DON'T BURY ME--I'M NOT DEAD!

Taking a cue from Edgar Allen Poe's "The Premature Burial", the unknown writer of this tale tells the story of an unnamed man who is winged by a passing car and hits his head on a fire hydrant after leering at a girl on the street who shows a little leg when her skirt is blown up in the breeze!

Appearing medically dead but still conscious, his unfaithful wife gives permission for the coroner to have his body donated to "medical science". The slightly-nutty doctor removes the man's heart, after which he is placed in a coffin and buried like any other stiff. The problem is, after all he's gone through, he's still alive!

"Cry From the Coffin" was drawn by the Iger Shop and published in Farrell's STRANGE FANTASY in their October 1953 issue.

On a side note, this title was edited by Ruth Roche, who was one of the very few women of that era to hold such a lofty position. Miss Roche was part-owner of the Iger Shop from 1945 to 1961.

A (PERMANENT) VISIT TO WEREWOLF CASTLE

Here's another story of a doomed couple from Farrell's VOODOO #18 (November-December 1954) with art by the Eiger Shop. This one has an introduction by an old crone that looks suspiciously like another one from a certain Bill Gaines line of horror comics.

WARNING IN THE SAND

Newlyweds Richard and Sylvia Porter find a nice honeymoon spot on the beach. They happen upon an old hag that warns them not to read what she has written in the sand. Sylvia can't help herself and reads what's written in the sand -- the date of her death, and it's tomorrow! Sure enough, she's killed in a car crash and Richard, beside himself with grief, plunges into the sea to drown. But, hey, this is a horror comic and a weird twist of fate ensues.

"Let Me Die Today" appeared in VOODOO #18 (Farrell, November-December 1954) with art by the Iger Shop. One more issue of VOODOO would be published and then it would fold in the wake of the infamous Senate Hearings and subsequent Comics Code Authority.

I WANT MY EYES!

This unintentionally hilarious story, "The Terror of Akbar", was produced by the Iger Shop for Farrell's STRANGE FANTASY #10 (February-March 1954). An ancient mummy comes back to life and breaks out of his sarcophagus to reclaim his eyes that have been returned to the museum where he is on display. All he has to do is follow the bouncing eyes. A laugh out loud moment is when he has just broken free and is "attracted to the light", a hard thing to do when one is sightless, to say nothing about tracking them down in the first place! Also of note is the name "Akbar" has its origins in India/Pakistan, not Egypt. Artistic license!

LOOK, MA -- NO HANDS!

One of the themes explored in TwoMorrows' latest issue of the new CRYPTOLOGY is that of disembodied hands. The idea of a severed limb has forever frightened people, especially if it comes back to life!

Peter Normanton discusses dismembered limbs in his pre-code horror comics excesses article. Like a number of other tropes, this device was used numerous times and in the most outlandish ways. One of the stories he mentions is "Devil Claws" from HORRIFIC #3 (Comic Media, January 1953). Likely out of the Iger Shop, the writer and artist are unknown, so I'll let the story speak -- or scream -- for itself. Ugh!

HORROR COMICS AFTER THE CODE

After the Comics Code Authority was enacted on October 26, 1954, comic book publishers were forced to comply with its strict guidelines (see the Code listed in the index under this blog's title) or have their titles refused by wholesalers and distributors who were quaking at the thought of additional harassment by various pressure groups. As a result, crime and horror comics -- and comic books in general -- were essentially "de-clawed" and the kind of books that were being published before the Code disappeared into history.

One of the surviving publishers was Farrell Comics Group. Formed in 1940 as Farrell Publications by Robert W. Farrell (aka Izzy Katz), it was reorganized into Farrell Comics Group in 1951. During this period, the company published the horror comics, FANTASTIC FEARS, HAUNTED THRILLS, STRANGE FANTASY and VOODOO (see more HERE) supplied by the Iger Shop.

After the Code, Farrell -- under its Ajax imprint -- attempted to produce a "horror" comic that would pass the guidelines. The first issue of MIDNIGHT went on sale with a cover date of April 1957. It was comprised of reprints from their earlier horror titles with the "offensive" content modified. The result was a lukewarm offering of "strange" stories with none of the terror, gore or bloodshed that readers were flocking to the stands to buy just a few years earlier. Consequently, enthusiasm quickly waned and it lasted for only eight issues until June 1958 when Farrell shuttered its doors.

Following issue #1 shown here are examples of the changes made to the stories to comply with the Code.

Before and After: The original page followed by the modified page.