{"id":12,"date":"2013-08-07T16:01:21","date_gmt":"2013-08-07T14:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/?page_id=12"},"modified":"2013-09-18T08:31:21","modified_gmt":"2013-09-18T06:31:21","slug":"another-world","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/?page_id=12","title":{"rendered":"ANOTHER WORLD"},"content":{"rendered":"

UNKNOWN WORLD\/ STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD\u00a0 –\u00a0 5 issues<\/h2>\n

Editor of these books is Mercedes Shull, another woman in the business. Again, Virginia Provisiero takes over for the last two issues.<\/p>\n

By the way: almost all of the books are available to view and\/or download at the Digital Comic Museum<\/a>. I took care of some missing issues. So enjoy. And I\u2019m working on completing the whole run, of course. Every issue has been freshly indexed (with the fabulous help of art spotting wizard Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr.) on the Grand Comics Database<\/a> \u2013 the link will show you all available data, including cover shots and story descriptions.
\n Just click the underlined title…<\/em><\/p>\n

Stories posted on the internet are linked (also marked with an underline). Miniature splash pages tell you that this story has been posted on our horror websites – click to read the whole stories.<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"unknownworld\"<\/a>UNKNOWN WORLD #1 (one-shot)<\/a>
\n<\/strong>June 1952 <\/strong>
\nCover: (Skeleton threatening blonde woman in red dress) \u2013 Norman Saunders<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Sea Of The Dead\u201d (Sheldon Moldoff)
\n\u201cThe Serpent Queen\u201d (Bob McCarty)
\n\u201cFootprints On The Ceiling\u201d (William Weltman ?)<\/p>\n

It\u2019s June 1952 and Fawcett launches TWO more horror books<\/strong> (apart from the existing WORLDS OF FEAR and THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED, add to this BEWARE! TERROR TALES, started just a month ago): STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES and UNKNOWN WORLD.<\/p>\n

Things are getting messy in the art spotting department as well. Two of the three stories had been credited to the wrong artists, before we sent in the cleaners. It\u2019s good ol\u2019 Shelly Moldoff again on the lead story, of course, the creator of Fawcett\u2019s horror line (and NOT Forgione & Abel); one comparing look into previous issues would have sufficed.<\/p>\n

And the last story is surely NOT drawn by Brown & Gantz (of \u201cPurple Claw\u201d fame). Though at a fleeting glance it might have been. Problem is, this kind of artwork we see in \u201cFootprints On The Ceiling\u201d could be any one out of three dozen guys using that style, starting with Forgione (why not?) and rounding up more usual suspects like Belfi, Tyler, Nodel, Brown, Peddy & Sachs or even Molno. This style or drawing is an art spotter\u2019s nightmare<\/strong>. Anyway, we (that is me and Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr.) would like to add yet ANOTHER FRESH NAME to the line-up: William Weltman.
\nWe encountered this forgotten craftsman while studying all of the books by the Premier company. One of them is signed (\u201cWeltman\u201d) and looks shockingly adequate. Have a look at TRUE LOVE CONFESSIONS #3 \u2013 if you dare! You can access it HERE <\/a>at DCM.<\/p>\n

\"Serpent\"<\/a>

Pin-Up splash by McCarty<\/p><\/div>\n

What about the three stories?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Sea Of The Dead<\/a>\u201d features a man being chased through limbo \u2013 this time it\u2019s a captain aboard the ghost ship he wrecked years ago. Variation #4 \u2013we\u2019ll keep count!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Big surprise in \u201cThe Serpent Queen<\/a>\u201d: Bob McCarty can draw girls!<\/strong> First time I lay eyes on a McCarty female character \u2013 and it\u2019s a beautiful pin-up splash.\u00a0It\u2019s a gripping, fantastic and well-executed tale of adventurism. This issue\u2019s winner.<\/p>\n

Whereas \u201cFootprints On The Ceiling<\/a>\u201d is one of the most inane and bizarre horror stories ever written:<\/strong> The gangsters O’Flaherty and Flitcher train a revived dead dog to be a trick dog on stage. But they have to fight off hordes of skeletal zombies<\/strong> coming after them to bring the dog where it belongs – in the province of the dead. Hard to believe, I know. Please read it, you won\u2019t ever forget it.<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s a nice, stylish text story (\u201cThe Quiet One\u201d) to spot \u2013 about two old boarders inhabiting a respectful boarding house and concealing one fantastic secret.<\/p>\n

This title UNKNOWN WORLD is changed, probably because Atlas is already publishing JOURNEY INTO UNKNOWN WORLDS \u2013 and is being converted into<\/p>\n

\"HorrorGoRound1\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD #2
\n<\/strong><\/a>August 1952 <\/strong>
\nCover: (Ghouls riding wild beasts on a merry-go-round) \u2013 Norman Saunders<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHorror-Go-Round\u201d (Bob McCarty)
\n\u201cDeath\u2019s Beggar\u201d (Sheldon Moldoff)
\n\u201cHands Of Vengeance\u201d (Ed Waldman ?)<\/p>\n

