EC Archives: Crime SuspenStories
This volume reprints the first six complete issues (24 stories) of the comic book Crime SuspenStories and features sordid tales of crime and murder as told by Al Feldstein, Johnny Craig, Jack Kamen and the rest of the EC Gang.
Hardcover, with dustjacket, 7x10, 212 full color pages. $49.95
EC Archives
EC Archives: Vault of Horror
The Vault of Horror was part of Bill Gaines' EC Comics line during the early 1950s. The bi-monthly horror comic, edited by Al Feldstein, began with an issue cover-dated April – May 1950. Over a four-year span, it ran for 29 issues, ending with the December 1954 – January 1955 issue. Johnny Craig was promoted to editor of the comic with issue 35 in February, 1954. The Vault of Horror originated through the crime comic War Against Crime published by EC in the late 1940s. In 1950, Gaines and Feldstein experimented with horror stories in that title and its companion, Crime Patrol. The Vault Keeper made his first appearance in this title. With issue 12 of War Against Crime, the title was changed to The Vault of Horror, and it became a full fledged horror comic for the remainder of its run. Due to an attempt to save money on second-class postage permits, the numbering did not change with the title change, so the first issue of The Vault of Horror was #12. As with its companions, Tales From the Crypt and The Haunt of Fear, The Vault of Horror had its own distinctive qualities and atmosphere due to its main artist, Johnny Craig. The front covers were illustrated by Craig for the entire run. Craig also did the lead story for all but two issues (13 and 33). Interesting of note is that except for his stories in issues 38 and 39, Craig also wrote all his own stories for this title, something quite rare at EC comics. Gaines and Feldstein wrote almost every other story until late 1953/early 1954 when outside writers like Carl Wessler and Jack Oleck were brought in. Other contributing artists to The Vault of Horror were Feldstein, George Evans, Jack Kamen, Wally Wood, Graham Ingels, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Sid Check, Al Williamson, Joe Orlando, Reed Crandall, Bernard Krigstein, Harry Harrison and Howard Larsen.
Hardcover, with dustjacket, 7x10, 212 full color pages. $49.95
Volume 1 reprints The Vault of Horror 1-6
EC Archives: Two-Fisted Tales
Two-Fisted Tales, originally published in 1951, features stories of fighting men and war, usually told from the viewpoint of the futility of war. These were really anti-war stories, and were characterized by their historical accuracy in depicting events of the Civil War, World Wars I and II and the (then-current) Korean War. Written and edited by Harvey Kurtzman, the creator of MAD Magazine. MAD was a comic book in the EC line for 23 issues before becoming a magazine. Each volume reprints 6 complete issues.
Hardcover, with dustjacket, 7x10, 212 full color pages. $49.95 each
Volume 1 reprints Two-Fisted Tales 1-6
Volume 2 reprints Two-Fisted Tales 7-12
EC Archives: Tales From The Crypt
EC Comics (Entertaining Comics) were all published from the late 1940s until around 1956, when the Comics Code Authority whitewashed all comic books to remove all themes of horror and violence. Psychiatrist Fredric Wertham and Senator Estes Kefauver's Committee on Juvenile Delinquency attacked horror comics as causes of the rise in juvenile delinquency and crimes by minors. These comic books were accused of having no redeeming value to society and were effectively banned by the actions of these groups in creating the Comics Code. EC Comics were superior to other comics of the 1950s because of a higher quality of writing and artwork, and they were widely imitated by other comics publishers. The subject matter for EC Comics were horror, science fiction/fantasy, crime stories, war stories and stories with a social message that generally had a twist or "shock" ending. This volume reprints the first six complete issues (24 stories) of the comic book Tales From the Crypt, originally published in 1950, and features classic horror stories of vampires, werewolves, ghouls and monsters in the vein of hte early Dracula, Frankenstein and Wolf Man movies. This title was EC's best seller, and was the inspiration of several feature films and the HBO series of the same name.
Hardcover, with dustjacket, 7x10, 212 full color pages. $49.95
Volume 1 reprints Tales From The Crypt 1-6
Volume 2 reprints Tales From The Crypt 7-12
EC Archives: Weird Science
Star Wars creator George Lucas kicks off the full-color, chronological, hardcover presentation of the EC Comics line with a foreword in Volume 1 introducing readers to the wonders of Weird Science. Included are stories by Al Feldstein, Bill Gaines and others with art by legendary illustrators such as Wally Wood, Harvey Kurtzman, Joe Orlando, Jack Kamen, Feldstein and others. Find out what made EC among the most influential comic book lines ever in this complete and newly re-colored collection. Features science fiction and fantasy stories, flying saucers, aliens, other worlds, space travel, similar to the first science fiction movies of the same period.
Volume 1 reprints Weird Science #1-6
Volume 2 reprints Weird Science #7-12
Each is hardcover, with dustjacket, 7x10, 212 full color pages. $49.95 each
EC Archives: Shock Suspenstories
EC Comics (Entertaining Comics) were all published from the late 1940s until around 1956, when the Comics Code Authority whitewashed all comic books to remove all themes of horror and violence. Psychiatrist Fredric Wertham and Senator Estes Kefauver’s Committee on Juvenile Delinquency attacked horror comics as causes of the rise in juvenile delinquency and crimes by minors. These comic books were accused of having no redeeming value to society and were effectively banned by the actions of these groups in creating the Comics Code. EC Comics were superior to other comics of the 1950s because of a higher quality of writing and artwork, and they were widely imitated by other comics publishers. The subject matter for EC Comics were horror, science fiction/fantasy, crime stories, war stories and stories with a social message that generally had a twist or “shock” ending. Shock SuspenStories features a mixture of horror, crime, war and social issue-based stories, characterized by ironic “O. Henry” type twist endings, and including the first attempts in the comics medium to teach moral lessons about racial prejudice, anti-Semitism, gang violence, corrupt officials, etc.
Volume 1 reprints Shock Suspenstories #1-6
Volume 2 reprints Shcok Suspenstories #7-12
Each is hardcover, with dustjacket, 7x10, 212 full color pages. $49.95 each
B. Krigstein Comics
From Fantagraphics, a beautiful collection of 34 complete stories, spanning Krigstein's entire mature career in comics.
The 34 stories from 1949-57 have been selected and restored, tracing Krigstein's respective tenures at Simon & Kirby, Ray Hermann, Hillman, precode Atlas, DC, St, John, EC, and postcode Atlas. The vast majority of this work has been out of print since original publication nearly fifty years ago, and should be revelatory to those who know Krigstein solely from his 1953-55 work at EC. Fourteen stories, culled from every stage of his career, have been recolored for this volume by original EC colorist Marie Severin. Hardcover, with dustjacket, full color, 9x12, 240 pages. WAS $49.95, NOW ON SALE $29.95
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