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Horror comics

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Horror comicsarecomic books,graphic novels,black-and-white comics magazines, andmangafocusing onhorror fiction.In the US market, horror comic books reached a peak in the late 1940s through the mid-1950s, when concern over content and the imposition of the self-censorshipComics Code Authoritycontributed to the demise of many titles and the toning down of others. Black-and-white horror-comics magazines, which did not fall under the Code, flourished from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s from a variety of publishers. Mainstream American color comic books experienced a horror resurgence in the 1970s, following a loosening of the Code. While the genre has had greater and lesser periods of popularity, it occupies a firm niche in comics as of the 2010s.

Horror comics
EC Comics'Tales from the Crypt#24 (July 1951)
Cover art byAl Feldstein
Subgenres
Related genres

Precursors to horror comics include detective and crime comics that incorporated horror motifs into their graphics, and early superhero stories that sometimes included the likes of ghouls and vampires. Individual horror stories appeared as early as 1940. The first dedicated horror comic books appear to beGilberton Publications'Classic Comics#13 (August 1943), with its full-length adaptation ofRobert Louis Stevenson'sStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde,andAvon Publications' anthologyEerie#1 (January 1947), the first horror comic with original content. The first horror-comics series is the anthologyAdventures into the Unknown,premiering in 1948 fromAmerican Comics Group,initially under the imprint B&I Publishing.

Precursors

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Thehorrortradition in sequential-art narrative traces back to at least the 12th-centuryHeian periodJapanesescroll"Gaki Zoshi", or the scroll ofhungry ghosts( chỉ bổn trứ sắc ngạ quỷ thảo chỉ )[1][2][3]and the 16th-centuryMixtec codices.[3]

Gilberton Publications'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(August 1943), possibly the first full-length comic-book horror story

In the early 20th-century,pulp magazinesdeveloped the horrorsubgenre"weird menace",which featuredsadisticvillains and graphic scenes oftortureand brutality. The first such title, Popular Publications'Dime Mystery,began as a straightcrime fictionmagazine but evolved by 1933 under the influence ofGrand Guignoltheater.[4]Other publishers eventually joined in, though Popular dominated the field withDime Mystery,Horror Stories,andTerror Tales.While most weird-menace stories were resolved with rational explanations, some involved the supernatural.

After the fledgling medium of comic books became established by the late 1930s, horror-fiction elements began appearing insuperherostories, with vampires, misshapen creatures, mad scientists and other tropes that bore the influence of theUniversalhorror filmsof the 1930s and other sources.[5]

In 1935,National Periodicalspublished the first story ofDoctor OccultbyJerry Siegel(script) andJoe Shuster(Art) inNew Fun Comics# 6, where he confronts Vampire Master. InDetective Comics# 31–32,Batmanfights a vampire.[6]

By the mid-1940s, some detective and crime comics had incorporated horror motifs such as spiders and eyeballs into their graphics, and occasionally featured stories adapted from the literary horror tales ofEdgar Allan Poeor other writers, or stories from the pulps and radio programs.[7][a]The single-issueHarvey ComicsanthologiesFront Page Comic Book(1945), bearing a cover with a knife-wielding, skeletal ghoul,[8]andStrange Story(July 1946),[9]introduced writer-artistBob Powell's character the Man in Black, an early comic-book example of the type ofomniscient-observerhost used in such contemporarysupernaturaland suspenseradio dramasasInner Sanctum,Suspense,andThe Whistler.[10]

As cultural historianDavid Hajdunotes, comic-book horror:

...had its roots in the pulps, where narratives of young women assaulted by 'weird menaces'... had filled magazines such asTerror TalesandHorror Storiesfor years. Variations on gothic fright had also appeared in several comics—Suspense Comics(which began in 1943),Yellowjacket(which included eight horror stories, billed as "Tales of Terror", in its run of ten issues, beginning in 1944), andEerie(which had one issue published in 1947).[11]

Early American scene

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Avon Publications'Eerie Comics#1 (January 1947). Cover artist unknown.

Issue #7 (December 1940) of publisherPrize Comics' flagship title,Prize Comics,introduced writer-artistDick Briefer's eight-page feature "New Adventures of Frankenstein",an updated version of novelistMary Shelley's much-adaptedFrankenstein monster.[12]Called "America's first ongoing comic book series to fall squarely within thehorrorgenre "by historianDon Markstein,[13]and "[t]he first real horror series" by horror-comics historian Lawrence Watt-Evans,[14]the feature ran throughPrize Comics#52 (April 1945)[15]before becoming a humor series and then being revived in horrific form in the seriesFrankenstein#18-33 (March 1952 - November 1954).

Gilberton Publications' 60-pageClassic Comics#12 (June 1943) adaptedWashington Irving'sshort story"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"as a backup feature to Irving's"Rip Van Winkle"[16]in a package titledRip Van Winkle and the Headless Horseman.[17]The next issue,Classic Comics#13 (August 1943), adaptedRobert Louis Stevenson's horrornovellaStrange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hydeas the full-length storyDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,making it the earliest known dedicated horror comic book.[18]

HistorianRon Goulart,making no mention of those earlier literary adaptations, identifiesAvon Publications'Eerie#1, dated January 1947[19]and sold in late 1946, as "the first out-and-out horror comic book".[10]Its cover featured a red-eyed, pointy-eared fiend threatening arope-bound,beautiful young woman in a scanty red evening gown, set amid a moonlit ruin. The anthology offered six primarily occult stories involving the likes of a ghost and a zombie.[10]While all but one writer are unknown — Edward Bellin, who teamed with young artistJoe Kuberton the nine-page "The Man-Eating Lizards"[19]— the artists includeGeorge RoussosandFred Kida.[10]After this first issue, the title went dormant, but reappeared in 1951 asEerie,beginning with a new #1 and running 17 issues (1951 - September 1954).[20]

Goulart identifies the long-runningAdventures into the Unknown(Fall 1948 - August 1967), fromAmerican Comics Group,initially under the imprint B&I Publishing,[21]as "the first continuing-series horror comic".[22]The first two issues, which included art byFred Guardineerand others, featured horror stories of ghosts, werewolves, haunted houses, killer puppets and other supernatural beings and locales. The premiere included a seven-page, abridged adaptation ofHorace Walpole's seminalgothic novelThe Castle of Otranto,by an unknown writer and artistAl Ulmer.[21]

