERE BENT FOR ME

of-

PARODY to the tune of "Pretend":

1.:

Clay this

KimbaH of

friend,

me flying

Draper, N. C. sends

HATCHET SQUAD

used to be happy with a narcotic fag, Any old tag, and a drunken jag. But n w no more.

YOU BET YOUR WIFE PERRY S IN A COMA

Till

ROAST OF THE TOWN FOUR SCAR PLAYHOUSE

For that was before. read an E.C. mag! I’m sad and I pout

Now

SCREAM CLUB

SMILIN' ED'S FANG THE PRONE STRANGER ATE THREE WIVES I

Somebody

sent in the following

They make me happy, men.

MR. GIZZARD T.V.

with

PUTRID POETRY:

LURID LYRICS:

THE HEARSE WITH THE FRINGE ON TOP from OKLAHOMACIDE Rati and bats and owls better disperse

When take you out in this hearse When take you out in the black hearse I

With the fringe on top. Watch that fringe and see how

EA7 AGAIN!

COMMERCIALS: This offer expires with this offer Positively last public announcement! THREE DIMENSIONAL E.C. CLASSICS and THREE DIMENSIONAL TALES FROM THE CRYPT OF TERROR ... 15c each ... 2 for 30c! Subscriptions to TALES

FROM THE CRYPT

Address for more tomes of orders

one buck talent, or

flutters

eight issues!

3-D mags,

ie:

The Crypt-Keeper

Room

706, Dept.

225 Lafayette it

St.

N. Y. I2.N.Y.

or sub

HERE'S A TALE Of BLOODY

PROGRAMING!

Mr. pierce draynor sat beside the master of CEREMONIES, SMILING NERVOUSLY. FROM TIME TO TIME HE GLANCED AT THE PANEL SITTING STERNLY ACROSS THE SMALL STUOIO STAGE.. . OUR PANEL FAILS TO NAME THE GUESTS SECRET

''if

T.V.

CALL THIS DUD..

Mr. chatfield nodded toward the glum threesome

/our panel

NEW each week.

NOT A CELEBRITY PROGRAM. TO HAVE THREE... WELL...

SELVES

GUESS THE GUEST WE BELIEVE

IT IS

AVERAGE PEOPLE

MORE FUN

LIKE YOUR-

MATCH WITS WITH OUR GUEST TONIGHT, ON OUR

RALPH PE7FRS, WGHT WATCHMAN... MISS CELIA PRONICK, MOVIE CASHIER... AND MR‘ P“" “ DUNKEL, MAINTENANCE MAN. .. PANEL, WE HAVE MR.

MOW, PANEL, MEET OUR QUEST. MR-

PIERCE DRAYNOR YOUR JOB DISCOVER MR. DRAY-

WILL BE TO NOB'S

OCCUPATION.

DOES' in OTHER

WHAT HE

WORDS...

'GUESS THE GUEST’! FIRST, WE’LL BEGIN WITH THE WILD .guesses pronick •.

Mr. pierce draynor sat in the GUEST SEAT WITH AN AMUSED SMILE, GLOATING INSIDE. THEY'D NEVER GUESS HIS OCCUPATION. IT WAS SOMETHING THEY WOULDN'T EXPECT.. JUST TO LOOK AT HIM.

His NEAT OUTER APPEARANCE...

HIS

QUIET VOICE- HIS RATHER MEEK AIR... THERE WAS NOTHING OBVIOUS ABOUT MR. DRAYNOR THAT WOULD GIVE HIS OCCUPATION AWAY. MR. DRAYNOR WAS GOING TO ENJOY THIS...

mss

i iyi

n n / .

They were all wrong... so very wrong, mr. draynor LEERED SLYLY AT THE HUMMING KINESCOPE CAMERA, MOCKING THE VAST AU0IENCE THAT WOULD VIEW THIS AT SOME FUTURE TIME. AND HE REMEMBERED HOW HE'D MET MR. CHATFIELD THAT NIGHT LAST WEEK . .IN THAT CRUMMY LITTLE EAST- SIDE G ltjnMILL, .

(YOU ARE?.' tiny, I'M AN M.C^f /ON a NEW TV PROGRAM! ER.. .HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO APPEAR, MR. DRAYNOR? IT'S CALLED 'GUESS THE guest: I I’M SURE THAT YOUR OCCUFA TION would FLOOR our I

I V

I'VE

Mr. draynor's thoughts returned TO THE PRESENT AS MR. CHATFIELD

T HE QUESTIONS BEGAN INNOCENTLY ENOUGH -TOO INNOCENT. MR. ORAYNOR IMPATIENTLY EGGED THEM ON. MR. CHATFIELD SEEMED TO BE ENJOYING THE PROCEEDINGS...

QUESTIONS.

MR- CHATFIELD HAD TOLD MR. ORAYNOR HE COULD AD LIB OR EMBELISH HIS YES-OR-NO ANSWERS IF HE CARED TO, SO LONG AS HE DID NOT DELIBERATELY LIE. THAT WAS ALL RIGHT WITH MR. ORAYNOR...

ARE CORRECT, PANEL t SO WE MAY BEGIN THE

THIS A

COMMON

WE'

PRODUCT? I

They passed from one

to the other, narrowing DOWN, GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. MR ORAYNOR HAD HELPED THEM ALONG, SNICKERING TO HIMSELF. HE'D WANTED THEM TO GET CLOSE ...VERY IT

MEAN ...HA\i

SEEN

it?

'N I'M SURE YOU'VE (SEEN THIS PRODUCT, MISS PRONICK? MOST J EVERYONE has '

)

siT'S

VERY COMUON'

MR. ORAYNOR SAWTHE SUDDEN TWITCH OF MISS PRONICK'S LIPS NOW AS A CLUE LEAPED INTO HER MIND AND HER EYES WIDENED

HORROR. MR. OUNKEL PASSED TO HER. HER VOCE

Desperately they hurled questions at him, HOPING THEY WERE WRONG AT WHAT THEY SUS-

It was dunkel'sturn again, but he was still afraid TO COME OUT WITH IT OPENLY. HE TRIED TO APPROACH IT IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY, LIKE A FEARFUL MAN SKIRTING THE EDGE

OF A DEEP, DEADLY

Peters seemed to be mentally gagged, evading THE DIRECT QUESTION LIKE SOME HORRIBLE SLIME 'you... YOU'RE

DOCTOR! you MUST BE.' YOU SIMPLY MUSTfJ

HEAVENS, not FAR

FROM THATf

The grinning, gloating guest chose his words CAREFULLY, FOR THEIR FULLEST AND MOST TANTALIZIT WAS SO DELIGHTFUL, WATCHING THE PANEL SWEAT AND SQUIRM..

ING MEANING.

PIT..

They were all beating around the bush, afraid to name THE HIDEOUS OCCUPATION TORTURING THEIR MINDS. MISS PRONICK LOOKED POSITIVELY ILL AS SHE STAMMERED.. / YOU...YOU WORK IN A HOSPITAL. SORRY. IN A... A BLOOD BANK ? IS THAT.

Mr. chatfield's eyes gleamed as he warned the PANEL OF THE FLEETING TIME. IT WAS THE TRIUMPH HE'D PLANNED ALL ALONG. THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S WHY HE'D INVITED MR. DRAYNOR AT NIGHT. IT ALL FIT IN SO NICELY. OUITE A LOVELY TORMENTING TWIST...

The PANEL SHRUNK NOW AS DRAYNOR LEERED AT THEM. MOCKING THEM... DEFYING THEM.. DARING THEM TO PIN HIM DOWN. MR. CHATFIELD SAT BACK, WONDERING IF THEY'D HAVE THE NERYE..

Mr. DRAYNOR

GIGGLED.

MR. CHATFIELD LOOKED SUR-

Mr. chatfield laughed. > THIS HAN HAS A

LEGITIMATE OCCUif you CAN'T GUESS IT, HE WINS/

Mr. chatfield turned to

NO/X A

DIRTY' you'll

^^TRICK/j HEAR

PATION.

NOW, DO YOU CARE TO MAKE A STAB AT IT ?

I.. I

MR. PIERCE

mr. draynor.

ORAYNORf YOU HAVE

STUMPED

ABOUT

OUR PANEL WITH YOUR OCCUPATION! 'GUESS THE GUESTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PROUD TO

THIS!,

PRESENT

ITS

JACK-POT PRIZE

<rmr

SOLID OAK.HAND HEWN, NYLON LINED, CASKET.. FOR YOU TO REST IN^ ETERNAL REPOSE FOREVERMORE.

.THIS

BRASS NAILED

CASKET/? SAT!'

WHAT KIND OF PROGRAM IS THIS?

PIERCE DRAYNOR

Dpaynor's laugh choked and oieo. THE MEMBERS OF THE PANEL WERE RISING FROM THEIR SEATS... COMING

TOWARD

ChATFIELD ROSE, STANDING OVER DRAYNOR. AND THE HIS WHIRRING MECHANISM TO MEMBERS AS THEY GLIDED

They loomed over the

Mr. DRAYNOR FLAILED AS THEY BENT OVER HIM, SINKING THEIR NEEDLESHARP FANGS INTO HIS FLESH. ..SUCKING. .GULPING. DRAWING THE SCAR..

LET LIFE-FLUID FROM HIS WEAKENING BODY. AND JUST BEFORE THE DARKNESS CLOSED IN, DRAYNOR HEARD MR. CHATFIELD RISE, WIPE HIS BLOOOY MOUTH, AND CLOSE THE 'CANN ED SHOW. p BE SURE TO BE WITH US NEXT WEEK "^tj 1 WHEN 'GUESS THE GUEST’ is presented BY the SUPERNATURAL PRIVATE- TV. 1

NETWORK. OUR PROGRAM, at THAT

HIM...

ink

man u facturer, hemming

CUTE IDEA, EH.KIDOES... PRIVATE- r.V. NETWORK

HEH.HEH/ HAVING A

FOR THE GRAVEYARD GALLERY OF COURSE, IT’S BROADCAST OVER U.H.F.f THAT’S

ULTRA HORRIBLE

FREQUENCIES IN COLOR, TOOf ALL PRETTY FLESH-CRIMSON AND BLOOD- REDf AS FOR POOR MR. DRAYNOR WELL, HE GOT TO USE THE PRIZE HE'O WON I SOONER THAN HE EXPECTED, TOO.' and now, the .

OLD WITCH AWAITS

WITH

HER

MORBID MESS COOKING IN HER CRUDDY CAULDRON.' BY THE WAY f DID YOU JOIN THE EC.

FAN-ADDICT CLUB YET? LUCKY' k»E

now!

still night outside the boarding house was sud- l DENLY SHATTERED BY THE SICKENING IMPACT OF TWO TONS OF \ ' METAL AND RUBBER AND GLASS AND FLESH MEETING A SOLID WALL OF BRICK AND CONCRETE. THE PAINFUL SQUEALING OF BRAKES PRECEDING THE CRASH STILL ECHOED INTO THE NIGHT AS THE ROOMERS POURED OUT ONTO THE PORCH AND DOWN THE WOODEN STEPS. ERIC HOLBIEN JOINED THEM AS THEY RUSHED WINPULVERIZED AND FENDERS TO THE MASS OF TWISTED DOWS, TORN MUSCLES AND SHATTERED BONE, AND THICK BLOOD THAT OOZED FROM THE WRECK AND POOLED LIKE A SCARLET LAKE UPON THE COLD SIDEWALK...

The

Eric HOLBIEN STOOD BEHIND THE THREE OLD LADIES THAT SHARED THE HUGE ROOM NEXT DOOR TO HIS. HE WATCHED WITH SATISFACTION AS THElft MOUTHS DROPPED OPEN DUMBLY AND THEIR EYES GLAZED IN HORROR ANO THE COLOR DRAINED FROM THEIR AGED AND WRINKLEO FACES AS THEY BEHELD THE OEATH SCENE. AND ERIC HOLBIEN SMILED ..

And he knew that soon

he would HAVE ANOTHER FABULOUS TAPESTRY TO SELL TO HtS FRIEND, MILTON A TAPESTRY WOVEN FEVERISHLY BY THREE PAIRS OF GNARLED AND NERVOUS HANDS GUIDED BY THREE PAIRS OF MILKY BLOODSHOT EYES THAT HAD LOOKED UPON THE HORROR OF VIOLENT ACCIDENTAL DEATH ... ...

Eric had been an art dealer back

new york.

HE'D HAD A SMALL GALLERY BUT IT HAD NEVER BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. THE ARTISTS THAT HAD COME TO HIM WITH THEIR CANVASES AND SCULPTURINGS HAD NOT BEEN TOO GOOD. HE'D BEEN FORCED TO CLOSE THE GALLERY AFTER A WHILE. PEOPLE HAD STOPPED COMING TO BUY.

Eric had nodded absently to the three old ladies AND PICKED AT HIS FOOD, HIS THOUGHTS A MILLION MILES AWAY. WHAT COULD HE DO NOW THAT HE'D COME TO MILLVILLE? HOW LONG COULD HE LAST UNTIL HIS MONEY RAN OUT?.

ERIC HAD COME TO MILLVILLE TO BEGIN AGAIN. HE'D HAD NOTHING SPECIFIC IN MIND. HE'D JUST PACKED HIS THINGS IN NEW YORK AND TAKEN A TRAIN WEST. AND WHEN HE'D BECOME TIRED OF RIDING, HE'O GOTTEN OFF.. AND ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;D BEEN AT MILLVILLE ,

But then, he’d

o AGREED TO LOOK AT THE SALS8URY SISTERS' WORK MERELY AS A CONCESSION... TO AVOIDINSULTING THEM. AND THE ONE THEY'D

SHOWN

HIM HAD BEEN JUST WHAT

r.X

HE''0. EXPECTED.

'rr^J^HPRETTYf ) s IT WORTH fine CRAFTSMAN- (anything,* I

}

The

sisters had snatched the tapestry

THIS ONE'S NOT

A) NO

VERY GOOD EXAMPLE** our WORK*

UP AGAIN, APOLOGIZING... .

TO DESTROY*

iTf “

frH!C~K ARTf^WL^WZ

MADE

THaF^YSS.

when MR. GOL DEN ( THIS. ..is GOOD.*) * was

[

KILLED f REMEMBER, GIRLS?

THAT'S

IT* I REMEMBER.

WHEN DID YOU MAKE THAT k ONE? THAT ONE IS 600Df THAT TAPESTRY IS A WORK OF ARE... AN EXPRESSION OF

Sheepishly, the sisters had unrolled the tapestry AGAIN. ERIC'S HEART HAO RACED IN HIS CHEST. HIS EYES HAD MOVED SLOWLY OVER THE MINUTE STITCHES ...THE DREARY SOMBER COLORS ...THE EMOTIONAL SWIRLING COMPOSITION. HE'O REACHED OUT, AS IN A DREAM, AND TOUCKD HIS DREAM AND HIS DREAM HAD BEEN R EAL

\6RACEF}OH, f^^f—^DEAR/J

ARE... ARE...

WHO MADE THIS?)

But the brief view he’d hao of it had been enough, eric holbien had waited all his LIFE FOR that MOMENT...

V, GOOD 7 we AT ALL f } INTENDED *" -7/ V

THAT

COLOR /tK..JkH...

salsbury FROM E RIC AND RO LLED

i^aTly'can't' SAY, MRS. CARTER. TAPESTRIES LIKE

HOLBIEN?

SHIP-* GQOO

spieo the tapestry

THAT HAO BEEN ROLLED UP AND ALMOST HIDDEN FROM VIEW AND HE'D ABSENTLY TAKEN IT OUT OF THE CLOSET AND SPREAO IT OPEN-

SHEER

THIS

ONE?,

6EN/US...

It'dOWN BY^) we SAW the WHOLE 1THE CORNER *J THING /IT 'HAS AWFUL' -s the BLOOD * THE j TWISTED BODY. POOR GOLDEN r HE MADE . '

—

VHIS THAT VERTEX NIGHT*Jt&tdi

Yes, THAT WAS THE BEGINNING of

i'll give

it.

JUDGEMENT...

DOLLARS

ALL FOR

FOR

IT,

DEAL, MILTON?

'MORE?.' Jbut WE HAVE r oh, no' JJ we COULDN'T' NO MORE LIKE [THEN YOU'VE L, WE WOULDN'T IH AT WE MADE 'GOT TO MAKE ) BE INSPIRED' BUT 1 THEM OVER'/ \ f\Y OTHERS WE destroyed VS. THEM

^"VM

BUT he FINAL

—

Vthe one we L-F AND WE MADE *- THEN, IF... IF I COULD ’ MAKE —•-'TAPESTRIES LIKE ) MADE AFTER RUSH YOU TO THE J ) SIX AFTER THAT f K ^ SCENE OF AN THAT ONLY AFTER FATHER DIED \MR. GOLDEN'S [ J was our FIRST' w ACCIDENTAL DEATH, WAS OUR WE'VE SEEN A XJ LATEST.' we vYOU'D BE INSPIRED? VIOLENT ACCIDENTAL) HE FELL RIGHT? 8ENEATH THE ) DESTROYED DEATH.' ^S-_| [{ WHEELS OF A I the OTHERS'! '

W WW ,e

)

' WRITE OUT I' L L BUY AL L YOU 'can GET., if THEY'RE ]A CHECK' AS GOOD AS THIS ONE... /AND I'LL BE for FIVE HUNDRED /BACK SOON... DOLLARS EACH J with OTHERS'

GAVE IN f and HE /1f\ wANTS HOPE'

THIS

0?.'/ WE

—

MIND.

IT'S

ifK f'Jl

;

MAWFUL

US'

PARTY l HAVE

„

LOT OF MONET' AND IS

CAN

So ERIC HAD GONE BACK A N D TOLD THE SISTERS. ^F/FTY^dLLAfis7~0»7Y^l mo^oF/GHT DEAR.' THAT'S

IF I

GET MORE FOR YOU?

IT? CAN YOU GET /fr-

EXPRESSION... such emotion '

AND

HOW MUCH IS IT WORTH, MILTON? J

WHO DID

MORE? EXCELL ENT f such

L FOR IT?

/—l _

THIS IS GOOD, ERIC?

you

FIVE HUNDRED

ERIC .HAD TAKEN THE TAPESTRY TO YORK.., TO AN ART DEALER FRIEND ...JUST TO CHECK ON HIS OWN

NEW

OF HIS

I'M SURE I'LL BE ABLE TO SELL THEM TO THIS

™ain'

IF WE AND THEX SAW THE ( BLOOD'/

BODY..

It had seen maddening' eric had HAD TO BUY A RADIO WITH A POLICE WAVELENGTH BAND HE SAT, NIGHT AFTER .

NIGHT, IN HIS

ROOM ...LISTEN ING ...

When one of those few and FAR BETWEEN CALLS HAD COME HE'D RUSHED THE OLD GALS TO THE SPOT. MORE OFTEN THAN

BuTTHERE'D BEEN THOSE FORTUNATE TIMES WHEN THEY'D ARRIVED BEFORE THE POLICE. THE SISTER'S

IN,

HAD GAWKEO AND GASPEO AND ERIC HAD KNOWN HE'O HAVE HIS TAPESTRY

NOT,

THEY'D ARRIVE TOO LATE..

LISTENING

Three times, four hundred ano fifty dollars had GONE INTO ERIC'S POCKET WHILE THE SISTERS HAD RECEIVED B UT ON E NINTH T HAT AMOUNT.. |F only FIFTY. ..THERE ) YOU'RE SO GOOOJTHERE WERE MORE TO US' YOU ARE' ACCIDENTS, WE COULD MAKE MORE

And then

had suddenly occured to eric' more

ACCIDENTS' OF COURSE? WHY HADN'T HE THOUGHT OF

THAT

BEFORE? IF

DENTS... HE COULD

WEREN'T ENOUGH ACCl CAUSE THEM OF COURSE f...

THERE

GOING INTO MILLVILLE’

TAPESTRIES? A

SO TONIGHT, HE'D WALKED A SHORT DISTANCE OUT OF TOWN AND HE'D THUMBED A RIDE ANO BEEN PICKED UP. AND WHEN HIS POOR UNSUSPECTING VICTIM'D LOOKED^ THE OTHER

WAY...

THE He'D DRIVEN THE CAR TO THE STREET WHERE MANS BOARDING HOUSE STOOD, PLACED THE UNCONSCIOUS GENCY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR RELEASED THE EM ER ^ BRAKE, AND HOPPED FROM THE CAR— _

The car

had sped down the street crazily, gatherOUT OF CONTROL AND PLOWED

And

HE'D WAITED FOR THE SISTERS TO COME FROM THE

ing SPEED. THEN IT'D SPUN

THE BOARDING

Eric grew angry, he thought of milton waiting in NEW YORK WITH HIS CUSTOMER HUNGRY FOR MORE TAPES'TRIES. HE THOUGHT OF THE FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS AND THE GOOD TIMES IT WOULD BUY. AND HE SHOUTED. -;JP

They came at him slowly, gliding on ageo legs, fondSCISSORS AND ling THE INSTRUMENTS OF THEIR ART... THE THE LONG SHARP NEEDLES... /

LADIES LOOKEO AT EACH OTHER IN SHOCKED BEW ILDERMENT. THEY TURNED TO ERIC

T HE OLD

ANGRILY...

TOR LIKE WHEN WE PUSHED l \ WHEN WE PUSHED ) MR. GOLDEN ' IN conNT nr ‘

’irs GOT TO BE AN

ACCIDENT. .X\Fe.

FATHER UNDER

THE

They stooo over

IT CAN'T /It'S

GOT

STO BE

)

TRAIN...

eric's friend milton STEPPEO FORWARD IN HIS GALLERY TO GREET THE THREE KINDLY- LOOKING OLD LADIES WHO ENTEREO WITH THEIR LONG ROUND PACKAGE, HE NEVER OREAMEO OF THE HORRORS THEY WERE CAPABLE OF WEAVING...

And when

Mrs. carter and her roomers tossed

him like the

THREE WITCHES IN MACBETH... OVER THEIR LIVING, WRITHING CAULDRONr

MURDER?) VIOLENT \TO HAPPEN

SLEEPS, BUT NEVER

TROUBLED HEARD THE MUFFLED SCREAMS THAT CAME FROM THE WEAVING SISTERS' ROOM ...NEVER HEARD THE SNIPPING OF THEIR SCISSORS ...THE CLICKING OF THEIR IN

WHAT

Os 60/N6

THEIR

NEEDLES ...THEIR GIGGLES OF SATISFAC|

TION.

'PRETTY, EMMA 2 eh eh -

eh:

LOU? PRETTYr

THEIR LATEST TAPESTRY OF CROCHETED VEINS H EE,HEE?YEP? the THREE old TENDONS AND FINGER- > WERE NUTS* ALL RIGHT... JUST AND EMBROIDERED ARTERIES AND SEWN MUSCLES AND EA RS AND STRUNG - UP \ UKE ArTISTS... INCLUDING THE NAILS AND HAIR AND TACKEO-DOWN EYEBALLS AND V\;J[| BATTY -BOYS AT E.C.f WSLL.THEY bones and cartilage... must be batty to DRAW this trash.* HEE, HEE? ANO TALKING about CRAZY

Not UNTIL THEY UNROLLED

—

PEOPLE.THIS WINDS UP C.K.'S MAG... WHICH YOU BOUGHT/ hee.hee? and ANYBODY WHO

/ .

BUYS THIS NAUSEATING

NONSENSE MUST BE AS BAD OFF AS THE CREEPS WHO DRAW IT. WELL, I GOTTA GO

NOW. I GOTTA LEAD MY \ IDIOT EDITORS BACK to THEIR padded CELLS. SEE YOU ICXT

THE VAULT OF HORROR? BYE NOW? IN

was a

WORK OPART, all

right, it

was ERIC HOLBIEN.ML OVER:

GET SHOP-METHOD for

SUCCCSS

in Today’s

HOME TRAINING Top Industries!

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FEATURING

THE CRYPT-KEEPER

THE OLD WITCH

THE VAULT-KEEPER

PROOF ...OF

8 BRANDS

TESIED.W IS BEST IMITATION

““Berthe#

W&&

M.rchJ,.1878^ Sumption: >r

ity is purely coincide

dead

Intended. and

HEH.HEH, SLIDE INTO THE SLOPPY SLIMY CRYPT OF TERROR, FIEND-FANS. THIS IS YOUR CRAVEN CARETAKER OF COLD CORPSES, THE CRYPT-KEEPER, ALL READY TO START THE BRAWL ROLLING WITH A WHALE OF A TALE OF TERROR... A BIT OF BILGE I DUG UP FROM AMONG A BILE OF OLD MANURESCRIPTS THAT WERE CLUTTERING UP A CLAMMY CORNER OF MY CADAVER- CAVERN. YOU'LL RETCH AT THE WRETCHED GAG PLAYEO BY CAPTAIN MATT STARKE ‘

CC.11,,1 IUUM ,M

DOCKS RIGHT

NOW

...

«...

TO BEGIN THIS ODOROUS OPUS X CALL.

pFOREVER AMBERGRIS YEAH ' STARKE'S THE NAME. CAP'N MATT STARKE, SKIPPER OF THE FREIGHTER SULTANA. I’M ASHORE NOW... HAPPY T’ BE TAKIN’ MY EASE ON THIS PLUSH SOFA...SNU6 IN THIS NEAT LITTLE HARBOR-APARTMENT, ..BLOWIN' BILLOWS OF COOL BLUE SMOKE FROM THIS HAVANA FIFTY-CENTER... AN' CREAMIN' OF HOW I'LL SOON BE MASTER OF THE TRIMMEST LITTLE GAL IN THIS OR ANY PORT. I'M HAPPY 'CAUSE X LOVE EILEEN ENOUGH TO HAVE MURDERED A MAN V GET HER? AND NOW... . SHE'S MINE...

T-r-

n^rfTK

YEAH/ THAT'S RIGHT/ I and there NOTHIN' ANYONE CAN DO ABOUT IT. NOW. I'VE GOT THE WORLD I'M RICH... AN' I'M WAITIN' FOR J

MURDERED

EILEEN COME OUT OF HER ROOM SO'S I'LL have EVERYTHING/ T'

—r

S'CUSE ME

. .

)

HEY EILEEN.' BLAST IT*HURRY ,

UP*

STOP

NOW THERE'S a QUEER COMBINATION OF THINGS FOR A MAN IN LOVE r BE THINKIN' OF... A GORGEOUS

BUT

HELP

CAN'T

WHALE SPEW* IT.

I GOT

THE

REELIN' \N MY GET WHEN MY SHIP IS NEARIN' A REEF IN A THICK FOG. I CAN'T SEE THE REEF BUT

SAME COLD INNARDS AS

WAIT'LL YOU SEE HER / \ SHE'S BEAUTIFUL* GOT THE PRETTIEST FACE in THE WORLD.' AN* HER FIGURE... WELL... JUST

OUT OR I'LL COME IN THERE AN' GET TOO... READY l OR NOT * /

WAIT AN SEE ‘

OUGHT

T' BE HAPPY. ..BUT SOMETHIN'

KEEPS NAGGIN' AT ME.. KEEPS BOTHERIN' ME?

I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THAT WHALE THREW UP RIGHT THERE AND THEN. ..JUST WHEN I WAS WATCHIN HIM. I NEVER SAW A WHALE DISGORGE BEFORE, NOR HAVE I HEARD OF ANYONE ELSE THAT'S SEEN IT HAPPEN.

AN' SOME KIND OF CRAZY INSTINCT IS NAGGIN AT ME RIGHT NOW. MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME. LE'ME TELL YOU 'BOUT EILEEN and ME.. AND MY SHIP... AND THE WHALE... an' THE MAN I MURDERED-,.

IT'S

'But

WHERE

WARM SPRING WAS THE

buukW/THUS

‘

WE'D DROP-

MATEY/ I GOT

THIS TIME, CAP'N. I WANT YOU T'

MEET E/LEENf

WELL, HAVE DINNER WITH Y WELL, ALL RIGHT, US THEN, MATT. AT LEAST /BEN. BUT JUST DINNER. THEN I'Ll THAT... BE ON MY WAY*

IT.

THERE...

‘For seven months...from the time ben harpers SIGNED ON MY SHIP... ALL I'D HEARD FROM HIM WAS EILEEN... HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS BRIDE OF HIS WA£... Aun unuf T UAH Tn UFFT MFR

BEGIN? on that

MORNIN', I RECKON,

START OF

PED ANCHOR HERE IN SAN DIEGO AND ME AND M' FIRST MATE, BEN HARPER, WERE HURRYIN' DOWN THE GANGPLANK.. ' IpgFgSB** *' ANOTHER TIME, I WANT YOU TO T .

INSTINCT TELLS ME

ikar

WOMAN AND ...UGH

TOR -

TURIN' ME. FINISH ORESSIN' an c'MON

SOME GOOD ADDRESSES

DIEGO.

With ben harper bein' the kind of a chap he was... NOT AT ALL ON THE RUGGED SIDE ...AND NOT MUCH ON LOOKS EITHER... I NEVER FIGURED HIM TO HAVE LANDEO ANYTHING WHEN WE REACHED LIKE THE BEAUTY THAT GREETED HIM " THEIR APARTMSNT...'fp»^^| IT'S GOOD TO HAVE YOU OH, HONEY.. I THOUGHT

THIS TRIP WOULD

£NDf

NEVER

HOME,

BEN, DARLING...

'She kept lookin' at me. ..talkin' FIRST CURIOSITYWITH HER EYES. THEN AN INVITATION. YEILDING IT WAS AN ELECTRIC THING THAT PASSED BETWEEN US. .. SOMETHING WE BOTH UNDERSTOOD IN THOSE FIRST QUICK MOMENTS WITHOUT HAVING S POKEN A WORD...'

i could see from the way THAT SHE TURNED HER HEAD SO'S HE COULON'T KISS HER ON THE LIPS THAT E'LEEN WASN'T AS GLAO TO SEE SEN AS SHE MADE OUT. FACT IS, AS HE WAS LOVIN' HER, SHE KEPT LOOKIN' PAST HIM TO ME...'

'But

ALL THESE LONG ^MONTHS, BABY.

ALREADY KNEW HER BET TER'N HE DID. X FOLLOWED THEM INTO THE LIVIN'

ROOM, WATCHIN EILEEN, TAKIN' IN PARTS MOVIN' SENSUOUSLY. THERE WERE PICTURES BURNIN' IN M‘ BRAIN-. TATOOED WITH A WH ITE HOT NEEDLE-.'

MATT'S AGREED TO HAVE OINNER BUT HE WON'T WITH US, HON. STAYON WITH US. HE'S GOT OTHER — PLANS...

YOU'VE

BEEN WHAT I VE THOUGHT ABOUT EVERY MINUTE. j AWAKE OR ASLEEP. .

'Ben moved off towards the kitchen. SEE IF YOU CAN'T DO SOMETHIN' ABOUT GETTIN’ MATT TO STAY WITH US WHILE I GO MIX-UP SOME Hjpsi DPINKS. .

SURE, BEN.

'Eileen did somethin’, all right, she moved towards ME, SLOWLY, HER HIP9 SWAYIN' EVER SO EASY. SHE KEPT LOOKIN' at me with those soft, invitin' eyes, and thei SHE SPOKE WITH TH AT SOFT, MELLOW, HONET- FILLED. ’‘'3® EXCI TI NG VOICE

'Seven months at sea without so much as GLIMPSIN' A WOMAN MAKES A MAN ACT WITHOUT THINKIN', I GUESS. I HAD A FRENZIED IMPULSE TO THROW MY ARMS AROUND EILEEN.. PULL HER TIGHT AGAIN' ME. ..CRUSH MY HUNGRY LIPS AGAII .

HER S. A ND SUDDENLY, I WAS DOIN'

IT.'.

fBBB

'She pulled back at first, then changed her mind, AND MOVED IN TIGHT. SHE MELTED. .. BLENDED. .. LI KE WE WERE ONE. THAT’S HOW QUICK WE HIT IT OFF TOGETHER, EILEEN AND ME.' I WAS PANTIN' HEAVY AND WIPIN' HER LIPSTICK WHEN SHE TEASED.. .* WHY'D YOU DO THAT, MATT?

I GAVE EILEEN A BASHFUL PECK ON THE CHEEK AND BEN GRINNED, PLEASED AS PUNCH THAT I WAS PLEASED WITH HIS WIFE. PLEASED'? X WAS CRAZY ABOUT HER... TORTURED ‘CAUSE BEN WAS ALWAYS CLOSE BY IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED. BUT THEN, ONE DAY, I GOT A CHANCE TO TALK TO EILEEN...* jp "

‘She knew why I GAVE

x did it, the tantalizin’ oevil...so HER A FLIP ANSWER JUST AS BEN. ..POOR, STUPID, BEN—CAME IN WITH THE DRINKS...'

LOVESICK

HAVEN'T HAD A HAH' I TOLD YOU CHANCE TO KISS THE 'OU'D LIKE EILEEN, I THINK X'VE , BRIDE BEFORE THIS f J CAP NT GO ON. ) BE MY GUEST.. / TALKED ' __ ..I

HARRY

WHY'D YOU

MATT INTO

IIM?

YOU

LOVE

STAYING, BEN...

DON’T

HIM.'

r THAT’S

PUTTING IT BLUNTLY, ISN'T IT? WELL, I’LL GIVE YOU A BLUNT ANSWER' SECURITY.'

AND NOW NOW THAT \fI DO LOVE YOU, MATT.' I'VE BEN MAKES GOOD MONEY HE NEVER SPENT MUCH BEFORE WE > YOU’VE MET ME? I NEVER MET A MAN I LOVED / GOT MARRIED.' HE MEANT SECURITY CAN SEE THE WAY SO MUCHf BUT X WANT TO ME, MATT... A NICE HOME... J YOU LOOK AT ME / THE THINGS BEN'S MONEY A YOU'RE IN LOVE CL OTHES. FOOD~. EVEN THIS JF \ GETS FOR ME. ...

LITTLE CAR...

‘The two weeks shot by and it WAS TIME TO SHOVE OFF AGAIN. I SAW EILEEN ONCE MORE THE WAY X 01 D THAT FIRST OAY.. .WITH BEN’S ARMS AROUND HER. .SHE LOOKIN’ OVER HIS SHOULDER. BUT THIS .

WITH

ME'

i stood ON THE BRIDGE OF THE SULTANA, WATCHING SAN DIEGO VANISH INTO THE MIST. THERE WAS

’And later, ben and

BETWEEN US -.ONLY OUR THOUGHTS... HIM REMEMBERIN

'AND

WANT YOU,

EILEEN. I'M GOIN’

HAVE YOU SOMEDAY, TOO! I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT I WILL! I SWEAR

(What

is there about a man that LETS HIM LOVE ONE WOMAN.. .LONG FOR HER THE WHOLE TIME HE'S ASEA... 'AND THEN, NO SOONER'N HE HITS ,

PORT, SET ABOUT HUNTIN’ FOR

After a pleasant

visit, x REMEMBERED OTHER BUSINESS THAT NEEDED TENDIN' TO... SO, SHOES IN HAND, I PADDED OVER TO A PAPER WALL ANO CAL LEO OUT... 7

LEFT THE SHODDY LITTLE SHOP AND MADE MY WAY BACK THROUGH CROOKED JAMMED STREETS TOWARD THE SHIP, MY HEAO SPINNING WITH THOUGHTS OF EILEEN AND BEN AND HOW HE WASN'T GOIN* TO SEE HER AGAIN... NOT IF I GOT MY BUCK'S WORTH OF INFORMATION OUT OF THAT HISSINl GRINNIN' OLD

‘I

.'[rmcs

VISITED A CERTAIN TOOTHY GENT WHO COULD FURNISH A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS, MOST OF THEM UNWHOLESOME. HE MARKED A CRUDE BLACK CIRCLE

CRISP

GENT.

T MEN I

AROUND A TINY DOT ON A GREASY OLD MAP FOR WHICH X GAVE HIM ONE

ANOTHER TO BE WITK BEN ANO ME WERE NO DIFFERENT... FROM BOMBAY TO OSAKA, JAfWN

U.S. BUCK...'f

p^—

MIDNIGHT. BEN WAS LYIN' ON HIS BUNK, WEARY, BUT NOT TOO TIRED TO TALK ABOUT HIS FAVORITE TOPIC ... EILEEN. I SAT AT MY DESK, STUDYING THE GREASY OLD MAP. r NOT STRAIGHT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A GOOD

'WE WERE UNDER WAY AGAIN BEFORE

IT IS TO BE FINALLY SOW HOME TO HER, MATT... STRAIGHT HOME TO MY WAITIN' DARLING...

FEELING

HOME, BEN.

I'VE

ONE SHORT STOP TO MAKE'

GOT

W-r

WHAT'RE YOU TALKIN' Y THIS IS A PRIVATE IDEAL, ben. A FRIEND WAS OUR LAST PORT Jo MINE IN BOMBAY O F CA LL ... Yw'F ASKED ME TO DROP A < BARREL OF FUEL OIL AT THIS LITTLE ISLAND. I PROMISED I WOULD. 1

ABOUT, MATT? OSAKA

'We REACHED THE TINY SPECK OF FORSAKEN CORAL AND LAVA THE THIRD NIGHT OUT. EXCEPT FOR A GLIMMER Of LIGHT HERE AND THERE IN THE BLACK NESS.THERE WAS NO SIGN OF LIFE ON THE ISLAND. WHILE THE BARREL OF FUEL OIL WAS BEING LOADED INTO THE DINGHY, I ELECTED BEN TO TAKE IT ASHORE.

IS THERE TIME FOR ME TO DO HEH.HEH. OKAY, MATEY. ^3| ) SOME HUNTIN', SKIPPER? J I'LL WAIT FOR YOU. . .

'Ben*d REACTEO EXACTLY AS I’D

EXPECTED

HIM TO

WATCHED HIM ROW ACROSS THE LAGOON TO A SMALL DOCK AND TIE-UP. A MINUTE LATER HE DISAPPEARED INTO THE DARK, RAT- INFESTED TOWN OF THE

REACT. I

ORIENT'S ISLAND DUMPING GROUND FOR ITS CONDEMNED.. .CONDEMNED TO DEATH, THAT is, BY BUBONIC PLAGUE/ THE BLACK DEATH.1 ROTT!N6 DEATH. '

It WAS ALMOST OAWN WHEN MY FIRST MATE RETURNED SHIP, EXHAUSTED BUT PLEASED WITH HIMSELF. HE'D HUNTED DOWN AND GOTTEN' WHAT HE WANTED. HE'D GOTTEN MORE THAN HE WANTEO? IT TOOK TWO DAYS, THEN 8ROKE OUT... YOU'LL have to doctor .CAN'T PICK MYSELF gP YOURSELF, BEN. WE'RE A OUT OF M' BUNK, MATT. HOT... FEVER.. CHILLS, v THOUSAND MILES FROM THE NEAREST PORT. .. I'M SICK .

TO THE

'Ben came down fast, he started swellin' AROUND HIS ARMPITS AND OTHER PLACES. SOON, A FESTERING, GREENISH -YELLOW SCURF COVERED HIM AND A STINKING, NAUSEATING SUBSTANCE OOZED FROM HIS FLESH. I KEPT CLEAR OF HIS QUARTERS FROM THEN ON AND ORDERED THE CREW TO DO THE SAME.

BUBONIC X KNOW THZSTMPTONS. .THE SCALY SKIN, POISONIN' OF THE BLOOD, AND J PLAGUE... GASP. THAT COUGH. THAT'S WHEN iTs rf in THE BLACK .

DANGEROUS, the PLAGUE IS

NOW. A MAN CAN CATCH EVEN TALKIN' T' HIM . .

HIS IT

LUNGS

'At THE MENTION OF THE DREAD, HIGHLY CONTAGEOUS CREW PALED AND SHUDDERED AS ONE MAN. IT MY PLAN LETTIN' THEM KNOW. .. REMINDIN' THEM. BUT ONE DAY, THEY FOUND SOMETHIN' ELSE TO OCCUPY THEIR MINDS. I FOUND 'EM TOSSIN' GARBAGE OVERBOARD. .* FtEDIN' THE WHALE, CAP'N STARKE. HE'S BEEN FOLLOWIN' US ALL |-rft MORNIN'f SEE? DISEASE, THE WAS PART OF

DEATH

SEEN WHALES BEFORE BUT NEVER SO CLOSE AS THAT GREAT BULL SPERM. HE KEPT UP WITH

’I'D

OPENIN' HIS YAWNIN' THE SHIP. CAVE OF A MOUT H TO LET THE .

GARBAGE

]

IN ...

frsBBSWP*«D|

us. sometimes HE’D ROLL AND DIVE AND WE WOULDN’T SEE HIM FOR HOURS. THEN SOMEBODY’D YELL "THAR t BLOWS?* AND HE'D BE BACK CHASIN' ANOTHER GARBAGE F<AST. .

'The whale stayeo with

‘At night i'o go out on deck, breathin' in the salty warm PACIFIC AIR, AND I'D THINK ABOUT ME ANO EILEEN. X WAS THINKIN'OF HER THE NIGHT ONE OF THE MEN CAME A-RUNNIN' AND SCREAMIN’...' BEN... out ... HIS FACE IS ALL ROTTEN BLACK. 7 OF HIS ROOM! GOOD, CAP'N... AND HIS

FLESH IS MOVIN' LORD! how LIKE

IT'S...

CHOKE...

CRAWLIN' WITH

MAGGOTSf

THAT'S

WHALE

SPEW...

AMBERGRIS!

WHEN TOM B ALLARD, MY SECOND MATE CALLEO ME TO "" “* ^ THE RA.il...' )-—-I THAT'S RIGHT BUT HE'S OUR WHALE'S STILL

'An' THAT'S WHEN IT HAPPENEDf THE HUGE BULL SPERM SHUDDERED CONVULSIVELY. A TREMENDOUS YELLOW AND GREY BILLOWING MASS OF WAX-LIKE STUFF SPEWED OUT OF HIS CAVERNOUS MOUtH ... BUBBLING... UNDULATING ON il THE ROLLING SURFACE...' npr~ C \ LET'S GET OUT OF HERE, T NO! NO, BY HEAVENS ! IS

WITH THE BLACK ROT !

MORNIN', I FELT BETTER ABOUT THE WHOLE THING. WE’D LEFT WHAT WAS LEFT OF BEN HUNDREDS OF MILES BEHIND US ANO I'D COMMITTED A MURDER NOBODY'O BE ABLE TO PIN ON ME. I HAD MY MINO ON LOVELY EILEEN

THAT STENCH

1 ...

GET HIM OVER THE SIDE. YA BILGE LICE/ DUMP HIM BEFORE ALL WASTIN' AWAY

HE HAS US

‘By

WITH

CHOKE.

'They tried hookin' their GAFFS into ben, but TIPS CAME AWAY WITH HORRIBLE GOBS OF FOUL-SMELLING ROTTED FLESH. THEY tried SHOVIN' WITH THE POLES. BEN GOT CUT IN TWO BY THE RAIL, WITH NO MORE SOUND THAN IF HE'O^ BEEN A JELLYFISH, AS HE WENT OVERBOARD..'.

CHOKIN' he!

FACES TWISTED IN OISGUST. BEN KEPT SHUFFLIN' ...COMIN' TOWARDS

COULD THE ^ MAN WALK1?

THE

CAP'N

I HOLLERED FOR SPOTLIGHTS AS HE STUMBLED ACROSS THE DECK. MEN CAME RUNNIN' WITH GAFFS, THElR

A WALKIN' DEATH... HIS BOOY A MASS OF BLACK ROT... SMALL SPONGY CHUf#<S DROPPIN' AWAY WITH EACH STIFF STAGGERIN' STEP HE TOOK. HIS CLOTHES WERE A TATTERED STINKIN' MESS OF GREENISH DRIED OOZE AND CONGEALED BLACK BLOOD. MY DINNER CAME UP SOUR IN MY THROAT...'

us, CAP'N

ACTIN'

QUEER. ..ISN'T

HE?!

'Ambergris! floating gold the spew of a SPERM WHALE... NEEDED FOR THE BEST PERFUMES THAT FOUL-SMELLING, FATTY MESS WAS WORTH A J FOR TUNE!..! r 1

—

REVERSE ENGINES! PREPARE TO LOWER AWAY ALL BOATS! A HUNDRED DOLLAR BONUS TO

EACH MAN WHO

HELPS...

Cji

’The PERFUME MAKER NOT ONLY

'I EMPTIED A HUNDRED 8ARRELS OF MY PUEL OIL CARGO TO HOLD MY AMBERGRIS. A WEEK LATER WE DOCKED IN SAN DIEGO, WHERE I CAUGHT BLAZES FROM A PORT HEALTH OFFICIAL.. .BUT NOT UNTIL AFTER I'D DISPOSED OF THE AMBERGRIS.

OUGHT TO BE

GLAD

DON'T WANT

To! HERE, BABY

ALL KNOW \S..TOU

DIED, MATT? 1

ARE

HERE... THAT'S ALL

AS SHE PUT IT, WHICH IS PROBABLY A SHEER BLACK NEGLIGEE, AND I'M THINKING ABOUT WHY SOME STUPID WHALE THREW UP WHEN

IT DID...

HERE'S ENOUGH /

PERFUME TO

J BATHE / and it's only THE BEGIN\ N/NG / IN'

THAT MATTERS'LL

WORLDf

HAPPENED f Z'D BE

HEAR HOW BEN

ON YOUR SHIP /AND l'M GOING TO MAY COST YOU \ MARRY THE MOST YOUR PAPERS, \ BEAUTIFUL CAPTAIN STARKE? GIRL IN THE

EILEEN../ T

'SOMETHING COMFORTABLE'.

SENT ME FLAGON OF THE MADE FROM IT, WHEN I FINALLY GOT OUT OF QUARANTINE,! BROUGHT TO

COMING INTO \/ THE DEVIL PORT AFTER A \ WITH MV PAPERS PUGUE DEATH I'M a RICH MAN

SO THAT'S ITT NOW, EILEEN IS HER ROOM THERE, GETTIN' INTO

PAID ME SIXTY-TWO THOUSAND BUCKS FOR MY AMBERGRIS, BUT ALSO A SCENT

if it HADN'T, SIXTY-TWO THOUSAND

DOLLARS POORER, AND... and ..-OH, LORDf

BEN!r THAT BLASTED WHALE MUST HAVE SWALLOWED THE BLACK ROTTED DISEASED REMAINS OF BEN HARPERF THAT'S WHY HE THREW UPf ^

Eileen harper comes out of her room now, grinning ioiotically THE BLACK SPONGY, ROTTING FLESH DROPPING FROM HER FACE...THE WHITE BONE GLEAMING THROUGH HERE AND THERE. CAPTAIN STARKE SCREAMS HORROR AT THE SIGHT AND STENCH OF HER...fl .

WHY NOT, MATT?

IT'S

LOVELY-SMELLING _

DARLING...

SUCH A PERFUME.

E/L EENf E/L EEN, OPEN UPf QUICK f DON’T USE THAT PERFUME, EILEENf

HEH.HEH? AND THAT'S THE

LEAD-

OFF YARN, YELP-HOUNDS DID YOU NOT/OE THAT EILEEN REALLY DION'T .

LIKE THE PERFUME MATT GAVE HER? DIDN'T

YAAAAHHb

YOU SEE THE WAY HER FACE WELL, I GOT A DATE WITH EDITORS TO PLAY A GAME OF HEARTS. WE USE REAL ONES. I LL

DROPPED

BE BACK LATER WITH ANOTHER

TERROR TOME. NOW I'LL TURN YOU OVER TO THE

VAULT-KEEPER. BY THE WAY. THE

WHALE IN

THIS

YARN WAS SORRY

HEBROUGHT THE WHOLE THING UPF BYE NOW?

YOU UP FOR THE

You're name is barney hoag. you've always craveo SOLITUDE AND NOW YOU'VE FOUND IT ON THIS BLEAK LONELY, THIS GRIM WINDSWEPT, SUN-TORTURED FLORIDA KEY. ACRE OF UNPEOPLED PARADISE. YOU GUIDE YOUR OLD CAR .

INTO A SANDY, BRISTLING PALMETTO PATCH, AND YOU UNLOAD

CHILLf NOW YOUR

You PASS A LINE OF SILENT PALMS LEFT LEANING LANDWARD BY SOME LONG AGO VIOLENT WIND THAT HAD ONCE ROARED BY. AND, UNLOADING YOUR EQUIPMENT ONTO THE BURNING SAND, YOU STUDY THE CURIOUSLY- SHAPED GROTESQUE MANGROVE TREES, THEIR EXPOSED SNAKELIKE ROOTS INTERTWINING, GROW-

BEYOND.THE TURQUOISE ATLANTIC RESTS TRANQUILLY BETWEEN TIDES. SOON, HOOK BAITED, FEET BARED, YOU TREAD FAR OUT OVER THE SAND AND CORAL BOTTOM BEFORE REACHING KNEE- HIGH WATER. YOU BEGIN TO SURFCAST AND ALL IS PEACE AND QUIET EXCEPT FOR THE SOUND OF A FISH NEARBY, LEAPING FROM THE SEA.

AT THE SOUND AND SEE NO FISH, BUT AN ALMOST-NAKEO, BEARDED, BERRY-BROWN OLD MAN WITH GREY HAIR OWN TO HIS SHOULDERS EMERGE FROM THE

YOU STAND, STARING, AS HE MOVES SOUNDLESSLY ACROSS THE SAND TO THE BROKEN HULK OF AN ANCCNT VESSEL THAT HAO BEEN TOSSED, HALF-HI DOEN.AMONG THE PALMS. AS YOU WONDER WHY YOU HADN'T NOTICED THIS GRIZZLED WRECK BEFORE, THE OLO MAN VANISHES INTO IT THROUGH A CRUDE DOORWAY CUT INTO ITS

YOU TURN

Then, BARNEY HOAG, YOU SWEAR

The

UNDER YOUR BREATH'. .. BECAUSE YOU ARE NO LONGER ALONE. YOUR SOLITUDE IS GONE. YOU BEGIN TO REEL IN.. .TO LEAVE IN DISGUST...

GLING TO SPIT

WHEN YOU FEEL THE

SUDDEN, STRONG

FISH BREAKS WATER, STRUGOUT THE HOOK AND YOU SEE THAT IT IS A BARRACUDA. FINALLY, YOU BRING THE VICIOUS SCOUNDREL OF THE SEA TO LAND. YOU STARE DOWN AT YOUR GASPING CATCH, SHIVER AT THE SIGHT OF ITS BARED RIPSAW TEETH. . .

DEVIL' WELL, rou'RE THROUGH SCARING AWAY GOOD- EATING FISH'

You PACK AND LEAVE YOUR SHATTERED PARADISE, GRATIFIED AT LEAST, THAT THE OLD MAN HADN'T SEE.N YOU AND SUBJECTED YOU TO ENDLESS, BORING TALK. SUDDENLY,

ALONG BLACK SHAOOW FALLS ACfCSS YOUR PATH. A THIN, PIPING VOICE BRINGS YOU UP SHORT., S/T' GIT OFF FROM THIS PROPITTY, MISTUH/ YOU don’t

BELONG

here /

Your fright of this frizzled old man with the ancient WEAPON GIVES WAY TO ANGER AT HAVING BEEN CHEATED OF YOUR LONGED-FOR SOLITUDE I NAS GOING, YOU DIRTY OLO COOT. BUT NOW I GOT A MIND TO STAY*

PAIR OF DUCK PANTS THAT REEK OF DEAD FI9H.HE POINTS A RUSTY, APED MUSKET AT y OURCHEST^

YOU

ME, MISTUH

HEERED COME FUST TO THIS PROPITTY, SO IT'S Dt/NEf NOW S/T, 'FORE I BLAST YUH CLEAN T' KINGDOM ^ !

Y^rRY STAYIN, f MISTUH, AN' I'LL 7 be cur tin' run UPFER SHARK nn

^come/^

^ BAITf^g^

ssgfll

'I'LL SHOW THAT OLO CRANK. I'LL BURN 'IM OUT. I'LL SET FIRE TO THAT FILTHY WRECK REVIVES IN AND i'll BURN H/U OUTFOR BOOD

Boiling with resentment; you

There's a cold glint in his iceslue EYES, AND HIS SUN- BRONZED CROSS-HATCHED SKIN DRAWS TAUT ACROSS HIS JAWS. YOU RELENT IN THE FACE OF THE WEAPON IN THE OLO MAN'S TIGHTENED GRIP AND YO MOVE OFF ANGRILY THROUGH T

STOW YOUR GEAR INTO YOUR CAR. THEN YOU GAZE BACK TOWARDS THE BEACH, UNWILLING TO BOW '

THE OLD ONE'S ILL WILL HE BL UFFED ME AWAY, BUT i'm NOT LEAVING .

]

PINES

Slowly, silently, stealthily you make your way BACK TO THE BARNACLE AND SALT- ENCRUSTED WOODEN CARCASS OF HALF A ONCE-PROUD VESSEL. YOU'RE FILLED WITH VINDICTIVENESS AND CURIOSITY YOU STOP OUTSIDE THE ROTTED DOOR. A*UETAL LIC GLEAM CATCHES YOUR EYE ' WHAT... WH AT'S

THAT? ON THE

SAND f LIKE

LOOKS

A. ..A.

YOU PICK UP THE GLITTERING OBJECT. YOU STUDY TURNING IT OVER IN YOUR HAND ^ it

IS/

IT'S

BOLD CO/N/Jg

IT,

Your first reaction is to bet away with your PRIZE. YOU HURRY, STUMBLING, TO YOUR C/*R...THE ANCIENT GOLD DOUBLOON CLUTCHED TIGHTLY IN YOUR SWEATY »LM. YOU DRIVE HASTILY OFF THE LONELY KEY.

GAS. YOU STOP RUNNING. YOU THINK SOME MORE AS YOU CRUISE SLOWLY NORTHWARD. SOON, YOU REACH ANOTHER KEY, ROLL UP TO AN EATERY THERE, AND WALK TOWARDS IT...

YOU EASE UPON THE

WHAT

THE LUNATIC

OVERSEAS EATS UME PIE-BEERt

FORTUNE, GOLD? what GOOD <| KEY WOULD IT 00 HIM? HE'S IS

SITTING ON A

TOO OLD

Isn't that ridiculous, barney? think again, that's

YOU

SIT AT A FLY-FLECKED COUNTER ...STARING AT THE HARDLY SEEING IT..

MENU...

AND WHO'D BELIEVE HIM if he BABBLES TO THE LAW ABOUT HIS ,

GOLD

THAT MISS THEjgffli

BEING MISSING? FOR

MATTER, WHO'D Bfc

OLD MAH?

TO ENJOY IT

SO, BARNEY HOAG, GREED AND DETERMINATION ETCH THEMSELVES AS YOU INTO YOUR FACE

MAKE YOUR DECISION... I'M GOING BACK THERE.

TONIGHT AND

HE'S

GOT MORE GOLD, I'M GOING TO GET

WHAT’LL IT BE,

MISTER?

