Number 2127: The mad killer

Walter Graves (an appropriate surname) is a psychiatric casualty of World War II. Shortly after the war he has trouble holding a job because of anger and violence issues. Walter has headaches. His doctor says there is no organic cause he can find, but Walter should get mental health treatment. Walter refuses, and as he leaves the doctor thinks, “He is a latent paranoid — a potential killer!” Is there such a thing as a latent paranoid? I was raised by a paranoid. Despite there being levels of paranoia I observed over the years (sometimes not so paranoid, sometimes very paranoid), the condition was always there. And being paranoid doesn’t necessarily make one a potential killer. So, folks, I am cautioning you, do not get your information on mental illness from comic books.

Since this is just a five-page story, in short order Walter takes care of his career as “the Destroyer,” murdering four people he blames for his problems. At the end of the story Walter’s doctor says, “This could have been prevented if there were laws covering potential killers . . . to keep them from walking the streets . . . we never know when some madman like Graves will strike! We never know — who’s next?” Unfortunately, not so easy, as we in the real world are often reminded. So-called “madness” is not always a reason for multiple murders.

Who is Next? #5 (1952) is the name of the one-issue only crime comic book from Standard. The writer of the story is unknown, but the art is by Eisner Award winner Nick Cardy, a longtime comic book pro who did some brilliant work for DC Comics later in his career.

I showed another story of a killer from Who is Next? in 2013. Just click on the cover (which also features the Jeepers Girl, a particular obsession of this blog and Pappy, which manifests itself every time one of those girls is spotted).

Posted in: Pappy Comics