Number 2458: Going crazy for horror comics

I was reminded recently that artist Steve Stiles died in January, 2020 at age 76. In 1991 he did some horror comics work for publisher Bruce Hamilton, who is also deceased. Stiles, who began his art career as a comics fan, could draw in a variety of styles lovingly based on the work of other artists. The stories I am showing today are an homage to the EC horror comics.

This is a what I wrote about Stiles in the Pappy blog for December 28, 2011:

Steve Stiles is an artist I first encountered in early '60s science fiction fanzines.Years later I saw his artwork popping up in underground comix, alternative comics, even Heavy Metal magazine.

In '91 and '92 Bruce Hamilton published some black and white horror comics, Grave Tales, Dread of Night and Maggots. There were only eight total issues of the three titles, and Stiles had stories in five of them.

Both of the stories I'm showing today are about insanity and comic book artists. "Black and White and Red All Over" combines art styles of Jack Davis, Graham Ingels and Johnny Craig in homage to EC Comics. It's from Grave Tales #2 (1991), and is written by Eric Dinehart. "Perchance to Dream," published in Maggots #3, is written by Russ Miller. Both stories are lettered by Bill Pearson.

Posted in: Pappy Comics