AT " THE OLDMANS KEY" ALONG WITH THE NIGHT.. .PARK AS YOU DID THAT MORNING AMONG THE PALMETTOS... AND, TAKING A JACKHflNDLE, YOU QUIT YOUR CAR...

You ARRIVE BACK

Quiet whisperings in the pines ACCOMPANY YOUR SLOW APPROACH TO THE BEACH. THE ELEGIAC CHIRPS OF CICADAS SURROUND YOU. WITHIN, YOU FEEL THE RAPID THUMPING OF YOUR HEART. A RISING GIBBOUS MOON LIGHTS YOUR WAY TO THE SAD HULK AMONG THE PALMS ON THE BEACH.

NOW YOU ARE THERE, BARNEY, YOUR HEAVY BREATHING BLENDING WITH THE BREEZE BLOWN PALM FRONDS THAT SOUND SO MUCH LIKE A SUMMER SHOWER, AND WITH THE GENTLE LAPPING OF THE SURF UPON THE NEARBY SHORE. A SOFT ORANGE LIGHT GLIMMERS THROUGH A CRACK IN THE DOOR.

YOU SEE HIM IN THE FLICKERING CANDLE GLOW, HIS MAD EYES GLEAMING AS HE LETS A TRICKLE OF GOLD COINS FALL THROUGH HIS GNARLED FINGERS INTO A WOODEN BOX ON THE ROUGH TABLE AT WHICH HE SITS. THE FAINT CHING OF CLINKING METAL

YOU STEP TOWARD HIM. THE OLD MAN DROPS HIS RAGWRAPPED TREASURE OF DOUBLOONS TO THE FLOOR. THEN, BENDING AS THOUGH TO RETRIEVE THEM, HE COMES UP

YOU

The

element of surprise, barney^ SLAM OPEN THE DOOR? THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ITf SCARED ALMOST OUT OF HIS WITS, THE OLD MAN DROPS HIS TREASURE INTO

The OLD MAN CHORTLES, PULLS BACK

HIS FOREFINGER,

SQUEEZING THE MUSKET'S TRIGGER. BUT NOTHING HAPPENS. NO BLAST. NO SHOT. NOTHING. THE BOLT, FROZEN

LEAP AT HIM, BRINGING THE IRON JACKHANDLE DOWN ON HIS

YOU

PICK UP

THE BUNDLE AND EMPTY THE

THE BRINE FOULED WRECK ...ANGRY... ANGRILY

YOU SCRABLE ABOUT SEARCHING.

« THERE MUST BE MORE? THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE?

But you've got it all, barney, AND KNOWING THAT, YOU SAG TO THE FLOOR, SICK AND TIRED WITH DISAPPOINTMENT. BUT THE OLD MAN'S PIECE OF DIRTY CLOTH CATCHES YOUR EYE. DOTTED LINE... MARKED YARDS"... TO A E ALINE MARKED "LOW TIDE".. AND AN ARROW MARKED HAP. BY GOD? IT'S A A .

THAT'S WHAT HE WAS DOIN' WHEN HE WAS COMIN' OUT OF THE WATER. HE WAS BRINGTHESE COINS FROM THE SUNK HALF OF THE WRECK? IT'S OUT THERE /

BE...? IT'S

TREASURE

IT MAP 1HIOLD MAN MADE. MUST be WHERE the OTHER half rr...

OF THIS SHIP

IS,

THAT'S WHAT

MUST BE? YEAH/ SURE' A PIRATE SHIP BROKEN IN TWO BY A HURRICANE' half SUNK/ ...

ING BACK

WELL, I'LL

HALF

WASHED ASHORE...

THIS HALF

out. you're now. just think it out CAREFULLY. blow out the OLD MAN'S LANTERN. THAT’S IT? NOW GO OUTSIDE. LOOK OUT

Slowly,

barney,

something

So YOU ORIVE ALL NIGHT, BARNEY, AND YOU'RE IN KEY WEST WHEN DAWN LIGHTS THE SKY. BY LATE AFTERNOON, YOU'RE BACK AT THE “OLD MAN'S KEY" WITH A DIVING SUIT, ENOUGH HOSE TO GO OUT IIO YARDS, A GASOLINE-DRIVEN COMPRESSOR, THE

slow

think it

GO...

OUT UNDER THE ROLLING ALIVE

YOU GO OUT PAST THE MAP'S

And

110

YARDS AND THE SEA AROUND YOU IS FULL OF WONDERS, BARNEY... BUT NO BROKEN PIRATE HULL-NO SUBMERGED HALF- HULK DO YOU SEE. I MUST'VE BEEN CRAZY TO TAKE THAT OLD COOT'S MAP SERIOUSLY.'!.

then you see

it,

These, SIX FATHOMS DOWH, BEFORE

rising like

SHADOW AHEAD OF YOU. THE MARKER-

THff ALGAE AND MOSS-ENCRUSTED MARKER, YOU BEGIN TO DIG. YOU

AN, DIG DOWN AND YOU DI60UT.. OBLONG, EMPTY HOLE WITH NO COINS, NO CHEST, NOTHING, YOU CLIMB OUT, BITTER WITH FRUSTRATION

THAT'S IT* THAT'S IT* THERE AIN'T NO BOAT. HE'S HAD THE TREASURE. HE WASN'T BRINGIN' IT OUT HE WAS BRINGIN' IT /N ... >

r MAYBE THE MARKER

HESS. BUSYIN ITT ‘

SHOWS

WHICH SIDE TO DIG ON. I'LL OU! SCRAPE OFF THE SLIME m

SPADE, YOU SCRAPE OFF THE GREEN ALGAE AND MOSS AND SLIME. AND YOU TURN COLD, STAGGERING

WlTH YOUR

no (NO*

airline fouls around the marker, stopping YOU FROM RUNNING. TERRORIZED, YOU YANK AT THE RUBBER TUBE. THE MARKER TILTS FORWARD, SLOWLY...FALL-

Your

GOOD LORD

YOU DOWN INTO THE HOLE YOU'VE DUG... PINNING YOU DOWN. INTO YOUR GRAVE. FOR YOU KNOW THAT BEFORE LONG, THE GAS IN THE COMPRESSOR OUT ON THE SHORE WILL RUN OUT AiND THE AIR WILL BE GONE AND YOU'LL SUFFOCATE. THE OLD MAN... THE CRAZY OLD MAN' HE WAS RIGHT* HE DID KNOW' HE NAS PREPARED' THE LETTERS CUT INTO THE MARKER LAUGH AT YOU ..PINNING

"HEH.HEHf LIKE THEY SAY, KIDDIES' BARNEY DUG HIS HOLE... NOW HE'S '

DYING IN IT. HE THIRSTED AFTER \ BOLD AND SETTLED FOR A BELLYFUL OF SALT WATER. WELL, THAT'S MY TREASURE-TERROR- TALE FOR ) THIS ISSUE OF CJf.'S MORBID

I’LL TURN YOU BAC/r TO HIM FOR A TALE ABOUT

HAG. NOW

c(jn

blonde flirt

\ \WHO |

FINALLY MADE

S0ME DESSERT, p /rV\ V / CURIOUS f GOOD f teVjkl

/ Wl j

I'LL SEE YOU NEXT HY MAG THE

!‘A

[

IKtl

Is'lllJl Wt lU

[

•

VAULT OF HORROR.'

BVE - Nowf

/ ( J

a With

GUNMAN

the cardboard carton propped against

Ed Grant pressed the door buzzer: chimes rang inside the apartment and footthe wall,

he?" he snickered. Then, nudging her toward the kitchen with his gun, he added, "Let’s find that

The safety latch swung wide and Ed

dough,

” sister!

steps scurried toward him.

scraped open, the door

Grant

stepped into the apartment, pushing

the carton in front of him. this?” the

woman

"What

what's

asked in surprise, pointing

to the carton.

"Delivery.”

Ed Grant answer, kicking the

man

Then she saw "You ... a

held.

you on

gun Ed

the

protested.

"A guy working Ed. Grant said

way through college,” "Don’t make me flunk

his

flatly.

this test, lady ...

and jewelry you got here!

want

all

the-cash

”

woman

the

a kitchen

Varmint’s robbin'

Amble

over here pron-

my mom!"

Ed Grant tilted his head far back, opened mouth and roared with delight till tears came to his eyes. For several minutes he shook his

with uncontrolled mirth. Subsiding slowly, he

wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "The li’l nut,” he chortled. "A real character, ain’t he? Right outa television!”

The

kid’s face

clouded and he ran from the

A moment

room.

into the purse

Grant heard a high-pitched voice coming along the corridor from one of the bedrooms, and he turned warily. A tow-headed five-year-

nervously pulled a purse

drawer, the kid grabbed a tiny

the receiver: "Sheriff! to!

door shut with his heel. He slipped the latch into place and dumped the carton on the .” floor. "B-But I didn’t order any the wo-

Grant

While from

telephone buried in a toy box and yelped into

turned.

later, as Ed Grant peered he had grabbed, the boy re-

held a small water

pistol.

turn-

ed, started to guffaw again. "Jerko, here,” he

exploded.

he?"

reg’lar half-pint hero, ain't

old careened into the room, deeply involved in

banking an imaginary

aircraft

he was

ing.

"Hey!” he whinnied. "Who’s

stopped in his tracks, his mouth gapthis,

The

pilot-

mom?”

boy’s face

tightened ... he squeezed

the trigger and a stream of smoky fluid sprayed into

Ed Grant's

face.

dropped

gun

his

and a shriek of horror poured from Ed Grant's "L-Look, mister,” the woman pleaded.

"We

much money, see? My husband’s only a lab assistant at the chemical plant on River Street. He just got outa school himself,

don’t have

and

sockets just

lips.

raw

staggered backwards, his eye-

cavities

where the eyeballs had

been burnt out of his head.

hand went to

his face

. .

"Can the

seared

One trembling

passed over the ruin-

flesh, which, was curling away with a bubbling sound, revealing stark yellowish bones beneath. Ed Grant screeched in agony,

ed it!"

Ed Grant snapped. "C’mon

CASH! Where’s it at?”

his face already a ghastly oozing

The kid, who had sauntered over to the foyer table, suddenly pulled a cap pistol from a toy holster slung over the chair and whirled toward Ed Grant. His finger squeezed the

sagged to the

trigger and his high-pitched voice exploded in

him. "Just wait

a series of raucous gunshot sounds. started at the sound, then in his throat.

"The

began

kid’s a

li’l

Ed Grant

The boy

wound. He

floor.

felt his

mother's arm tugging

sharply, as she yanked the water pistol

you

just did!”

till

tell

deep

hundred times never

whacky,

ain't

sulfuric acid!"

fill

him

from

your daddy what

she snapped.

to laugh

"He

told

you a

your gun with his

NOW

you JOIN... YOU GET THE

BULLETIM...FREE!

yes FANS. YOU, TOO, cm BC LUCKY UKB McLr/N, HtNt.' YOU, TVV, COMPUTE YOUR COLLECTION OP E.C.S' YOU, TOO, CAN JOIN THE .

E.C.FAN-AVMCT

CUB

AND RECEIVE YOUR MEMBERSHIP KIT ( WHICH INCLUDES A FULL-COLOR 7&XI0& ILLUMINATED CERTIFICATE, A STURDY WALLET IDENTIFICATION CARD, A SNAZZY EMBROIDERED SHOULDER PATCH, AND A STUNNIN& ANTIQUE BRONZE- FINISH BAS-RELIEF PIN) PLUS A FREE ..

SUBSCRIPTION TO THE

E.C.

FAN -ADDICT CLUB BULLETIN / THE

FOR AN INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP. WHICH INCLUDES HIT AND FREE SUBSCRIPTION. FILL OUT THE COUPON AND SEND IT IN, TOGETHER WITH SOf* IF FIVE OR MORE OF YOU WANT TO JOIN AS AH AUTHOR-

IZED CHAPTER, ENCLOSE EACH MEMBER’S NAME AND ADDRESS ALONG WITH SO{ FOR EACH NAME AND INDICATE THE NAME OF THE ELECTED CHAPTER PRESIDENT. WE WILL NOTIFY EACH PRESIDENT OF HIS CHAPTER NUMBER. EACH MEMBER. CHAPTER OR INDIVIDUAL,WILL RECEIVE HIS KIT DIRECTLY... PLUS EACH ISSUE OF THE BULLETIN AS IT COMES OFF THE PRESS.

E.C.

FAN -ADDICT CLUB

ROOM 706

225 LAFAYETTE STREET

NEW YORK, 12, N.V. So here's my SOL! So

I could’ve

joined

for Half the price a couple of months back* So now 1 get a bulletin subscription. So who says I want it. So I'm a sucker. So put we down and send we the stuff what the kid's wearing and the bulletin I don't want but I'w

paying

-for...

name

ADDRESS CITY

STATE

• CNO

ZONE NO.

2S( MEMBERSHIP Will SE ACCEPTED AFTER JUNE

195-0

THE CRYPT-K EEPER ’S CORNER Heb, beb! Here comes our morbid mailman with the latest sack of sordid stamped squares containing crude correspondence from .you creeps. So I’ll just W! my honey paw into the .. YEEEEEO Hmmmmph! Very funny! Somebody sent a large scorpion in a small envelope. A stinging trick! Where was l? Oh, yes so I’ll just stick a pair of tweezers into the old mail sack and print a few poems and stuff

stick

The trap has been sprung, My neck has been wrun^

My I

tongue

know

just danglin',

that I'm done.

face

know

all red,

that I'm dead,

I'm swinging, swinging in the rain.

for your perusal.

Imre Horvath of The Bronx, N. Y. pens this Putrid Parody to the tune of "I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover’’:

Clara Estelle Crossland of McKeesport, Pa. who claims to he a poet in the strictly artistic sense of the word, submits this lovely little sentiment to pluck your heart strings:

I'm running you over With a sharp lawn mower That I never used before.

The first blade's for chopping. The second will hack, The third will disjoin Your head from your neck.

boyfriend

the creative claw of

a charming thing

of Chicago,

writes these

III.

Oh, for the life of a vampire, That's what I really crave. To prowl the face of earth at night. And sleep each day in a grave.

John Neidkowski

From

Move him cause he is so sweet. One side of his ugly face is gone. The other hangs with rotted meat. Raymond Neuman poetic wishes

need explaining. The one remaining You won't hear anymore. I'm running you over With a sharp lawn mower That I never used before.

John M. Guite who lives Sceam Song

in a box in Waterville, Me. comes this Satire of the tune "Heart of my Hearts":

of Maspetb,

N. Y. decries

his fate

with this gem:

Blood and Guts All over the street.

And me without Part of my heart, I love that arterie. Part of my heart, Bring back a vein to me. I#7hen we were kids On the corner of the street. were rough and ready guys, But, oh, how we could handle knives. Part of my heart Meant friends were gorier then.

Too bad we had to part. know a tear would glisten once more I could listen

To that gang that ate part of my

heirt.

next Ludicrous Lyric is the brainwork of ). Polk, of Chicago, III. who pokes fun at the tune "Singing in the Rain" with these warped words:

This

Conrad

I'm swinging in the rain. Just swinging in the rain.

What

My My As

ghastly old feeling.

neck's stretched again.

eyes bulge with pain, I

gurgle this refrain.

I'm swinging, swingin in the rain.

A spoon

to eat.

Paul Block and Douglas collaborate

Tuchman

(

this epic, yet) of Elmhurst,

a famous nursery

rhyme with:

they had to N. Y. knock

HERE S A TERROR-TALE OF A CHICK

WHO

FINALLY

WORMED

HAD ALWAYS LIKED LIVING IN THE BEST OF ST YLE... FINE CLOTHES, JEWELRY, A PARK AVENUE APARTMENT, A CHAUFFEURED CADILLAC. AND PEARL HAD ALWAYS NA0EO TO FIND RICH HUSBANDS WHO WOULD BE WILUNG KEEP HER IN THE STYLE TO WHICH SHE'D BECOME ACCUSMED LIKE FREDDY NOVELL, FOR INSTANCE. FREDDY WELL WAS PEARL'S Z/tf/^rRICH-HUSBANO-BANKROLL. .

FREDDIE WAS GONE PEARL HAD DOST ANOTHER BILL-PAYING HUSBAND, AND THE VOLF 'MLS AT THE PENTHOUSE DOOR. PEARL WAS DESPERATE. A DOZEN

Now,

DESPERATE PLANS WERE FORMULATED IN HER PRETTY BFn HFAn AND DISCARDED BEFORE SHE REMEMBERED

Pearl let Howard stare, she

OH, I... I'M

ELLIS/ HOWARD

)

TERRIBLY SORRY, MR... MR. ...WHY, WE'RE

)

ELLIS/

•

WELL, HERE'S THE ELEVATOR.' ...

NEIGHBORS, and IDON*T,EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME/ i'm pearl drake f MISS pearldrake, I

Pearl inwardly cursed the high SPEED CONVEYANCE THAT HAD RUSHED UPWARD THROUGH THE STEEL THROAT OF THE BUILDING AND INTERRUPTED HER PROGRESS. SHE TURNED AND GLIDED BACK TO HER APARTMENT AS THE ELEVATOR POORS CLOSED. .

GOOD MORNING, MR. ELLIS... AND THANK YOU TO* i THE TIME/ -jp-

Then pearl grinned. SHE WALKED SLOWLY ACROSS THE LIVING ROOM, HER VOLUPTUOUS FIGURE SWAYING SENSUOUSLY...

NOT AT ALL, MISS DRAKE.

GET ME OFF HIS MIND/

MR. HOWARD ELLI.S

GOT TO

MY ONLY OUT/ l‘VE THE OTHER./

GET HIM ...tfMT WAYOR

AND

CHEAP FEMALE ROLF ON THE

PROWL, he looks so PROPER AND PRUDISH, X WOULDN'T STAND A

CHANCE IF HE THOUGHT

RACING... SCHEMI PLANNING HER NEXT MOVE. SHE FINGERED THE D'SPOSSESS NOTICE SHE'D RECEIVED IN THE MORNING MAM.. .

THEY'VE GIVEN ME A WEEK TO FORK OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS RENT, OR OUT ON THE STREET I GO. AND X haven't 60T IT. I •

AND THEN, WITH HER LOVELY FACE ASSUMING A DETERMINED AIR, SHE HURRIED INTO THE BEDROOM TO DRESS ...

IT,

I WONDER IF I OVERPLAYED Mr HAND WALKING OUT LIKE THIS? X WOULDN'T WANT HIM TO THINK I'M

She STOPPED AT THE DESK, HER MIND

Pearl pondereo her problem another moment

BACK DISTRACTEDLY AGAINST

THAT/ \

BUT HE /J .A MAN' HE'S GOT ALL OF THE INSTINCTS OF a man. I'll BET HE CAN'T

—

She closed the door, leaned FROWNED.

haven't got

HALF THAT

much.'

The elevator operator eyed her up and down and GRINNED LASCIVIOUSLY WHEN SHE ASKED HIM THE INF0F MATION SHE NEEDED. IT WAS OBVIOUS HE'D HEARD OF HER PLIGHT. . I'D LIKE TO FIND OUT WHAT M ELLIS DOES FOR A LIVING?

WHAT FIRM HE WORKS FOR?

WHY DON'T YOU FIND OUT WHAT J*CAN DO, INSTEAD, HONEY?

Pearl knew when to act haughty AND INDIGNANT. UNDER OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ELEVATOR OPERATOR MIGHT HAVE AROUSED HER INTERESTS, BUT NOW. why, you

FRESH.

ASKED YOU

YOU KNEW rr

I'LL

WAIT FOR

)

HE...

ELLEN.. .ELLER. ..ELLIS. AH, HERE IT IS? HOWARD ELLIS AND ASSOCIATES, INC., STOCK BROKERS, INVESTMENT COUNSELORS, 231

HE'S A

STOCK y BROKER.

MR. ELLIS'S )

BUSINESSf

•"Vr'^aKTTf

jwrf

HIM OUTSIDE THE

—T

I... THINK HE MAS H,s OWN FIRMf >

Outside the luxurious apartment, pearl contemplated HAILING A CAB, THEN CONSIDERED HER WANING FINANCES, AND WALKED UPTHE SIDE STREET TO THE SUBWAY. SHE RODE UNCOMFORTABLY IN THE CROWDED ROARING CHASM, HER DAINTY NOSE TWITCHING SCORNFULLY AT THE SUFFOCATING SCENT OF THE HUMANITY SURROUNDING HER. SHE TRIED TO LOSE HERSELF IN HER PLAN OF STRATEGY.

Pearl cr§ssed the lobby to the PHONE BOOTHS AND SCANNED THE CITY DIRECTORY. ..

AS HE RUBBED HIS BEET-RED CHEEK WHERE SHE'D SLAPPEO IT. THEN, SHE COLDLY REPEATED . .

WALL STREET...

noon, pearl was at the entrance to 231 wall STREET, HER CAMPAIGN FOR THE CONQUEST OF THE UNSUSPECTING MR. ELLIS CRYSTAL-CLEAR IN HER MIND. I’LL CON HIM INTO TAKING

ME TO

LUNCH AND HE'LL SEE I'M NO CHEAP DA NET he'll SEE I , sot HIGH-CLASS TASTES < HE' LI :

COMES.

OH-OH? HERE HE AND HERE 160.. .

yJi .

BUILDING at LUNCH HOUR. OF COURSE IT WILL BE AN ACCIDENTAL MEETING.

I BEG YOUR PARDON, \ I'M SORRY MA'AM? I D IDN'T MY FAULT? I.

SEE

IT . .

MR- ELLIS

WAS ALL

WHY, IT'S

MR. ELLIS

—

THIS IS A COINCIDENCE, RUNNINg\0H, *

INTO YOU LIKE THIS. OH, BUT YOU DON'T REC NlZE MEIN MY CLOTHES, DO YOU? I MEAN J-'MISS THESE CLOTHES, remember? this gS" DRAKE... -

MORNING? PEARL ORAKE? THE PENTHOUSE APARTMENT ACROSS -7 THE HALL ?

—

-5

AND THE

JHSH STOPPED WATCH?

Before Howard could object, pearl steereo to ataxi, took his hand, and led him into it YOU DO REMEMBER? WELL,I OWE YOU SOMETHING FOR BEING SO KIND THIS MORNING, MR. ELLIS. I'M , TAKING YOU TO LUNCH. THE ? PLAZA, DRIVER? ,

Through the meal, pearl carefully ENCOURAGED HOWARD. B DESSERT, HE WAS STRUGGLING TO

him

By the time

the PLAZA'? BUT THAT'S

they'd plowed uptown through the

VICHY SO/SSE, Howard, ROAST PHEAS-

HAVE YOU (

SOT THAT,

I'LL HAVE A HAH SANDW/CH ON WHOLE WHEAT ANT UNDEP CLASS SOUNDS DELICIOUS L TOAST AND A 6LASS OF

HAY UPTOWN,

and THE

MISS DRAKE...

night, after their THEY RETURNED TO THE PENTHOUSE FLOOR OF THE LUSH PARK AVENUE APARTMENT HOUSE. PEARL OPENEO HER DOOR AND SPOKE TEMPTINGLY IN A SOFT

And that DATE,

HONEYED TONE ... ^ f THANK VOV.NO, PEARL.

SO AFTER

^ m

A QUICK *GOOONIQHT

’

PEARL FOUND HERSELF ALONE IN HER APARTMENT, FRUSTRATED ANO AN NOYED. I_.

—7

X MUST

BE LOSING MY TOUCH.' fT\C"

WON'T YOU

PEARL... GULP.. .MAY X TAKE YOU TO DINNER AND A SHOW. ..TONIGHT?

COME IN FOR > I HAVE A BOARD * NIGHTCAP, {MEETING IN the HOWIE, DEAR?] MORNING AND I to

lllliyallMt BED.

But HOWARD ELLIS PHONED PEARL THE NEXT DAY FROM HIS OFFICE ANO HERCONFIDENCE IN HER EVENTUAL SUCCESS WAS RESTORED. WELL, PEARL? WHAT t IT'S SUCH A LOVELY SHALL IT BE TONIGHT fNlGHT, HOWIE, I'D RATHER

NOT

BE INDOORS LET'S TAKE A HANSOH THROUGH

THE PARK.'

Pearl knew where to find atmosphere congenial to ROMANCE. THE RIDE THROUGH THE PARK IN THE HANSOM CAB WAS JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR HAD ORDERED. SOON, HOWARD WAS HOLDING HER HAND AND WHISPERING SOFTLY IT IS A LOVELY NIGHT, PEARL. BUT ^ WHY, H OWARD..^ NOT NEARLY AS LOVELY AS YOUARE?

BBK

Pearl was an old hand at this GAME OF TRAPPING A MAN. SHE KNEW HOW TO PRESS HER ADVANTAGEHOW TO MOVE HER SOFT FULL- LI PS CLOSE TO HIS... INVITING ...

And she knew how to act shy and COY AND SURPRISED WHEN HE'D FINALLY FALLEN INTO HER LITTLE TRAPI-1M SORRY,

DIDN'T PEARL !1 SHOULDN'T) MIND, HOWIEf HAVE DONE THAT... j I... I'M VERY FOND of you'

KfSSEO HIM WITH MOIST RAVISHING HUNGRY SHE KISSED HIM AS SHE KNEW HE'O NEVER BEEN KISSED BEFORE. AND THEN SHE LEFT HIM STANDING THERE... LIMP -TREMBLING ...GASPING FOR BREATH. SHE LOCKED THE DOOR BETWEEN THEM AND STOOD IN THE DARKNESS OF HER APARTMENT. GRINNING WITH SATISFACTION -

She

LIPS.

ONCE MORE LIKE THAT AND HE'LL BE BEGG/NG.. AND IT'D BETTER BE SOON I've ONLY GOT A FEW DAYS LEFT BEFORE I GET WnmJ OUT |Br3nnnl

sagr KICKED

Soon they were back outside HER APARTMENT. PEARL LEANED AGAINST HER DOOR, FINGERING HOWARD'S COAT LAPEL AND GENTLY, GENTLY DRAWING HIM AGAINST HER QUIVERING BODY... WHISPERING...

wasno moon

and TH^RE NEXT WAS HUNG DARK OVERHEAD. PEARL COULD SENSE THE OEEP TENSION IN HOWARD AS THEY WALKED HOME. SHE WAITED PATIENTU FINALLY, HE STOPPED BENEATH A LAMP POST AND HE SAW A NEW EAGER DETERMINED LOOK IN HIS EYES... OH, HOWARD f IF YOU PEARL' NEED ONLY KNEW HOW MUCH YOU' I-MH/WYOU' ] te i need you?

warm the

EVENING.

the

This was beyono pfeARL's wiloest dreams, had she HEARO RIGHT? WAS THIS A PROPOSAL? NOW IT WAS PEARL ARACTER WAS PLAYING FOR YEAR. FOREVER. SHE HAD TO

up...he, holding her HAND IN A TIGHT FEVERISH GRIP, HIS BREATHING QUICKENED WITH EXCITEMENT...ANO SHE, FOLLOWING EAGERLY, ANXIOUS TO CONVINCE HIM OF HIS WISE CHOICE, ANXIOUS TO THANK

They went

WILL YOU COME UP TO

HI APARTMENT, Pearl?

He opened the bedroom door and SHOVED PEARL IN. SHE HEARD THE LOCK CLICK BEHIND HIM... HEARD HIS LOW THROATED GIGGLE. SHE PEERED INTO THE GLOOM...

