CRYPTOLOGY NO. 5 NOW SHIPPING!

Light the bonfires! Release the Kraken! TwoMorrows' CRYPTOLOGY #5 is now shipping!

Here's the 411 from editor Peter Normanton himself:

“If you thought you heard the rattle of bones, you were right! This time ’round, I, the Cryptologist, have dug up a few skeletons in the closet of my creepy little magazine. We have the Ghost Rider, from comic books through until his incarnation on the cinema screen! There are skulls aplenty on the covers dating back to the pulps, Martin Goodman’s Atlas Digests, and horror comics from the pre-Code era! We unearth Hy Fleishman’s hideous skeleton covers from the 1950s, along with a few of the stories he drew. “Toys from the Crypt” examines Walt Disney’s skeletons, vintage Pirates of the Caribbean models of the 1970s, plus Last Gasp’s Skull Comics and the films of William Castle. If that’s not enough, our Killer B department has exhumed a few skull and bones classics: House on Haunted Hill, The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake and The Skull! And don’t forget our Hammertime section. So roll the bones for a magazine made especially for you retro horror fans, by Leese, Voger, the Kronenbergs, and editor Peter Normanton!”

For me, there's another reason to celebrate -- I've got an article published in this issue! "Hoist High the Skull and Crossbones! The Pirates of the Caribbean, From Theme Park Ride to Model Kits" is about the beginnings and very early days of the now-famous franchise. I'm really excited to be on Peter Normanton's CRYPTOLOGY writing team. 

To order and see a 22-page preview click HERE.

I WANT MY EYES!

This unintentionally hilarious story, "The Terror of Akbar", was produced by the Iger Shop for Farrell's STRANGE FANTASY #10 (February-March 1954). An ancient mummy comes back to life and breaks out of his sarcophagus to reclaim his eyes that have been returned to the museum where he is on display. All he has to do is follow the bouncing eyes. A laugh out loud moment is when he has just broken free and is "attracted to the light", a hard thing to do when one is sightless, to say nothing about tracking them down in the first place! Also of note is the name "Akbar" has its origins in India/Pakistan, not Egypt. Artistic license!

TERROR BENEATH THE TIDES!

Fans of vintage horror comics will likely recognize this cover by Frank Giusto from BAFFLING MYSTERIES #7 (Ace, March 1952). The popular pre-Code image was even made into one of Super7's action figures. It illustrates a scene from the story, "Terror Beneath the Tides" with pencils generally attributed to Mike Sekowsky. Note the cover is colored to match the "seaweed" description in the story, but the interiors depict the underwater creatures as having fish scales and white hair and beards.

Readers may also recognized the set-up as being similar to a novel which later became a blockbuster film featuring a certain giant shark.

Cover art by Frank Giusto.

THE SUBWAY TERROR!

Watch out, New York! Your subways are being terrorized by hideous creatures. Unknown to the city at large, they are responsible for the disappearance of numerous citizens who are never heard from again. Enter patrolman Dave Whitley, who has stumbled upon them and reports his sighting to his sergeant. Whitley volunteers to transfer to "Department G", a special force tasked with eradicating the vile things. By the end of the story, you'll know how he manages to survive an attack and why his partner should have stayed a beat cop!

"The Subway Terror" appeared in Stanley Morse's MISTER MYSTERY #2 (November 1951). The cover (above) and story art is by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito.

THE BLACK CAT

Edgar Allan Poe's stories were adapted many times in comic books. This version of "The Black Cat" appeared in St. John's NIGHTMARE #11 (April 1954), cover dated the same month the Senate Subcommittee Hearings convened. The writer and artist are unidentified.

DEATH FLOWER!

Man-eating plants were a mainstay in the pulp magazines of the 30's an 40's and it's not surprising they found their way into comic books. "Death Flower" appeared in TALES OF HORROR #11 (A Minoan Magazine/Toby Press, Inc., June 1954). It was reprinted from THE PURPLE CLAW #3 (Toby, May 1953). Art is by Ben Brown and David Gantz.

The editor of this title, Elliot Caplin, was also the owner of Toby Press. The art director was "Mel" Lazarus and readers may recognize the name. Mell Lazarus created the newspaper strips MISS PEACH (1957) an MOMMA (1970).

HAPPILY EVER AFTER . . . AND DEAD!

During a routine check-up, Harry Bates is in for a surprise: his doctor declares he's dead! To say this complicates poor Harry's "life" is an understatement and he spends the middle-part of the story running away from the law, thinking all the while they want to bury him.

He finally meets a friendly woman and after a brief romance he asks her to marry him. He can't believe she says "yes" without batting an eye. The reason will surprise you at the end.

"Happily Dead" was published in Superior Comics' MYSTERIES ("WEIRD AND STRANGE") #8 (July 1954, around the same time the Senate Hearings were in session). Superior's parent company, Randall Publishers Limited, was located and the their books printed in Canada. It is believed that they hired "stringer" artists and writers for the States, making it essentially an American horror comic. No writer or artist(s) have yet been identified for this interesting little story.