W is for Wrightson

Bernie Wrightson of course. Here's some fanzine stuff...

Gamut #2, 1977.

I'll Be Damned #4, January 1971.

ACBA Sketchbook, 1975.

Colour Your Dreams, 1972.

This Is Legend #1, 1970.

"The Cryptics," color print inserted in Infinity #5, 1973.

Scream Door #1, 1971.

Spa Fon #5, 1969.

Bernie Wrightson: Stake Out

"Stake-Out" is a humorous four-pager by Bernie Wrightson. The opening splash page is serviceable but unspectacular. Pages two and three are really the highlights. Wrightson shows off a good knowledge of sequential narrative. The protagonist's actions from panel to panel follow a logical progression and the flow is natural and pleasing to the eye. The payoff is on the last page and requires some knowledge of EC Comics and The Seduction of the Innocent. It looks to me on the last page Bernie tried to draw the different horror hosts in the style of the artist most often associated with them. This shows particularly well on the Crypt Keeper/Jack Davis face and the Old Witch/Graham Ingels figure.

"Stake-Out" was originally published in I'll Be Damned #2 (July 1970) and has since been reprinted in both The Mutants (1980) and The Reaper of Love (1988). It was probably reprinted in Back For More, but damn it, I can't put my hands on my copy of that book.

Bernie Wrightson: Out on a Limb!

"Out on a Limb!" was originally published in I'll Be Damned #4 (January 1971). Bernie Wrightson drew the story in 1970 and shows some more maturity and individual style than his earlier fanzine work. The Frazetta influence is not as evident and there more of a smoothness and confidence than in his 1969 and 1970 short efforts for DC's mystery titles. That may be because of the better reproduction in this black and white story.

"Out on a Limb!" has been reprinted in The Mutants and The Reaper of Love. It was also reprinted in a butchered form in the British magazine Hammer's House of Horror #21 under the title "One Too Many."

I've included at the end of this post Wrightson's cover for the never-published Web of Horror #4. It's possible this story was intended for that magazine.

Bernie Wrightson Ad

Here's an ad for a fanzine called Prism with a really cool drawing by Bernie Wrightson. I don't know when and if the fanzine actually came out. I'm guessing the date would be around 1968-1970.

Uncle Bill's Barrel

"Uncle Bill's Barrel" is Bernie Wrightson's second published comic book story. It first appeared in the fanzine Graphic Showcase #2, dated Summer 1969. (Later reprinted in the book Badtime Stories) Another early Wrightson story, "A Case of Conscience," appeared in Castle of Frankenstein magazine the previous year. This early effort by Bernie shows the influence of Frank Frazetta as much of Wrightson's early work does. The shotgun wedding panel on page 7 looks like it could be from Frazetta's run on "Lil' Abner." But "Uncle Bill's Barrel" shows an already growing mastery of line that became one of the hallmarks of his work. It is a humorous story of moonshine loving backwoods zombie. Bernie attempts and pulls off some nice compositions such as the panel at the top of the third page. The body being pulled out of the water provides the immediate focal point of the panel. The rope and the figures pulling on it naturally leads the reader from left to right to the spectators in the foreground. The middle panel on page 4 nicely conveys the shock and explosion of movement as Bill's corpse leaps out of the coffin.

I recall reading somewhere that Carmine Infantino saw a set of negative photostats of this story which led to Bernie getting his first job at DC Comics. "Uncle Bill's Barrel" was a fine early effort by a then up and coming young artist already showing some of the trademark mannerisms and craftmanship that would make Wrightson's work so unique and captivating in the years to come.

The Wrightson Completionist: Part 4

The fourth in a series of posts highlighting oddball Bernie Wrightson items in my collection.



Back in my early Bernie Wrightson collecting days, something called "Heritage Mailing Label" was always showing up in Wrightson checklists. I figured I'd never get that, and wasn't even sure what it was. By this point I was getting lists from various dealers and buying obscure fanzines and Wrightson portfolios and prints. But who would save a mailing label? And why do these people torture me by putting stuff like this on checklists? I later found out it was used as a label by the publishers of a fanzine called Heritage.

Sometime in the late 1980's, a friend of a friend was liquidating his collection. I came over with lots of cash in hand and picked up a bunch of Wrightson and Kaluta fanzines at decent prices. In this box of the guy's stuff was this padded envelope, with a Heritage Mailing label on it, complete with Bernie Wrightson artwork. I don't even remember if the guy charged me for it. I bought both of his Heritage fanzines and I think he just threw it in there with them. Above is an image of what was once a middling holy grail for me. Unfortunately, a little piece of the image is torn. If I ever see another one for sale in better condition, I'd probably have to buy it.

Doug Murray and Richard Garrison published two fine issues of the fanzine Heritage in 1972. Both issue were dedicated to Flash Gordon.

Pictured below is Bernie's contribution to Vol. I, issue 1B.



Al Williamson and Gray Morrow's cover for Heritage Vol. I, issue 1B.

Rocket's Blast Comic Collector

Rocket's Blast Comic Collector (RBCC) was a comic and science fiction fanzine published by James Van Hise in the 1960's and 1970's. Information online is pretty hard to come by about this important fanzine. The important thing is, RBCC featured art by professional and up-and-coming artists such as Vaughn Bode, Frank Brunner, Mike Zeck, Don Newton, Steve Fabian, Neal Adams, and of course Bernie Wrightson. Below is a gallery of RBCC covers by Bernie.



RBCC #86, 1971.



RBCC #114, no date.



RBCC #117, no date.



RBCC #125, Feb. 1976.



RBCC #125 (Back Cover)

Bernie Wrightson: The Early Years

Bernie Wrightson has been working professionally as a comic artist and horror and fantasy illustrator since 1968. His first published professional work was for DC Comics' line of horror titles House of Mystery and House of Secrets. Bernie's work for DC also included his classic run on Swamp Thing from 1972 to 1974. He went on to illustrate a classic series of stories for Warren Publishing in their flagship titles Creepy and Eerie. Dark Horse recently republished his classic illustrated version of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Below is one of Bernie's first published pieces, a fan club drawing by Bernie published in Creepy #9 (June, 1966)

 

Before Bernie began working for DC, and in his early days as a comic professional, he often provided drawings for fanzines. These were self-published magazines, put together by comic fans and often published in small quantities. These fanzines gave Bernie and other artists of his generation a chance to hone their craft and keep their work in front of fans. Below is a selection of Bernie's early work from some of these fanzines.

Cover for the 1971 Metro Con program book.

 

An early rendition of Victor Frankenstein and his monster. From the fanzine Colour Your Dreams published by Capitol City Comix in 1972. The drawing is circa 1968.

 

Another version of Frankenstein's monster. From Spa Fon #5, published in September 1969.

 

A sinister drawing of Peter Piper. Published as the back cover of Infinity #3, vol. 2. 1971.