ESTHER? I BROUGHT ANOTHER

And then pearl saw the coffin in the gloom ...the OLO COFFIN WITH THE LID SQUEAKING OPEN. ..THE PALID WHITE FIGURE RISING FROM IT...BITS OF EARTH DROPPING FROM ITS FLOWING BLACK CAPE... THE RAZOR- SHARP SNAKErLIKE FANGS. -THE OOZING SPITTLE r

MY SOD ''H HAT

HOWIE?

IT,

WHAT IS IT?

THIS IS

ESTHER.'? who's SHE?

ONE...

[Howard pushed pearl toward the froth ing.craving, [hideous CREATURE... I

TOLD YOU

WANTED

YOU FOR NY WIFE'

NO.' NO' OH, LORD! I

MY WIFE,

PEARL? SHE'S A j

7 VAMPIRE' -m

WITH SATISFACTION AS HIS LIVING-DEAD WIFE SPRANG UPON THIS LATEST DESERVING VICTIM HE'D BROUGHT. HE LISTENED EAGERLY TO HER GLUTTONOUS SLURPING NOISES. HE NODDED APPROVINGLY AS THE PINK GLOW CAME BACK INTO HER SUNKEN CHEEKS, AND PEARL'S WRITHINgJlODY

ANO HOWARD SAT DOWN AND WATCHED

GREW PALER AND PALER AND

}

SO POOR PEARL FINALLY FOUND HER LAST HUSBAND-SUCKER ONLY in THIS CASE, IT WAS THE HUSBAND'S WIFE WHO WAS THE SUCKER.. BLOOD- SUCKER, THAT IS? HEH, HEH ? WELL .THE OLD WITCH AWAITS WITH ANOTHER OF HER

CREEPY CAULDRONCONCOCTIONS SO I'll STEP A SIDE while SHE SLINGS SLIME AT YOU. BY THE WAY, I HEAR SOME PEOPLE FINALLY JOINED THE E.C. FAN -ADDICT CLUB. THAT'S GOOD

NEWS' I WAS

BEGIN-

NING TO BE AFRAID THE MEMBERSHIP WAS GOING TO BE LIMITED TO...ER... THINGS. SHALL WE SAY GEE'

NOW, PEOPLE TOO' WELL, WHAT'D'YA KNOW.' 'By if

HEE.HEE? COME IN, CREEPS YOU'RE IN THE NIGHT PLACE FOR RETCH INS... THE HAUNT OF FEAN. MD.NOM OIFU.'.A THAT'S FRENCH. PIENDS?)...HAVE I GOT A REVOLTING TALE FOR YOU. WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S COOKING IN MY CRUODT CAST-IRON CAULDRON? WELL, YOUR OLD WITCH HAS A GORY SLAB OF GRISLY GAB ABOUT a TERROR TIME and a FAST OPERATOR who brouqht a MESSY MATTER TO A HEAD and CUT IT OFF TNEHEf SO WIPE THE DROOL FROM YOUR CHINS, BEND YOUR FLOPPY EARS THIS WAY, AND LISTEN TO THIS DELIGHTFUL TALE OF BUTCHERY CALLED... < ,

That ioth of march, 1795, was grim and grey with rain THREATENING IN THE OMINOUS BLACK CLOUDS THAT BILLOWED OVERHEAD. A RAW WINO HOWLED FURIOUSLY ABOUT THE CRIMSON-STAINED GUILLOTINE, BUT IT COULD NOT CLEAR THE BEFOULED AIR OF ITS ABATOIR AROMA. UNDERFOOT, COBBLESTONES WERE SLIPPERY WITH CONGEALING GORE, WHILE FRESH WARM BLOOD BUBBLED IN A CONSTANT FLOW DOWN THE GUTTERS AS THE GREAT BLADE HISSED DOWN AGAIN AND AGAIN, HEAPING THE BASKET WITH WIDE-EYED NOBLE HEADS. THERE, CALMLY, STOOO THE MAN OF THE HOUR, THE EXECUTIONER, ANDRE VACHE, AMID THE JEERING, HOOTING, RED-BONNETED CITIZENRY, READING AN URGENT MESSAGE JUST H ANDED TO * PLEASURE, AND IF A THOUSAND GOLD LOUIS ANORE... INTEREST YtfEl, THEN VISIT ME AT 49 RUE DUBOIS." HMMM? PIERRE, I MUST A LEAVE? CARRY ON FOR ME, EH?

ANDRE HURRIED AWAY FROM THE AWFUL SCENE... HIS BLOOD-SOAKED SHOES LEAVING RED IMPRINTS ON THE PAVING STONES ...HE EAGERLY RE-READ THE NOTE HE'D RECEIVED...

THOUSAND GOLD LOUIS? SACRE BLEU^jO^A

SoON.THE EXECUTIONER WAS BEING USHERED INTO A SPACIOUS ROOM OF

YOU MENTIONED MAKE YOURj something about Sself COM-

49 RUE DUBOIS BY A VENAL-LOOKING

ONE THOUSAND J PORTABLE, GOLD LOUIS, / M'SIEU. HERE...

MAN WITH AN UNCTUOUS MANNER ABOUT HIM. „i .

AH, M'SIEU

JEAN I GREAT A

VACHEf I AM

COURBEAU. it is A HONOR INDEED TO HAVE 90 IMPORTANT and DISTINGUISHED A VISITOR AS YOU IN MY HOME. .

CITIZEN courbeau. that IS

WHY I AM

RERE.f

fjtam.

,-w

ssj

]

•

you

UNDERSTAND?

./<

^J :

HERE IS HALF THE PAYMENT. 500 GOLD LOUIS, you will RECEIVE THE REST WHFN X HAV PROOF That my brother has 1 BEEN EXECUTED SO MANY HEADS FALL THESE DAYS... A .'

SHOULD ANY-

TO CLAUDE,

NOT MUNokR, MON AMI. Vah.that is a DIFFERENT STORY /'you are a W/SE 1 MERELY AN ACCUSATION... M'SIEU COURBEAU. IF YOUR BROTHER* I MAN, M'SIEU VACHE. is ONE OF THEM. A ROYALIST.. JDO NOT THINK I AM < * THEN I WILL BE GLAD TO EXPOSE NOT FOND OF MY ' BROTHER. BUT THERE ANOTHER ROYALIST HIM. IT WOULD BE MY DUTY KRE TWO THINGS X LOVE MORE...FRANCE:

/SYMPATHIZER would EVEN FOR THAT MUCH GOLD? <Cl ROLL INTO YOUR BASKET.

—

M'SIEU.

HAPPEN GET /TALL,

THING

EXPLAIN

TOU...

to the RIGHT PARTIES.. NANO THE HEAD OF I

FORTUNE,

MI0NOW...X WHY I SENT FOR

CITIZEN COURBEAU? SAPRISTI...YOU INSINUATE I WOULD MURDER A MAN.

'ACTUALLY, THIS HOUSE IS NOT MINE. IT BELONGS TO MY BROTHER CLAUDE.^ being the ELDER,**'* FATHER LEFT HIM EYERYTH/NS.

SOME OF THE

will

YOU WANT ME TO RIO YOU OF YOUR BROTHER,

)

finest wine yJFROM MY CELLAR,

and

MONEY

T YOU SHALL HAVE UNDENIABLE J EVIDENCE. ]

' CITIZEN COURBEAU.

J WILL SEE TO AND NOW, BON SOW.

ITf

CLAUDE

COURBEAU..

“

The next day, citizen marat and six other judges Of THE COMMUNE LOOKED OOWH COLOO’ AND IMPATIENTLY AT THE ACCUSED. _JKF ENEMY OF THE REVOLUTION. WHEN AN

riAM NOT AN

The chamber, thronged with angry ragged

citi-

zens, SHOOK WITH THE HOARSE CLAMORING FOR STILL ANOTHER HEAP...

EVEN SPEAKS LIKE THE NOBILITY? OzsSS,

Hfc

mr INNOCENT MAN can be DRAGGED FROM his HOME ON THE EL/MIEST OF PRETEXTS. accused of TREASON without a SHRED OF EVIDENCE, jft AND sent to the GUILLOTINE BY such a lie... fJH

DEATH

DEATH*

s-THEN

THIS

is NOT A TRIAL, BUT BUTCHERY.'/,

Citizen marat held up his hand AND A HUSH FELL OVER THE CHAMBER. THEN, SCOWLING DARKLY AT THE ACCUSED, HE WHISPERED. . .

this is your DEFENSE, M'SIEU COURBEAU.. THAT WE

DESTROY OUR ENEMIES ?

LOOKED AT HIS FELLOW JUDGES.

WHAT SAY

THE WORD ( WE HAVEEMINENT

YOU CITIZENS?> OF THE

—M Ml

s-y-f

ARE BUTCHERS BECAUSE WE

WANTON

WlWmIm

EXECUTIONER,

ANDRE VACHE, CITIZEN

MARAT

that

6000

Citizen marat raised his hand AND DROPPED A SQUARE OF BLACK CREPE... AND WITH THIS SYMBOLIC GESTURE, THE CROWD ROARED ITS APPROVAL...

—m

ENOUGH FOR US' /

REO-BONNETED CROWD WAITED IN TENSE SILENCE AS THE HEAVY KNIFE WAS HOISTED HIGH BETWEEN THE SLOTTED PARALLEL BEAMS. THEN. WITH A WHINING CRESCENDO TO ACCOMPANY

T HE

Andre caught claude*s head in A SACK AS HOT BLOOp SPURTED FROM THE SEVERED VEINS ANO ARTERIES

OF THE DECAPITATED BODY, SPRAY

Jean courbeau turned sickly green, he WHIMPERED SOFTLY.

THE GOLD JINGLING

IN HIS

The coach stopped,

a tall

man

GOT OUT AND CARRIED THE GORY BUNDLE BACK TO ANDRE. DO YOU TAKE OUR T TAKE CARE, REVOLT SO LIGHTLY /CITIZEN/ YOU THAT IT AMUSES SPEAK TO

//VACHE,

MAS

ABOUT THE HEAD TER OF THE OF AN ENEMY? JGUILLOTINE/ )

The man handed andre the

^—1

YOU TO THROW

Andre went light-heartedly through the

SACK.

’andi^citizen vache AM

L .

evening streets, POCKETS, THE SACK SWINGING MERRILY

AT HIS SIDE. A COACH RUMBLEO BY, AND HE PLAYFULLY TOSSED THE RED- SOAKED BAG THROUGH ITS WINDOW..

ONE Yf HERE gasp/ GET IT OUT OF HERE! CHOKE... GET RID OF IT/ I^|

TAKE TOUR SET..

\a.

MASTER OF FRANCE ) THOU..ROBESPIERRE/ ysA NO PARDONS, YOUR EXCELLENCY/

did not see the sack land IN THE bottom of a skiff that CAME FROM UNDER THE BRIDGE ARCH. THE HEAO ROLLED OUT AND THE

Andre

WAS

to his roomhouse, he WAS greeteo by his

When andre returned

THE

SQUARE when HE SOT THIS TOOAY, HENRI? HE

HELD

Andre hurried out into the street

UP FOR

The head dropped to andre's feet as it tore through the SACK’S BLOOD- ROTTED BOTTOM. THE CLOTH DISAPPEARED INTO THE DANK-REEKING DARKNESS. ANDRE HESITATED, STUPIDLY, AS AN OXCART, HEAPED WITH HEADLESS CORPSES, ROUNDED THE

with

THE BLOOD-SOAKED BAG. HE STOPPEO OVER A SEWER-GRATE.

MEN, CLAUDE C0UR8EAU' SO THEY PLAY WITH US' WELL, PERHAPS THE RATS DOWN THERE WILL FIND YOU TEMPTING.

' EH,

CORNER.

GAMES

VACHE! IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU' LOOKfREGO0HIZ SOME OF r YOUR CUSTOMERS?

TAKE THEM AWAY, BODIN' 00 BURY

BoDIN SHRUGGED AND THE OX-CART RUMBLED OFF. ANDRE head, hiding TURNED TO THE HEAD, ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED. HE REACHED FROM THE CART-DRIVER’S VIEW. s FOR IT SAVAGELY. . IN NO HURRY, VACHE. LETy LET ME TORMENT ME, MIL L YOU, CLAUDE COURBEAUf DRINK! OUR <a ALONE, bodin'

Andre stood over the grinning IT

I'M

US STOP FOR A

HEADLESS FRIENDS can Jr go BURY s

THEM!

wait/

mmr iw* foulsmelling S

DEAD

WELL, WE'LL

SEE ABOUT

THAT^^

-gj

The EXECUTIONER CAME UPON A MARKET OPEN LATE AND LIT OlMLY BY OIL LAMPS. HE PASSED THE STALLS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND SMILED AT THE JOKE HE MADE. .

NOW, M'SIEU NOBODY,

CABBAGES

with you.

AMONG THE

BEHAVE.

AND PERHAPS YOU WILL END UP--/ IN SOMEONE’S SOUP. .

BURDEN, ANDRE CELEBRATED HIS NEW-FOUNO FORTUNE AT AN INN WITH A GLASS OF BRANOX THEN HE RETURNED HOME AND, MEETING HIS LANDLADY, GOOD- NATO REDLY RELIEVED HER OF HER SHOPPING BASKET.

ANO

—

COME 1 SOME WEALTH

I HAVE j

'into

TONIGHT, CITI-

KIT-

.I,

YOU SEEM IN A JOVIAL MOOD

...

CHOKE-

)

ZEN VACHE? A

MADAME YOU ARE A BARETTE? 6ENTLEMAN,

BOHSO/fi.

PERMIT

mePj^ML

Claude courbeau’s head grinned up at andre from AMONG THE VEGETABLES MADAM BARETTE EMPTIED OUT

TOGETHER AND WENT INTO THE CHEN

MOMENT LATER. MONSIEUR ETIENNE. ANOTHER BOARDER

M’SIEU VACHE.'

T HE LANDLADY MOANED

ANO TURNED AWAY, SICK. ANDRE, SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. FLUNG OPEN THE SHUTTERS

ANDRE FUMED, THE BLOOD DRAINING FROM

HIS FACE.

FROM THE TABLE. ..THEN TURNED MONSIEUR ETIENNE...

his room and WITH A RAGE THAT VERGED ON MADNESS. HE KNEELED ON THE FLOOR AND HACKED AT THE LIFELESS FLESH AND BONE UNTIL HE'D REDUCED IT INTO AN UNRECOGNIZABLE HEAP OF MINCE - /f ucat v-

Andre stumbled to

^—

rmw.Lcrs I

T HEN, WEAK AND

EXHAUSTED.

An hour passed, paris was asleep, the night was still, except for an OX-CART THAT RUMBLEO BY BELOW.

HIS

INTESTINES ROILING AND QUIVERING LIKE JELLY, THE EXECUTIONER SANK ON HIS BED IN A COM A -LIKE STUPOR

ANDRE STIRRED AT ITS NOISE AND SAT UP. HE LISTENED TO THE FRONT DOOR OPEN ...THE HEAVY DRAGGING FOOTSTEPS ON THE STAIRS... THE KNOB OF HIS OWN DOOR TURN... AND

see you come*' a

sack 'NOW! NOW

GOURBEAU f.

HEADLESS CORPSE STUMBLED TOWARD ANDRE, HAND GESTICULATING TOWARD ITS NECK, POINTING...

ITS

T HE

YOUR HEAD': '/ YOU'VE COME FOR YOUR HEAD?' CAN'T GIVE IT TO OH, LORD...CHOV.Z'...T YOU' THERE. ..W THE FLOOR ...THERE IS .

iwHArS L EFT CF

KO 'no'

barette heard the ear-splitting scream that echoed THROUGH HER ROOMING HOUSE AND RUSHEO TO ANORE'S ROOM WITH A CANOLE. BUT AS SHE REACHED THE DOOR, IT OPENED. THE BODY OF CLAUDE COURBEAU STUMBLED OUT, AND ON ITS SHOULDERS, CRIMSON DRIPFROM ITS TORN ANO RUPTURED BLOOD VESSELS SAT THE SAVAGELY

Madame

PING

KEEP

AWAY-y-^zY-y.

IT...

—

TORN-OFF HEAD OF ANDRE VACHE... f-rw-

r'"

—

Kjj||'j

CHOKE.

ONE WAY TO GET AHEAD IN THE WORLD, EH.KIDOIES? AND NOW, IT'S TIME TO CLOSE C.K.'S MUCK-MAO FOR THIS ISSUE.' HOPE YOU WEREN'T GORED STIFF.' WE’LL ALL SEE YOU NEXT IN THE VAULT OF HORROR... WHEN WE'LL BE HEADING ^ - - -1 BACK Y0UR WAY WITH 'ifWltTTrr M0RE TOP HORROR i YARNS' till THEN, THINK ABOUT HEE.HEE' WELL, THAT'S

KMMMBBHjEr

JOINING THE E.O.FAN-

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THE CRYPT-KEEPER

THE OLD WITCH KÂ»

THE VAULT-KEEPER

HEH.HEH.' MENACE, ANYONE? FINE* you've COME TO THE NIGHT CREEP-COURT, 'CAUSE THAT'S MY AH, YOUR OLD CRYPT-KEEPER is just FLOWING with FRIGHT today, hcxy about going fora R/0Â£?\ DRIVE YOU NUTS. READY? then without further ado, i'll START OFF my MORBID MAG with an tCKY ISLAND STORY of a STARVING SAILOR and a RAVENOUS RAT. I CALL this HIDEOUSLY HORRIBLE

RACKET! I'll

ERIC WAS NOT THE ONLY SURVIVOR. A RAT.. HALF-DROWNED AND FRIGHTENEO. HAD CLUNG TO THE

But

OTHER END OF THE SAME PLANK. AND NOW IT, TOO, STRUGGLED ASHORE

For a long time, eric lay in the BLISTERING SUN, EXHAUSTED. THEN, FEELING A TERRIBLE THIRST; HE SOUGHT OUT AND FOUND A SMALL PUDOLE LEFT BY THE STORM IN A SHALLOW DEPRESSION ON TOP OF A CORAL ROCK. HE DRANK GREEDILY...

The rat and the man were The ONLY LIFE ON THIS DESERT ISLE. NOT A TREE. NOT A PLANT.. .NOT A BLADE OF BRASS GREW ON THIS BARREN CORAL ROCK. IT WAS FIVE ACRES OF NOTHING.. .

When

he had slacked his thirst; eric looked up suddenly, SENSING THAT HE WAS BEING WATCHED. HE STARTED, HIS THROAT CHOKED WITH A RISING GORGE. THE GREAT GREY SHIP'S RAT WAS * WATCHING HIM WITH IT'S BEADY GLITTERING EYES. .

Eric BACKED AWAY. THE RAT SCURRIED FORWARD TO THE TINY POOL AND DRANK. ERIC'S FACE WENT WRY WITH DISGUST... UGGHf THERE'S WATER X'LL

CHOKE,

The CASTAWAYS. . THE MAN AND THE RAT. . KEPt SOME DISTANCE APART. AND YET, THEY SHAREO A COMMON LONELINESS. EACH FOUND AT LEA ST* LlffLE COMFORT IN SEEING THE 'U '• NKAH .

;

NEVER

TOUCH AGAIN f

JjW

Thoroughly exhausted, both slept the night THROUGH. IT WASN'T UNTIL THEY AWOKE THE FOLLOWING MORNING THAT THEY FELT THE FIRST SHARP PANGS OF HUNGER ERI C SEARCHED THE EN TIRE

—

B rar.n.

BLAST

IT.'

SHRIMP OR

NOT EVEN CRAB/

T HE RAT, TOO, SNIFFED EVERY INCH OF THE ISLANO BUT FOUND NOTHING TO SATISFY ITS GROWING APPETITE. SOON, THE MAN AND THE RAT FACED EACH OTHER WITH A DIFFERENT LOOK IN THEIR EYE5...A HUNGRY LOOK...

That oay, hunger gnawed at the survivor*' INNARDS, AND WHEN NIGHT CAME AGAIN, ERIC SLEPT RESTLESSLY. SUDDENLY, HE SAt UP WITH A START... SOMETHING'S NEAR ME. ,

WATCHING

ME...

BACK ITS LIPS IN A FIERCE SNARL. THE CASTAWAY SEAMAN HURLED

HAVE A CARE MY SNEAKIN' LITTLE FRIEND. BY TONORROW, I MAY BE > LESS PARTICULAR what I EAT MYSELF'

F/L THY DEVIL

.gale*

GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU FLEA -RIDDEN VERMIN

mouth and throat were drier than-ever now. WERE PARCHED AND CRACKED. HIS HUNGER PAINED HIM. IT WAS LATER THAT SAME MORNING THAT SEVERAL OUTRIGGER BOATS APPEARED OFFSHORE MANNED BY NATIVES FISHING WITH NETS. ERIC SHOUTEO HOARSELY AT THEM ANO Eric's

The next morning, eric saw his sole living COMPANION GLUTTING ITSELF ON ORY SEAWEED THAT HAD BEEN WASHED ASHORE. THE SEAMAN SWALLOWED A MOUTHFUL. THEN, HE ANO THE RAf REGURGITATED THE FOUL MESS AT THE SAME

TIME...

—'

M -Xi-,O&OGHf THAT /

I .CHOKE ... I COULD SLIME DOWN. .

KEEP

HIS LIPS

WAVED

HIS ARMS... ~

NEVER j

—wTTTI Egg HELP' FOR GOD'S SAKE .GET ,

HELP.'

ME OFF

THIS CURSED CHUNK

OF HADES.'

There was a sudden flurry of EXCITEMENT AMONG THE NATIVE FISHERMAN. MUCH CHATTERING AND POINTING AT THE LONELY FIGURE ON THE BEACH. , fi .

With fear in their eyes for "THE ISLAND DEVIL," TH^ FEVERISHLY

HAULED

THEIf||ETS.

.. .AND PADDLED SWIFTLY AWAY, LEAVING ERIC WITH NOTHING BEFORE HIM BUT THE BROAD EXPANSE OF TORQUOISE SEA. NUMB WITH DISAPPOINTMENT, HE SANK TO THE SAND...

I DON'T WANT TO DIE/ T. SOB..

The

THERE TOO

f NEXT TIME,

F5-

I DON'T WANT TO DIE

rat; too, came to investigate the drieo-up oePRESS ION. ERIC HURLED A ROCK AT IT... ANGRILY. DESPERATELY. HE MISSED. . . fj=

Finally.his thirst compelling him, eric crawled BACK TO THE CORAL ROCK TO DRINK FROM THE TINY POOL, NO LONGER CARING THAT THE RAT HAD DRUNK .

I'LL SETlQUf.

DRYf CHOKE... THE Si EVAPORATED IT

YOU'LL MAKE A FINEBELLYFUL •m-jm

REAL FEAST/ ^

That AFTERNOON, A SMALL SEA GULL SOARED OVERHEAD, DROPPING A FISH FROM ITS BEAK. ASTHE BIRD SWOOPED TO RECOVER ITS PRIZE, ERIC FLUNG A ROCK AT IT WITH aLl OF HIS REMAINING STRENGTH. . » — -r-~MiM Z 1

X HIT him f FOOD FOOD AT LAST/

The biro lay dead near the water's eose with its HALF-SWALLOWED MORSEL. ERIC SUFFERED A PLEASUREABLE AGONY AS HE INCHED TOWARD HIS WAITING MEAL...

But

THE OTHER CASTAWAY SAW THIS PLUMP FEATHERED PRIZE AND, DRIVEN BY THE NAGGING PAINS OF HUNGER IN ITS BELLY, THE RAT, TOO,

CRAWLED WEAKLY TOWARO THE FALLEN GULL...

NOW ERIC SAW THE RAT, AND THE RAT SAW ERIC. EACH STRAINED MOVEMENT BENEATH THAT FLESH-ROASTINO SUN WAS A TORMENT FOR BOTH CREATURES ...THE MAN.. THE RAT... AND ERIC WEPT TO SEE HIS GRIZZLED RIVAL MOVE AHEAD OF HIM... fj |

(

GET

^â&#x20AC;&#x201D;r

AWAY, BLAST n/of NO...

YOU f

The rat was there now, not taking the time to SNIFF OR TEAR AT ITS FOOD, BUT GULPING AT THE BIRD, SWALLOWING IT WHOLE...

NO!

OH, LORD.

tilLi-

And AT THE SAM# TIME, ERIC HAD CLOSED THE GAP SO THAT THERE WAS BUT A SHORT YARD BETWEEN THEM. WITH ENORMOUS EFFORT, ERIC RAISEO HIMSELF, THEN FELL FORWARD. TRYING TO CATCH HIS

Finding strength in fear, the rat leaped aside, so THAT ERIC'S FINGERS JUST BRUSHED ITS SHORT- HAIREO

DUSKY

FUR...

For a long time the man and the rat lay prone on the STEAMING SAND, EACH STUDYING THE OTHER'S EYES. AND THEN ERIC SC REAMED s YOU on ME.' I GET YOU HOW.. .

HBFit

YOU'LL

WALT till I'M TOO

There was no time for the rat to SWALLOW it's still warm bird. LEAVING TINY THREE- PRONGED MARK3JN THE WET SAND, IT BACKED SLOWLY NTO T HE SE A. .

WELL, it's

IT'S

HOTSOW T'BEMEf

go in' to be

or^

WEAK

TO MOYEf

PRIZE,

THEN YOUrLL EAT OUT MY EYEBALLS ANO THE FLESH OFF MY FACE/ YOU'LL EAT J SLOW SO I'LL LAST,.

The RAT TURNED

IN THE WATER, KOI UP ITS PREY, ANO STARTED SWIMMING FROM THE ISLAND. ERIC CRAWLED INTO THE WATER AFTER IT, SWIMMING WITH LIMPLY CHURNpyAJ*-’ ING ARMS., , =» f

GIVING

rMWI

THE MAN STUFFED THE WATER- BLOATED RAT

INTO HIS MOUTH, TAIL

BACKED AWAY WEAKLY.

Greedily holoing its bulging MOUTHFUL, THE RAT LOST BREATH..

SWALLOWED WATER THROUGH

ITS

NOSTRILS,. .BEGAN TO SINK. THE MAN REACHEO OUT AND SAVEO THE DROWNING RAT. AijuuiASSS

YOUf f—. m.

[...SAVED IT FOR HIMSELF/ NEAR MAD WITH HUNGER, NOT WAITING TO RETURN TO SHORE WITH HIS STRANGLED I

The famished seaman struggled to his knee: RENEWING HIS SLOW CREEPING PURSUIT. THE RAT

At that very moment, a sleek black fin cut its WAY THROUGH TH E BLUE, SLICING SWIFTLY AND SILENTLY TOWARD ITS FLOATING HUMAN QUARRY, . .

The great hungry shark closed in with huge jaws agape, the DOUBLE ROW OF RIPSAW TEETH READY AND EAGER TO TEAR. IT "" CAME UP BEHIND ERIC. .

VIOLENT TURBULENCE FOLLOWED.,,

A THRASHING ANDA SPLASHING OF FOAMY BRINE. THE NATIVE OUTRIGGERS APPEARED THEN, BRAWNY ARMS R YTHMICALLY THRtgTING PADDLES.

They'd returned with their chief to worship the ISLAND GOD. INSTEAD, THEY SAW THE VICIOUS TIGER OFTHESeA. THE POWERFUL POLYNESIANS GRABBED NP SHORT, SHARP GAFFS. ONE NATIVE KNELT, HIS SPEAR POISED. -THEN LET IT FLY. .

He struck the srute squarely. ..under the spine. THERE FOLLOWED A FURIOUS THRASHING AS THE OTHERS HOOKED THEIR GAFFS INTO THE WOUNDEO KILLER SHARK AND HEAVED IT ONBOARD AND STOOD GAWKING...

