AL FELDSTEIN BEFORE E.C.

Before Al Feldstein became an influential workhorse at Bill Gaines' EC Comics and horror comics in general, he plied his trade at the American Comics Group (aka ACG). Feldstein scripted and illustrated this story, "The Creekmore Curse" for ADVENTURES INTO THE UNKNOWN #3 (February-March 1949) featuring a creepy character by the name of Dr. Gaunt and his demonic disciples. Feldstein started working at EC in 1948, but he was still freelancing at the time.

A HALLOWEEN HORROR SUSPENSTORY

GOOD LORD! Here's a grisly tale from EC's SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES #2 (April-May 1952) that only Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein could think up for Graham Ingels to illustrate. Colors are by Marie Severin and lettering by Jim and Margaret Wroten.

Happy Halloween, everybody!

EC Comics are copyright (c) by William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc.

DON'T PANIC, IT'S CHRISTMAS!

EC's MAD became immensely popular with its wide readership, but was chronically misunderstood by critics. Their second humor magazine, PANIC received the same treatment with its parodies of TV shows, movies and poking fun at other institutionalized sacred cows.

PANIC was EC's answer to the multitude of imitators that had swooped in for a piece of the pie. This story in the first issue (February-March 1954) received a backlash from religious and conservative groups for its desecration of our most hallowed holiday. It was literally "banned in Boston" and the rest of Massachusetts as well. A legal hullabaloo ensued.

The strip is a mash-up of author Charles Clement Moore's famous poem (it was later attributed to Henry Livingston, Jr. in 2014). Bill "Will" Elder drew the story with the typical irreverent flair known by the "Mad" folks.

In any event, Merry Christmas and thanks for visiting!

NOTE: E.C. Comics logo and images are Copyright © by William M. Gaines, Agent, Inc., and are used here for historical purposes.