Eerie Comics
Encyclopedia
Eerie is a one-shot horror comic book cover-dated January 1947 and published by Avon Periodicals as Eerie #1. Its creative team includes (among others) Joe Kubert
and Fred Kida
. The book's contents comprise six full-length horror feature stories and a 2-page humorous tale. The title went dormant for a number of years but returned to newsstands as Eerie #1 in 1951. The book holds the distinction of being the first true, stand-alone horror comic book and is credited with establishing the horror comics genre.
published by Avon Periodicals with a price of US$0.10 and cover-dated January 1947. The book was released as Eerie #1.
The comic book's glossy, cover depicts a red-eyed ghoul-like creature clutching a dagger and a rope-bound
, voluptuous young woman
in a derelict moonlit ruin.
The issue featured six stories that were fairly tame in the depiction of the gore and violence generally found in horror fiction
. "The Eyes of the Tiger" follows a man haunted by the ghost
of a stuffed tiger; "The Man-Eating Lizards" (with a script by Edward Bellin and pencils by Joe Kubert
), tells the story of an island infested with flesh-eating lizards; and another, "The Strange Case of Henpecked Harry" (with art by Fred Kida
), follows a man spooked by the bloody corpse of his murdered wife. Other feature stories include "Dead Man's Tale", "Proof", and "Mystery of Murder Manor". A two-page humorous tale starring Goofy Ghost rounds out the issue. Members of the creative team include Fugitani, and George Roussos
.
story based on the Bram Stoker
novel. Several covers featured large-breasted women in bondage
. Artists Joe Orlando
and Wallace Wood were associated with the series. The title saw a run of seventeen issues, ceasing publication with its August/September 1954 issue. Eerie then morphed into Strange Worlds
with #18, October/November 1954.
Eerie of January 1947 has the distinction of being the first out-and-out horror comic book, and is credited with establishing the horror comics genre.
Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...
and Fred Kida
Fred Kida
Fred Kida is an American comic book and comic strip artist best known for the characters Airboy and Valkyrie.-Early life and career:...
. The book's contents comprise six full-length horror feature stories and a 2-page humorous tale. The title went dormant for a number of years but returned to newsstands as Eerie #1 in 1951. The book holds the distinction of being the first true, stand-alone horror comic book and is credited with establishing the horror comics genre.
Description, contents, and creative team
Eerie is a full-color, 52 page, standard format, one-shot horror comicHorror comics
Horror comics are comic books, graphic novels, black-and-white comics magazines, and manga focusing on horror fiction. Horror comic books reached a peak in the late 1940s through the mid-1950s, when concern over content and the imposition of the self-censorship Comics Code Authority contributed to...
published by Avon Periodicals with a price of US$0.10 and cover-dated January 1947. The book was released as Eerie #1.
The comic book's glossy, cover depicts a red-eyed ghoul-like creature clutching a dagger and a rope-bound
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
, voluptuous young woman
Good girl art
Good girl art is found in drawings or paintings which feature a strong emphasis on attractive women no matter what the subject or situation. GGA was most commonly featured in comic books, pulp magazines and crime fiction...
in a derelict moonlit ruin.
The issue featured six stories that were fairly tame in the depiction of the gore and violence generally found in horror fiction
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
. "The Eyes of the Tiger" follows a man haunted by the ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
of a stuffed tiger; "The Man-Eating Lizards" (with a script by Edward Bellin and pencils by Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert
Joe Kubert is an American comic book artist who went on to found The Kubert School. He is best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Sgt. Rock and Hawkman...
), tells the story of an island infested with flesh-eating lizards; and another, "The Strange Case of Henpecked Harry" (with art by Fred Kida
Fred Kida
Fred Kida is an American comic book and comic strip artist best known for the characters Airboy and Valkyrie.-Early life and career:...
), follows a man spooked by the bloody corpse of his murdered wife. Other feature stories include "Dead Man's Tale", "Proof", and "Mystery of Murder Manor". A two-page humorous tale starring Goofy Ghost rounds out the issue. Members of the creative team include Fugitani, and George Roussos
George Roussos
George Roussos , also known under the pseudonym George Bell, was an American comic book artist best known as one of Jack Kirby's Silver Age inkers, including on landmark early issues of Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four.-Early life and career:George Roussos was born in Washington, D.C., the son of...
.
Legacy
Following the January 1947 issue, Eerie disappeared from newsstands shelves. In 1951, Eerie #1, cover-dated May/June 1951, was published by Avon and saw a run of seventeen issues. The first issue of Eerie reprinted "The Strange Case of Henpecked Harry" from one-shot Eerie of 1947 as "The Subway Horror", and issue 12 printed a DraculaDracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
story based on the Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
novel. Several covers featured large-breasted women in bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
. Artists Joe Orlando
Joe Orlando
Joseph Orlando was a prolific illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades...
and Wallace Wood were associated with the series. The title saw a run of seventeen issues, ceasing publication with its August/September 1954 issue. Eerie then morphed into Strange Worlds
Strange Worlds
Strange Worlds was the name of two American, science-fiction anthology comic book series of the 1950s, the first published by Avon Comics, the second by a Marvel Comics predecessor, Atlas Comics...
with #18, October/November 1954.
Eerie of January 1947 has the distinction of being the first out-and-out horror comic book, and is credited with establishing the horror comics genre.