...GAWKING AT THE STILL, DEAD DENIZEN OF THE DEEP. FOR STICKING

OUT OF ITS TOOTH-LINED MOUTH WAS THE UNSWALLOWED HEAD OF EH/C HALFORD. AND OUT OF ERIC'S MOUTH, THE HEAD OF THE BEADY -EYED PAT... Am OUT OF THE RAT'S MOUTH, THE BULL’S HEAD ..ANO OUT OF THE MOUTH OF THE BULL PROTRUOEO THE HEAD OF THE TINY^FISH^r-^gmm^^^^^^—^^ .

HEH, HEH' SO NONE OF THEM QUITE F/N/SHED THEIR MEAL, EH, KIDDIES

WELL, LEARN A LESSON FROM THIS LITTLE SCREAM -STORY' NEVER BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN SHALLOW.' SOMEBODY MIGHT GET AHEAD OF YOU. AND NOW THAT THE PETRIFYING PACE HAS BEEN SET, THE VAULT-KEEPER AWAITS WITH HIS YELP-YARN... A

NIGHTMARISH TALE OF MANIACAL MURDER. I'LL DIG you LATER with ANOTHER GRAVE TALE OF TERROR.

^ Wr

TILL THEN, LET ME LEAVE YOU WITH

'{ M-.

THIS MORBID thought don t COUNT YOUR CHICKS UNTIL THEY'RE '

HATCHETEDf

8VE N0 *'

•I

THE SEASICK EDITORS OF

NOW YOU SEARCH

CENT

C THAT'S ONE BUCK, LANDLUBBERS/), TO:

PIRACY

ROOM 106

225 LAFAYETTE STREET

FOR IT/

tfy.C.

12, N.Y.

OKAY. BILGE RATS.' YOU SHANGHAIED ME.' ENCLOSE *1.00 FOR THE NEXT EIGHT ISSUES OF P/RACy?

BUT IF YOU CAN’T FIND PIRACY AT YOUR LOCAL NEWS STAN 0, YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE f JUST FILL OUT THE COUPON AND MAIL, TOGETHER WITH ONE HUNDRED PIECES OF

NAME ADDRESS

^ V

, 1 i

CITY

STATE

* *

HEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A DELIGHTFUL

SAMPLE

OF ESCAPE LITERATURE

CALLED...

THE EQUATORIAL HEAT AND THE BLAZING SUN AND THE THE FRENCH PENAL COLONY... AND ALL BECAUSE HE'D POISONED THE HUSBAND OF OF HACKSEVEN LONG YEARS, HE'D SWEATED AND SLAVED AT THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK JUNGLE ISLAND... AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK, FOR NO SOONER HAD A TRACT BEEN CLEARED THIS WAS THE LESS TROPICAL OVERGROWTH CLOSED IN AGAIN LIKE A GREEN TIDE. BUT ITS RIGORS, LEFT ONLY TO DREAM OF COOL PARIS UNDERGO TO JUROER AND HENRI WAS FORCED

Henri was an EXPERT on poisons, And he KNEW HELLEBORE... THE HERB WITH THE ROOT STOCK THAT YIELDED THE POISONOUS GLUCOSIDE, HELLEBOP/N. HE IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THE PLANT AND TORI; IT FROM THE SPONGY JUNGLE FLOOR, STUFFING THE SHORT ROOTS

equatorial sun had sunk into THE WESTERN SKY AND THE EXHAUSTED BEDRAGGLED PRISONERS HAO BEEN MARCHEO BACK INTO THE PENAL

When the blazing

Henri

the hellebore roots

hid

in his crawling mattress, and the NEXT DAY BEGAN TO GATHER THE THINGS HE NEEDED. WHEN THE CLEARING CREWS WERE AGAIN MARCHED OUT INTO THE STEAMING JUNGLE, HE CHOSE JUST THE RIGHT SIZE BAM-

Carefully

he gathered just the

RIGHT SHAPE

PALM FRONDS.

And when the ing,

guard wasn't lookhe HACKED JUST THE RIGHT

AMOUNT OF

CORK BARK.

ap»H

BOO STALK

These HE HID IN HIS SHIRT, AND THAT EVENING SUCCESSFULLY SMUGGLED THEM INTO THE COMPOUND. LATE THAT NIGHT, WHEN THE OTHER PRISONERS WERE ASLEEP, HENRI WORKED. WITH THE KNIFE HE'D STOLEN FROM THE MESS HALL, HE CAREFULLY CARVED THE CHUNK OF

CORK BARK into SHAPE.

ISlITTING THE ELONGATEO END, HE INSERTED THE CORRECTLY SHAPED PALM FRONDS, TRIMMING THEM DOWN. I

smooth roun d. TEARDROP ,

Next, into the bulbous end of THE CORK TEARDROP, HE INSERTED THE HEEDIE HE'D TAKEN FROM A FELLOW PRISONER'S SEWING KIT.

AND... VOHAf... HENRI HAO FASHACCURATE DART... A

•

DART THAT WOULD BE POISONED-

•

AN0*4<MMFTHRGUGH THE HOL-

LOW BAMBOO STALK

IONED AN

HE'D CUT..

All that night, henri

practised with his blow

GUN UNTIL HIS AIM WAS OEADLY.

Finally, he hid his murderous weapon, along with the HELLEBORE ROOTS, IN HIS MATTRESS. .AND LAY DOWN FOR .

THE FEW HOURS OF SLEEP LE F T TO HIM, ..Jr

The next dax henm found TWO

FLAT NOCKS AND

SMUGGLED THEM

BACK INTO THE COMPOUND AS HE HAD DONE WITH THE OTHER THINGS...

That night, he GROUND DOWN THE HELLEBORE ROOTS, CAREFULLY CATCHING THE JUICE THAT RAN FROM THE PULVERIZED MEAT IN

TIN CUP.

PENAL COLONY STROOE ACROSS THE COMPOUND'S GROUNDS ON HIS DAILY CONSTITUTIONAL, HENRI TOOK careful aim .

IThen he DIPPED his DART-NEL INTO THE HIGHLY TOX/C POISON. '

mil.

AND LET FLY |

all goes well.tjr BE IN PARIS NEXT month I

7 WILL

HIS

LETHAL MISSILE.

NON DIEUf f

IIGIjITFALL.THE

GOVERNOR WAS DEAD.

... AND A POOR UNFORTUNATE PRISONER, IN WHOSE MATTRESS THE BLOW-GUN WAS FOUND, WAS WHIPPED TO DEATH VAINLY PROTESTING HIS INNOCENCE TO THE LAST.. ...

[Henri, along with two other [LUCKILY ASSIGNED THE JOB OF BUILDING THE COFFIN IN WHICH THE DEMISEO GOVERNOR'S BODY WOULD BE KEPT UNTIL THE ARRIVAL OF THE MONTHLY BOAT FROM THE CONTINENT... afEtifflfMMJMMr

The governor HAD BEEN A FAMOUS FRENCH NAVAL HERO, iNNED IT ALL f he'd KNOWN that the

GOVERNOR'S BODY WOULD BE SHIPPED BACK TO FRANCE. HE'D IT. THIS WAS HENRI DUVAL'S PLOT ' THIS WAS THE MEANS FOR HIS ESCAPE -

COUNTED ON

A/P HOLES?' WHY, HENRI? THE CURSED CH/EN IS DEAD? WHY DOES HE NEED A/P HOLES IN HIS

The night BEFORE THE MONTHLY STEAMER'S EXPECTED ARRIVAL, HENRI SLIPPED FROM HIS BARRACKS AND HURRIED TO THE CHAPEL WHERE THE GOVERNOR'S BODY LAY IN STATE IN THE CRUDE

COFFIN...

COFFIN?

He STRIPPED THE BODY OF CLOTHES AND DRESSED IT IGRIMY PRISON UNIFORM...

) \

TO ALLOW FOR

EXPANDING GASES MON AMI'

[T HEN HE SLASHED AND HACKED THE lfACÂ£_UNTH-JT^WAS UNRECOGNIZABLE.

IN THE MORNING THEY WOULD FIND THE BODY AND THINK THAT AN ENEMY OF HENRI DUVAL'S HAD and MURDERED him during the night. HENRI CARRIED THE DISFIGURED CORPSE INTO THE BARRACKS AND PLACED IT QUIETLY OH HIS COT..

ATTACKED

...AND CLIMBED INTO THE RECENTLY VACATED COFFIN TO WAIT. TO WAIT FOR THEM TO COME AND CARRY HIM TO THE WAITING BOAT AND EVENTUAL FREEDOM... .

FIRST HENRI WAS TERRORIZED.

BUT THEN HE CALMED DOWN AS HE REALIZED. fi/ENl WHEN I GET to FRANCE, I WILL CERTAINLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FREE MYSELF! Vi teMXX IT S NOTHINGf pa&Jm i

IThen he took the FOOD he'd horded and the can OF WATER AND HURRIED BACK ACROSS THE COMPOUND I TO THE CHAPEL.. ITTB \\ I

The next morning footsteps approached, and suddenly HENRI HEARD POUNP |Ng AND HAMMERING. SACRE DIEUI THEY ARE 'Ml NAILING ME /Nf

HaPPILT; HENRI FELT HIS COFFIN LIFTED AND CARRIED OUT OF THE CHAPEL, ACROSS THE COMPOUND, DOWN TO THE PENAL COLONY'S WHARF...

.AND UP THE GANGPLANK OF THE supply ship..

He listened with glee to the shriek of the LINERS WHISTLE. ..THE MUFFLED ROAR OF ITS ENGINES HE FELT THE GENTLE HEAVING AS THE SHIP BACKED OFF FROM THE PIER AND HEADED INTO THE OPEN SEA... .

And

HE CALCULATED THE APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF THE VOYAGE ANO REALIZEO THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PUT HIMSELF ON A STRICT RATIONING PROGRAM TO MAKE HIS MEAGER FOOD SUPPLY LAST. IT WAS HOURS LATER BEFORE HE AFFORDED HIMSELF HIS FIRST MORSEL WASHED DOWN BY ONE GULP OF THE TEPID WATER...

that night, the humming

SHIP'S ENGINE LULLED HENRI INTO A PEACEFUL SLEEP-

NEXT MORNING AS THE COFFIN WAS LIFTED BRUSQUELY AND CARRIED ON deck... r~//i j/rr—j v\ v '

—

WHAT NOW?-

He LISTENED AS THE ENGINES STOPPED ANO ONLY THE GENTLE LAPPING OF THE OCEAN WAVES DRIFTED THROUGH THE CONVENIENT AIR HOLES. AND THEN HE HEARO THE CAPTAIN'S VOICE... DRONING... f AND SO, IN COMPLIANCE WITH GOVERNOR M/LLEUX'S ...

’S BLOOD FROZE IN HIS VEINS AS HE FELT THE COFFIN LIFTED TO THE SHIPS RAIL AND SLID

FORWARD-OVER

IT...

COMMIT THE GOFF/N CONTAINING HIS BODY TO THE DEEP... FOR BURIAL AT SEA...

...WE

LAST REQUEST...

TOSSING BRINE AND WATER POUREO IN THROUGH THE AIR HOL19. FILLING HIS FINE PRISON.- FILLING his

BERING NOUTN... FILLING

HIS

GASPING LUNGS ...

yaaaaa,

2&i2L>,

A SPECIAL EDITORIAL THIS THE PROBLEM: and crime comics

Comics

are

in particular.

AN APPEAL FOR ACTION!

under

Due

fire

We also believe

horror

adults.

large

who

Among

read them!

who do

these "do-gooders" are:

benefit

many groups

their demise,

complain and everyone gets frightened.

retailers, to local

magazine

salers, arid to their

from the American

frightened.

threaten.

(now IT

comic industry).

investigating the IS

TIME THAT THE MAJORITY'S VOICE

BE HEARD!

whole-

from

Eventually,

The newsdealer

scene.

nority who threaten the local retailers, who threaten the local wholesalers, who have sent letters to the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency

congressmen. They complain and

threaten and

DO. Unless you act now, may force comics It is members of this mi-

the pressure from this minority

like to

officials, to local

total

WHAT YOU MUST

who would of adults who

not publish comics and

blame their lack of ability as responsible parents on comic mags instead of on themselves, and various assorted headline hunters. These people are militant. They complain to local police

would

our

you who buy hysteria, The voice of the majority comics, read them, enjoy them, and are not harmed has not been heard! by them

psychiatrist who has made a lucrative career of attacking comic magazines, certain publishing compa-

nies

that a large portion of

readership of horror and crime comics is made up of believe that those who oppose comics are a small minority. Yet this minority is causing the

to the efforts of

"do-gooders'â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and "do-gooder" groups, a segment of the public is being led to believe that certain comic magazines cause juvenile delinquency, warp the minds of America's youth, and affect the development of the personalities of those

various

time that the Senate Subcommittee hears each and every one of you!

YOU

If you agree that comics are harmless entertainment, write a letter or a postcard

gets

He removes the books from display. The He refuses shipments.

TODAY.

to:

wholesaler gets frightened.

Juvenile Delinquency

The Senate Subcommittee on

November is The congressmen get frightened coming! They start an investigation. This wave of .

United States Senate

Washington

hysteria has seriously threatened the very existence

of the whole comic magazine industry .

BELIEVE: Your

editors sincerely

that the claim of these crusaders

believe

that comics are

bad for children ... is nonsense. If we, in the slightthought that horror comics, crime comics, or any other kind of comics were harmful to our readers, we would cease publishing them and direct our efforts toward something else! est way,

And we're not alone in our belief. For example: Dr. David Abrahamsen, eminent criminologist, in "Who Are The Guilty?" says, "Comic books do not lead to crime, although they have been his book,

In my experience as a psywidely blamed for it , chiatrist, 1 cannot remember having seen one boy or girl who has committed a crime, or who became because he or she read neurotic or psychotic comic books." group led by Dr. Freda Kehm,

and in your

25, P- C.

own

words,

them

tell

so.

Make

a nice,

you younger readers, it would be more effective if you could get your parents to wri.e for you, or perhaps add a P.S. to your letter, as the Senate Subcommittee may not have much respect for the opinions of minors, polite letter! In the case of

Of course, if you or your parents disagree with US, and believe that comics AR% bad, let your sentiments be known on that too! The important thing is that the Subcommittee hear from actual comic book readers and/or their parents, rather than from peole who never read a comic magazine in their lives, ut simply want to destroy them.

It is also important that your local newsdealer be encouraged to continue carrying, displaying, and selling all kinds of comics. Speak to him. Have him speak to his wholesaler.

Mental Health Chairman of the

I1L Congress of the decided that living room violence has "a decided beneficial effect on young minds " Dr. Robert H. Felix, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, said that horror comic books do not originate criminal behavior in children ... in a way, P. T. A.,

children may do some good use fantasy, as stimulated by the "comics" as a means of working out natural feelings of aggres-

the horror comics

may

siveness.

Wherever you can, let your voice and the voices of your parents be raised in protest Over the campaign against comics. But

first

right

now

please write that letter

to the Senate Subcommittee.

Sincerely,

Your (

grateful editors

for the

whole

E. C.

Gang)

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From

the place

where he crouched on the

from him

the street workers had mov-

metal ladder leading down into the open manhole, Ben Flint’s eyes were exactly level with the surface of the street. Grip-

cauldron. Flint raised his head slightly,

ping the

trained squarely on the driver of the im-

steel rails, Flint

to scan the

leaned forward

paving crew hard

work near-

spreading hot tar over the road bed. e’ll be h'ere in a minute Flint thought to

by,

stomach muscles tightening with nervous expectation. As soon as the himself, his

up I’m gonna between the eyes!

lousy rat rolls right

Steam the

boiled

’im have

let

up from the hot

workmen spread

swiftly

while

tar, .

Flint’s

eyes narrowed to keep the top of the steep

road in

sight.

A rumbling noise was heard

off in the distance:

hand gun held

Flint’s right

tightened spasmodically on the

That must be the steamroller coming down the hill, Flint mused, his Soon as these guys get

at his side.

pulse quickening.

outa the

way and

way, Fletcher

the roller comes this

At the top of the

hill,

now, the bulky

metal monster came into view, ous roller squashing tar in

its

path.

moved down

scrambled out of

moved

flat

its

ponder-

the bubbling hot

With gathering speed

the

hill, its

path. Flint’s

gun-arm

nervously across his face, to clear while he clung to the guard rail

his

other hand ... his eyes narrowed

he peered

closely at the

man perched on The red hair

the seat of the steamroller.

and the square-jawed face of the driver were fully in view ... it was Fletcher, all right

The huge

gun

upward

slid

mense juggernaut. three, then

so that

its

Flint slowly

he squeezed the

sight

was

counted to

trigger.

There was no sound the silencer had done its work. Thirty yards away the body of the driver slumped forward, the man’s head sagging lifelessly on his shoulders. Flint started to descend back into the open manhole, his lips apart in a grimace of triumph. He heard, suddenly, the sound of sewer workers below there were other men down there, coming closer! Men who might testify that he had been attempting to flee from the scene of a murder! ;

With

a gasp of surprise, aware that his

plan of escape had been thwarted, Flint

perately to

move

his feet

through the

clinging tar, Flint turned and saw the enormous steamroller hurtling towards

him.

while the workers

his vision,

with

the

leaped up the remaining steps and landed on the hot oozy street surface. Trying des-

a dead man!

ed out of sight, back to the boiling tar

steamroller

was

thirty yards

He screamed

just once, then the

awful

weight of the

body

roller was crashing over his mashing him into a hideous blob

of tortured, squirming, tar-covered flesh.

His blood sprayed out like soup from a punctured can; Flint was shattered beyond recognition by the time the driverless roller had crashed into a stone wall at the bottom of the hill, and came to a stop amidst the mournful wail of steam escaping from the mangled boiler.

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HERE’S A CRAZY. MIXED-UP

FRIGHTMARE X CALL

I WAS MORE TIRED THAN l'0 EVER BEEN IN MY LIFE,YET

WANDERED ABOUT THE LONELY

LONDON STREETS TONIGHT, CHILLED TO THE MARROW OF MY BONES BY

THE DENSE, DANK, CH0KIN6 FOG...

FEARED

SLEEP. I

At LAST.., TOO EXHAUSTED TO STAND... MY EYES SMARTING...

FEARED THE DREAM

BEGGING FOR

SOMEWHERE

THE

VAST,

GREY, MISTY SHROUD, BIG BEN

REST...

RETURNED TO MY BLEAK HOTEL ROOM..

TOLLED MIDNIGHT.,.

Sleep came at once,., and then the DREAM. THE DREAD DREAM XVE HAD FOR THE PAST THREE NIGHTS COMES AGAIN.. . AND I AM POWERLESS TO STOP .

IT.

X AM

APPROACHING OUR COTTAGE. BAGS IN HAND. X AM RETURNING FROM LONDON, MY AUSTIN PARKED OFF THE ROAD. IT’S ALL 80 CLEAR. THE SOUND IS SO CLEAR THE THE SOUND OF CATHY SCREAM” .

INS. .

^t^/HOMARDf HELP ME/ AAHHHH -

I HEAR

IT SO CLEARLY... CATHY'S TERRIFIED HEART- RENDING SCREAM. X'M RUNNING NOW. REACHING OUT TOWARD THE DOOR. I'M CLOSER TO . .

But i can r reach rr/x AWAKEN WITH HER NAME ON MY UPS, MY BEDCLOTHES DRENCHED WITH COLD SWEAT. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; I BURY MY FACE IN MY

I TRY TO DRIVE THE DREAM FROM My] MINa I LIE BACK AND THINK OF THE COTTAGE AND THAT FIRST DAY CATHY 1 LAID EYES UPON IT.. .STANDING SILENT AND STILL ON THAT BLEAK, WINDSWEPT MOOR SOME EIGHTY MILES NORTH OF LONDON. , . 'OH, HOWARD? IT'S

JUST

I LOVED HER, UY CATHYf how i love her STILL f I REMEMBER THE KNOCKING ON THE COTTAGE DOOR. . .THE GROAN OF CHAIRSPRINGS INSIDE.. .THE SLOW PAD OF BOOTS ON CARPETED FLOOR.. .THE SHABBILY DRESSED MAN PEERING OUT... HIS STARING EYES. . .

How

fwESAWTHE "FOR SALE'S/GN, MAY WE LOOK AT THE PLACE? 1 MY name's HOWARD LE/GHTONfi lThis is my wife CATHYf

X REMEMBER

HIS EYES BORING DISCUSSED PRICE.

SEVEN HUNDRED QUIO%, QU/ttWOH, then YOU \ THE FURNITURE GOES WITH THE J MUST BE THE CAREHOUSE. CLAUDE GRYMES. TAKER. I'M NOT AT J GO WITH THE HOUSE, TOO.^i] ALL SURE I CAN

ALWAYS

WHAT I'VE

^WANTED /

It was A COZY HOUSE,EVIDENTLY NEGLECTED, but CAT HY WAS ENTHRALLED WITH IT, . ^ IT'S CHARMING, HOWARD.. OON'T SUPPOSE^ YOU JUST WAIT TILL X PUT MY OWN LITTLE TOUCHES J -

ABOUT?

*only EIGHT BOB A y/X DON'T 'that's LITTLE WEEK... FOR TOBACCO, \KNOW.. ENOUGH, HOWARD, MISTER. I SLEEP OV Rjj^gB iggj AND I WON'T HWE TO BE HERE ALONE THE STABLE/ WHEN YOU GO TO kLONDON ON BUSINESS.

Even as my thoughts ramble on THROUGH THESE MEMORTES, DARKNESS GIVES WAY TO DAWN. ANO SO

I RISE.TOO WORN AND HAGGARD TO TEND TO THE BUSINESS THAT BROUGHT ME TO LONDON.

The day passes too quickly and it is NIGHT ONCE MORE. I AM IN BED AGAIN WAITING. WAITIN6 FOR SLEEP TO COME AND THAT AWFUL AWFUL DREAM. ^PERHAPS IF I START THINKING OF THOSE FIRST DA YS with CATHY in THE COTTAGE, I won't HAVE . .

GREAT

OPPORTUNITY, DEAR... BUT TLL

TO SUFFER THAT HORRENDOUS NIGHTMARE AGAIN . vj

Cathy DID do wonders with the PLACE, FIXING IT UP. HER HANDS WORKED MAGIC WITH THE DECORATING ...THE FLOWER GARDEN. THEN, ONE DAY, THE LETTER CAME r it's A

HATE LEAVING you ALONE.

WILL LOOK AFTER ME, HOWARD. BESIDES, LONDON IS ONLY THREE k HOURS AWAY .] .

Cathy looked so beautiful,so happy, as she WAVED GOODBYE FROM THE GARDEN. I FELT X LOVED HER MORE AND MORE WITH EACH

AwAKENESS GIVES WAY TO SLEEP. MEMORY DRIFTS INTO OREAM. .. THAT HORRSLE DREAM AGAIN. I HEAR HER SCREAMING. ..CATHY'S SCREAMING FROM THE COTTAGE. X'M THERE AGAIN. .. RACING TOWARD THE DOOR. .CLOSER NOW.. -CLOSER.. .YET NEVER SEEM.-

TO BE ABLE TO REACH

IT.

CATHY

The SCREAM ECHOES over the grim GREY AGONI

MOOR...

AN INTERMINABLE MOMENT, I AM TORTURED.. .FRUSl.. UNABLE TO BRING MY DREAM-VISION BEYONO THAT MOTION ARE SUSPENDED. I'M BETWEEN WIDE

THAN

The scream fades, the dream van ISHES. I AM AWAKE, SITTING BOLTUPRIGHT, CLAWING AT MY FACE, TRYING TO FORCE THE FINISH INTO MY MIND. DID I

Suddenly i know what x must do. THE DREAM IS AN OMEN. A WARNING. X LEAP FROM BED, FUMBLE FOR THE LAMP SWITCH . . .

CATHY

WHAT

WAS iTf

SEE TO

IS IN

DANGER/

kMUST GO TO

OH, LORD/ what WHAT WAS HAPPENING

HER..

X A

away,

rNOf

FOOLISH.' IT S only' STUPID DREAMT CATHY IS IN IT'S

NO DANGER. I KNOW KNOW IT.'

I LIE THERE UNTIL THE CIGARETTE BURNS DOWN AND X* CRUSH IT OUT. I AM DETERMINED TO STAY AWAKE BUT MY EYES ARE UNBEARABLY HEAVY. SLEEP REACHES OUT AND SMOTHERS ME IN ITS VELVET GRlK THE SCREAM

'STOP' L ETHER AL ONE Â±YOU MANIAC.'

i slump

BACK ONTO THE BED. I REACH FOR MY CIGARETTES IN THE DARKNESS... LIGHT ONE... DRAG DEEPLY... REFLECTING A

CATHY?

But my hand falls

IT /

INSIDE THE COTTAGE NOW. . .DASHING FORWARD, CATHY ON HER KNEES. .HER RACE DISTORTED WITH FRIGHT... HER EYES GLAZED IN TERROR. .PLEAOING WITH ME TO SAVE HER. AND GRYMES, HIS CLAWS IN HER HAIR, THAT MANIACAL LOOK IN HIS EYES, IS STANDING OVER HER, AN AX POISED.. , .

{$ET AWAY FROM HERf) /HOWARD

HOWARD, .HELP ME...

He sees me then, and lets CATHY GO. I DIVE AT HIM.GRAI FOR THE AX...

. . BUT HIS MADMAN'S STRENGTH SENDS ME SPINNING ACROSS THE .

ROOM.

Then he comes at HIGH, HIGH.

me, the ax

helo

Again cathy screams. but this TIME HER TERROR IS FOR ME. .

I LIE BACK, STARING AT THE CEILING. OBLIVION ICREEPSIN ONCE MORE. .. BLACKNESS. .. ANO THE i oream.

MUST FIND OUT

.X must know the

MEANING OF THIS AWFUL DREAM. THE WILD KALEIDOSCOPE BEGINS... THE SCREAM., .RACING TO THE COTTAGE DOOR. FLINGING IT WIDE. .

CATHY ON HER KNEES. .SALIVA EYES..

DRIP

And HOWARD l e/ghton is in the coffin. r

CATHY.

WITH FALTERING, JERKY STEPS. HER FACETS TAUT WITH TERROR HER HUSBAND... CATHY'S HOWARD... LIES DEAD. _ and I KNOW.

I STAGGER TOWARD HER

KEEP AWAYf KEEP

CATHY.

kAWAY FROM ME 'A

I KNOW THAT I HAVE DREAMED A MANIAC'S DREAM. X KNOW THAT I AM CLAUDE 6RYMES. AND AS THE SCREAMING BEGINS AGAIN AND X HOLD CATHY'S HAIR IN

MY STRONG CLAWING HAND, MY AX POISEO.I KNOW... OH,

LORD... THAT I CAN'T STOP MYSELF THAT x've COME BACK TO THE COTTAGE TO MURDER CATHY L E/GHTON JUST AS I MURDERED HER HUSBAND. .

(YOU I

SEE, KIDDIES, HOWARD LEIGHTON HAVE BEEN IN LONDON., . BECAUSE CLAUDE 6RYMES HAO

COULDN'T

ALREADY GIVEN HIM THE BUSh NESS/ CLAUDE. idiot that he was.. just THOUGHT hi was HOWARD/ W/SHFUL THINKING,

(

YOU MIGHT SAT THE MINUTE CLAUDE

SAW CATHY, HE WENT OUT OF HIS

MIND OVER HER. WELL, O. W AWAITS WITH HER PEW- POT TO DRIVE YOU -r— OUT OF YOUR MIND

) 1

WITH ANOTHER OF

MeL..

