An Entertaining Comic - The E.C. Comics Thread

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

I guess we don't have an E.C. thread here.

We should.

Even if it's just me talking to myself half the time, I want it to exist.

A few months back, Alison got me the MASSIVE Taschen E.C. book, this thing is amazing. I haven't had as much time to dedicate to it as I want, but plan to rectify that in the coming weeks. I literally have to spread it over on the coffee table to read it, it's that big. I can't just have it on my lap like a regular book.

https://www.taschen.com/en/books/com...y-of-ec-comics

Anyway, it is the definitive word on the publisher, covering everything from the pre-E.C. days to the early 'Educational Comics' branding on through Max Gaines' takeover, the pre-trend books, the classic horror, crime and sci-fi and the the new-trend books and what came after E.C.'s untimely demise. Essentially for any fan, gorgeously illustrated with hundreds of rarities and pretty much every cover ever published by them.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Two paintings that popped up on the E.C. FB group the other day, auctioned off in 2016. Graham Ingels is my favorite of the E.C. artists, with Wood a close second.

[Vincent Dawn Jr Member Find all posts View Profile Close Vincent Dawn Jr]

That book looks amazing. I admittedly don't know as much about E.C. as I would like too. I'm mostly familiar with the brand via their influence on horror anthology films and tv shows--the original "Creepshow" film might be my favorite horror film of all time...maybe. It's definitely my favorite Romero film. I can't imagine being a kid in the era when those original comics were published and having your mind blown/corrupted by their dark content.

[Newt Cox Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Newt Cox]

Been reading the 90s issue reprints of the EC stuff. Going for the non Tales/Vault/Haunt stuff I have read before. Panic is fun,Crime Suspenstories is a blast and TWO Fisted Tales is great.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Been reading the 90s issue reprints of the EC stuff. Going for the non Tales/Vault/Haunt stuff I have read before. Panic is fun,Crime Suspenstories is a blast and TWO Fisted Tales is great.

When I was younger I only wanted the horror stuff, but yeah, Two-Fisted Tales has, as I've gotten older, really become a favorite.

Those 90's reprints are great. I've got a short box full of them and with the exception of the Crime Suspense Stories #22 reprint, most of them are still really cheap. I know you can get them collected in TPB and hardcover versions but I still prefer reading them as just regular old comic books.

[Newt Cox Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Newt Cox]

What I liked about the 90s reprints wass they had distribution outside the comic shops. I could go grocery shopping and there would be issues by the comics and magazines.

Why is CSS22 reprint pricey?

Mostly what I got now I found in comic shop dollar bins or I grabbed cheap online.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Why is CSS22 reprint pricey?

It's all about that cover, haha. I've seen it sell for over $150 on eBay but you can get lucky and find'em cheaper than that (I picked one up last year for $2.00).

[Newt Cox Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Newt Cox]

I forgot that issue was THAT cover lol.

Will add it to my list.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Originals of that one are WAY out of my price range, so I have to be happy with the reprint until I win the lottery or someone dies and leaves me a lot of money.

[Newt Cox Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Newt Cox]

Originals of most EC are way outside what I want to pay for a comic.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Scored myself an original Vault Of Horror #37 at a local show yesterday. Got it for $50 in trade, it's a decent copy but half a page was cut out so it is technically incomplete. Still, I traded for it and am pretty happy to have an original EC horror title in the collection now.

Great Johnny Craig hanging cover too. This isn't my copy but I'm too lazy to take a picture.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Artist's Editions are expensive and a pain in the ass to store, but I'm probably going to need this, especially since I missed out on the first edition (which is turning out to have been a blessing in disguise).

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

New Reed Crandall collection coming out via Fantagraphics at the end of the month.

https://www.fantagraphics.com/collec...-other-stories


REED CRANDALL, AL FELDSTEIN, GEORGE ROUSSOS, JON GOTHOLD

The Bitter End And Other Stories
On sale date: December 26, 2023

Twenty-two crime, horror, and science fiction stories by master comics artist Reed Crandall from the pages of Tales From the Crypt, Vault of Horror, Haunt of Fear, Crime SuspenStories, Shock SuspenStories, Weird Science-Fantasy, Extra, and Impact. Plus: eight crime and horror stories by fellow EC artist George Roussos.
Reed Crandall was an undisputed master of fine line detail and expertly nuanced pen-and-ink texture. He was a perfect fit for EC Comics, and he brilliantly illuminated sharp scripts featuring schemes, tricks, betrayal, and retribution in the company’s crime, horror, and science fiction titles.

This volume features 22 Crandall favorites from the pages of Tales From the Crypt, Vault of Horror, Haunt of Fear, Crime SuspenStories, Shock SuspenStories, Weird Science-Fantasy, Extra, and Impact, including: “Dog Food,” one of EC’s best revenge stories, featuring a sadistic prison camp warden who abuses his dogs to keep them mean — to terrorize his prisoners. And no, it’s not the twist ending you might expect — which is why it was voted by fans as one of the top three EC horror stories. “The Shadow Knows” in which a man who murders his wife is pursued by her shadow everywhere he turns. “The Bitter End” in which a wealthy businessman tries to force his only son into becoming the hard-driving executive he needs to take over the family business. “Close Shave,” a science fiction parable about love overcoming racial prejudice and division. “Swamped,” voted by fans as one of the top three best illustrated EC horror stories of all time, is the grisly tale of a demented ghoul living in the Okefenokee Swamp. Plus: eight crime and horror stories by fellow EC artist George Roussos and an introduction by Jon Gothold.

The Bitter End And Other Stories is part of the The EC Artists' Library series.