Following the postwarcrime comicsvogue spearheaded by publisherLev Gleason'sCrime Does Not Pay,which by 1948 was selling over a million copies a month,[23]cameromance comics,which by 1949 outsold all other genres,[24]and horror comics. The same month in whichAdventures into the Unknownpremiered, the comic-book companyEC,which would become the most prominent horror-comics publisher of the 1950s, published its first horror story, "Zombie Terror", by the then relatively unknown writer and artistJohnny Craig,in the superhero comicMoon Girl#5.[25][26]Almost simultaneously, Trans-World Publications issued its one-and-only comic, theone-shotMysterious Traveler Comics#1 (November 1948), based on theMutual Broadcasting Network'sradio show of that nameand including amid its crime andscience-fictionstories a reprint of theEdgar Allan Poeadaptation "The Tell Tale Heart",reprinted fromCharlton Comics'Yellowjacket Comics#6.[26][27]Street and Smith also published two issues of "Ghost Breakers" in late 1948. (ibid GCDB)

The floodgates began to open the following year with the first horror comic from the 1950s' most prolific horror-comics publisher,Atlas Comics,the decade's forerunner ofMarvel Comics.While horror had been an element in 1940ssuperherostories from the original predecessor company,Timely Comics,through the war years, "when zombies, vampires, werewolves, and even pythonmen were to be found working for theNazisand the Japanese ",[22]the publisher entered the horror arena full-tilt withAmazing Mysteries#32 (May 1949), continuing the numbering of the defunct superhero seriesSub-Mariner Comics,followed by the superhero anthologyMarvel Mystery Comicsbecoming the horror seriesMarvel Taleswith #93 (August 1949) and the final two issues ofCaptain America Comicsbecoming the mostly horror-fictionCaptain America's Weird Tales#74-75 (October 1949 & February 1950) — the latter of which did not contain Captain America at all.[28][29]Harvey Comics followed suit with its costumed-crimefighter comicBlack Catby reformatting it as the horror comicBlack Cat Mysterywith issue #30 (August 1951).[10][30]

EC Comics and the horror boom

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Main article:EC Comics

Horror comics briefly flourished from this point until the industry's self-imposed censorship board, the Comics Code Authority, was instituted in late 1954. The most influential and enduring horror-comics anthologies of this period, beginning 1950, were the 91 issues ofEC Comics' three series:The Haunt of Fear,The Vault of HorrorandThe Crypt of Terror,renamedTales from the Crypt.[31]

In 1947, publisherWilliam Gaineshad inherited what was thenEducational Comicsupon the death of his father,Maxwell Gaines.Three years later, Gaines and editorAl Feldsteinintroduced horror in two of the company'scrime comicsto test the waters. Finding them successful, the publisher quickly turned them and aWesternseries into EC's triumvirate of horror. Additionally, the superhero comicMoon Girl,which had become theromance comicA Moon...a Girl...Romance,became the primarilyscience fictionanthologyWeird Fantasy.[32]For the next four years, sardonic horror hosts theOld Witch,theVault KeeperandThe Crypt Keeperintroduced stories drawn by such top artists and soon-to-be-famous newcomers asJohnny Craig,Reed Crandall,Jack Davis,Graham Ingels(who signed his work "Ghastly" ),Jack Kamen,Bernard Krigstein,Harvey Kurtzman,andWally Wood.[33]Feldstein did most of the early scripting, writing a story a day withtwist endingsand poetic justice taken to absurd extremes.

EC's success immediately spawned a host of imitators, such asZiff-Davis' and P.L. Publishing'sWeird Adventures,[34]St. John Publications'Weird Horrors,[35]Key Publications'Weird Chills,[36]Weird Mysteries[37]andWeird Tales of the Future,[38]Comic Media'sWeird Terror,[39]Ziff-Davis'Weird Thrillers,[40]andStar Publications'Ghostly Weird Stories.[41]Others includedQuality Comics'Web of Evil,[42]Ace Comics'Web of Mystery,[43]Premier Magazines'Horror from the Tomb[44]Harvey Comics'Tomb of Terror,Witches Tales,andChamber of Chills Magazine,[45]Avon Comics',Witchcraft,[46]Ajax-Farrell Publications'Fantastic Fears,[47]Fawcett Publications'Worlds of FearandThis Magazine Is Haunted,[48]Charlton Comics'The Thing,[49]and a slew fromAtlas Comics,includingAdventures into Weird Worlds,[50]Adventures into Terror,[51]Menace,Journey into Mystery,andStrange Tales.Indeed, from 1949 through comicscover-datedMarch 1955, Atlas released 399 issues of 18 horror titles,ACGreleased 123 issues of five horror titles, and Ace Comics, 98 issues of five titles — each more than EC's output.[31]

Backlash

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Beware: Chilling Tales of Horrornumber 10 (July 1954). Artwork byFrank Frazetta.

In the late 1940s, comic books – particularlycrime comics[52]– had become the target of mounting public criticism for their content and their potentially harmful effects on children, with "accusations from several fronts [that] charged comic books with contributing to the rising rates ofjuvenile delinquency."[53]Many city and county ordinances had banned some publications,[54]though these were effectively overturned with a March 29, 1948,United States Supreme Courtruling that a 64-year-oldNew York Statelaw outlawing publications with "pictures and stories of deeds of bloodshed, lust or crime" was unconstitutional.[55]Regardless, the uproar increased upon the publication of two articles: "Horror in the Nursery" byJudith Crist,in the March 25, 1948, issueCollier's Weekly,[53]based upon the symposium "Psychopathology of Comic Books" held a week earlier[53]bypsychiatrist[56]Fredric Wertham;and Wertham's own features "The Comics... Very Funny!" in the May 29, 1948, issue ofThe Saturday Review of Literature,[57]and a March 19, 1948 symposium called "Psychopathology of Comic Books" which stated that comic books were "abnormally sexually aggressive" and led to crime.[58]

In response to public pressure and bad press, anindustry trade group,theAssociation of Comics Magazine Publishers(ACMP) was formed with the intent of prodding the industry to police itself. The Association proved ineffective as few publishers joined and those who did exercised little restraint over the content of their titles.[59]

Seduction of the Innocent

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In 1954, Dr. Fredric Wertham publishedSeduction of the Innocent,a tome that claimed horror, crime and other comics were a direct cause ofjuvenile delinquency.Wertham asserted, largely based on undocumented anecdotes, that reading violent comic books encouraged violent behavior in children.[59]Wertham painted a picture of a large and pervasive industry, shrouded in secrecy and masterminded by a few, that operated upon the innocent and defenseless minds of the young. He further suggested the industry strong-armed vendors into accepting their publications and forced artists and writers into producing the content against their will.[60]

Wertham alleged comics stimulated deviant sexual behavior. He noted female breasts in comics protruded in a provocative way and special attention was lavished upon the female genital region.[60]A cover byMatt BakerfromPhantom Ladywas reprinted in the book with the caption, "Sexual stimulation by combining 'headlights' with thesadist'sdream of tying up a woman ".[59]Boys interviewed by Wertham said they used comic book images for masturbation purposes, and one young comics reader confessed he wanted to be a sex maniac. Wertham contended comics promotedhomosexualityby pointing to the Batman–Robin relationship and calling it a homosexual wish dream of two men living together. He observed that Robin was often pictured standing with his legs spread and the genital region evident.[60]

Most alarmingly, Wertham contended that comic books fostered deceitfulness in children, who might read funny animal comics in front of their parents but then turn to horror comics the moment their parents left the room. Wertham warned of suspicious stores and their clandestine back rooms where second hand comics of the worst sort were peddled to children. The language used evoked images of children prowling about gambling dens and whorehouses, and anxious parents felt helpless in the face of such a powerful force as the comics industry. Excerpts from the book were published inLadies' Home JournalandReader's Digest,lending respectability and credibility to Wertham's arguments.[60]

A 14-page portfolio of panels and covers from across the entire comic book industry displayed murder, torture and sexual titillation for the reader's consideration. The most widely discussed art was that from "Foul Play", a horror story from EC about a dishonest baseball player whose head and intestines are used by his teammates in a game.Seduction of the Innocentsparked a firestorm of controversy and created alarm in parents, teachers and others interested in the welfare of children; the concerned were galvanized into campaigning for censorship.[59]

Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency

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Public criticism brought matters to a head. In 1954, anti-crime crusaderEstes Kefauverled theSenate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency.Dr. Wertham insisted upon appearing before the committee. He first presented a long list of his credentials, and then, in his clipped German accent, spoke with authority on the pernicious influence of comic books upon children. His passionate testimony at the hearings impressed the gathering. Kefauver suggested crime comics indoctrinated children in a way similar to Nazi propaganda. Wertham noted Hitler was a beginner compared to the comics industry.[60]

Crime Suspenstories(April/May 1954) was entered as evidence in the Senate hearings.

Publisher William Gaines appeared before the committee and vigorously defended his product and the industry. He took full responsibility for the horror genre, claiming he was the first to publish such comics. He insisted that delinquency was the result of the real environment and not fictional reading materials. His defiant demeanor left the committee (which felt the industry was indefensible), astonished.[60]He had prepared a statement that read in part, "It would be just as difficult to explain the harmless thrill of a horror story to Dr. Wertham as it would be to explain the sublimity of love to a frigid old maid."[59]

Crime Suspenstories,issue 22, April/May 1954, was entered into evidence. The exchange between Gaines and Kefauver led to a front-page story inThe New York Times:

He was asked by Senator Estes Kefauver, Democrat of Tennessee, if he considered in "good taste" the cover of hisShock SuspenStories,[b]which depicted an axe-wielding man holding aloft the severed head of a blond woman. Mr. Gaines replied: 'Yes, I do—for the cover of a horror comic.'[61]

Though the committee's final report did not blame comics for crime, it recommended that the comics industry tone down its content voluntarily.[62]

Creation of the Comics Code

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By 1953, nearly a quarter of all comic books published were horror titles.[63]In the hearings' immediate aftermath, several publishers revamped their schedules and drastically censored or cancelled many long-running comic series.[59]

In September 1954, theComics Magazine Association of America(CMAA) and itsComics Code Authority(CCA) was formed. The Code had many stipulations that made it difficult for horror comics to continue publication, since any that didn't adhere to the Code's guidelines would likely not find distribution. The Code forbade the explicit presentation of "unique details and methods of crime...Scenes of excessive violence...brutal torture, excessive and unnecessary knife and gun play, physical agony, gory and gruesome crime...all scenes of horror, excessive bloodshed, gory or gruesome crimes, depravity, lust,sadism,masochism...Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking dead, or torture ".[59]

Perseverance

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As a result of the Congressional hearings,DC Comicsshifted its ongoing horror titles,House of Mystery(1951–1987) andHouse of Secrets(1956–1966), toward the suspense and mystery genres, often with a science fiction bent. In fact, from 1964 to 1968,House of Mysterybecame a mostly superhero title, featuringJ'onn J'onzz, the Manhunter from Marsand, later,Dial H for Hero.Similarly, during this periodMarvel Comicsproduced the titlesStrange Tales(1951–1968) andJourney into Mystery(1952–1966). Each company gradually changed from suspense stories toward fantasy, science fiction and monster stories, and then to related superhero characters during the years after the code came into effect. Charlton Comics' suspense titles, such as Unusual Tales, persisted to the mid-1960s. ACG titles Adventures into the Unknown and Unknown Worlds thrived during this Silver Age period until the company folded in 1967.

The publishersGilberton,Dell Comics,andGold Key Comicsdid not become signatories to the Comics Code, relying on their reputations as publishers of wholesome comic books.[64]Classics Illustratedhad adapted such horror novels asFrankensteinandDr Jekyll and Mr Hydein comic book form, and quickly issued reprints with new, less gruesome covers. Dell began publishing the licensedTV seriescomic bookTwilight Zonein 1961 and publishing aDraculatitle in 1962 (though only the first issue was horror related; the subsequent issues were part of the super-hero genre revival), followed in 1963 by the new series "Ghost Stories." Gold Key, in addition to releasingBoris KarloffThriller,based on the TV seriesThriller(and retitledBoris Karloff Tales of Mysteryafter the show went off the air), bought theTwilight Zonelicense from Dell in 1962.[64]

In 1965 Gold Key put out three licensed horror-themed comics, two based on the TV horror-comediesThe Addams FamilyandThe Munsters,and the other titledRipley's Believe it or Not!,which had three different subtitles: "True Ghost Stories," "True War Stories" (#1 and #5), and "True Demons & Monsters" (#7, #10, #19, #22, #25, #26, and #29).

Warren Publishingcontinued the horror tradition in the mid-1960s, bypassing the Comics Code Authority restrictions by publishing magazine-sized black-and-white horror comics.[65]Under the direction of line editorArchie Goodwin,Warren debuted the horror anthologiesCreepy(1964–1983) andEerie(1966–1983), followed byVampirella,an anthology with a lead feature starring a sexy young female vampire.

The low-rent Warren imitatorEerie Publicationsalso jumped into the black-and-white horror magazine business, mixing new material with reprints from pre-Comics Codehorror comics, most notably in its flagship titleWeird(1966–1981), as well as the magazinesTales of Voodoo(1968–1974),Horror Tales(1969–1979),Tales from the Tomb(1969–1975), andTerror Tales(1969–1979).Stanley Publicationsalso published a line of black-and-white horror magazines from 1966 to 1971, including the titlesShockandChilling Tales of Horror.

Resurgence

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A number of supernatural mystery / suspense titles were introduced in the latter half of the 1960s, includingCharlton Comics'Ghostly Tales,The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves,andGhost Manor;andMarvel Comics'Chamber of Darkness/Monsters on the ProwlandTower of Shadows/Creatures on the Loose.AtDC Comics,newHouse of MysteryeditorJoe Orlandoreturned the title to its horror roots with issue #175 (July/August 1968); a similar transformation was made toHouse of SecretsandThe Unexpected(formerly "Tales of the Unexpected"), with the company debuting a new title,The Witching Hour.

In 1971, the Comics Code Authority relaxed some of its longstanding rules regarding horror comics, which opened the door to more possibilities in the genre:

Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with, walking dead or torture shall not be used. Vampires, ghouls and werewolves shall be permitted to be used when handled in the classic tradition such asFrankenstein,Dracula,and other high-caliber literary works written byEdgar Allan Poe,Saki,Conan Doyle,and other respected authors whose works are read in schools around the world.[66]

Following this, Marvel returned to publishing true horror by first introducing a scientifically created, vampire-like character,Morbius, the Living Vampire,[67]followed by the introduction ofDraculainTomb of Dracula.This opened the floodgates for more horror titles, such as the anthologySupernatural Thrillers,Werewolf by Night,and two series in whichSatanor a Satan-like lord ofHellfigured,Ghost Riderand the feature "Son of Satan."In addition, followingWarren Publishing's longtime lead, Marvel's parent company in1971 began a black-and-white magazine imprint,which published a number of horror titles, includingDracula Lives!,Monsters Unleashed,Vampire Tales,Tales of the Zombie,Haunt of Horror,andMasters of Terror.Additionally,Skywald Publicationsoffered the black-and-white horror-comics magazinesNightmare,Psycho,andScream.

DC during this time continued to publish its existing supernatural fiction and added new horror series such asGhosts,The Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love(later titledForbidden Tales of Dark Mansion),Secrets of Haunted House,Secrets of Sinister House,Swamp Thing,Weird Mystery Tales,Weird War Tales,andTales of Ghost Castle.Charlton continued in this vein as well, withGhostly Haunts,Haunted,Midnight Tales,Haunted Love,andScary Tales.

Underground cartoonists,many of them strongly influenced by 1950sEC ComicslikeTales from the Crypt,[68]also tried their hands at horror. Titles likeSkull(Rip Off Press/Last Gasp,1970–1972),Bogeyman(Company & Sons/San Francisco Comic Book Company,1969),Fantagor(Richard Corben,1970),Insect Fear(Print Mint,1970),Up From The Deep(Rip Off Press, 1971),Death Rattle(Kitchen Sink Press,1972),Gory Stories(Shroud, 1972),Deviant Slice(Print Mint, 1972) andTwo-Fisted Zombies(Last Gasp, 1973) appeared in the early 1970s.

By the mid-1970s, the horror comics boomlet slowed and various titles were cancelled. Only a few of the DC titles persevered by the end of the decade, the long-running Gold Key mystery comic series ceased during the early 1980s, and some predominantly-reprint Charlton series managed to survive to the mid-1980s. DC's traditional titles sputtered out during the early 1980s, and its transformed anthology "Elvira's House of Mystery" was the final code-approved traditional anthology title to be produced, lasting only a dozen issues around 1987. As these and Warren publications disappeared, new titles from the 1980s onward would all be in new formats (i.e. glossy paper, not code-approved) or sporadically produced by small independent companies.

1980s and 1990s

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Beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s, independent publishers produced a number of successful horror comics franchises.FantaCo EnterprisesandMillennium Publicationsboasted lineups almost exclusively devoted to horror, vampire, and zombie comics. For instance, 1985 saw the revival of Kitchen Sink'sDeath Rattle,followed a year later by the debut of FantaCo's horror anthologyGore Shriek,edited byStephen R. Bissette,who also contributed stories to each issue. Bissette also edited the acclaimed anthologyTaboo,which ran from 1988 to 1995.

In 1982,Pacific Comicsproduced two series that, while admittedly inspired by theEC Comicsof the 1950s, foresaw the form that horror comics would take in the coming decades. Printed in color on high-quality paper stock despite a higher cover price, the seriesTwisted TalesandAlien Worldswere short-lived and hard-pressed to keep to a regular production schedule, but offered some of the most explicitly brutal and sexual stories yet to be widely distributed in a mainstream ( "non-underground" ) format. Both series eventually moved toEclipse Comics,which also produced similar titles such asThe Twisted Tales ofBruce JonesandAlien Encounters(which they inherited from Fantaco). Later horror titles from DC'sVertigoline had more in common with these Pacific/Eclipse efforts, and more success, than DC's sporadic efforts to revive or maintain the traditional horror comic title (e.g.Elvira's House of Mystery).Wasteland (DC Comics)was a pre-vertigo, non-Code horror series from DC in the late 1980s.

In 1982, DC Comics revived theSwamp Thingseries, attempting to capitalize on the summer 1982 release of theWes Cravenfilm of the same name.In 1984, BritonAlan Mooretook over the writing chores on the title, and whenKaren Bergerbecame editor, she gave Moore free rein to revamp the title and the character as he saw fit. Moore reconfigured Swamp Thing's origin to make him a true monster as opposed to a human transformed into a monster. Moore's (and artistsStephen R. BissetteandJohn Totleben's)Swamp Thingwas a critical and commercial success, and in 1988 spun off the ongoing seriesHellblazer,starringoccult detectiveJohn Constantine.

In 1993, DC introduced its mature-readersVertigoline, which folded in a number of popular horror titles, includingHellblazerandSwamp Thing.One of Vertigo's early successes wasNeil Gaiman'sSandman,which reworked a number of DC's old horror characters and added fantasy to the mix. A number of other horror titles carried on at Vertigo, likeDeadman,House of MysteryandHaunted Tank,or were given a horror spin or an update likeKid EternityandJonah Hex.

In the mid-1990sHarris Publicationsalso revivedVampirella,and Marvel, after mostly taking the 1980s off, published its "Midnight Sons"line of horror comics that included such series as a revivedGhost Rider,Nightstalkers,Darkhold: Pages from the Book of SinsandMidnight Sons Unlimited.

Modernity

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North America

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In addition to its long-running titles carried over from the 1990s, Vertigo published more conventional horror, like vampires inBite Club(beginning in 2004),[69]andVamps.In addition, from 1999 to 2001 they published their own horroranthology,Flinch.

AtImage Comics,Robert Kirkmanhas createdThe Walking Dead.Steve Nilespredominantly writes horror comics, and his30 Days of Nighthas spawned a range of mini-series released byIDW Publishing.[70]AtDark Horse,Mike Mignolahas been working onHellboy,and has created a largefictional universewith spin-off titles likeBPRDandLobster Johnson.[71]

There had been also superhero horror comics like with Spawn, Venom, and Ghost Rider.

