Just for fun, Ol' Groove's dug up the letter's page from Creepy #80. "Creeps" was definitely the highlight of ish 78 according to the fans!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Black and White Wednesday: "Creeps" by Goodwin, Severin, and Wood
What it is, Groove-ophiles! Today we're gonna take a look at "Creeps" from Warren's Creepy #78 (January 1976). The mag might've been Creepy, the story might've been about "Creeps", but the creative team was pure comicbook aristocracy! Author Archie Goodwin was an acknowledged master of the short shocker who helped set the style and tone of not only Creepy but the entire Warren b&w line when it was just aborning! Artists John Severin and Wally Wood set the comics world on its ear with their work (separately and together) on the legendary EC line of comics. To think that such a stellar line-up of talent was hanging out in the middle of the mag (along with a fear-fable by yet another Master of the Form, Alex Toth--which I'll lay on ya later if ya don't let me forget) without any fanfare on the cover is mind-boggling, but hey, t'was a Warren mag! Fans of Creepy were used to--nay, expected--a nine-times-a-year dose of pure magnificence. Man, were we spoiled back in the Groovy Age or what?
Just for fun, Ol' Groove's dug up the letter's page from Creepy #80. "Creeps" was definitely the highlight of ish 78 according to the fans!
And yeah, the Severin/Wood art does look very Ralph Reese-ish, dunnit?
Just for fun, Ol' Groove's dug up the letter's page from Creepy #80. "Creeps" was definitely the highlight of ish 78 according to the fans!
I thought the same about Reese being involved with this for years but another site posted this last year and someone (Bhob Stewart?) asked Reese who said he had nothing to do with the story. Odd because I STILL see what looks like his touch.
ReplyDeleteNice artwork, but honestly, I can't recognize Wally Wood's touch. Can someone point to a panel or page that indicates his work?
ReplyDeleteLester in panels 2 and 3 of the last page looks a lot like Kevin McCarthy from Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Also looks like Brian Bolland's artwork!
This is one story I'll remember forever. My exposure to it was getting the "Resurrection" issue while in Grade School... And though I prefered the sci-fi/fantasy stories, this I could recognize even back then as brilliant. This was the true terror tale for it was man as monster, no need for supernature or fantastic events.
ReplyDeleteMy fav story from creepy/resurrection issue though is "Yellow Heat" posted on another blog:
http://theporporbooksblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/yellow-heat-by-bruce-jones-story-and.html
I actually watched "African Cannibal" movies as a kid. Local theater in running down Midwest city got cheap movies and had matinees. What could possibly be wrong with showing kids classic movies from the 40s and 50s?
IF Wally Wood had pencilled the story instead of inking it, he would have been sure to include some nice shots of women, prostitutes, the office women, etc. Severin obviously thought differently. Except for the main character's mother, we barely see any women at all in the story.
ReplyDeleteActually Wood DID pencil the story and Severin inked it. In AGAINST THE GRAIN, John Severin said, "The only contact I ever had with him (Wood) business-wise was the one job we did together in which I managed to screw up his pencils. Totally."
ReplyDeleteThis story blew me away as a kid because I could see the hands of both Wood & Severin in it. I wondered for years who pencilled and who inked? Was is Wood apeing Severin's style or Vice Versa..... now I know from that Against the grain book also......Can't believe that Severin thought he screwed the inking up! The pairing up of thoes two was beautiful to me!
ReplyDelete