-^v^S

her

reeking

7M^S\ lM' /f£C/P£ S S0 ItL ’

™s

|ssueof

yt0*™s*uc'y

HI, HORROR HOOLIGANS' this is tour SHIVER CHEF ready with another MESS of MOLDY MORBIDITY from my CRUDDY CAULDRON, if YOU’LL JUST GLIDE IN ON THE COOK. INTO THE HAUNT OF THE OLD WITCH. .YOUR HOSTESS in HEAPING HEL PINGS OF FOUL FARE...*n.L wind up C.K.'S in my USUAL GORY-TELLING MANNER with A OEUGhtful Dish of delirium delvings callEO-

HEE, HEE'

FEAR...

MUCK MA6

The cold morning light pressed up against the pinepaneleo den's arched windows, refused entrance by the heavily lined expensive damask drapes, within, huddled DEEP IN A HEAVY LEATHER CHAIR THAT HIS AGED BODY HARDLY WARMED, WEALTHY CARLTON WEBSTER SLOWLY STIRRED HIMSELF. HIS WRINKLED FACE CREASED EVEN MORE WITH A PREPOSTER-

OUS SMILE AND HIS LYMPHATIC BLUE EYES HELD SOME DISTANT DREAM AS HE REACHED FOR THE BELLCORD BESIDE THE ORNATE FIREPLACE...

Before long, a sleepy- eyed butler shuffled W INTO THE DEN. •W” -W p*

Y YOU RANG... WHY;

MR.

WEBSTER!

\ FULTON/

I'M_

HAVE YOU BEEN HERE ALL NIGHT?] I'M IN OVE! you'll get THE FLU. sir/

)

Fulton's eyes opened wide at this STARTLING NEWS, AND HE LIT A DESK-

LAMP

ORDER TO SEE

I...

MAY I

/HA?

I KNEW

YOUNG. SIR? y OR Hi MONEY, FORGIVE ME IF I YOU MEAN?LINDA \ HAS NO IDEA I SPEAK OUT J J THAT I'M -*>, r SIR, BUT ARE DON'T WOR RY, FULTON? I LOVE YOU SURE SHE'S, WEALTHY, FULTON, HER AND I WANT HER TO MARRY INTERESTED { AND I'M NOT me VERY MUCH. BUT ONLY if IN YOU? ) GOING TO TELL MY

HIS EMPLOY-

ER'S FACE. PERHAPS IT WAS SOME KINO OF JOKE.

MAY

YOU’D

/THINK I'VE GONE SOUE6RANDY, J MAD, fulton. but ' CID9 IT'c TRUE TO!Id T AM AU it's fI in love/ MADLY ' BRING YOU

[

^ )

NOT

MONEY

SHE ME. mJy X WANT GENUINE AFFECTION,

HER.

LOVES

NOT an

ACT.

IN LOVE/ SHE'S YOUNG... BEAUTIFUL.

Linda invited carlton to share the sofa with her. HE LOOKED LOVINGLY INTO HER GREEN EYES...STUDIEO HER SCARLET LIPS. ..LONGED TO KISS THEM. HE HELD HER TO, BLURTED OUT...

That night carlton webster took an inexpensive BOUOUET TO LINDA STEWART'S NEAT FLAT. HER BEAUTIFUL FACE BEAMED GRATEFULLY...

WARM HAND AND, WITHOUT INTENDING MARRY ME, LINDA? I HAVEN'T MUCH MONEY, BUT WE COULD BE

THEY'RE LOVELY,

HAPPY'

The OLD MAN'S FACE SAGGED. HE PLEADED LINOA... / WHYNOT, LINDA? WHY WON'T YOU MARRY ME? I LOVE YOU? COULDN'T YOU LOVE IN TIME?

WITH " "

YOU'RE. ..YOURE

‘

NOT WHAT I'M

LOOKING

FOR, CARLTON...

I'D-

MAKE

YOU HAPPY ?

LlNOA'S MIND RACED. HOW COULD SHE AVOID HURTIN6 THIS KIND OLD MAN'S FEELINGS? HOW COULD SHE TELL HIM?,,, '

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR, LINDA? WHY CAN'T/ WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING

’BE

V-r

FOR?

I. I IT'S YOUR FACE, ' CARLTON. SO OLD ... SO SO WRINKLED.. ...

WITHERED

...

ThE IMAGINATION THAT HAD EARNED CARLTON WEBSTER A MILLION DOLLARS HAD NOT DESERTED HIM AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS. AS HE RODE HIS CHAUFFER-DRIVEN CADILLAC BACK TO HIS PALATIAL ESTATE, HE PUFFED THOUGHTFULLY ON A DOLLAR CIGAR AND SAW VISIONS IN ITS LUXURIA NT

a while, carlton sat in stony silence.. BROODING ...GLUMLY REFLECTING ON NATURE'S CRUELTY. AT LAST HE AROSE, PUT ON HIS COAT A

For

EVERYTHING

CARLTON, I DIDN'T MEAN TO HURT

OUT

YOU...

fj—T

YOU'LL S,

will

TIME,

SEE'

WORK

BLUE

NO*, DEAR.

YOU' ll

GET

WHAT YOU WANT/

SMOKE...

SOMETHING WITH

The next

day,

carlton stopped

—

PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE...

CAN BE DONE. THEY DO WONDERS WITH J THESE OAYS. I'LL HAVE A TALK^ IN THE MORNING...

SURGERY r PLASTICDOCTOR HURLEY

at his high-priced

ARE SHOTS X COU 0 JTyOU'vE GOT IT WRONG, GIVE YOU, MR. WEBSTER... < DOCTOR. IT'S MY FACE HORMONES... BUT AT YOUR ) I WANT FIXED UP. I ADVANCED AGE WANT YOUTH, DOCTOR'

‘'THERE

The MILLIONAIRE EXPLAINED HIS PREDICAMENT IN DETAIL. DR. HURLEY SAT WITH HIS FINGERTIPS TOUCHING AND ASSUMED HIS GRAVEST PROFESSIONAL EXPRESSION.

THERE'S A CERTAIN DR- FAULKNER..JBLM'! IT, JJOW, I'M NOT RECOMMENDING s' HURLEY, DONi START MAKING HIM, MIND YOU. IN FACT, ETHICS SPEECHES. GIVE PREVENT ME FROM SAYING WHAT 4 ME HIS ADORES S.. I THINK OF THE MAN'S

METHODS. FANTASTIC

With some difficulty, carlton located the cur IOUS STONE HOUSE OF DR. HANS FAULKNER. A THICKSET NERVOUS LITTLE MAN WITH PRISM-LENSED GLASSES OPENED THE HEAVY DO OR AND PEERED OUT

f^VEBST^?~K^^AM^^C^^^^ YWfTsERV/CES, (

MEANS NOTHING WHO J DOCTOR. X CAN AFFORD SENT YOU? WHAT DO / WHATEVER PRICE YOU ASK. YOJ

WANT f

HINT OF WEALTH SEEMED TO SATISFY THE STRANGE PHYSICIAN. HE LEO HIS VISITOR INTO AN UNTIDY, NOT TO SAYUNSTERILE CELLAR LABORATORY. HE LISTENED TO

The

CARLTON'S REQUEST.

I'VE PERFORMED THE OPERATION BEFORE, HERR WEBSTER ... IN GERMANY. IN THIS COUNTRY, NOBODY

WILL

BELIEVE.

I'M a

QUACK, they say.

would

COST you TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS,

The ASTRONOMICAL FIGURE STAGGERED CARLTON. HE SAT MOPPING HIS BROW AS OOCTOR FAULKNER

EXPLAINED..

TAKE ONLY FIFTY-THOUSAND FOR THE OPERATION, MR. WEBSTER. THE OTHER ONE HUNDRED AND IS WHAT IT WILL COST FOR THE

FIFTY THOUSAND

YOUNG NAN/

YOUNG MAN? WHAT YOUNG jg.

YOU WANT A

COMPLETE NEW

FACE, you'll have to GET it from A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN, NO? ACH, DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE I'M INSANE. I HAVE

DONE THIS OPERATION BEFORE? NOW, THE YOUNG MAN X HAVE IN MIND WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY. . . A LOT OF MONEY f ,

That night, carlton

unda

ONCE MORE, THEN CAME AWAY RE-

ASSURED TMATSHEWAS WELL WORTH THE FABULOUS EXPENDITURE. THEN, HE VISITED THE YOUNG MAN DR.

FAULKNER HAD RECOMMENDED. '

FAULKNER SAIO l HE OUGHT YOU'D DO ANYTHING Jto KNOW. DR.

FOR

MAN?

vi sited

MONEY, MR.

PLENT WM.

I DID

BOOTH [

FOR I

what's the

DEAL?

The next

day, the old millionaire and the young man WENT TO DOCTOR FAULKNER'S CELLAR LABORATORY EVERYTHING WAS IN READINESS. . .TWO OPERATING TABLES. . . MUCH MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. . AND THE NECESSARY CERTl.

YOU KEEP

YOUR

BRAIN,

GEORGE. I ONLY SWITCH THE

SKULL BONE and

FLESH

i-ni/coikj/?

Soon, CARLTON RUSHED TO LINDA'S apartment. THE DOCTOR IS IS IT REALLY YOU, CARLTON? X JUST can't BELIEVE it. but HOW COULD YOU AFFORD SUCH

Carlton turned to

LINOA •YOU'LL

/ BMfcrx nTfik ^

And so, again the cellar laboratory was READIED. CARLT ON WAS THERE WITH FIED CHECKS... j

READY,

GEORGE..

MOST OF MY FORTUNE,

GENTLEMEN, BUT IT'S WORTH IT/ HERE YOU ARE. .

)

OVER

I GOT

PLANS FOR i THIS DOUGH' \

LET'S GET IT

/ WITH.DOC' l

LINDA

THOUSAND DOLLARS//

so BENT.

"you can t eTpect^ 'AURfOHTf GEORGE BOOTH TO / CALL HIM/, GIVE UP HIS BODY FORI SEE IF HE'LL J LESS than HALF A \ DO it { MILLION, MR. WEBSTER.

see/

THESE TWO OPERATIONS OUT WILL HAVE

WHAT/ OF COURSE I CAN GIVE YOU A NEW TORSO, MR. < WEBSTER. BUT IT WILL COST YOU SIX HUNDRED) even

CARLTON f -'WHAT YOU WANT,

DECREPIT km OLD ano SOFT FOR-^^g^j^^* IT GIVE ME FOR SAYING SO, BUT. | WOULD DISGUST ME' _ ig* K PQlfl

go...

FRUST R ATED -

I CAN'T, carlton. YOU'RE STILL \ WANT/ I. ..I. ..IT'S YOUR

BO DY,ztM\JTOH.

WILL YOU

HARRY ME?

'r^rSORRY^f YOU'LL GET

^\T7^

I...

NOT WHAT I

A FRIEND. LINDA. NOW

^/V

EXPENSIVE PLASTIC SURGERY JOB ?

And

can't

AFFORD

THAT/

AGAIN, THE OPERATION

iirnrr

SUCCESS. AFTER A MONTH

JAH, MR. " WATCH MY STOMACH MUSCLES RIPPLE 'WEBSTER. BUT DOCTOR. I'M SOLID AS A ROCK NOW. if you NEED LINDA CAN'T REFUSE ME.. .

ME... “

GEORGE

‘ .

WE'LL BE

WAITING//'

That afternoon, carlton took LINDA TO THE BEACH TO SHOW OFF HIS STBONO

CARLTON.

MUSCULAR

HOW

BODY.

Linda leaned towards

•

Linda shuddered as carlton held

HER M OIST LIPS INV ITING..

‘YOU

LOOK~FINE YoH.tW TO ME .CARLTON. I”''

IS IT

—__

Y-

FINE...

POSSIBLE TO GET IN SUCH WONDERFUL SHAPE IN SUCH A SHORT TIME? / ' THAT DOCTOR FRIEND OF yours?'

PLEASE..] L/NDA: DON'T YOU'RE NOT MARRY what I WANT&JL MET J

NO,

NO, CARLTON' IT’S

...

NOf 1 CAN'T/ I WON'T LOOK AT THOSE

IT'S ...JUST

SCRAWNY

ARMS... AND YOUR

OLD MAN'S LEGS ...SPINDLY..

KNOTTY...* ULL

ARMS... AN

VARICOSE VEINS

LINDA

Y *<

FOR

Carlton's handsome face 6rew taut, his thick BRAWNY CHEST HEAVED WITH ANGRY BREATHING WHAT DO YOU WANT IN A MAN, \ I KNOW WHAT I LINDA? WILL NOTHJM^SKT\SF't yWANT, CARLTON. I YOU ? know.T you’re .. you're just NOT I .

COD'S

SAKE

...»

V—X

^KB

fial

CARLTON STOOD UR, STUDYING HIS SLENDER ARMS WltH THEIR SAGGING SKIN..HIS VEINED OLD MAN'S .LEGS- rZ I

HOPE

SO,

CARLTON'

J HOPE SO..

'Kjsmem*

Carlton lookeo at linda in all her beauty and he LONGED FOR HER, HIS YOUTHFUL BOOT SURGING WITH OESIRE. AND 90- LATER &“

GET what you want, I PROMISE,^. __J

'you'll LINDA

...

ARMS AND LESS, EH, MR. WEBSTER? OEORGE WILL WANT TWO HUNDRED hr THOUSAND.

it’s

] '

EVERY CENT I have

LEFTf ILL

BE BANKRUPT.

BUT. .FOR LINDA... IT'S

WORTH IT'

_ JuM

Recovery was ouicker this

time ...two weeks.

AS CARLtON DRESSED TO LEAVE THE SANITARIUM THAT FINAL day ,he smiled sadly

ShEe!Â« HAPPINESS SPREAD OVER CARLTON'S FACE. CLASPED THE DOCTOR'S HANO...

)

CAR BURNING OIL? Engineer’s Discovery Stops Without

Quick

Cent For Mechanical Repairs!

If your car is using tso much oil— if it is sluggish, hard to start, slow on pickup, lacks pep and power— you are paying good money for oil that's burning up in your engine instead of providing lubrication. Why? Because your engine is leaking. Friction has worn a gap between pistons and cylinder Wall. Oil is pumping up into the combustion chamber, fouling your motor with carbon. Gas is exploding down through this gap, going to waste.

SAVE $50 TO $150 REPAIR BILL Before you spend S 50,00 to $150.00 for an engine overhaul, read how you can fix that leaky engine yourself, in just a few lutes, without buying a single new t. without even taking your engine

...

down. -It's almost

as easy as squeezing toothpaste, or shaving cream out of a tube, thanks to the discovery of a new \>t:;%liracle substance called Power Seal. This v revolutionary, new compound combines l > 4 - f the lubricaliHg qualities of. Moly, the "greasy" wonder met^l, with the leak-sealing properties of Vermiculite, the -.

,,J

•

mineral product whose particles expand under heat. times

(Up

.31) original size. Just squeeze Power-S.cal out of the tube into your motor's cylinders through the spark plug openings. It will spread over, pistons, piston rings and cylinder walls as your engine runs and ir Will PLATE every surface with a smooth, shiny, metallic film that won't come off.' No amount of pressure can scrape it off. No amount of heat can break it down. It fills the cracks, scratches and scorings caused by engine Wear. It closes the gap between worn piston rings and cylinders with an automatic self-expanding seal that stops oil pumping, stpps gas blow-by and restores compression. No more piston slapping; no. more engine knocks. You get more power, speed, mileage. This genuine plating is self-lubricating too for Moly. the greasy metal lubricant, reduces friction as nothing else can! If is the only lubricant indestructible enough to be used in U. S. atomic energy plants and jet engines. It never drains down, never leaves your engine dry. Even after your car has been standing for weeks, even in coldest weather, you can start ii in a flash, because the, lubrication is in the

B»

metal

itself.

That's

you'll get hundreds,

why you'll need amazingly little oil; even thousands of more miles per quart. TRY IT FREE!

What iumption. a quart a since the :

....

...

day and

POWER

SEND NO MONEY! Simply send the coupon and your Power-Seal injection will be sent to you at once C.O.D. plus postage and handling charges. " io save the postage and handling charges, simply enclose payment with the coupon. For 6-cylinder cars order the For 8-cylinder cars order the Jumbo now available only by mail from us.

„ lar Size, only $4.95. Size. $7.95. Power-Seal is Send the coupon

at once.

You don't risk a penny. Prove > yourself that r Power-Seal will make your car run like new Put it ** UD *° N AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES. Off!, *.w r.Ht City 17, N.Y. 'n your engine on 30 days' Free Trial. If you are ‘ " it of your car than getting better performance out you In'T^toaTn thought possible— if you have not stopped oil burn- Jon arrival, i wii ing and have not increased gas mileage— return the empty tube and get your money back in full. I J Power-Seal is absolutely harmless; it cannot hurt the Jr finest car in any way. It can only preserve and pro- I

res.

tect

your motor.

RUDS0N AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES Dept.EC9

400 MADISON

AVI.. N. Y. 17, N.Y.

figure

POWER SEAL

was cut practically in half. We have also been getting better gas mileage. All in all. SEAL turned out to' be just about the best investment we ever made. It paid for itself in two weeks and has been say nothing of postponing .... would have run into real money." Tom

POWER

SEAL.

GENUINE

ANTI-MAGNETIC WATCHES

r The Insult "f That Turned a L

ihumiP "% [

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

Â£ 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$Iâ&#x20AC;&#x17E;

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

HIM. .

SOB.

MAMIE

MISSED.

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?

^—^M

7* FARMER

T QUICK, FRANK? J POUR ME SOME-

has A PLACE THREE MILES

TELL US WHO

WHO.. .WHO WAS

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

MAMIE ' / BACK YOU UR f

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

MY WIFE'S BODY WAS RAVAGEO R/SHT HERE

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.

/ DON'T GET

MEN! NOW, MR.

WAYNE, YOU SAY

WELL, I MIGHT HAVE

AT THI9 WEREWOLF... / JJ'JL .

THEY

LEAD

WERE SILVER NOT SILVER.

BULLETS, OFCOURSE *

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

fr=

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

FAN

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'

TALKIN’

ABOUT

HERE/ IF YOU’RE AETER him,

»Oin'

SO/

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. .

—

TOO LATE/

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

mmself.'

HIS

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

HOME

\RAUL!

fl ^ mm .

YEAH/ I M YHINKltf THE

SAME

THIHSf

rou BETTER SE T

DRESSED.

MAfCR'

WOMAN

At last the mayor arose ano

CLARA...'Tall that jCARRYIN ON

^^HER none... /

BODIED MAN

HIM ALONE,

this

TOWN

NOW.

REMEMBER

' '

MIDNIGHT

HUNTING

THE DARK

DANGEROUS BUSINESS, MR. WAYNE.

SAFE

m BE WAITIN6/

*E‘Ll y

.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/

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

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...

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/

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 „

were

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/

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

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'

AIN’T SNEERED.'

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?

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..

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

Mayor hanson

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

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

— m

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

HE SCREAMED...

'ns

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

RANGE

IN THERE IT'S..

THE SILVER

HIM '

;

“

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

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.

,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

GOOD LORD:

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

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.

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,

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

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

- 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.

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'M

of dogs'

ISTENING FOB THEIR wo.. STAY OUT KYOU

Ugk,

0P/>0ffTUMrK

».| n MklUFD THERE TILL GUNNER

WUL m ..

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

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?

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

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

fools you

WE KNOW, MR. G RUN WALD/

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

HURRY

F/6URE IT OUT'

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

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

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

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

was back-breaking work, but

done. Right away, too.

had to be

was he getting

asking mighty dangerous questions.

Dan Gret knew,

urgent, right

now,

coming

grown

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

soil!

for

sense in leaving a mur-

dered wife around for the law to

with

was

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

field

Dan Gret sprang

he’d have to bawl

'em out about time.

But

all this

at the

horsing around on his

moment he was

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

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

the danger of the

into the earth,

but that had been taken care of without

...

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

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

the plow.

stretching out full length,

to tug the corpse

from behind the

grumbling machine and nudge makeshift grave. There would be

into the

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,

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!

was

a real family

umofi.

mm AND WE CAME UP WITH

. .

NOW YOU SEARCH FOR IT/

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STATE

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ADDRESS

ZONE NO

•

THE

STATE

CITY

AAAIL.

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

OUR

'SURE YOU WONDERED,' 7

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.

.' .

OH DADDr.' DADD Y.

YOU'RE so

WON-

DERFUL

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

HAPPY

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.

^ \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'

‘

HERBERT' / GET TO

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

‘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/'

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—

BEL live

‘

INCOME.

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

BUT,

SCREEN SET

y THAT'S I )

GRATITUDE'

GIVE YOU

$1000

FOR A HOME. ANC YOU EXPECT ME TC

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

BUT I CAN’T ^ GO ON

THEY'VE \

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

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

I... I

DIDN'T

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

LESS

LATELY... SLOPPY...

VERY SLOPPY

^*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

llR-SW-BmiWm,

ALL

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 >

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

HUFFfHVS INSULTED/

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

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

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?

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

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

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

COMPANY

...

-J

WAS

ING

DOWNTOWN

TODAY. TALK-

TO A DEALER ABOUT A

TRADE-IN ON

LARGER

SCREEN, AND ...

jgn

I OON'T SEE

WHY DADDY.

SHOULD HAVE TO KEEP

P0UND/N6 IT INTO

YOU/ WANT

^ 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

*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

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.. .

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

REAL SUCCESS, Ifc

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

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..

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

cat

TONY*

/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

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

/"'fanny f

I f

first

REAL DISGUSTED. THERE WAS NO THE DOUGH.. ^

—

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...

vv*

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

ME. fanny?

DON'T..

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

)

rass

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 (

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

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

BEEN

6000

ME...

AND

'TO

I TRY

paio fanny, he left,

i felt pretty

SICK INSIDE... YOU CAN IMAGINE.

gT*

WNO HAND .

TONY

00 YOU

SET THEM ?

why TONY.

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!

YEAH. FANNY

SURE/

dough and

SET AWAY! ME

I’ll 60 NUTS LIVIN' WITH HER,'

RA6-N/CKER!

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

I TURNED THAT IUT

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

I’LL

TONY J WHERE APE you, ) '

TONY?

It NAS FANNIE-..CAUJN'

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

...

the

THE

attic'

OH, WELL-.

CLEANIN'

THAT'S

awc.^

NlCE.

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

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

MADE ME MAO..

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

—

-A

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.

MINUTE I STAY

[

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!

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

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

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

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

00 NE SO NIGHT

LOOK, PAL.

you

can't pay

MUCH F OR THEM.

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,

HAVE RAGS FOR ME ...

SOT

TO BE HERE

I CAN'T QUIT' CAN'T..

jtML

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.

|\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^

A* PUMP £Z= TOLD YOU I NOPE f SOT NO

HIM.

Hass' no*

ONCE.

' J BUT YOU DO'

TWICE.

EVEN WINCE.

NICE PASS

HE DIDN'T

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' .

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'

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

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'

COUPSE NOT, MR. BARRETT

EXPECT THIS'

TS6nNnHN6G 6&

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

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...

’CL

OTHES MAKE THE AW-V/'pemembER

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

PTr BAA

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Tales from the Crypt, Feb. 1951-Mar. 1951—Vol. 1, No. 10 (formerly Crypt of Terror). Published Bi-Monthly by I. C. Publishing Co.. Ino., at S2S Lafayette St.. New York 12. N. Y. William M. Gaines. Managing Editor. Albert B. Feldstein. Editor. lie-entered as second class matter Jon* 1879. Eight lssue^ subscription In the U. 8 . $1.00. elsewhere $1.16. EnYork. N. Y. , under ’the act“ of March_3. 29. 1950, at the Post Office at ‘New ’ " * ” * "* * returned unless accompanied by stamped r I. C. Publishing Co.. Ino. Unsolicited manuscripts » tire contents copyrighted 1953 *' with any of those living or dead Is -*“ ... y of the characters, names or persons appearing lr relope. No similarity any such similarity bs purely coincidental. Printed in U. 8. A,

—

YOUR A PPETITE WILL BE HEH.HEHf I SEE YOU’RE HUNGRY FOR HORROR AGAIN. WELL.REST ASSURED. YOU will have. LOS SATISFIED. IN FACT, WHEN you're THROUGH with this PUTRID PERIODICAL, once MORE TO THE APPETITE ENTIRELY, so don't just stand there DROOLING. COME IN' * e ^c°me Y R CRYPT OF TERROR, this is your HOST in HOWLS, '(OW ^AUS£AT,NG /,l^>J^^ A fr OF ^'rF^^R TERROR TALE READY TO CHILL YOUR SPINE and CURDLE YOUR BLOOD with THE SPINE-TINGLING

I CALL...

The evening performance is over and thecirci GROUNDS ARE SILENT SAVE FOR THE FLAPPING OF CANVAS AND THE OCCASIONAL SNORT OFA CAGED ANIMAL. OVERHEAD, A COLD MOON ILLUMINATES THE MIDNIGHT LANDSCAPE. SUDDENLY, A SHADOWY FIGURE EMERGES FROM ONE OF THE DARKENED TENTS AND GLI DES QUIETLY ACRO SS THE MIDWAY,, WHISPERING...

• .

The woman peers into the SHADOWS, STRAINING TO SEE, HER HEART RACING. THE MAN STEPS INTO THE DIM COLD LIGHT, HIS ARMS EXTENDED.

l i

They embrace. ..warmly. PASSIONATELY... HUNGRY LI

EYES,

HOLDING CLOSE... I~Z±=

WHAT ABOUT YhE

OH, ERIC,

The man looks into the woman's GREY-GREEN

CARL? MY DEAREST..

\r^^sa<7

J HE

BUT...

ASLEEP>

DREAMS OF PARIS AND THE

MjmmS^ouEN he

DARLING.

has

WANTS

you

TO READ/

THE MAN SHAKES HIS HEAD SADLY, STROKING THE WOMAN'S SOFT FLOWING HAIR... T WHY DID YOU EVER IT WAS A MISTAKE,

ERIC.

MARRY HIM, MARTA? MISTOOK THIS FREAK OF JNATURE. ..this fc c— ONCE IN A

-W

THIS ABILITY OF CARL'S TO

SpgPj Ife:

LIFETIME occurance...

KNEW

ME WITH

THIS

POWER

HE HAS

OVER

ME.'

T AND YOU'VE BEEN

ACCIDENT maw YEARS

PROJECT THOUGHTS mo MINE TO READ THEM. ..FOR LOVE / ?

ability

TAUNTS

ME, ERIC. HE HAS

ALWAYS TAUNTED

^ ^I

UNHAPPYEVER

CARL IMMEDIATELY RECOGSINCE. ITS GREAT VALUE. BEFORE I , 4 IT, WE'D TEAMED UPAS A M/NDthis traveling 'H int MARRIED...

NIZED

READING ACT, joined CIRCUS,

MISERABLE? I KNOW now that HE WOULD J CARL NEVER LOVED ME. I WAS NEVER LET HIS SUBJECT...MS THOUGHT-W YOU CO... PROJECTION RECEIVER... A PIECE WOULD HE 1 OF APPARATUS... NOTHING MORE. BUT NOW I KNOW WHAT REAL J LOVE IS... NOW THAT I'VE met YOU.. > .r^Jtk

we DISCOVERED this QUITE BY AGO.

THE.MOONUGHT.