In the 2000s and 2010s, Marvel producedBladeand theMarvel Zombies franchise.Marvel's adult imprintMAX,introduced in 2001, has also provided a venue for reinterpretations of Marvel horror characters where more violence can be used, leading to theDead of Nightminiseries based onDevil-Slayer,[72][73]Werewolf by Night[74]andMan-Thing,[75]as well as a reworking ofZombie[76]andHellstorm: Son of Satan.[77][78]Richard Corbenhas also been writingHaunt of Horror,a number of series based on the work ofEdgar Allan PoeandH.P. Lovecraft.[79]

Europe

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Great Britain

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In the post-World War II period, horror comics arrived in Britain, largely based on reprints of American material. This led to protests similar to those in the States. In 1955, theChildren and Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Actwas introduced, which led to the horror reprints disappearing fromnews agents' shelves.[80]

In the early 1970s there were a couple of horror comics —IPC'sShiver and ShakeandMonster Fun— but these were also humour titles pitched at younger children. It was only during the boom inBritish comicsin the late 1970s and early 1980s that there were horror comics pitched at older boys and girls —IPC/Fleetway'sScream!andMisty,respectively. Whether it was because of fears over the content, or the difficult financial times in the mid-1980s,Scream!stopped publishing in 1985, with only two of its stories being merged with theEagle.[81]Lord Horroralso was published.

After thecomic industry bustin the mid-1990s, the only mainstream venue was2000 AD,which featured stories likeChiaroscuroandCradlegrave,as well as those drawing on theCthulhu Mythos,likeNecronautsandCaballistics, Inc..

TheBritish small pressalso publishes horror comics, like theanthologySomething Wicked.

In 2008, theLondon Horror Comiclaunched, becoming the first full-colour UK horror comic to be shipped worldwide throughDiamond Comic Distributors.[82]

Italy

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Starting from the 1960s, up until the early 1980s Italy also saw a number of erotic-horror publications usually featuring female characters. One of the first, in 1964, wasSatanik,byMax BunkerandMagnus,which belonged to the first wave of the so-called"fumetto nero"characters, alongsideDiabolikandKriminal(also by Bunker and Magnus). Satanik was quickly followed by a flurry of other horror heroines, such asJacula,Sukia,Yra,Zora(all vampiresses),Ulula(a werewoman), and others. These erotic-horror comics were mostly published by Ediperiodici andEdifumetto,helmed by publishers/writersGiorgio CavedonandRenzo Barbieri,respectively, and were part of the "pocket erotici" editorial craze, also known as "fumetti sexy". These cheap publications featured the talents of both established and buddying Italian comics artists, such as a youngMilo Manara(onZordon), and featured colourful, gruesome and very effective covers created by commercial illustrators and painters such asAlessandro Biffignandi,Fernando Carcupino,Averardo Ciriello,Pino D'Angelico,Ferdinando TacconiandEmanuele Taglietti,among others. Some of these publications, likeWallestein the Monster,were briefly published in English and the British publisherKorero Presshas collected many of the original covers in its ongoingSex and Horrorartbook series.[83][84][85][86]

Since 2018 Annexia has been publishing one-shots, featuring brand new adventures ofUlula,Jakula,SukiaandZora,among others, and in 2020 Editoriale Cosmo has reprinted some of the original stories in their "Classics of Italian Erotica" series.[87]

In the late 1980s, the genre became again popular, spearheaded by the Italian horror comic seriesDylan Dog,created by veteran comic-writerTiziano Sclavi,visually defined by cover artistClaudio Villaand published bySergio Bonelli.It has achieved great success, both in its homeland and abroad, with translations in the US (byDark Horse Comics,with brand new covers byMike Mignola), Germany, Spain, Serbia, Croatia, Denmark, Poland, Turkey and India. In the early 1990s, other publishers tried to emulate the success ofDylan Dog.Among them was ACME, which published two monthly horror anthologies titledSplatterandMostri,which featured both original stories by promising young Italian artists (such asBruno Brindisi,Roberto De Angelisand Luigi Siniscalchi, who later went to work for Bonelli, some of them even on Dylan Dog) and translated material. A selection of stories from the Splatter anthology has been collected and reprinted in two volumes, published in 2017 and 2018 by Editoriale Cosmo.[88][89]

Among the most recent and noteworthy original horror comics series areThe Cannibal Family,created in 2013 by writer Stefano Fantelli and artist Stefano Piccioni and published by Edizioni Inkiostro, and the anthologyMostri,published since 2015 by Bugs Comics, featuring work by young artists and later also established ones, such as Elena Casagrande.[90]

Japan

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The term "horror" as a genre, only began circulating in Japan in the 1960s in press and everyday language. Prior to this, horror fiction as it may be known was referred to with terms like "mystery", "terror", and "dread".[91]

According tomangaauthor and criticYoshihiro Yonezawa,the first boom of horror manga with the success of theKaiki shōsetsu zenshū'and the success of theBritish horror filmsfromHammer Filmswhich began circulating in Japan and gaining popularity.[92]In 1958, the first magazine devoted exclusively to horror and mystery wasKaidanwhich appeared atKashi-hon(lending libraries), which had 101 issues published by Tsubame until 1968.[91]A sister publication to it, titledŌru kaidanalso began and lasted 84 volumes. Among the authors to these stories were Shinichi Koga, Hama Shinji,Sanpei Shirato,Goseki Kojima,Kazuo Umezuand Miki Ibara.[93]Due to the circulation of these magazines, a growing interest in the supernatural developed, inspired by traditional Japanese ghost stories (kaidan) such asYotsuya Kaidanas well as classical Japanese woodcut prints with themes of Japanese ghosts.[94][95]The stories within these publications fall into two stories set in theTokugawa eraand those set in the a Tokyo filled with skyscrapers, amidst murders and eerire demonic presences. These stories began circulating with themes of vengesful spirits or ghosts, storied linked to tragic karmic fate, and both original and retelling of ancient ghost stories.[92]Stories from around the world began influencing the stories, with narratives being set in the United States and France, as well the appearing of other horrific-traits such as bats, lizard-men,Frankenstein's monster-like creatures. American writers such asH.P. Lovecraftwas repedeatly paid homage to by Japanese manga authors.[96]

Following the birth and the weekly magazines, and a new style known as bothkyofuandkowaimanga (terror and scary respectively) began appearing that attracted a younger audience thanKaidanandOru kaidanwhich appealed to teenagers. These included long series such asHakaba KitarōbyShigeru Mizukiwhere characters from Japanese folkore coexist with the themes from teenage manga from the period. The popularity of these stories led to similarly styledanimeseriesHumanoid Monster Bem(1968).[97]Throughou the 1960s and 1970s, different publishers continued horror titles in mainstream magazines, without devoting specific publication to them, with titles likeDevilman(1972). Smaller publishers released Hibari Hit series allowed their authors to complete freedom, in whichHideshi Hinogot his start.[98]The influence of these smaller published was felt in late 1980s published magazines such asHalloweenpublished from 1986-1995,Suspiria(1987-2012), and the 1990s withHorror M.As it had in the 1960s and 1970s, the genre returned in magazines aimed at women with young women, with some authors such as Hino and Jiro returning along with newcomers likeNarumi KakinouchiandKanako Inuki.[99]

