Enter The Vault of Horror

Posted on October 21, 2019 by Dazzling Erin

by Johnny Craig

Along with The Haunt of Fear and Tales From The Crypt, The Vault of Horror was a horror anthology comic book that was published, from 1950 to 1955, by EC Comics. Hosted by The Vault-Keeper, The Vault of Horror featured adaptations of classic horror stories along with totally original tales of terror and fright. The Vault of Horror was so popular among young readers that eventually a psychiatrist named Fredric Wertham claimed that it, along with other comics, was responsible for juvenile delinquency and every other social ill facing 1950s America. Congress investigated and, because of all the bad publicity, EC canceled all of their horror titles.

However, the jokes on Wertham and Congress because The Vault of Horror is now eagerly sought after by collectors and is viewed as a high point in comic book history. Below are a few covers from The Vault of Horror, all done by artist Johnny Craig.

Are you read to enter the Vault?

The Ghastly Covers of The Haunt Of Fear

Posted on October 14, 2019 by Dazzling Erin

The Haunt of Fear was a bi-monthly horror anthology comic that was published by EC Comics, from 1950 to 1954. Like its sister publication, Tales From The Crypt, The Haunt of Fear featured stories and artwork that were considered to be so controversial and so dangerous that Congress took it upon itself to investigate. Despite the fact that The Haunt of Fear was one of their most popular titles, EC Comics canceled the series as a result of the bad publicity.

Despite only lasting 28 issues, The Haunt of Fear remains a favorite of collectors and has been cited as an influence by a countless number of horror writers and filmmakers. Below are a few of the covers of the The Haunt of Fear, all of which were done by the artist Graham Ingels (who simply signed his work as “Ghastly.”) Remember that these covers were responsible for juvenile delinquency in the 50s so look at them at your own risk.

Here are the ghastly covers of The Haunt of Fear:

The Corrupting Covers of Tales From The Crypt

Posted on October 7, 2019 by Dazzling Erin

Published by EC Comics, Tales From The Crypt is one of the most fondly-remembered horror comics books of the 1950s. The series actually began under the title International Comics and went through several other title changes before becoming Tales From The Crypt. A horror anthology series that was hosted by The Crypt Keeper, The Vault Keeper, and the Old Witch, Tales From The Crypt ran from 1950 to 1955 and was so popular with young readers that a psychologist named Fredric Wertham claimed that reading the comic book could lead to juvenile delinquency and other deviant behavior. The resulting moral panic led to a Congressional investigation and the adaptation of the Comic Book Code. It also led to the cancellation of all of EC’s horror titles, including Tales From The Crypt.

In the decades since, issues of Tales From The Crypt have been highly sought after by collectors and the comic book even inspired a television show on HBO. Below is a selection of the covers of Tales From The Crypt, the series that corrupted America’s youth.

It’s always interesting to see what used to be controversial.

Halloween Havoc! Extra: The Mind-Warping World of EC Comics!

Posted on October 14, 2017 by gary loggins

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William M. Gaines’ graphic and gruesome line of horror, crime, and science fiction comics helped turn America’s youth into mouth-foaming, homicidal Juvenile Delinquents until they met with a horror of another kind – Dr. Fredric Wertham and the U.S. Congress! These beasts effectively destroyed EC through censorship and propaganda, ending one of graphic arts’ most creative eras. But EC still lives in the hearts and minds of horror fans everywhere, so here’s gallery of ten spine-chilling covers from the Golden Age of EC Comics! Spa Fon!

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Remembering Jack Davis (1924-2016)

Posted on July 27, 2016 by gary loggins

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If you grew up reading MAD magazine, you certainly know the name of Jack Davis. His unique style made him one of MAD’s most popular cartoonists, and his exaggerated, “big footed” characters weren’t just confined to the humor mag. Davis, who served in the Navy during WWII, did work for Navy News while in the service. After the war, he relocated to New York, and soon began illustrating for William Gaines’ EC Comics on their horror, crime, and war books. Davis became one of the original MAD artists, and from there drew everything from movie posters to album covers to TV Guide covers. Jack Davis passed away today at age 91, leaving behind a legacy of artwork for all to enjoy. Here are twelve examples of the distinctive art of Jack Davis: