Number 2252: Bernie Wrightson and the nightmare horror

In the early 1970s, when picking up comics with Bernie Wrightson’s artwork, it was with an eye toward Wrightson’s influences, including Graham “Ghastly” Ingels of EC Comics fame. At the time EC Comics were very chic among many of the comic book cognoscenti, imitated in both fanzines and underground comix. I liked Wrightson’s work, even when it was mainstream, for Marvel or DC. I was pleased when I picked up House of Mystery #204, attracted by the blob-monster cover, and the story’s artwork, both by Bernie.

The art is good, but the story is weak. The shrewish wife tells her beleaguered husband of her nightmare, which turns out to be a premonition. That is not a new idea, and even at that time seemed hackneyed. But, I loved Bernie’s artwork, so I don’t care if “All in the Family” does not live up to the drawings. That was a common failing in DC’s so-called “mystery” stories (can’t call them “horror” because of the Comics Code). Joe Orlando, a former artist at EC Comics, was the editor of House of Mystery. I consider the cover for this issue to be in the EC tradition.

This past Saturday, October 27, 2018, would have been Bernard Albert Wrightson’s 70th birthday. Bernie got taken by brain cancer last year, a real-life nightmare and horror story. It took away his ability to draw, then took his life. Read the Bernie Wrightson obituary by his widow, Liz.

 I mentioned Joe Orlando and EC Comics above. Here’s a Halloween bonus for you, the original art for “The Craving Grave” from Tales from the Crypt #39 (1954). The story is written by Bill Gaines and Albert Feldstein, and drawn by Orlando.

The tale has an added dimension to its dead body digging her way out of a grave to go after her killers: it is told from the point of view of the grave. If you can believe that a corpse can drag living people into the grave, then you can also believe a grave can think.

What we know is true about “The Craving Grave” is it was sold on Heritage Auctions (from whence came these scans; thank you, Heritage) for $7,760.50.

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