Drawn from the Cosmic Log

Secrets of Haunted House #31 (DC, December 1980, 50 cents)
Mr. E serves on the faculty of Mystik U, and I had never read about the character before, so I pulled out some back issues of this horror anthology title. It's an interesting read. For one, 1980 is pretty late for a horror comic published by one of the majors. And two, Mr. E might—or might not—be an interesting character. (I'm not sure yet whether he was worth reviving.)

The comic opens with a one-page bookend featuring a host of sorts, Destiny, who suggests that the stories within are drawn from the Cosmic Log, which documents the fates and destinies of mankind.



"The Short-Road to Damnation" Story: Arnold Drake, Art: Tenny Henson.

In this seven-page story—opened and closed by the cloaked Destiny—a diminutive French businessman makes off with boots worn by Napoleon from a museum. Wearing the boots gives him new bravery and daring, allowing him to succeed more in work and life. They also drive him to madness and violence, resulting in a couple of deaths. A police inspector suspects him.

Henson's art is stylish, reminding me of fashion advertising clip art, which lends an interesting formality to the story.

"The Wish"

A one-page gag by Dave Manak, this suggests that you should be careful what you wish for, especially if you're a fisherman.



"The Morbidity Factor!" Story: George Kashdan, Pencils: J.J. Brozowski, Inks: Kim DeMulder, Letters: Shel Leferman, Editor: Jack C. Harris.

Sam Harker is in flight from the law, when he comes upon a hiding place, an occupied house—and perhaps a hostage. Dr. Walter Trent, professor of biochemistry, has developed an antidote to the Death Factor, a unique chemical catalyst that can prolong a living being's life. Despite a warning from Destiny itself, Harker downs the doctor and drinks the antidote... before being arrested.

Now immortal, Harker doesn't fall to gunshots. He doesn't die, electrocuted. In fact, he lives into "the far-distant future," suggesting that immortality might not be all it's cracked up to be.

"The Twice-Cursed Man!" Writer/Creator: Bon Rozakis, Artist: Dan Spiegle, Letterer: Ben Oda, Colorist: Bob LeRose, Editor/Co-Creator: Jack C. Harris.

Irish immigrant Kelly O'Toole bumps into Destiny upon arriving in Boston before meeting an injured or ill man, Judge Kobold, who soon hires her as a housekeeper. Mr. E—in his first appearance—is investigating a series of bizarre murders, taking him to Kobold's home. Though blind, Mr. E is about to drive a wooden stake into Kobold's chest when O'Toole hits him in the head with a gavel.

Turns out Kobold is a vampire. She succeeds in stopping Kobold from killing Mr. E, but despite the vampire's injuries, he escapes. O'Toole tends to Mr. E.

Unfortunately, we don't learn a lot about Mr. E in this first appearance. Why is he blind? How does he know so much? How did he track Kobold to his home? Perhaps future issues will tell. For now, he remains a mystery.

The issue closes with a one-page letter column, "The Haunted Mailbox."

Availability: This issue has not been reprinted. We recommend Haunted Horror: The Screaming Skulls! and Much More and The Weird World of Eerie Publications: Comic Gore That Warped Millions of Young Minds.

Age-Appropriate Adventures

Spidey Super Stories #2 (Marvel, November 1974, 35 cents)
"In the Hands of the Hunter" Writer: Jean Thomas; Artists: Winslow Mortimer, Don Heck, and Mike Esposito; Editor: Roy Thomas; Art Director: John Romita. (13 pages)

Presented by Marvel Comics and The Electric Company, a production of the Children's Television Workshop, this ad-free (!!!) comic book aimed at readers age 6-10 was based on the recurring live-action skit featured on the TV show. It ran 57 issues between 1974 and 1982, living beyond the skit on TV—which ended in 1976-1977.



Written by Jean Thomas, who also wrote Night Nurse, the comic book was thoroughly vetted by the CTW to be sure it was true to the TV show, was age appropriate in terms of content and reading level, and featured female characters. In early issues, a story adapted one of the TV segments, and in many issues, Spider-Man was paired with a well-known Marvel hero or villain to introduce that character to younger readers and viewers. (Similar to the Marvel Heroes and Marvel Ultimate Spider-Man magazines published by Redan today.)

In this issue, Spidey and Jennifer of the Jungle encounter Kraven the Hunter after a film shoot. Kraven takes the web slinger prisoner, and Jennifer—with her friend Paul the Gorilla—go to rescue him. The writing is very simple, and the artwork larger-paneled (most pages with fewer than six panels)—but not quite coloring-book basic.

In the five-page "very short comic book ... as seen on The Electric Company" story "Spidey Vs. Mr. Measles," Spider-Man "meets the meanest menace of all," a man plans to throw spots at people so they get the measles. "Then everybody will have to stay in bed... in the dark, where they can't read!"

"The Long Arms of the Law-Breaker" (12 pages) pits Spidey against Doctor Octopus. The issue also features several one-page items: "The Secrets of Spider-Man's Costume," "Let's Pay a Visit to Peter Parker's Place," "Let's See Some More of Peter Parker's Place," and "Reader Vs. Speeder," which features Electric Company character Easy Reader.