In the 21st century, series based around zombies and the undead appeared with titles likeHighschool of the DeadandJunji Ito'sGyo.[100]

Styles and themes

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Material in these stories are often drawn from Japanese folkore figures likeyokai.[101]This includes several stories involving cats with supernatural powers, cat with metamorphic abilities calledbakeneko.Cat in these comics are often black, and have appeared in several stories through decades such asKin'iro hitomi(1960),Neko to watashi to haha to buta(1968) andBakeneko shojo(1982).[101]Like thebakeneko,transformation is another key topic, with many stories of foxes, snakes, or cranes that transofmr into beautiful women for either revenge or to ensnare a man and bring him to ruin. Often, the main character also undergoes inexplicable transformation into an animal or monstrous or hybrid creatures. These traits are key in the manga of Kazuo Umezu, which often cycle among the fear that any human being will stop being themselves and turn into something else, such asReptiliaor often a child will transform into an adult, ill and lacking freedom or autonomy.[95]

Among the sub-genres of comics is theguro,meaning grotesque, bizarre, horrific. Horror manga sometimes dedicated an entire page or two to aguroscene, as unlike films which can have music to play to enhance a narrative, horror manga often had these pages to shock the reader at the exact moment of turning a page.[102]Among the majorero-guro(erotic grotesque) manga creators wasSuehiro Maruo,described byThierry Groensteenas "theDe Sadeof contemporary manga. "[102]

Online

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Horror comics are also published on the web, with horror webcomics that include the pioneering work ofEric Monster Millikin,an anthologywebtoon,Tales of the Unusualand Zuda comicsHigh Moon.

Video spinoffs

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Comics have formed part of themedia franchisefor popularhorror movieslikeTexas Chainsaw Massacre,Friday the 13th,HalloweenandArmy of Darkness.They have also been adapted fromhorror video games,likeSilent Hill.

Horror comics have also been sources for horror films, such as30 Days of Night,HellboyandBlade,and, from horror manga, such films asUzumaki(2000),Z ~Zed~(2014)[103]and two 1980s movies directed by comics creatorHideshi Hinoadapted from his mangaGuinea Pig:Flower of Flesh and BloodandGuinea Pig: Mermaid in a Manhole.Robert Kirkman's comic-book seriesThe Walking Deadwas adapted in 2010 intoan ongoing TV serieson the AMC cable network.

Some horror films and television programs have had comic-book sequels, such asBuffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight,as well asprequelsor interstitial stories, such asSaw: Rebirthand28 Days Later: The Aftermath,respectively.

Horror hosts

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See also:Horror host

Radio dramahorror and suspense anthology series devoted to horror and suspense plays, such as "The Sealed Book",Lights Out,Quiet, Please,The Whistler,andInner Sanctum Mysteries,which broadcast from the 1930s–1950s, had sinister "hosts" who introduced and wrapped up the stories. The tradition was introduced into horror comics, many of which were also anthology titles, with many stories in each issue.

EC Comicsutilized the conceit of a character who "hosted" the book, often starring in a framing sequence at the beginning of each issue. The most notorious EC hosts were the "GhouLunatics":The Crypt Keeper,The Old Witch, andThe Vault-Keeper.In the 1960s, Warren came up with the hostsUncle CreepyandCousin Eerie,and DC followed suit with their hostsCain and Abel(as well as such minor hosts asEve,Destiny,Lucien,and theMad Mod Witch).[c]Charlton had a large cast of hosts for their horror/suspense titles. Marvel Comics for the most part did not, though the publisher briefly used the characters ofDiggerand Headstone P. Gravely.

The following is a list of hosts from various horror comics titles from over the years.

Title Host Publisher Publication dates
Chamber of Darkness Digger
Headstone P. Gravely		 Marvel 1969–1971 (retitledMonsters on the Prowlwithout a host)
Creepy Uncle Creepy Warren 1964–1983
Dr. Spektor Presents Spine-Tingling Tales Doctor Spektor Gold Key 1975–1976
Eagle The Collector IPC Magazines 1982–?
Eerie Cousin Eerie Warren 1966–1983
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark Elvira, Mistress of the Dark Claypool Comics 1993–2007
Forbidden Tales of Dark Mansion Charity (1972–1974) DC 1971–1974
Ghosts Squire Shade (1981–1982) DC 1971–1982
Ghost Manor(2 vols.) Old Witch (1968–1971)
Mr. Bones (1971–1984)		 Charlton 1968–1971 (vol. 1, retitled asGhostly Haunts)
1971–1984 (vol. 2)
Ghostly Haunts Winnie the Witch Charlton 1971–1978
Ghostly Tales Mr. L. Dedd/Mr. I.M. Dedd Charlton 1966–1984
The Haunt of Fear The Old Witch EC 1950–1954
Haunted Impy
Baron Weirwulf (1975–1984)		 Charlton 1971–1984
The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves Dr. M.T. Graves Charlton 1967–1986
House of Mystery Cain(1968–1983)
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark(1986–1987)		 DC 1951–1983, 1986–1987 (titledElvira's House of Mystery), 2008–present
House of Secrets Abel(1969–1978) DC 1956–1978, 1996–1999
Midnight Tales Professor Coffin (a.k.a. The Midnight Philosopher)
Arachne Coffin		 Charlton 1972–1976
Nightmare Skywald Publications 1974
Plop! Cain
Abel
Eve		 DC 1973–1976
Psycho Skywald Publications 1974-1975
Scary Tales Countess R.H. Von Bludd Charlton 1975–1984
Scream Skywald Publications 1974
Scream! Ghastly McNasty
The Leper
The Night Comer (1986Scream! Summer Special)
Ghoul (1989,Scream! Spinechillers Holiday Special)		 IPC 1984, various specials until 1989
Secrets of Haunted House Cain and Abel
Eve
Destiny(issues #1-7, 9, & 11–39)		 DC 1975–1982
Secrets of Sinister House Eve(issues #6–16) DC 1972–1974
Strange CasesinJudge Dredd Megazine Judge Strange[104] Fleetway Publications 1991–1992
Tales from the Black MuseuminJudge Dredd Megazine Henry Dubble[105] Rebellion Developments 2006–present
Tales from the Crypt The Crypt Keeper EC 1950–1955
Tales of Ghost Castle Lucien DC 1975
The Thing! The Thing Charlton 1952–1954
This Magazine is Haunted Dr. Death
Dr. Haunt		 Fawcett, Charlton 1951–1958
Tower of Shadows Digger
Headstone P. Gravely		 Marvel 1969–1971 (retitled asCreatures on the Loose,with no host)
The Unexpected Abel
The Three Witches
Mad Mod Witch(1969–1974)		 DC 1968–1982
Vampirella Vampirella(1969–1970 as host; afterward as leading character) Warren
Harris Publications/Dynamite Entertainment		 1969–1983
1991–present
The Vault of Horror The Vault-Keeper
Drusilla (1952–1955)		 EC 1950–1955
Weird Mystery Tales Dr. E. Leopold Maas (1972)
Destiny(1972–1974)
Eve(1973–1975)		 DC 1972–1975
Weird War Tales Death DC 1971–1983
The Witching Hour The Three Witches DC 1969–1978