Forgot to mention in the last issue entry that this is the now second painted cover by Norman Saunders<\/strong>. Three more will follow (plus his sensational work for WORLDS OF FEAR #10). These six Saunders covers are considered to rank among the most beautiful in all of pre-code horror history.<\/p>\n

SSFAW #2 is a rather run-of-the-mill horror book. Not bad at all, but it won\u2019t knock your socks off, either. \u201cHorror-Go-Round\u201d is a quirky Bob McCarty contribution (only saved by the highly inventive merry-go-round-idea); and \u201cHands Of Vengeance\u201d is an uninspired job by horror newbie Ed Waldman. He will do better.<\/p>\n

So this issue\u2019s highlight to me is Moldoff\u2019s \u201cDeath\u2019s Beggar<\/a>\u201d, a cruel tale packed with pages of gratuitous violence.<\/strong> Posted and discussed it on my German website.<\/p>\n

And like in \u201cThe Curse Of The Crystal!\u201d in THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED #6 (published the same month) Moldoff draws an old witch which looks like a parody of EC\u2019s lovable Old Witch<\/strong> by Graham Ingels. Look for yourself and shudder\u2026<\/p>\n

\"DoppelWitch\"<\/a>

Close-up and ugly: „Old Witch“ by Ingels and witch character by Moldoff from the above mentioned story<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"DarkMirror1\"<\/a>STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD #3<\/a>
\n<\/strong>October 1952 <\/strong>
\nCover: (Death holding a mirror depicting a crime scene) \u2013 Norman Saunders<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Dark Mirror\u201d (Ed Waldman ?)
\n\u201cThe Thing From The Lake\u201d (Sheldon Moldoff)
\n\u201cThe Unseen\u201d (Bob McCarty)<\/p>\n

Ugh! Ed Waldman draws crude faces in \u201cThe Dark Mirror\u201d, see for yourself.
\nWhat\u2019s interesting to me about this story is the fact that this could have been a script for Ace\u2019s HAND OF FATE series<\/strong>.
\nIn \u201cThe Dark Mirror\u201d a fate character interferes with the life of two hoodlums, urging them to change their criminal ways. They don\u2019t listen, of course, and meet their horrible ends. Leaving behind a triumphant Fate: Told you so!
\nThat\u2019s exactly like a HAND OF FATE story<\/strong>. Fate IS looking different, though\u2026<\/p>\n

Nice text story again (\u201cDeath To The Dreamers\u201d) by John Martin. Devils disguise as doctors in an insane asylum and feed on the souls of the unlucky patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Thing From The Lake\u201d provides us with proof: Sheldon Moldoff is swiping Graham Ingels!<\/strong> Not only is he copying the Old Witch\u2019s ugly features, here\u2019s a panel straight out of the 1951 EC story \u201cDying To Lose Weight\u201d (in VAULT OF HORROR #18):<\/p>\n

\"dyingtolose\"<\/a>

Graham Ingels original…<\/p><\/div>\n

And here\u2019s Moldoff\u2019s discovery of a corpse. Is this some kind of personal vendetta?<\/strong>
\nIs Moldoff FIENDISHLY using panels from EC books to get back at his former employer??
\nAre there MORE of these \u201ccloned panels\u201d hidden in FAWCETT HORROR???
\nIf YOU find something, please tell us!<\/p>\n

There is a black-and-white version<\/strong> of \u201cThe Thing From The Lake<\/a>\u201d posted on Pappy\u2019s delightful Golden Age Comics Blogzine, click on title. Interesting to see the artwork in pristine condition<\/strong>, because the coloration at FAWCETT HORROR is really frightful!<\/strong>
\nShould you want to compare with the colored version, please look up the whole issue on the Digital Comic Museum, under this LINK<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"moldoffswiperbw\"<\/a>

… Sheldon Moldoff copy.<\/p><\/div>\n

We didn\u2019t think the story good enough to be posted on these pages.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Unseen\u201d is a variation of \u201cThe Man Who Saw Too Much\u201d, published the same month in the sister title THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED #7. In both stories the protagonists are plagued by being able to see ghosts from the beyond \u2013 once through a camera, once through magic glasses. That much for Fawcett writing efficiency.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD #4
\n<\/strong><\/a>December 1952 <\/strong>
\nCover: (Eyeless zombie rising menacingly from dark pool) \u2013 Norman Saunders<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPillar Of Stone\u201d (Sheldon Moldoff + ?)
\n\u201cMonsters Of The Mind\u201d (Bob McCarty)
\n\u201cPhantom Riders In The Sky\u201d (Ed Waldman ?)<\/p>\n

\"SweatyWaldman\"<\/a>

Have you showered or are you just frightened to see me?<\/p><\/div>\n

And another fantastic cover by Norman Saunders, one of the best pre-code horror titles ever. A stylish zombie in attack mode!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s make this short for a change: \u201cPillar Of Stone\u201d is a boring story with boring art (probably mostly Moldoff) about two explorers stumbling through some jungle discovering and debunking some curse\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cMonsters Of The Mind<\/a>\u201d is an alien conspiracy yarn, too long, but fairly entertaining. See it posted on Karswell\u2019s terrific blog \u201cThe Horrors Of It All\u201d.<\/p>\n

