R.I.P. Richard Corben

 There was no  artist like Richard Corben, who passed December 2. While much of his output was too "mature" for Young Groove back in the Groovy Age, I have always admired his singular, savagely spectacular style. And THAT Meatloaf album cover.

Corben colors Eisner

Ken Kelly fooling Ol' Groove into thinking he was Corben! (Thanks Anonymous Groove-ophile!)

And then there was the time I was lucky enough to have a story published in an issue of The Creeps that Mr. Corben did the cover art for!

 Fly high, Rich Corben! And thank you for the adventures, shivers, and memories!

They Don't Make 'Em Like That Anymore (Or Do They?): The Creeps

Ya, know, Groove-ophiles, sometimes Ol' Groove has to wonder why he does what he does--and doesn't do. For example, The Creeps magazine has been around for going on three years, and while I've mentioned Rich Sala's genius revival of Warren's Creepy and Eerie, I've never done a full on post about 'em. Well, hang on, baby, and prepare to get...The Creeps!

UPDATE! Ol' Groove's "High Moon" will appear in this very issue, #13! Order your copy NOW!

If you love Black and White Wednesday here on the Diversions, you really want to get this mag! Rich Sala not only writes and edits, but he's also collected a small army of outstanding artists like Nik Poliwko, Jason Paulos, Russ Rainbolt, Mansyur Daman, Reno Maniquis, and several others whose styles don't ape but instead truly capture the feel of the classic EC-inspired styles of James Warren's original line-up of artists for his Creepy and Eerie mags. If that's not enough for you, then dig this: Sala has also managed to get art and stories from Warren alumni like Ken Kelly, Sanjulian, Rich Corben, Alex Nino, Pablo Marcos, Rich Buckler, Neal Adams, Frank Brunner, Ralph Reese, Jeff Easley, Alan Weiss, Val Mayerik, Bill Black, Nick Cuti, Don Glut, Roger McKenzie, T. Casey Brennan...I can keep going, but I'm sure you get the idea. Check out this random gallery of contents pages and splashes! If these don't turn you on, I don't know what will!

Oh, and as Ol' Groove has mentioned before, Sala even lets me write a terror-tale every now and again. My "Clownin' Around" was in ish #8, and I have another called "High Moon" that will appear in issue #13! Whoooo!

So what are you waiting for, baby? You want comics that capture the Groovy Age vibe--and use honest-to-gosh Groovy Age creators, to boot? Then get thee to The Creeps' website (or to thine fave comics shop or Barnes and Noble) and get...THE CREEPS!

Black and White Wednesday: "Pinball Wizard" by Moench and Corben

WHO in the name of Tommy had the audacity to create a short horror shocker called "Pinball Wizard"? No, not Elton John, ya dingbat! It had to be Doug Moench and Rich Corben for Creepy #66 (September 1974)! Talk about takin' a title literally!! Who! Er, I mean, whoooo!

Ya know you wanna hear the song--or better yet watch the video that shares this terror-tale's name!

Black and White Wednesday: "The Mummy's Victory" by McKenzie and Corben

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Football! Horror! Mummies! They go together like...well...okay, so they usually don't go together! Good thing Roger McKenzie and Rich Corben didn't know that when they produced "The Mummy's Victory" for Creepy #84 (September 1976)! Dig it, baby!

Black and White Wednesday: "The Oval Portrait!" by Poe, Margopoulos, and Corben

Happy April Fool's Day, Groove-ophiles! We'll celebrate with an awesome adaptation of a classic Edgar Allan Poe shocker from Creepy #69 (cover dated February 1975). Here are Rich Margopoulos and Richard Corben with..."The Oval Portrait!"