DON'T OPEN THAT BOX!

I missed including this early Poe adaptation in my on-going series of articles for NIGHTMARE ABBEY magazine titled, "Fear in Four Colors: The Hideous History of American Horror Comics". The story appeared in CROWN COMICS #1 (1945) and is believed to be drawn by Alex Blum. Beginning in 1949, Blum drew numerous adaptations for Gilberton's CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED and it's possible they hired him knowing of his skill with this story. The very cool cover is presumably the work of the very talented Matt Baker.

CROWN COMICS was published by McCombs under the imprint, Golfing Inc. McCombs was owned by William A. McCombs. McCombs also operated under Home Guide Publications, associated with Harry "A" Chesler. 

GHOST COMICS NO. 2

For the most part, Fiction House dispensed with the grisly and gory in the two horror comics they produced during the Pre-Code era, GHOST COMICS and MONSTER.

The publisher relied on the Eisner and Iger Shop to supply them with packaged comics and usually the writers and artists came through with some decent material. This issue of GHOST COMICS starts off with a super cover by Maurice Whitman and followed by interior good girl art by Alex Blum and Matt Baker.

NOTE: Third-party ads have been removed from this scan.

GHOST COMICS

Vol. 1 No. 2

1952 (No month)

Fiction House Inc.

Managing Editor: Jack Byrne

Art Director: S.M. "Jerry" Iger

Cover: Maurice Whitman

Pages: 36

Cover price: 10 cents

CONTENTS

"The Ghost Gallery" ("I Woke in Terror--")

Script: Drew Murdoch

Art: Alex Blum; Matt Baker; Iger Studios

"The Ghost Gallery" ("The Four Phantoms")

Script: Drew Murdoch

Art: Alex Blum; Matt Baker; Iger Studios

"Ghost Squadron"

Script: Derek West

Art: Rafael Astarita ?; Ruben Moreira ?

"The Ghost Gallery" ("Boy Kidnapped")

Script: Drew Murdoch

Art: Alex Blum; Iger Studios