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.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

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.

EC HALLOWEEN MASKS

It's not too late to order up an officially-licensed EC Comics character mask for Halloween.Available from various web shops, including MONSTERS IN MOTION.

Trick or Treat Studios is proud to present the officially licensed EC Comics Collection - The Crypt Keeper. The Crypt Keeper was the host of EC Comics most popular comic book, Tales From the Crypt. In addition to hosting Tales From the Crypt, he would occasionally appear as a character and these appearances gave readers a glimpse of his biography. "The Lower Berth" (Tales from the Crypt #33) gives an account of the circumstances surrounding his birth. "While the Cat's Away" (The Vault of Horror #34) conducts a tour of his house above and below ground. "Horror beneath the Streets" (The Haunt of Fear #17) tells how he and his fellow Ghoulunatics got their EC publishing contracts. The founders of Trick or Treat Studios, being huge fans of EC Comics, were thrilled when we were awarded the license to EC Comics, directly from the Gaines Family. Without further ado, allow us to introduce The Crypt Keeper. Become the Crypt Keeper and spend your Halloween telling tales of horror to all the little kiddies in the neighborhood.

Trick or Treat Studios is proud to present the officially licensed EC Comics Ghastly Zombie mask. If you know the founders of Trick or Treat Studios, you know that they are huge fans of EC Comics, especially Tales From the Crypt, Haunt of Fear and Vault of Horror. So when we were given the license for EC Comics directly from the Gaines Family, we just about lost our minds. So without further ado allow us to introduce the Ghastly Zombie, which is the third of three masks to kick off our EC Comics collection for 25. Collect them all!

Sculpted by Justin Mabry.

EC OLD WITCH STATUE

Here's proof that the original EC Comics is still alive and well with another release of what is likely to be just the first of the new, limited edition Ghoulunatics statues: the EC Comics "The Old Witch" Creep-tastic Statue.

From Retro-A-Go-Go:

Join me, kiddies as we climb down into the dark, damp bowels of the crypt to dig up a new creation! Light a candle so we can gaze our bloodshot eyes over the latest addition to the Creep-tastic line of 5.5” highly fascinating masterpieces! Behold: it’s the “Old Witch”, a nauseating tribute to our favorite GhouLunatic from the classic EC Horror Comics of the 1950’s- (but have almost never been out of re-print!)

We’ve captured the “Old Witch” in all her bewitching glory: moth eaten robe, stringy, greasy hair, a rope belt at her waist and she even has glossy touches on her bulging eyes and (nearly) toothless mouth. Close inspection will reveal that her cauldron has an embossed EC logo on it. She’s brewing up a sickening vile and vulgar concoction that will put you under her spell! She’ll keep your EC-related books company and will ward off any evil spirits that threaten your collection!

We chained up our lead designer and EC comics fan, Doug P’gosh until he created the perfect “Old Witch” made famous by artist Graham “Ghastly” Ingels. We think you’ll agree that he did a masterful job of capturing her rotten essence.

Any EC comics, horror or Halloween collector will be thrilled to add her to the collection. Don’t wait- only 800 or less of the “Old Witch” will be created to truly make this a collector’s item.

Available from MONSTERS IN MOTION or RETRO-A- GO-GO.

Details:

• Approx. 5.5”H

• Sculpted and cast to bring out every rotten detail

• Cast in durable poly-resin

• Hand-painted with a mix of flat and glossy finishes to bring the old witch to life

• Packaged in full color collector’s box

• Production run limited to less than 800 pieces!

E.C. FAN-ADDICT FANZINE NO. 7 NOW SHIPPING!

Attention EC Comics fans! The 7th issue of the EC FAN-ADDICT FANZINE is now shipping through various outlets, including the publisher, Fantagraphics (click the image on the sidebar of this page).

Since Roger Hill passed away in December 2023, I figured issue #6 would be the last, but I'm sure glad I was wrong. Every issue is always filled with great info on EC Comics and related historical material. If you're a fan of EC or horror comics in general, you owe it to yourself to try a copy if you haven't yet.

NOTE: This issue comes with a signed bookplate if you order it from Bud's Art Books.

From the publisher:

The EC Fan-Addict Fanzine is now in its 7th big issue!

Edited by Grant Geissman and the late Roger Hill, this 120-page issue features a portfolio of pre-EC art by Jack Davis, an interview with the legendary publisher of the 1960s and 1970s prozine (and first-generation EC fan) Bill Spicer, a portfolio of Gary Arlington’s “What If?” EC covers released as part of his 1970s Nickel Library series, an article on collecting Humbug/Harvey Kurtzman-related collectibles, a 1958 interview with Kurtzman conducted by John Benson and Larry Ivie, another installment of “The EC Collector,” an interview with the notorious Dr. Fredric Wertham about his final book, The World of Fanzines: A Special Form of Communication, a vintage 1967 visit with Frank Frazetta, and much more!

Featuring a front cover painting by Laurie Snow Hein (a longtime student of EC’s Graham Ingels), and a back cover done in 1954 by Al Williamson. Another must-have issue for EC Comics fans!