YOU SAID

YOU CAN ONLY READ THE THOUGHTS IN HIS MIND HE

KNOWN

NEVER / if 1

SIGHS ACROSS THE CIRCUS GROUNDS, WHISPERS AROUND THE TENT ROPES GASPS AGAINST THE CANVAS. . .CARRYING THE SIGHS, THE WHISPERS, THE GASPS OF THE LOVERS IN THE SHADOWS. AND EYES.. HIS TENT, CARL STIRS UNEASILY.. . OPENS HIS

The WIND

Carl slips on a robe and comes out of THE WHISPERING, SIGHING, GASPING WIND. HfS VOICE ...AND VOICES.' COMING FROM MARTA'S/ BEYOND THE NEW ANIMAL . TRAINER'S TENT...

HER BED/ it IS EMPTY. WHERE COULD SHE BE?

MARTA, I, ..I... MARTA? MARTA

Carl moves through the moonlit NIGHT. .HIS EYES BURNING LIKE

HOT COALS. .LISTENING...

...LISTENING TO THE E/iGERNESS IN HIS WIFE'S VOICE...THE PASSION, THE

HUNGER...

' I

[

END OF THE MONTH WHEN I GET MY CHECK, WE WILL LEAVE... YOU and I. .TOGETHER...

...AND AT THE

^ )

HPy ffl

BUT LET'S NOT

TALK ANYMORE,

V SWEET

1 MARTA... I

r'w

LOVE WITH

HIM.

.|r=SB^=S

SHE

LEAVING ME. SHE... .1 MUST STOP HER.' .

TORN TO PIECES BY WILD BEASlA THAT'S HOW I CAN STOP HER FROM LEAVING. THAT'S ITf

OF COURSE.'

TERRED AT LOCAL GRAVE YARD... TORN TO PIECES AS IF ATTACKED BY WILD BEAST.'"

SHE. ..SHE HAS FALLEN IN

HOLD ME..CLOSE...

W r

HEARD ENOUGH.

BLACK LETTERS ON IG ACROSS THE PR INT... j COLD WHITE. .THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER... WHAT'S THIS'? â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;BODIES DISIN^^ I

.AND THEN, SLOWLY, HE RETURNS HIS TENT ONCE MORE. HE HAS

ERIC, DARLING,

Later, when mart* returns from her rendezv, AND CRA WLS BACK INTO BED, CARL PRETENDS HE IS ASLEEP-.lijaif-ai

-AND CROSS DIRECTLY TO THE NEW ANIMAL TRAINER'S TENT WITH IN HAND-| pii^ THERE 0 WHO

OF THIS,

\GET UP.' I

CARL? PUT

To RUN OFF WITH MY W/EE.f H, FPic?< WELL, WE'LL

;

SOUND.'

that'

They cross the tanbark floor of the big top UNTIL THEY COME TO THE LION CAGE. THE TAWNY BEAST PACES BACK AND FORTH HUNGRILY. MY LION.'? PUT YOU IN THE CAGE WITH HIM. WITHOUT YOUR WHIP WITHOUT ANYTHING.. JUST YOU AND YOUR w-r LION.' .

I, ERIC

?IM

NOT GOING TO DO

SÂ£E ABOUT

eric out of the TENT AND DOWN THE LONG SILENT MIDWAY TOWARD THE BIG-TOP...

/ WERE GOING

DOWN THAT GUN...)

AND DON'T

MANE A

Carl motions

IIC STUMBLES TO HIS FEET. WHAT'S THE MEANING} SO YOU

3UN

WEThuh? WHO'S

MOVE

ANYTHINGf

YOUR LION i WILL DO THE A work'

WITHOUT MY WHIP.'? I'D BE^ PITY IS AN EMOTION HELPLESS. ..PARALYZED. \ BELONGING TO THE

UNABLE

DEFEND MYSELF'

FOR GOD'S SANE

IP*,

CARL'

HAYE PITY.' -

I ,

PITIFUL, ERIC.

WUfo

GET IN...

aBS

THE BLOODAND THEN, THE CIRCUS GROUNDS ECHO WITH CURDLING SHRIEKS OF A BEAST. THE RAZOR SHARP FANGS OF A BLOOD-CRAZED

Carl swings open the barred door

...

ERIC SCREAMS AND GOES SPRAWLING. TH SNARLS...

lf 11

Eric's anguished shrieks awaken A ND SHE LOOKS WILDLY.

MARTA

AROUND

CAPLf WHAT WAS THAT? CAPLf CA...

WITH THE REST OF TH UNTIL THEY COME TO THE LION

She RUNS

Carl's bed is empty.' outside THE TENT, FOOTSTEPS POUND UP THE MIDWAY TOWARD THE BIG-TOP. MARTA SUPS ON A ROBE AND BURSTS FROM THE TENT.

TRAINER’S CAGE...

—

EPICf

GOOD LORD'

ERIC'

WHAT IS IT? WHAT'S T DON'T KNOW:

HAPPENING

HIS name twice, and then she just STANDS THERE, WATCHING THE BEAST LICK AT THE SLASHED AND SHREDDED BODY UNTIL SHE HAS TO TURN AWAY AS THE NAUSEA SWEEPS OVER HER.. THE CRAZY FOOL / HE HOW DID IT HAPPEN?) MUST HAVE COME OUT HERE TO PRACTICE

/it's comin'

She SCREAMS

HIS ACT.'

r YOU

DID IT,

DIDN'T YOU i Jl YOU KILLED HIM' YOU

KNEW'

DIDN'T YOU HEAR

THEY SAID,

WHAT M ARTA?THEY SAID HE

MUST HAVE BEEN

PRACTICING HIS

ACT f

BUT THERE

IS NO DOUBT IN MARTA'S MIND AS TO HOW ERIC DIED. CARL'S BED WAS EMPTY WHEN ERIC'S SCREAMS

r YOU WILL GET

OVER

IT,

MARTA

The NEXT DAY'S PERFORMANCE IS CANCELLED BECAUSE OF THE TRAGEDY THE TENTS ARE LOWERED. THE CIRCUS PREPARES TO MOVE ON. ‘

The HEAVY POLE CRASHES DOWNWARD UPON CARL, CRUSHING HIM BENEATH

ITS

suddenly... without WARNING. CARL IS HELPING WITH THE DISMANTLING OF THE BIG-TOP WHEN THE MAIN SUPPORT TOPPLES..

It happens

GOOD LOGO'

LOOKOUT' CARL? I

MASSIVE WEIGHT...

And when the huge support is lifted, carl lies DEATHLY STILL ...HIS GLAZED EYES STARINGSOMEBODY TWO IN A ROW.' GET HIS THE CIRCUS IS s,

Marta is summoned, she stands impassively ove HER HUSBAND'S BODY, SHEDDING NO TEARS.SHOWING NO SIGN OF EMOTION. WW r HE...HE WILL HAVE ’ T IT. ..IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, MARTA f THE

WAIN

SUPPORT..

BURIED BEFORE WE CAN GO ON.' A

TO BE

Marta's voice

JINXED?

WIFE?A

cold... callous... as she asks.

SOMEBODY SEND FOR AN UNDERTAKER...

Marta looks down at the

still

form of her

HUSBAND LYING ON THE TANBARK FLOOR. AND EVE* THOUGH SHE REAOS HIS T HOUGHTS, SHE SHOWS NO SIGNS OF RECOGNITION.

MARTA

oaW&g.

MARTA, I AM ALIVE .' I'M

I'm

UNDERTAKER AND HIS ASSISTANT

INTO THE WICKER. MARTA MOVES FORWAfff. MARTA ' PLEASE.' SAVE ME' I'M ALIVE.' MARTA ' I'M ALIVE'

^©5*19

NOT DEAD/ MARTA ? LISTEN TO ME? PLEASE TRY TO HEAR what i am THINKING.'

AS THE

PARALYZED' NOT DEAD' PARALYZED MARTA? PLEASE.

WAIT:

PARALYZED,

I'm NOT DEAD ' I'M PARALYZED' I cahSEE.'x

MARTA?

CAN'T MOVE.'

can HEAR.'

OH, MARTA.'

THANK

YOU.' THANK YOU'

YES, MA'AM'

PLEASE DON’T \ EMBALM HIM. BURY

HIM AS

HE IS. HE

WOULD HAVE WANTED IT THAT WAY ?

'anythingXmarta? you SAY, MARTA, ma'am ? J NO' . I.

Marta looks down into PARALYZED EYES THAT CAN STILL SEE. WHISPERS INTO PARALYZED EARS THAT CAN STILL HEAR,. fjgiwrw MARTA? GOOD-BYE, OH^GOD? L CARL? MARTA. 1

FUNERAL, MARTA STANDS, HER FACE A GRANITE BE LOW CARL'S COFFIN... MASK, BESIDE THE YAWNING YOU CAN STOP THEM, MARTA? THERE'S Sr/LLV LOWER THE TIME. I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME. I KNOW IT? PLEASE.' I BEG or you? DON’T LET £ coffin?

At THE

T HE

AFTERNOON WANES' THE NIGHT BREEZE COMES UP, WHISPERING OVER THE GRAVE MOUNDS. SIX FEET BELOW, IN HIS COFFIN, CARL CONCENTRATES AS THE PRECIOUS OXYGEN SLOWLY DISAPPEARS..

The stars come

out, white pin-points in a velvet shroud. A FIGURE MOVES OVER THE GRAVE MOUNOS... ||

IlSlftf g'MI

KNOW

you ARE RECEIVING

MY THOUGHTS, MARTA ?

KNOW

IM1

1 1

‘

MARTA / COME BACKf COME SAVE MET I'LL DO ANYTHING/ ANYTHING/ HAVE J PITY ON ME' HAYE PITYf ...

The

SHOVEL DIGS INTO THE SOFT EARTH.

DIGGING CONTINUES, THE SHOVEL SCOOPING AWAY

THE SOFT EARTH. FINl SWINGS BACK— ItoTOwif

MARTA f MARTA, YOU DID

MARTA/ DARLING/ OH, LORD...

COME? YOU

DID/

And THEN AS CARL LIES HELPLESS. ..PARALYZED... LIKE A LION-TAMER WITHOUT A WHIP ...FEELING THE RAZOR SHARP TEETH RIPPING AND TEARING AT HIS FLESH. ..UNABLE TO SCREAM AT THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN, HE THINKS OF THE NEWSPAPER LYING IN THE MOONLIGHT... THE NEWSPAPER THAT FIRST GAVE HIM IDEA OF HOW TO KILL ERIC... wjy,

THE

'BODIES DISINTERRED AT LOCAL GRAVE YARD.. TORN TO PIECES AS IF ATTACKED BY SOME W/LD BEAST/' OH, LORD THEY WERE WRONG/

\TH!S

no BEAST'

it's A

GHOUL/

YOU'RE

NOT MARTA

;

HEH.HEH? YEP, KIDDIES? CARL ENDED up JUST LIKE ERIC BEING TORN TO BITS and UNABLE to DEFEND HIMSELF. AS FOR MARTA SHE READ CARL'S FINAL THOUGHTS, AND GOT QUITE A MENTAL PICTURE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON/ JUST ONE MORE THOUGHT ON THIS WHOLE SUBJECT! AS THE BOP CEMETERY FORE...

...

MAN KEEPS TELLING WORK CREWS, HIS

'D/6

THAT CRA-AEY

™

IMI

r, uucu(

CA! uTATintJS

SLIME SAVORERS'f NOW

'!?™

YELP-YARN FROM MY CREEP-COLLECTION. SO HAVE THE

THE TUMMY-TURNER

IT'S

TIME FOR A JAUNT INTO THE

VAULT OF HORROR^

BICARB READY AND ILL V SE

I CALL...

tt.WHEN^THE^ IB STORY BEGINS DURING WORLD WAR MARINES WERE SLOWLY AND PAINFULLY INCHING ACROSS THE SOUTH PACIFIC AREA, INVADING Af BATTLING FOR EACH BLOODY ATOLL, EACH JAPANESEINFESTEO CORAL ROCK. ONE INKY BLACK STARLESS THE NIGHT, A SMALL BOAT MOVED SILENTLY TOWARD CORAL REEF THAT RINGED THE PEACEFUL LAGOON OF

UNITED STATES

ONE OF THESE JAPANESE- HELD ISLANDS. INSIDE, TWO MEN CROUCHED QUIETLY, STUDYING THE DANCING FIRES BETTER DROP THE ANCHOR, PHIL. THIS IS ABOUT AS CLOSE IN AS WE DARE GO WITHOUT BEING SEEN. ,

side The anchor slid over the small boat's THE AND DROPPED WITH A MUFFLED SPLASH INTO BLACK PACIFIC. THEN, STRANGELY, THE TWO MEN

BEGAN TO UNDRESS... WHILE I'M CLEARING THE STEEL NETTING, YOU START SETTING DEMOLITION CHARGES, PHIU

THE

>£

CHECK

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

They stood almost naked

in the pacific MUSCLES RIPPLING. THEY BENT AND SUD THE WEIRDLY SHAPED BLACK RUBBER FLIPPERS ONTO THEIR FEET.. PULLED THEIR RUBBER MASKS WITH THE ROUND GLASS WINDOWS OVER THEIR FACES. .

NIGHT,

READY?

GOT THE

CHARGES. .TIMERS.

^RIGHTS GOT

WELL, TAKE IT JiAsr, Phil/,

SEE YOU

IN4V

JTH/LE, LARRY fjj

YOUR MIRE

Tf-a.

Silently, the two members of the united states NAVY'S UNDERWATER DEMOLITION TEAM... THE FABULOUS FROGMEN.. SLID OVER THE SIDE OF THEIR SMA LL BOAT AND INTO THE CHOPPY PACIFIC... T" 1*. ""

FUSES?

CUPPERS...

UNDERWATER LAMP. .HACK.

...ANO WENT ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS. ...THE BUSINESS OF CLEARING THE WAY FOR THE INVASION OF THE FOLLOWING MORNING. THE ONE NAMED LARRY GLIOEO DOWNWARD, FLICKING ON HIS LAMP, SEARCHING OUT THE TREACHEROUS PROfELLER-

And

THEN, SUDDENLY, HE SAW

BELOW HIM

IT...

... AS THE OTHER, THE ONE NAMED BELOW THE SURFACE TO THE PILI NGS SUNK IN THE LAGOON FLOOR.

PHIL, SKIMMED

TION CHANGES, MIS LANTERN

BEAM

RUNNING ACROSS THE SANDY BOTTOM OF THE LAGOON..

STRETCHING AWAY

THE GLOOMY MURKY DARKNESS.

With the netting clipped and SAWED AND CUT AWAY AND RENDERED HARMLESS, LARRY SHOT TOWARDS PHIL TO HELP PLACE THE DEMOLI-

THE

As LARRY CIRCLED OVER THE

BED, STUDYING THE ABNORMALLY- LARGE SHELLED SEA CREATURES WITH THEIR PRICELESS GLOBED GEMS IMBEDDED IN THEIR QUIVERING MEATY BODIES, PHIL GLIDED TOWARD HIM.

The two men surfaced beside their

boat, gasping

DID YOU SEE IT; PHIL? THERE. ^5 GASP... THERE MUST BE A FORTUNE \FOOL, I LARRY ? I'VE IN PEARLS IN THAT OYSTER BED? I'M 60IN8 BACK. -GASP. DOWN...J' SET THE

'WE'LL

. .

assault BOATS STORMED THE QUIET LAGOON, AND PROPELLERS CHURNED BLOOD INTO THE WATERS ABOVE THE OYSTER BED. . .

SHIPPED ELSEWHERE TO OTHER ISLANDS. WITH OTHER LAGOONS.

THEY SAY THIS ATOM'

SURE...

PEACE? IT CAME SUDAFTER THE SECOND A-BOMB WAS DROPPED. THE JAPANESE SIGNED AN UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER AND

V~J DAY? DENLY...

THE WAR WAS OVER. T

CHON 1

ABOUT THOSE

MAYBE THE JAPS'LL .

LARRY?

we'll be RICH/saTf,

BOMB WIPED OUT A ) STOP WHOLE CITY, phil. ' DREAMIN now.

™

BACK FOR THOSE PEARLS,

The beachhead was secured. THE DEMOLITION TEAM’S WORK WAS DONE. LARRY AND PHIL WERE

SURRENDER WXJHEN.

COME BACK,

PHIL? AFTER THIS CRAZY MESS IS OVER, we'll COME

CHAR6ES. c'mon.' let's GET OUT OF HERE? A

At dawn the next MORNING,THE

MlWUTES LATER, THE SMALL BOAT WAS HUMMING SEAWARD. BEHIND, THE DEMOLITION CHAR8ES EXPLODED BATTLE IN THE PLACID LAGOON SIGNALLING THE MIGHTY WAGONS OFFSHORE TO BEGIN THEIR BARRAGE. LARRY

HEY, PHIL!

\BusY/mm

SHIPPING

ORDERS' we're GOING HOME

PEARLS' NOW GET 1

WE'RE GETT/N6

OUT

LETS J

Larry tried to hide the jealous ANGER.. .THE HURT THAT HE FELT. GLADYS PREFERENCE HAD COME AS A GREA T SHOCK TO HIM . . .

/â&#x20AC;&#x2122;"i-.I WANTEDY't. UNDERSTAND? TO TELL YOU, y'-\J5LA0Y. ( I LARRY / BUT. \ WELL... X. .

/fer

Phil hao won again, it had ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THAT. ..EVER SINCE THEIR COLLEGE DAYS. THEY'D BOTH COME OUT FOR THE SWIM TEAM.

'it'll be a LOVELY] OH...SURE.M And now they were back from SURE ? WELL, THE WAR, STANDING ON A JAMMED PLACE TO TAKE CONGRA TULAGLADYS ON OUR PIER FULL OF RETURNED SAILORS iT/ONS, YOU J \HONEYMOON, AND SOLDIERS AND HAPPY LOVED ONES, AND PHIL HAD WON AGAIN. T~V TWO? *r^E'RE...WEfeET WHEN, PHIL? '

)

I MEAN...

Discharge? civilian clothes ? FREEDOM FROM REGIMENTADISCIPLINE? THEY WERE ALL LARRY'S NOW. AND A SECRET, TOO / A MILLION DOLLAR SECRET? JUST ONE THING... ONE THING WASN'T AGAIN

TION

HIS, YET?

GLADYS'...

I PICKED UP THESE SURPLUS FLIPPERS AND MASKS, PHIL. I THOUGHT WE'D

/what ABOUT

OUR BUSINESS. OUT THERE... f IN THE PACIFIC?

TRY THEN OUT ) TONIGHT.

LOOK, ^

FELLER? I'M GETTING

MARRIED TOMORROW?

HAVE A HEART/

Larry convinced phil that after he was married THERE'D BE NO CHANCE TO TRY OUT THEIR EOUIPTMENT.ANO PHIL RELUCTANTLY AGREED. THEY DROVE OUT TO A LONELY BEACH .. ri PICKED this > YEAH? IT... IT SPOT BECAUSE IT'S /$/ WELL? LET'S eor SO MUCH LIKE THAT

LAGOON,

phil?

They struggled wildly, there in the foaming SURF OF THAT LONELY CALIFORNIA BEACH. LARRY HELD PHIL'S THROAT IN A VICE-LIKE GRIP, UNTIL PHIL'S BODY WENT LIMP AND LIFE1-EFT IT AND IT SLIPPED FROM LARRY'S GRASP AND SANK BENEATH THE OCEAN WAVES. 5, _ .

Larry had planned it all so carefully? with phil DEAO, GLADYS...THE SECRET OF THE PEARfcBED... EVERYTHING .WOU LO BE HIS... .

LARRY.' WHAT THE. \j*NNNG jÂ»amm

IT'S

GOING TO BE SUCH

A PITY, PHIL... A

SWINNER LIKE

And LARRY CAME OUT OF THE WATER ALONE

GOOD

YOU.

M^DROWNING/

jggg

WITH

A GRIM SMILE ON HIS FACE AND TH E STpRY HE'D TELL GLADYS 90 CLEAR

Gladys listened to larry as he SOBBED OUT THE STORY OF HOW

It would take. time larry DECIDED.. .TIME FOR GLADYS TO FORGET PHIL. IN THE MEANWHILE,

THEY'D GONE SWIMMING.., HE AND PHIL.. .AND PHIL'D GONE DOWN. ..AND.

WOULD GO TO THE SOUTH

PACIFIC. . .TO ITS FABULOUS

. .

THIS,

AND MAYBE

Were

his eyes DECEIVING him? was the foam and THE SPRAY AND THE CHURNING WATER BESIDE THE SHIP PLAYING TRICKS ON HIM.OR DIO HE ACTUALLY SEE

THE BLOATED WHITE BODY?. ;

WHAT IS ny LARRY?

THERE

THREE MONTHS,

STOPLOVING

GLADYS. PERHAPS, BY THEN, YOU WILL HAVE GOTTEN OVER

The

trip to the atoll was long. BUT LARRY DIDN'T MIND IT. ONCE ON BOARO.HE LOST NO TIME IN MAKING FRIENOS. .

THE TINY ATOLL WITH OYSTER BED. AND MAKE HIS FORTUNE. I'LL BE BACK IN i'll NEVER''

MOST GORGEOUS ON... don't DOLL ON THIS SHIP' JUST LEAVE X G ASP. i ME HANG- J I

^1...

vJNG.'j-c/

X...

And was the FOUL ODOR OF the SEA and DECAY AND ROTTING FLESH THAT SEARED HIS NOSTRILS WHEN HE OPENED HIS CABIN DOOR THAT NIGHT JUST LARRY'S IMAGINATION?. .

^ BABY, YOU'RE THE C WELL ...GCT

HIM, LARRY,' SOB.' NEVER...

the MATER /

T3BBEII5

CAN'T BE/ I MUST BE SEEING THINGS? C...X...

NO/

SSiSXS Was it a DREAM? or did larry actually SfifTHE WHITE PULPY FISH- PITTED FACE IN the porthole THAT NIGHT WHEN HE'D BEEN STARTLED OUT OF A SOUND

HUH? WHO.

.WHO.

..GOOD L ORDT

And was it the SEA, or did he actually HEAR THAT LAUGHTER ...THAT RlPPLING BLOOD-CURDLING LAUGHTER COMING IN FROM THE MURKY FOG BEYOND THE SHIP THE NIGHT HE STROLLED THE DECK ALONE. WHO...WHO'S

OUT.

^THEREV&r^i

The SHIP DOCKED AT TAHITI AND LARRY LOST NO TIME IN HIRING A TAKE HIM SOUTH TO THE

On that plane trip south... SKIMMING LOW OVER THE BLUE PACIFIC... WAS LARRY CRAZY..

The

A PEARL

DOWNWARD. HE PASSED THE OLD RUSTED NETTINGS.

THE SUNKEN ASSAULT BOATS. ..THE WATER-LOGGED BLASTED PILINGS. AND THEN HE SAW IT... THE OYSTER BED, he swam toward it,,.eagerly..

TO UNDRESS.

GOING ON? YOU GOING TO DIVE FOR SOMETHING? >

UP...

AGAINST A BLUE SATIN SEALINING. .. GUARDING ITS OWN PEARL TREASURE. LARRY CAST HIS FEARS FROM HIS MIND WHEN

Tiny fish scattered before him as larry shot

tiny seaplane came down gently and sat BOBBING QUIETLY IN THE BLUE LAGOON AS LARRY UNPACKED HIS GEAR, REMOVED THE FLIPPERS AND THE RUBBER GLASS- WINDOWED MASK, AND BEG AN

HEY/ WHAT'S

JhE ATOLL CAME

YEP.' IN

THERE'S AN

OYSTER BED

THIS LAGOON... WITH

PEARLS

THE SIZE OF YOUR FIST, and I'M GOING TO GET ME A FEW.

Larry was so busy wrenching the largest oyster he could FIND FROM THE SANDY BOTTOM THAT HE NEVER NOTICED THE PUTRID, SLIMY, WHITE FORM DRIFT TOWARD HIM. AND WHEN ITS BLOATED ARMS CLOSED AROUND HIS NECK, AND THE ROTTED FACE

GRINNED AT HIM, IT WAS

TOO LATE... PHIL... CHOKE..

\GLUGG

. .

HEH, HEH? YEP KIDDIES? THAT'S MY YARN. THE PILOT OF THE SEAPLANE WAITED AROUND FOR LARRY TO COME UP FOR

SEVERAL HOURS. FINALLY, HE SHRUGGED, WENT THROUGH LARRY'S PANTS, EXTRACTED THE MONEY FROM HIS WALLET TOSSED THE REST OF LARRY'S GEAR INTO THE LAGOON, AND TOOK OFF. MO YOU'LL TAKE OFF WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR KIT l^FROM THE E C. FAN- ADDICT CLUB, now "I I'LL TURN YOU BACK TO C.K.f i'll see you

NEXT IN MY MAG, THE VAULT of HORROR/

[

"BYE/ £.£,That is?

ft hi

THE GIZZARD OF OOZE GREAT EXPECTORATIONS (or) GREAT REGURGITATIONS AGONY AND CLEOPATRA ROMEO THE GHOUL HE ETI LORNA'S DOOM

Heh, heh! The crazy mail I'm getting lately! Nobody writes criticizing

me anymore

nobody

writes threat-

song titles ening letters! Now all I get is poetry and proverbs. Looks like the whole counbook titles as Lincoln said, "Ya gotta give try's gone arty Well the people what they want.” (Lincoln said THAT?— he runs a drive-in movie ed.) Yeah JOE Lincoln outside of Omaha. Nebraska. Specializes in 3-D pictures Only cars equipped with Polaroid windshields allowed. him We though! you meant IRVING Lincoln.— ed.) ( Ob IRVING Lincoln? What does HE do? (He goes around saying. "Ya gotta give the people what they want." —ed.) Oh, HIM! So anyway, here are the latest additions to E.C.'s HORROR HIT PARADE, suggested by Bernie and Stanley Ginsberg of Spring Valley, New York; Bill Basso and Joe Mignone of Brooklyn, N. Y.; Mike Luskin of Philly: P. Houle of Winooski, Vt.; Donald Kaczmarek of Chicago; Tony Egan and Gregory Bonomo of N, Y. C.; Danny Simons of Ardmore, Pa.; Maureen Bryan of Alexandria, Ind.; Dennis Bartenbeck of Ocean Springs, Miss.; and Peggy DeMars and Lloyd .

Gola

And now lor some MORBID MOVIES, produced by Grand Lake Stream, Maine; and Sue Campbell and Amelia Alexander of Waynes ville, N.C.: Darrel Gould of

A STREETCAR MAIMED MY THE AFRICAN S SPLEEN HIGH STREWN

HUNG

SIRE

BESS

CALL ME MAD MAN THE GREATEST CHOKE ON EARTH

of Detroit, Mich.

