Today's post features two YouTube videos about EC Comics. The first is a short documentary that chronicles the company from its beginnings with Max Gaines and the rest of the famed comics' history until their demise after the Comics Code Authority.

There is at least one error in the narrative: Bill Gaines was not subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Committee Hearing on Juvenile Delinquency as the narrator explains; for good or bad, he appeared voluntarily and was skewered by Senator Estes Kefauver and Co. during the proceedings

The second is a shorter tale of EC Comics. In this, we see and hear Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein, Joe Orlando, Russ Cochran and others. The image quality is very poor, but it's worth getting through it to see these luminaries while they were all still alive.

As in the first video, there is at least one error that I noticed. The Senate Subcommittee Hearings were in 1954, not 1953.

DEATH OF A 'HEAD' HUNTER

Thaddeus Stevens is a hunter who collects exotic specimens and mounts their heads on his walls as trophies. When he comes upon a strange pool in Africa that seems to have weird properties, he isn't prepared for what happens when he accidentally falls into it.

"The Collector" appeared in CHAMBER OF CHILLS #17 (Harvey, May 1953). Art is by Joe Certa.

EXTRAS!

A 1953 Harvey house ad:

Harvey calendar for 1953 (you'll be able to use it again in 2027!):

What would PETA say?

A ROSE IS A ROSE . . . ?

"Roses are red . . . and blood is red . . . and when you hate hard enough you see red, too. Little Tommy got them all mixed up when he heard the blossoms sobbing, he didn't believe . . . a rose is a rose."

And so begins this twisted little tale of a brilliant young boy who was so sensitive he could hear flowers talking. Well, if you've ever wanted to know if plants have feelings, this ought to clear things up. Just don't ask Little Tommy to mow your lawns and trim your hedges!

Al Eadeh (b.1913 - d.2005) is an artist you don't hear too much about, but he was actually quite prolific during the Golden and Silver Ages, and his versatility can be seen in many different types of comics from crime to Westerns to romance. His largest output was with the Simon/Kirby Studio and Marvel/Atlas. Eadeh's style in this story from Harvey's TOMB OF TERROR (July 1953), to me, vaguely reminiscent of Graham Ingles.