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^On pp. 5-7 of Lawrence Watt-Evans' piece, "The Other Guys," the author mentions as examples Et-Es-Go / Continental Magazines'Suspense Comics#1 (December 1943); Rural Home Publications'Mask Comics#1 (March 1945); E. Levy / Frank Comunale /Charlton Comics'Yellowjacket Comics#6 (December 1945); Baily Publications' single-issue detective anthologySpook Comics#1 (1946); andLev Gleason/ Your Guide Publishing's single-issue humor titleSpooky Mysteries#1 (1946), all of which appeared before the first regularly published horror-comics series, but after the 1940 premiere ofDick Briefer's ongoing short feature "New Adventures of Frankenstein".
  2. ^The actual issue in evidence was issue no. 22 ofCrime SuspenStories,May, 1954.
  3. ^ DC'sSecrets of Haunted House#44 [January 1982] was a special issue in which horror hosts were being murdered. Abel, Cain, Eve, Lucien, and Squire Shade gather with a group of children for a Halloween party at the Haunted House. A murderer is killing them, though, and the Three Witches are nowhere to be seen.

Citations

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  1. ^"Gaki Zoshi (Scroll of hungry ghosts)".Tokyo National Museum.Archivedfrom the original on 2016-04-11.Retrieved2009-05-20...
  2. ^"Gaki-zoshi (Scroll of the Hungry Ghosts)".Kyoto National Museum.Archivedfrom the original on 2011-06-12.Retrieved2009-05-27...
  3. ^abBissette, Stephen R.,and Rupert Bottenberg,"Description:Stephen R. Bissette's Journeys into Fear",FantasiaFest.com,July 16–17, 2005.WebCitation archive.
  4. ^Haining, Peter (2000).The Classic Era of American Pulp Magazines.Prion Books.ISBN1-85375-388-2.
  5. ^Vassallo, Michael J. "The History of Atlas Horror/Fantasy" inMarvel Masterworks:Atlas Era Strange Tales Vol. 1(Marvel Publishing:New York City,New York,2007),ISBN978-0-7851-2771-0,p. vi
  6. ^Golden, Christopher; R. Bissette, Stephen; E. Sniegoski, Thomas (2000).The Monster Book.Simon and Schuster.p. 146.ISBN9780671042592.
  7. ^Watt-Evans, Lawrence (Summer 1997)."The Other Guys".The Scream Factory.No. 19 – via Watt-Evans.com.,reprinted as"The Other Guys: A Gargoyle's-Eye View of the Non-EC Horror Comics of the 1950s".Alter Ego.No. 97. October 2010. pp. 3–33.
  8. ^Front Page Comic Bookat the Grand Comics Database
  9. ^Strange Storyat the Grand Comics Databsse
  10. ^abcdeGoulart 1986,p. 255.
  11. ^Hajdu 2008,p. 141.
  12. ^Prize Comics#7 (December 1940)at theGrand Comics Database
  13. ^Frankenstein (1940)atDon Markstein's Toonopedia
  14. ^Watt-Evans,Alter Ego,p. 5: "...there were no horror comics as such in the earliest days. The first real horror series seems to have been the 'Frankenstein' series by Dick Briefer, inPrize Comics... [which was] a superhero title, featuring the Black Owl, the Green Lama, and the like, except for this one aberration ".
  15. ^Indexers Lou Mougin/Tony R. Rose,Prize Comics#52 (April 1945)at the Grand Comics Database
  16. ^Watt-Evans,Alter Ego,p. 7
  17. ^Cover,Classic Comics#12at the Grand Comics Database
  18. ^Overstreet, Robert M., ed.The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide(37th edition: Gemstone Publishing /House of Collectibles:Timonium,Maryland/New York City,New York,2007),ISBN978-0-375-72108-3,p. 499. Notation atClassic Comics#13: "(1st horror comic?)"
  19. ^abEerie(Avon, 1947 Series)at theGrand Comics Database.Eerie Comicsis the title as per its cover logo; per this source, its title in its postalindiciacopyrightinformation is simplyEerie.Its January 1947 date appears in the indicia though not on its cover,
  20. ^Eerie(Avon, 1951 Series)at the Grand Comics Database
  21. ^abAdventures Into the Unknown(American Comics Group, 1948 Series)at the Grand Comics Database
  22. ^abGoulart 1986,p. 256.
  23. ^Benton, Mike.Crime Comics: The Illustrated History(Taylor Publishing Company:Dallas,Texas,1993) pp. 19-21
  24. ^"Love on a Dime",Time,August 22, 1949, p. 41
  25. ^Moon Girl#5at the Grand Comics Database
  26. ^abWatt-Evans,Alter Ego,p. 8
  27. ^Mysterious Traveler Comics#1at the Grand Comics Database
  28. ^Captain America Comicsat the Grand Comics Database
  29. ^Watt-Evans,Alter Ego,p. 9
  30. ^Black Cat(Harvey, Home Comics, Inc. imprint, 1946 Series)at the Grand Comics Database. This title would continue through #53 (December 1954), become aWesternfor three issues, return with #57 (March 1956), then become the supernaturalBlack Cat Mystic#58-62 (September 1956 - March 1958)
  31. ^abVassallo, p. vii[clarification needed]
  32. ^Hajdu 2008,pp. 176–178.
  33. ^Goulart 1986,pp. 256–257.
  34. ^Weird Adventures,Ziff-Davis, 1951 SeriesandWeird Adventures,P.L. Publishing, 1951 Seriesat the Grand Comics Database
  35. ^Weird Horrorsat theGrand Comics Database
  36. ^Weird Chillsat theGrand Comics Database
  37. ^Weird Mysteriesat theGrand Comics Database
  38. ^Weird Tales of the Futureat theGrand Comics Database
  39. ^Weird Terrorat theGrand Comics Database
  40. ^Weird Thrillersat theGrand Comics Database
  41. ^Ghostly Weird Stories, Star Publications [1949-1954], 1953 Seriesat theGrand Comics Database
  42. ^Web of Evil, Quality Comics, 1952 Seriesat theGrand Comics Database
  43. ^Web of Mysteryat theGrand Comics Database
  44. ^Horror from the Tombat theGrand Comics Database
  45. ^Tomb of TerrorandWitches Talesat the Grand Comics Database
  46. ^Witchcraft, Avon, 1952 Seriesat theGrand Comics Database
  47. ^Fantastic Fearsat theGrand Comics Database
  48. ^Worlds of Fearat theGrand Comics Database
  49. ^The Thingat theGrand Comics Database
  50. ^Adventures into Weird Worldsat theGrand Comics Database
