As I alluded to, Chartlon published a lot of these types of books over several decades, with titles like "Beyond the Grave," "Ghost Manor," "Ghostly Haunts," "Ghostly Tales," "Haunted Tales," "Baron Von Weirwulf's Haunted Library," "The Many Ghost of Dr. Graves," and MORE! Including series that didn't have the word "Ghost" or "Haunted" in the title!
One of those titles was, as the title of this post might have tipped you off, was: "Creepy Things."
This series only lasted for 6 issues, but I encountered each and every one of them back in the distant days of my youth. The covers made a particularly deep impact on me, as did some of the stunning Tom Sutton art contained within some of the stories. I also liked the logo and title so much that I later dreamed of starting a punk band called "Creepy Things," wanting only for talent, skill, and resources to do so, alas.
So, without further ado, here is a look at "Creepy Things #1," from July of 1975!
What'd I tell you about those covers? And that logo? As if the squatting murder frog wasn't enough, they felt if necessary to add another floating unholy squiggle monster on the upper left side. You know, in case your eyes were wandering about in search of some sanctuary from the horrors of the unknown.
There's no safe haven to be had here, kid. This is a Charlton Horror Comic!
So, do the interior pages deliver on the promise of this capably creepy cover? Let's find out!
Story #1: "Read the Signs!"
I won't be posting TOO much interior art in these posts, as these books aren't public domain, but I figure a Splash Panel and an example Panel or two won't push things too far. So, here's the opening splash panel for the first story:
Sufferin' 70s, Batman! It's not just the clothes and the hairstyle, right? There's something about this artwork that just SCREAMS the 1970s to your eyes. And that narrative caption in the upper left! Such pontificating prose may see over-wrought to modern readers, but I love it and miss it dearly. The admittedly awkward use of the second-person narration ("YOU stand alone...") also has a certain charm for me, and it's another device that you seldom see these days.
So, we have a hitchhiker (hello again, 1970s) in the rain...what could go wrong?
Well, let's see: this is a horror story, so what are the odds that he is picked up by...a VAMPIRE??
Pretty darn good odds! I especially like our hitcher's thought balloon in that panel. "Much Trouble," indeed!
A struggle ensues, and, having not paid enough attention to the safety signs along the road, our would-be blood-drinker is done in by...
...the "wooden stake" of a road sign post! And one that reads "Drinking and Driving Don't Mix!" no less!
Again, the public awareness of "drunk driving" was at least ramping up a bit by the mid-70s, so this little touch is not only a salute-worthy work bad punnery, but yet another timely touchstone toward the times of this periodical's publication.
On to story #2: "The Lurker in the Pit!"
A creepy mansion on a hill! Super-indulgent narrative captioning! Lightning crashing in the background! We're off to the races, folks!
So we have David Montegue summoned to the awful abode of his unliked but affluent uncle. How's that all turn out, do ya think?
Well, David is basically a Dick, both to his host Morpheus and to his also-invited cousin Marian, wanting his cut of the old man's cash so he can cut and run. However, Dave and Marian find what they assume to be their uncle's defaced (literally de-faced; something ate his face) body in he basement!
When the duo confronts their host about their discovery, Morpheus sets them straight:
Soon, the creature feeds on poor Marian, but David is undeterred: he wants his money before he splits.
Morpheus takes Dave to the basement (come on, Dave!), and he meets his money, but also meets his makes at the terrifying tentacles of the creature...a creature that is in fact HIS UNCLE TRANSFORMED!
Greed might be good in the 80s, Dave, but you're stuck in a 70s horror comic! Enjoy being digested!
Surely story #3 will have a happier ending in store? Maybe it will even buck the sticky stereotypes of its surroundings? Let's just take a peek at the splash page and see...
...Hoooooo, boy....
"Indian Summer," eh? Alll righty, then. Buckle up, palefaces! Prepare to ring the "Old Comics, Man!" bell and see if we can't salvage a little something from this offering, eh?
However, as it turns out, this story is the weakest of the issue, and just kind of a stinker all around, save for the decent art.
To sum it up, Shoka tells the kid a story, using some cringy terms of the time:
And then the boys' father kicks Shoka around for this troubles. Dad goes on to be be a racist dickhead and shoots some more Natives dead, just generally being a grade-A asshole, until super-buff Native Spirit appears and beats his ass so hard that he...turns into a pile of leaves?
Or he's buried under the leaves. Or whatever. This story was crap.
Don't worry, story #4 is the star of the issue, and the one that REALLY stuck with me from the day I first read it as a dumb little doofus kid in upstate NY.
Brace yourselves for what lies at the end of this issue, and at the bottom of..."The Well!"
First of all, it's spelled "Whippoorwhill," but I'll let that slide, as I'm just psyched to see a mention of one of my favorite night-time-noise-making birds from my childhood in a comic book. What's more, the writing and the super cool Tom Sutton art of this tale just pile on the reasons to shut my yap about a common misspelling and just enjoy myself.
On this opening page, Iraah goes up to the old well that his brother Amos used to talk to for advice. Surprisingly, the well DOES anwer Iraah, and advises him to go a-courting the Widow Pierce...
The pretty widow actually falls for Iraah, and he soon her all but bleeds her dry of her late husband's fortune. When the widow finally cuts him off, Iraah goes back to the well and asks what he should do:
He does so, and chucks her corpse right down the well, as also requested by the eerie voice fro down below.
Iraah is soon haunted by nightmares of his brother Amos, and even finds a curse laying low all of the animals on his farm. The voice from the well demands to be fed the remains of his livestock, and eventually calls for Iraah himself.
Unable to resist, Iraah falls over the edge of the well, catching a final glimpse of what has waited for him all this time:
Soon afterward, the farm is up for sale, and the well awaits the next occupant that will satisfy its appetites...
Pretty darned good way to wrap up the issue, I say!
Four stories, and only one stinker!
That's "Creepy Things" #1 from Charlton Comics, 1975, folks!
Maybe I'll continue on this series in the next post...who knows!
-Max
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