Pages: 120

Format: Paperback

Color: Full-color

Dimensions: 8.6" × 11.1"

ISBN-13: 9798875001512

Sample pages:

EC COMICS VIDS

Today's post features two YouTube videos about EC Comics. The first is a short documentary that chronicles the company from its beginnings with Max Gaines and the rest of the famed comics' history until their demise after the Comics Code Authority.

There is at least one error in the narrative: Bill Gaines was not subpoenaed to appear before the Senate Committee Hearing on Juvenile Delinquency as the narrator explains; for good or bad, he appeared voluntarily and was skewered by Senator Estes Kefauver and Co. during the proceedings

The second is a shorter tale of EC Comics. In this, we see and hear Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein, Joe Orlando, Russ Cochran and others. The image quality is very poor, but it's worth getting through it to see these luminaries while they were all still alive.

As in the first video, there is at least one error that I noticed. The Senate Subcommittee Hearings were in 1954, not 1953.

THE LATEST EC FANZINES

Make some room on your bookshelf for two new EC Comics fanzines. HORROR FROM THE CRYPT OF FEAR #18 is now shipping and EC FAN ADDICT #7 ships in August.

HORROR FROM THE CRYPT OF FEAR 18

Art by XNO, Monte Wolverton, Angelo Torres, et al. All new, extra large, perfect bound, wrap around cover. Celebrate the 31st Anniversary of HFTCOF….a history of this classic EC zine. Bill Gaines’ only File Copy of Vault #12 by Thommy Burns. Paul Wee’s Ghoulunatic Gallery by Bill Stout and another by Al Feldstein. The history of Dennis Cunningham’s horror zine Weirdom that published the first Richard Corben work. Shock Suspenstories issue by issue. Picto-Fiction examined by the late Roger Hill. A History of Horror by Lou Russo. The EC Giveaway comics by Thommy Burns. The wedding of Nuemanstein by Ken Hooper. 1982 EC Dimension Convention photo album by Bill Leach. Bill Leach, 2025.

Now shipping. Order HERE.

EC FAN ADDICT 7

Edited by Grant Geissman and the late Roger Hill, this 120-page issue features a portfolio of pre-EC art by Jack Davis, an interview with the legendary publisher of the 1960s and 1970s prozine (and first-generation EC fan) Bill Spicer, a portfolio of Gary Arlington's "What If?" EC covers released as part of his 1970s Nickel Library series, an article on collecting Humbug/Harvey Kurtzman-related collectibles, a 1958 interview with Kurtzman conducted by John Benson and Larry Ivie, another installment of "The EC Collector," an interview with the notorious Dr. Fredric Wertham about his final book, The World of Fanzines: A Special Form of Communication, a vintage 1967 visit with Frank Frazetta, and much more

Featuring a front cover painting by Laurie Snow Hein (a longtime student of EC's Graham Ingels), and a back cover done in 1954 by Al Williamson. Another must-have issue for EC Comics fans.

Format: Paperback

Language: English

ISBN: B0F5LK1ZWH

ISBN13: 9798875001512

Release Date: August 2025

Publisher: Fantagraphics-Fu

Length: 120 Pages

Pre-order HERE.

MY EC COMICS HISTORY

Inside the just released CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN #41 (Spring 2025) is my latest article "Ten-Cent Terrors! The Horrifying History of EC Comics". It runs 15 pages and 9,000 words. As with much of the rest of my writing, I could have probably turned in twice that, but Don Smeraldi's editorial restrictions prevailed! Wife Vicki again did a fabulous job with the layout as with the rest of the content.

There's much more to offer in this issue: "Henry Frankenstein: In His Own Words" by Frank Dello Stritto, "Tandra Quinn: Web of the Spider Woman" by Tom Weaver, "The 88 Edits of Sinbad" by filmmaker Larry Blamire, profiles of Lionel Atwill and Peter Coe, and a lot more within its 132 pages. And that cover by Scott Jackson is a stunner!

You may be able to find a copy at Barnes & Noble, Books A Million or your favorite comic shop, but Diamond Distributors' collapse has limited brick and mortar circulation for the time being. The best way to get a copy is to order it directly right HERE.

FRANKEN-NEUMAN!

We all know that EC's Bill Gaines stuck it to the Comics Code Authority when he converted the controversial humor comic, MAD, into a full-size magazine. Circulation gradually became enormous and with the addition of their mascot, Alfred E. Neuman, it got even crazier. Neuman spoofed and parodied his way on nearly every cover of MAD during its initial 550 issue run.

The creative folks at Jimmy Flintstone's model kit company will take Alfie's image one step further when they release two resin busts with him as two famous monsters later this month.

The Alfred E. Franky tribute bust stands 4 1/4" H x 3" W x 2 1/4" D. Since it is technically a model kit, it requires some assembly, including trimming off some flashing. It also arrives unpainted, so you'll need some skills with that as well.

The Alfred E. Drac tribute bust stands 4 1/4" H x 3 1/4" W x 2 1/4" D and the same requirements apply.

Each sells for $21.99 and you can pick them up on eBay.