WRING SOLOMON S SPINE

TERRY'S SCREAM (from SLIME-LIGHT) BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL GROUND EYES

AFTER THE MAUL IS OVER SEVEN BLOODLESS NIGHTS (MAKE ONE VAMPIRE WEAK) I BELIEVE (THAT FOR EVERY DROP OF BLOOD THAT FALLS. A VAMPIRE GROWS) WITH A TONG IN MY HEART I'M SLITTING BY THE WINDOW WATCHING THE BLOOD-DROPS FALL) LYMPH-BOATS ARE A-COMIN WITH THESE GLANDS THE SQUEAL OF TORTURE I'M WINCING WITH SPEARS IN MY THIGHS RATTLE HYMN OF THE REPULSIVE TO THE VAULTS AGAIN WITH YOU ON THE TAINTED SIDE OF THE MEAT SQUISH YOU WERE HERE! WHO'S GORY NOW? DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEX WITH MY HEAD WIDE OPEN I'M SCREAMING WHEN YOU GORE HER TWO-LIPS YOU'D BE SO NICE TO COME GROAN TO

THE FARMER TAKES A Next

LIFE

PULSATING POGROMS, beamed

Andrews of Melrose, Mass.; Jackson, Miss.

in by Walt and Willard Johnson of

HATCHET SQUAD BUND MATE MENACE DAY MARTIN SLAIN SCARY MOORE BLOB HOPE DEAD SKELETON

xrft

ETRY:

and probably

< 3 BANQUET

some PER

least

We had some friends in to dinner Everything was perfectly swell But mother spoiled the party She simply didn't taste well

—Lou

Ellen

Orr

Brooklyn, N. Y. k

AUCTION L

LIKE APPLE CIDER

TASTES THE GIRL THAT IDA

BURY

SEND ME ONE DOZEN NOSES JUNE IS GUSHING OUT ALL OVER

watch outl Now that the entertainment's over Here come the commercials: E.C. FAN-ADDICT CLUB Don’t be a shzlub. join the club! Send in two bits get your kits. Turn to the cover, and you’ll disDig the cover the blank, crank! SUBSCRIPTIONS new rate, a dollar for eight! THIRD ANNUAL TALESThe best for you from '52. Send ir OF HORROR quarter, we'll mail out your order!

and

And

here are some more additions to oui LURID

LITERATURE LIBRARY, sent along by Jimmy Crow of Va.. and Dallas. Texas. Jimmy Teel of Pineville, Drury Mo roz of -Springfield. 111.

SQUISH FAMILY ROBINSON WITHERING SIGHTS HOW GREEN WAS MY SALLY THE LASH OF THE MOHICANS

The address

lor subs, annuals,

and mail

is:

The Crypt-Keeper

Room 706, Dept.

225 Lafayette Street

N.Y.C.

12.

N Y

The ground was

soft

and clinging

as Farraday

moved

slower, his body bent

slipped out of the thick forest surrounding the

swinging along the jungle

prison wall. There was a heavy mist rising from the ground, and all around him he could hear the incessant clamor of the jungle. The

stopped beating: a

long,

foliage swished eerily in the hot

dank

an ape

About 50

floor.

yards he proceeded, then his heart almost shrill whistle

had sounded

far back. His escape had been detected! In another moment the guards would be overrunning him and dragging him back to that in-

it would partially cover the sound night air of his feet moving through the oozy jungle

sea-infested hell behind the towering stone

lane*.

walls!

Farraday moved along stealthily, like a his plan of escape churning

hunted animal, his

mind.

he could creep through the

jungle into the miserable

little

seacoast

town

one of the grimy steamboats moored at the crumbling wharfs, in a week or so heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d probably be gone forever from this and hide

cursed tropical penal colony.

The discomfort

and pain of escaping through the jungle was nothing compared to the prospect of another five years in prison, Farraday thought to himto get away, at all cost, for he self. He

HAD

could never live through the prison sentence, anyway. The giant flies and vicious mosquitoes

and stinging, blood-sucking spiders swarming over the camp by the millions would eat him alive long before he was ready for release!

knew

Farraday

his

only chance was to dig

a shallow grave and slip into

sound of alarm. Then he

in-

praying that

a frenzy born of desperation he began

With

the earth at his feet; in a few mo-

up ments he had cleared a patch large enough for his body. He dropped face-down into it to scoop

without a secondâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hesitation.

Almost

before

had

breath he was aware of a

spreading over his exposed

drawn another

clammy flesh. It

tingling

was

pitch-

knew without seeing what it was swarming over him: he had

black, but he

was

that

plunged headlong into a nest of white maggots! Already they were tearing at his skin, their stinging pincers

probing

jaw, sinuous lines trailing

and mouth. His eyelids Farraday paused momentarily, listening

it,

the darkness of the night would hide him.

caught

fire

his

cheeks and

into his nostrils

felt as

but Farraday didn't

they had

move a

straight-

muscle. Even as he felt the stabbing pain at his

ened up, ignoring the fact that his sweating hands were trembling with nervousness, and plunged on through the stifling undergrowth.

throat and realized that the skin of his chest,

tently for a

They hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t discovered .

yet that

he was gone

every minute he could gain would help im-

measurably

in his

getaway.

was being torn loose, he could think of only one thing. He was in fiery inside

his shirt,

agony, but

only he could stay here in

him!

And

as his

mind

reeled

twitched uncontrollably

He was coming

to clearer

ground now: the

this

shallow trench, the guards would never find

and his body

as his blood trick-

led from a thousand deadly wounds ... he was solaced by one thought, if the guards

earth was dry and sun-parched, the trees were spaced further apart and the grass was lower

couldn't find him, he wouldn't have to endure

less matted. He'd have to be careful here, he could be spotted as he moved through the open valley. He crouched again and

spiders!

and for

the horrors of prison life again

be assailed by giant

flies

wouldn't

and the savage

hey,

hasn't

7 THERE S'POSE T'SE A BIS- BOWL SAME HERE T'DAY, MELVIN ? 50 WHERE'S ALL THE PEOPLE? /

s or

ycu^Ss:

=5%0

HAVEN'T 7 HEARP, IRVIHSf THE FIRST ISSUE OF E.C.'S \

NEW HUMOR MASOUT. THE

PEOPLE ARE

ALL

POWN AT THE NEW55TANR..

kSUVINOfiJu,-/

THE PANICKY EDITORS OF:

YEP,

KOO\tt<E.C-SmZHUM0KMA5.PMIC ON SALE, so HUSK POWN TO YOUR

NEWSSTAND AND SET VOUR HOWEVER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS ANY FOOTBALL GAMES... IF YOU WANT TO READ PANIC AND SIT IN THE BOWL AT THE SAME TIME ... SUBSCRIBE! FILL OUT THE COUPON AND MAIL TO... FAVORITE

COPY.

PANIC ROOM 7 Ob ZZ5 LAFAYETTE ST. N.Y.C., 12. N.Y.

PLEASE SENP ME THE NEXT 8 ISSUES OF PANIC FOR WHICH X ENCLOSE ONE COLLAR 0*1.00)

STATE

HERE'S A BUBBLY LITTLE tale TITANIC TERROR/ I CALL IT...

INTO THE PARLOR. ALWAYS ROOM FOR JUST A SHELL, YOU HERE, EZRA. YOU KNOW/ MILLY, JUST TILL HOW LONS WILL YOU I DECIDE WHAT I'M

r THERE'S

f THAT.

>â&#x20AC;¢

STAY?

'retired

.EZRA.

I'M

.oh,

JO.

prJO/WK jg .

^^^^^^soin' Y DO next. * nm&tfTVY y'see...they TOOK NY SHIP, they i IfOC AWAY RETIRED ME. -jgt

^YEP,

OVER,

SAIUN DAYS ARE

milly.

I'M A

LAND-

LUBBER, NOW. WEL L, where I STOW MY SEAR? jg

^DO

to live with

HIS SISTER MILDRED. AT FIRST, MILLY WAS VERY HAVE HIM. AFTER ALL, SHE WAS AN OLD MAID.. .AND EZRA WAS COMPANY. BUT AS TIME WENT ON. EZRA BEGAN TO 00 STRANGE THINGS...

HAPPY TO

'l SAID >

WHAT ARE

YOU LOOKING AT WITH YOUR

SPY-GLASS ? J

/n- nothing, J MILLY? X WAS MUST WATCHING THAT SHIP... ON

JHE HORIZON

^EZRAf WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT THROUGH YOUR SPY-GLASS*

One night, milly was roused out of a sound SLEEP BY HEAVY PAWS SHAKING HER ROUGHLY ...

f SHIP'? BUT.. EZRA.' this IS

KANSAS

THERE AREN'T ANY SHIPS ON THE HORIZON. THERE ISN'T < ANY WATER...

night on, milly was forced to “stand WATCH" SHE HAD TO MOVE THROUGH THE HALLS OF THE OLD HOUSE FROM TWO A.M. TO OAWN, CARRYING A LANTERN AND SHOUTING''EIGHT

BLITHERING IDIOT*,

It was obvious to poor MILLY THAT her older BROTHER WAS LL_. MENTALLY ILL. THE SHOCK OF BEING RETIRED HAD BEEN TOO MUCH FOR HIM. HIS MIND HAD SNAPPED. HE FANCIED HIMSELF AT SEA AGAIN... THE HOUSE, HIS SHIP-.AND SHE, HIS CREW... THIS CLEAN I WANT THIS DECK SCRUBBED TILL I CAN SEE MY REFLECTION' UNDERSTANDf?

From that

WLOUDER ,YOU^ LOUDERf Y

( YOU CALL

That was how ezra jackson came

''DON'T

"YES,

"EZRA" MEf IT'S CAPTAIN JACKSONf’

REMEMBER THAT/ NOW, YOU^^< VGET TO WORK, RATr>^XT t BILGE

BELLS AND

MlLLY HAD BEEN A SCHOOL TEACHER IN HER YOUNGER SHE'O WORKED HARD AND MANAGED TO SAVE A SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY. SHE'D USED PART OF IT TO BUY THE HOUSE SHE NOW LIVED IN. THE REST, SHE'D INVESTEO WISELY, AND SHE'D BEEN ABLE TO LIVE COMFORTABLY. BUT WITH EZRA'S ARRIVAL, HER MEAGER INCOME WAS NOT ENOUGH. f PHAAAH / YOU CALL THIS BEST FOOD f YOU DARE TO FEED AFFORD TH/S SLOP TO YOUR A EZRA? PLEASE CAPTAIN? YOU OUGHT W? TRY TO UNDERSTAND ' TO BE STRUNS UP AND

UNDERSTAND ONE THING, YOU SALLEY P/S. EITHER

YEARS.

HEAR?

JACKSON f

mu ||ft

INVEST MENTS. SHE HAD TO TAKE

Y-YES, CAPTAIN

IT's

k IT'S

TEN JASHFS Jm.

SO MILLY WAS FORCED TO EARN EXTRA MONEY TO AUGMENT THE SMALL INCOME SHE DERIVEO FROM HER i^WHERE

i lb

THE FOOD IMPROVES, OR /RONS FOR YOU. AND "CAPTAIN JACKSON".'

’

V GIVEN

BLAZES

YOU, YOU SLOPPY SEA COOK?

THE CELLAR STAIRS SCREAMING. ,

'you RE "BELOW", YOU

WAS HING...

ARE "^""rM.INTHE CELLARS

DUMB

LANDLUBBER. NOT "IN THE CELLAR" "BELOW "t

Y-YES. CAPTAIN' I'M .BELOW.' ..

CAPTAIN. J

I'M OOING THE SNIP’S LAUNDRY 'jrf

Ezra stood

in the center of the cellar FLOOR, STARING ABOUT HIM WITH WIDE GLEAMING

MlLLY WAS HELPLESS. SHE HAD NO OTHER CHOICE ... EXCEPT, PERHAPS, TO HAVE EZRA PUT AWAY. SO SHE IN A CARPENTER-A PLUMBER ...

EYES-

CALLED

FPERFECT' PERFECT ' JUST THE PLACE FOR MY

QUARTERS. HERE. YOU.. SEND FOR THE SHIP'S CARPENTERS ..THE .gg .SHIP FITTERS JmI .

. .

’

AVAST, UP THERE

PLEASE ?/

GENTLEMEN. 'WoH.COURSEJ WE 1

REMEMBER. HUMOR HIM.' HE'S g

...

OtJ/TF

HARMLESS..

MISS

(UNDER

JACKSONM STAND miss [jACKSON?

Ezra stormed about OUT

HIS

the cellar, shouting

AnO POOR MILLY WITHOREW HER

—>

—

JACKSON

put

OCEAN

BEHIND THE PORT HOLES./ LANTEPNS around. >

hang SHIP'S

PUT in a BUNK. A SALLEY. A HEAD. MAKE EVERYTHING AUTHENTIC. THIS

taV

LIFE'S SAVINGS

FROM HER INVESTMENTS TO PAY FOR THE NONSENSE. THANK YOU, l. "*,990... 5,000 DOLLARS. . HERE YOU ARE, MR. GUNNER*/ MA'AM. I HOPE T YOUR BROTHER •

' CAPTAIN

SCENES

ORDERS-

Ship OUT THOSE windows. CLOSE 'EM UP. PUT UP FALSE WALLS. HA HA SONY PANELED WALLS. SET IN PORT HOLES. REAL PORT HOLES... THAT OPEN'

HAPPY WITH

'Below"

in his

SHIP/ -

ship's quarters, captain

MAN YOUR

STATIONS,. ON

MlLLY CAME "BELOW" CARRYING HER LAUNDRY BASKET FILLED WITH THE WASH SHE'O BEEN

DOING

BLAZES ARE YOU WITH

DOWN HERE THAT?

I'VE >

IVE

STRUCK OUT SAVAGELY. ^YOU'LL DO THE LAUNDRY ON DECK, YOU SCULLION BEGGAR. 6ET OUT

OF MY QUARTERS...

60T TO DO

THE SHIP'S

LAUNDRY, CAPTAIN

THE DOUBLE..

DID', ( THE JOB WE

fWHAT

jackson belloweo-

YSTAND BY TO OAST OFF. ENGINE ROOM, FULL SPEED ASTERN, all HANDS,

With her investments wiped out and the INCOME FROM THEM GONE, MILLY HAD TO TAKE IN MORE WASH THAN SHE COULD HANDLE IN ORDER TO| MEET EXPENSES. ANO EZRA'S ABUSE BECAME WORSE AND WORSE. . . PfsCRUU UUI IIA ^TOS^Y-YES, CAPTAIN <3

Poor milly would escape, every chance she could GET, AND LOCK HERSELF IN THE UPSTAIRS BATHROOM IN ORDER TO DO THE WASH IN THE TUB. AND AS SHE SCRUBBED, SHE WOULD LISTEN TO EZRA'S RANTING AND RAVIN^^^__. y

—

WEAS£ THE HELM? Give EG MORE -^LsobJsobT/) r

DRUDGE.'

Suddenly milly clutched at the excruciating IN

TUB OVER THE SOAKING CLOTHES SENT UP CLOUDS OF STEAM WHICH FILLED THE LOCKED BATHROOM ...

head IN THE BATHROOM, MILLY PANTED OVER A LOAD OF WASH...

AHOY 'AHOY THEBE' SHIP AHOY' HOLD X EAST. STAND BY.'

PAIN

While upstairs, directly over-

One HOT SUMMER'S DAY, EZRA 5T003 AT THE OPEN, PORT HOLE, SHOUTING OUT AT THE SEA-SCAPE SCENE BEYOND ... . -

RUDDER' STEAD/ AS YOU GO' HARD APORTf STEADY ' STEADY SO yT

HER CHEST, TOPPLING

OVER...

GASP.

AND AS HER HEARTTAltEB AND HER LIFE FADED WITH IT, THE BOILING WATER OVERFLOWED THE TUB.POOLINC ABOUT HER PROSTRATE BODY, SINKING THROUGH THE BATHROOM FLOOR v

mis cellar ship's'quarters, CAPTAIN JACKSON LISTENED AS THE WATER, LEAKING DOWN FROM THE OVERFLOWING BATHTUB ABOVE, FILLED THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FALSE MAHOGANY PANELED WALLS AND THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE

Slowly the water rose in the cellar, boiling, SCALDING, BLISTERING EZRA'S AGED BODY. BUT HE STUBB ORNLY S TOOD FAST...

THE CELLAR FILLEO WITH STEAM, CAPTAIN JACKSON STA66ERED TO THE PORT HOLES, SLAMMED THEM SHUT. THE PRESSURE OF THE WATER CRUMBLED THE PANELED WALLS -

^Kt^ABANDONSH/Pf THE CAPTAIN

£Wm(

'ABANDON SHIPS WE'RE SINKING.',

Until the rising hot water reached his chin..his neck_poured INTO HIS MOUTH AND STEWED HIS TONGUE... HIS TH ROAT- H IS LUNGS... ...

WSMtoi W^jrT^T*

/ l

GLUGG GLUGG.

Mi^T

{ HEE~HEE'

YEP, KIDDIES. THAT'S]

my MORBID MARINE OFFERING./ EZRA FINALLY ENDED UP...\H \

HOT WATER'/ J

•

;

REMAIN...

this

THtF/RSTl

RECORD BY THE WAY, OF j captain going down with / HIS SHIP IN THE MIDDLE OF A > KANSAS PRAIRIE... in a CELLAR)

iCASE ON ’a

AND NOW, i'll TURN YOU OVER TO ( ^.THE CRYPT-KEEPER ) IS WA!TINGTo( SSg8**aBI& WIND UP MY REEK-'

WsL

#^ J-fW

wWlif/'As 7

RAG 'REMEMBER.' ’

V0U RE A FAN i

AN0 AN ADDICT,

JOIN THE

E.C.

j \

m&SA* JB FAN- ADDICTNOWf/ )

’BYE,

HEE.HEEf AND NOW, IT'S MORBID- MEAL- TIME. WELCOME TO THE HAUNT OF FEAR, CREEPS. THIS IS YOUR * REVOLTING RESTAURATEUR, THE OLD WITCH. READY TO SUNG SLIME ..AND WIND UP C.IC'S MUCKMA6 FOR THIS IDIOTIC ISSUE, care for some SEAFOOD well, here's A TASTY TERROR T/D-B/T J

TO TURN YOUR STOMACH. I CALL

THIS

SLOP-SERVING.

Calvin reached for a knife, he placed the STRUGGLING LOBSTER, BELLY UIJ ON THE HUGE WOODEN KITCHEN TABLE AND GRI NNED DOWN AT IT. ,,

IT SPUT YOU fH I HXlJ OPEN... FROM HEAD TO IM lyWr SlwJfcllk tail... like so... Am* i

The lobster squirmed. Calvin forced the knife BLADE AGAINST ITS SOFT-SHELLED UNDERSIDE AND, WITH A SUGHT SAWING MOTION, CRUNCHED IT THROUGH. THE LOBSTER, NOW PRACTICALLY SEVERED IN HALF, STILL WRIGGLEO ITS SPINEY LEGS ANO WAVED ITS HUGE CLAWS AWKWAROLY..^ r HEH,HEH. HOW XI WISH THAT X HAD SOME SENSITIVE INSTRUMENT SO that i . 1

COULD

HEAP

Calvin moved the thrashing split lobster onto A RACK AND SLID IT INTO THE STOVE BELOW THE XlCKBLUE FLAMES OF THE BROILER... ,

NOW, WE BROIL YOU ALIVE. WE LISTEN TO YOU HISS AND POP UNTIL YOU TURN ORANGE-RED AND YOU STOP YOUR SQUIRMING..

YOUR BLOOD-

CURDLING SHRIEKS, LITTLE UGLY MONSTER..

Calvin stared into the stove AT THE BROILING LOBSTER. HIS EYES GLINTED ALMOST MANIACALLY AS HE WATCHED ITS STRUG GLING

Behind Calvin, the sea shell RESTAURANT'S CHEF SHOOK HIS HEAD as HE WATCHED HIS PJPLOYER-

Calvin grinned. "jTmusTIower THE FLAME SO THAT THE NEXT ONE WILL

DIE SLOWER f

ABATE...

DEAD,

A LOBSTER

UGLYf

AND HORRIBLE I HATE CREATURES? HORRIBLE CREATURES should JB

DIE HORRIBLY/

LIVING THING, MR. DUGAN. NO LIVING THING SHOULD BE S MADE TO SUFFER. .

â&#x20AC;¢

WHY DO YOU TAKE such SADISTIC <

KILLING THOSE POOR LOBSTERS, MR. DUGAN?

HIDEOUS. -

DESERVES

SUFFER, JOHN.

ITS

i/tfZ Y

OWN

UGLINESS MERITS

THEM,

DELIGHT N

DEATH.. .

+ Jm

JOHN?

PERHAPS... TO A E LOBSTER... IT IS YOU WHO ARE UGLY, MR. DUGAN?

Meanwhile, at that vert moment, a few MILES UP THE SEACOAST FROM THE SEA SHELL RESTAURANT, A FISHERMAN GUIDED HIS INBOARD OVER THE TOSSING OCEAN SWELLS TO A CORK FLOAT FROM WHICH FLEW A TATTERED FLAG... THE LAST ONE. IF THERE IS NOTHING, IN THIS ONE, WE WILL HAVE NO MONEY jr for FOOD/jf jpniy

The FISHERMAN PULLED UP

BESIDE THE BOBBING MARKER AND PULLED IT INTO HIS SEA SKIFF. SLOWLY, TEDIOUSLY, HE HAULED IN THE ORIPPING LINE THAT WAS FASTENED TO THE FLOATCORK

I CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT. ALL ALONG ) THE COAST, OTHER LOBSTER FISHERMEN ARE FINDING TWO, MAYBE THREE LOBSTERS IN EACH OF THEIR POTS. FOR TWO WEEKS NOW, I HAVE NOT FOUND ONE...^^^^^A

Finally, the lobster trap surfaced, and the FOUL SCENT OF THE FISH HEAD, PLACED WITHIN IT AS FISHERMAN'S BAIT,

SEARED THE

NOSTRILS...

EMPTY/ ALL EMPTY/ NOT ONE LOBSTER IN ART of my pots, if

The fisherman entereo his dingy SHACK AND SAT DOWN WEARILY...

W PERHAPS TOMORROW,

{TOMORROW

...

Sadly, the fisherman guided his inboard back to THE BEACH WHERE A WOMAN AND CHILD STOOD IN THE DOORWAY OF WIND-SCARRED A

ANY LUCK

The child began to POPPA ...SOB. I

SHACK, WAITING...

NOT A ONE, LUCY ! NOT ONE LOBSTER f I CANNOT jp-t UNDERSTAND IT. J

YELL, AMBROSE:

cry.

Â£

'FISH/ the BUY

TOR

boy y'

perhaps

TOMORROW J YOUR LUCK A ) J WILL CHANCE,

needs MILK, LUCY.

LOBSTERS COULD HIM MILK.

AM HUNGRY.

TOMORROW ..WE

LOBSTERS bring/ AND YOUR POTS GOOD PRICE, jWill BE FULL,. BUT I CANNOT l AMBROSE.

AMBROSE-, j HAVE SAID THAT

TWO WEEKS :

CATCH THEMf MY POTS LIE

EMPTY/

THE SEA SHELL RESTAURANT WAS NOTED FOR ITS BROILED LOBSTER. PEOPLE CAME FROM MILES AROUND TO FEAST ON THE SUCCULENT WHITE MEAT DIPPED IN BUTTER SAUCE. CALVIN 'DUGAN DID ATHRIVING BUSINESS...

„

—"

THE LOBSTER was ESPECIALLY TtHANK YOU,

TASTY

TODAY, MR. DUGAN,

After closing time that night, john, the chef, REMI NDED CALVIN...

^^wtrTeemHe louT^C x'liTrick some up . ON LOBSTERS,**. DUGAN. \ IN THE MORNING...*

V B

WE HAVE A GOOD CROWD

L° N THE WAY IMP GOOD-

TOMORROW, WE LL RUN OUT' 1

night, john.

GOOD EVENING. COME

MR. HINES.

AGAIN-

John nodded and left, calvin

After a while, Calvin left

LISTENED AS THE CAR MOTOR

THE RESTAURANT. HE LOCKED UP

He-MOVEO DOWN THE BEACH *0 WHERE A SEA SKIFF WAS MOORED.

Ambrose, the lobster fisherman,

Ambrose stopped

OF HIS DINGY SHACK. LUCY, HIS WIFE WITH SAD EYES... t

r COME TO BED, AMBROSE. [

YO U MUST GET UP EARLY.

J LUC

SEA SKIFF..OUT THERE.. in /T F

Ambrose was out of the DOOR OF HIS WEATHER BEATEN SHACK

OUT THERE\AMBROSEr. IN A FLASH^— \WAIT.'^ /^AMBROSE F I'LL GET COMEBACK.' 1 HIM, LUCY rLL G£T \

lobster POTS ARE ALWAYS EMPTY.

mffjg**.-

Suddenly calvin looked UP. SCARCELY ONE HUNDRED ANOTHER SEA SKIFF GLIDED TOWARD HIM YARDS AW* SILENTLY..

ITS THE LOBSTER FISHERMAN. HE MUST HAVE ROWED OUT. ‘ THATS WHY I DIDNT HEAR HIM OUT OF HERE ' > 1 VE GOT TO GET

h/m

* ^9

WHAT /S IT, AMBROSE ?

Far OUT ON THE MOONLIT WAVES, CALVIN DUGAN LIFTED A LOBSTER POT INTO HIS SE AJ5KIFF -

THATS WHY my

SOMEONE IS STEALING J _ MY LOBSTERS. jnMR

THE NIGHT, so THAT'S

Ambrose pointed OUT TO SEA. ..OUT TO THE DISTANT TOSSING SWELLS... ^someone's

he listened, far away.ov, THE ROAR OF THE SURF POUNDING THE NEARBY BEACH, AMBROSE HEARD A SOUND- A DULL HUMMING SOUNDpacing

^M_

SETEH TECH ALREADY AND

I'VE

HALF

ONLY RAIDED

OF HIS TRAPS

Calvin struggled with his inboard, trying to start IT. THE OTHER SEA SKIFF PULLED ALONGSIDE . THE FISHERMAN IN IT GLARED AT HIM WITH BURNING EYES...

SO.' NO WONDER MR. DUGAN HASN’T BOTHERED TO STOF to SEE IF I HAVE ANY LOBSTERS TO

BY LATELY SELL. HE

KNEW

Ambrose snarled. PA\ fyou UGLY THIEF ^-JXl YOU HIDEOUS MONSTER!) TOU, MY CHILD HAS GONE WITHOUT MILK AND MEAT AND CLOTHES W BECAUSE OF YOUf

'now', >

I WON'T TAKE j you YOUR MONEY/ IT'S Jr FORCE JAIL FOR YOU... .—7 ME TO DO/

?NOf

jail...

\„

THIS,

AMBROSE/

knife blade in calvin dugan's

The

GLINTED

Ambrose screamed.

<AMBROSI ( fLL PA

Ambrose's shriek echoed across the heaving water AS CALVIN PLUNGED THE KNIFE INTO HIS WRITHING B ODY

hand

THE MOONLIGHT.

AGAIN AND AGAIN...

x'llTave to KILL YOU,

AMBROSE... TO KEEP YOU

FROM TALKING ~

Then, calvin lashed Ambrose into his sea

skiff.

...And chopped a hole THE SEA WATER IN... f—?

the floorboards, letting^ .

Slowly, the boat, with Ambrose's SANK BELOW THE TOSSING •• OCEAN WAVES... f

Calvin started his inboard AND GUIDED HIS SEA SKIFF BACK

BODY,

—r

He'o started ROAD AT BREAKNECK SPEED

...WHEN

-CCURREO...

lay there, pinned, squirming,

LOADED THE BUTTERTUB WITH THE STOLEN LOBSTERS INTO HIS CAR

...AND

TO THE BEACH...

THE BLOW-OUT ;

TRUNK...

-"^7'

C^TST^P**-—-

As CALVIN'S LURCHING CAR SPUN OVER, THE STEERING WHEEL SHATTERED, RIPPING INTO HIS BODY.,. TEARING ... slashing...

his body almost split in two,

HEE, hYe.^ TH ATs

AS THE OVERTURNED CAR CAUGHT FIRE AND THE FLAMES LICKED AT HIM AND HE SCREAMED AND SHRIEKED AND WAS BROILED ALIVE...

STORY, kiddies'’

CALVIN ENDED UP like the LOBSTEPS -he’d BEEN STEALING. WHEN

I CAME UPON HIS BURNING CAR, HE was JUST ABOUT DONE. I WAS SO MAD. THERE WASN'T A DROP OF BUTTER SAUCE around.' and J TALKING ABOUT SAUCE YOU'D BUTTER hurry up and join THE \|

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