  51. ^Adventures Into Terror,Marvel, 1950 SeriesandMarvel, 1951 Seriesat the Grand Comics Database
  52. ^Hajdu 2008,pp. 92–94.
  53. ^abcVassallo, Michael J. (2010). "The History of Atlas Horror/Fantasy: The Comics Code 1955 (introduction)".Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Journey into Mystery.Vol. 3. Marvel Worldwide. p. vi (unnumbered).
  54. ^For example,Bellingham,Washingtonin August 1948 passed a binding prohibition against the sale of 50 specific comic-book series (Hajdu 2008,p. 106.); theCounty of Los Angeleson September 23, 1948, outlawed the sale of crime comics to minors (Hajdu 2008,p. 107.); and that same year theAmerican Municipal Societyreported that nearly 50 municipalities had "banned the sale of certain comic books". (Hajdu 2008,p. 108)
  55. ^Hajdu 2008,p. 95.
  56. ^Hajdu 2008,p. 98.
  57. ^Hajdu 2008,p. 113.
  58. ^Benton, Mike (1989)The comic book in America: an illustrated historypg 45
  59. ^abcdefgGoulart 1986,pp. 161–162, 172–183, 206–217.
  60. ^abcdefWright, Bradford. (2003).Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America.JHU Press.ISBN0-8018-7450-5,ISBN978-0-8018-7450-5.152–153, 161–166.
  61. ^Kihss, Peter (April 22, 1954). "No Harm in Horror, Comics Issuer Says".The New York Times.p. 1.
  62. ^Comic Books and Juvenile Delinquency: Interim Report of the Committee on the judiciary pursuant to S. Res. 89 and S. Res. 190 (83d Cong. 1st Sess.) - (83d Cong. 2d Sess.): A Part of the Investigation of Juvenile Delinquency in the United States.
  63. ^Harris, Franklin (June 2005)."The Long, Gory Life of EC Comics: Why the Crypt-Keeper Never Dies".Reason Magazine.Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-21.Retrieved2009-02-05.
  64. ^ab(Golden, Christopher; Stephen Bissette, Thomas E. Sniegoski (2000)The Monster BookSimon & Schuster)
  65. ^Roach, David A.; Cooke, Jon B. (2001).The Warren Companion.Two Morrows Publishing. p. 37.ISBN978-1-893905-08-5.
  66. ^Thompson, Maggie(February 1971). "Crack in the Code".Newfangles(44).
  67. ^Comic Book Legends Revealed #216Archived2016-03-07 at theWayback Machine,Comic Book Resources
  68. ^Sabin, Roger (1996). "Going underground".Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels: A History Of Comic Art.London, United Kingdom: Phaidon Press. pp. 92; 94–95; 103–107; 110; 111; 116; 119; 124–126; 128.ISBN0-7148-3008-9.
  69. ^Brady, Matt (July 19, 2003)."Joining Chaykin & Tischman's Bite Club".Newsarama.RetrievedOctober 4,2008.[permanent dead link‍]
  70. ^STEVE NILES WEEK, Day 3: The IDW Books,Comic Book Resources,October 30, 2003
  71. ^Mignola on Hellboy's Extended Universe,Comic Book Resources(March 3, 2008).
  72. ^Richards, DaveWW Philly: Devil-Slayer Returns in "Dead of Night",Comic Book Resources,May 31, 2008
  73. ^Warren Simons & Brian Keene On Max's Devil-Slayer,Newsarama,June 3, 2008
  74. ^Swierczynski on "Werewolf By Night",Comic Book Resources,December 19, 2008
  75. ^Aguirre-Sacasa talks "Dead of Night featuring Man-Thing",Comic Book Resources,February 13, 2008
  76. ^Singh, Arune (June 2, 2006)."Marvel Fanboys: Mike Raichit Talks 'Zombie'".Comic Book Resources.Retrieved2009-03-11.
  77. ^Shout at the Devil: Irvine talks "Son of Satan",Comic Book Resources,June 2, 2006
  78. ^WW Philadelphia - Axel Alonso on The Return of HellstormArchived2007-10-17 at theWayback Machine,Newsarama,June 2, 2006
  79. ^Corben and Lovecraft at Marvel in JuneArchived2008-12-08 at theWayback Machine,Newsarama,March 20, 2008
  80. ^Barker 1992.
  81. ^Jordan, Darren."Scream! the Eighties British Horror comic mystery...",Comic Book Review (April 17, 2008).
  82. ^Editor, The."British Horror Invasion,"Comic Book Bin (June 22, 2008).
  83. ^Sex and Horror: The Art of Emanuele Taglietti.Korero Press. March 2015.
  84. ^Sex and Horror: The Art of Alessandro Biffignandi.Korero Press. June 2016.
  85. ^Sex and Horror: The Art of Fernando Carcupino.Korero Press. February 2020.
  86. ^Sex and Horror.Vol. Four. Korero Press. March 2021.
  87. ^I classici dell'erotismo italiano.Editoriale Cosmo. 2020.
  88. ^Splatter 1 – Profeti dall'inferno.Editoriale Cosmo. July 26, 2017.
  89. ^Splatter 1 – Un pugnale nel cervello.Editoriale Cosmo. April 4, 2018.
  90. ^"Mostri 9".Bugs Comics.October 31, 2018.
  91. ^abLa Marca 2024,p. 1.
  92. ^abLa Marca 2024,p. 3.
  93. ^La Marca 2024,pp. 1–2.
  94. ^La Marca 2024,p. 2.
  95. ^abLa Marca 2024,p. 5.
  96. ^La Marca 2024,pp. 3–4.
  97. ^La Marca 2024,p. 8.
  98. ^La Marca 2024,p. 11.
  99. ^La Marca 2024,p. 12.
  100. ^Clements & McCarthy 2015,p. 369.
  101. ^abLa Marca 2024,p. 4.
  102. ^abLa Marca 2024,p. 6.
  103. ^"Ring 0/Orochi's Tsuruta Directs Live-Action Film of Zombie Manga Z".Anime News Network.9 April 2014.Retrieved30 July2014.
  104. ^Judge Strangeat the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)
  105. ^Henry Dubbleat the Comic Book DB (archived fromthe original)

References

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Further reading

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  • Beaty, Bart.Fredric Wertham and the Critique of Mass Culture.University Press of Mississippi, 2005.ISBN1-57806-819-3.
  • Juvenile Delinquency (Comic Books) hearings before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee To Investigate Juvenile Delinquency in the U.S., Eighty-Third Congress, second session, on April 21, 22, June 4, 1954.(OCLC Worldcat link to62662186)
  • Nyberg, Ami Kiste.Seal of Approval: The History of the Comics Code,University Press of Mississippi, 1998.ISBN0-87805-975-X.
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