And we have no winner with \u201cPhantom Riders In The Sky\u201d either. A one-dimensional gangster-on-the-run story so lengthy you\u2019ll find yourself skipping panels just to get it over with.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a very mediocre horror book all in all. Showing you one fun panel, though. Here Ed Waldman\u2019s trying to \u201coutsweat\u201d Rudy Palais<\/strong>, the grand master of depicted perspiration.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD #5
\n<\/strong><\/a>February 1953 <\/strong>
\nCover: (Man holding magic book is attacked by skeletons and demons) \u2013 Norman Saunders<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"SSFAW#5book\"<\/a>

Damn! Devils on my heels!<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cDance Of The Doomed\u201d (Bob McCarty)
\n\u201cVampire\u2019s Daughter!\u201d (Sheldon Moldoff)
\n\u201cThe Rain, The Deadly Rain!\u201d (Ed Waldman)
\n\u201cThe Flaming Witness\u201d (Maurice Gutwirth)<\/p>\n

Last issue and the first to break the mould: four stories instead of Fawcett\u2019s standard three<\/strong> (up to that time).
\nAs you will see, the complete issue is posted on Karswell\u2019s fantastic blog \u201cThe Horrors Of It All\u201d (click underlined titles to read the respective stories<\/em>).<\/p>\n

Beautiful Bob McCarty splash in \u201cDance Of The Doomed<\/a>\u201d, an otherwise ambivalent story about a man seeking out evil \u2013 and finding it, of course. There are strong moments and feeble ones (must so many comic book personnel die by running into speeding trucks?<\/strong>) and funny ones. \u201cPeter Karnol ran as if the devils of hell were after him\u201d. And they are, look for yourself.<\/p>\n

\u201cVampire\u2019s Daughter!<\/a>\u201d proves to be quite a delight. Young Althea is modeled into being a movie star by unscrupulous Hollywood propaganda<\/strong> \u2013 claiming that she is a real vampire! Fun read, even Moldoff\u2019s matter-of-fact artwork is adequate.<\/p>\n

\"SSFAW#5badhand\"<\/a>

A hand, please, possibly human<\/p><\/div>\n

And it\u2019s maniacal entertainment again with \u201cThe Rain, The Deadly Rain!<\/a>\u201d where a run-of-the-mill curse plot about an angry rain god (!) takes unexpected twists at the end (a human sacrifice and a scene of gratuitous violence unparalleled since \u201cDeath\u2019s Beggar\u201d, published in the second issue of STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD (as you may recall).
\nHave a look. And shake your heads in sad disbelief at how Waldman draws a drowning hand<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Flaming Witness<\/a>\u201d does not disappoint either.
\nOn the surface it\u2019s similar to the last one, the rain god now being a flame ghost coming to claim his tormentor.
\nBut on a deeper level there\u2019s a definite EC touch<\/strong> to this story. Bill Gaines\u2019 and Al Feldstein\u2019s success formula is copied quite elegantly in the plot of \u201cThe Flaming Witness\u201d: a fast-paced introductory crime to get things rolling; a lot of action to contain the following curse; a moment of deceptive safeness for the killer; the onslaught of unexpected supernatural horror!
\nIn the guise of the well-tried poetic justice twist, of course.<\/p>\n

Damn! SSFAW goes out with its best issue!<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s conclude our findings with the usual Who-did-What and how much listing:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Sheldon Moldoff<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bob McCarty<\/td>\n5<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ed Waldman<\/td>\n4<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Each 1: Maurice Gutwirth, William Weltman.<\/p>\n

No stories by Bob Powell and George Evans in this series. But all covers by Norman Saunders.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s his exceptional title page for STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD #5 (bonus pic!):<\/p>\n

\"SSFAW#5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

And there is a little bit more of (undetected) Fawcett horror:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

First the big red cheese himself goes horror (cover upload!) in<\/p>\n

WHIZ COMICS #153<\/a>
\n January 1953<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Death Horror!\u201d (Kurt Schaffenberger)<\/p>\n

Looks as if Billy Batson has to battle the grim reaper in person<\/strong>. Turns out it\u2019s a crooked scientist using a giant ray machine to make everyone appear as a skeleton. Fun story with a surprising overture.<\/p>\n

\"Whiz#153\"<\/a>We\u2019d loved to post it here as a salute to Fawcett\u2019s great Captain Marvel. But it’s a tricky and small GIF-file. So please go see it at the Digital Comic Museum by clicking HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And then Dr. Death gives it a try at cross-promotion when he hosts two stories<\/strong> in<\/p>\n

WHIZ COMICS #154, April 1953<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPardon My Dust!\u201d (William Weltman ?)<\/p>\n

Two gendarmes inquire about a mysterious beheading in a supposedly abandoned French castle. The last descendant of a murderous marquis has become the victim of a centuries old curse. Ghosts of the past have arisen from the dust and executed their revenge.<\/p>\n

There is an Old Witch type person appearing as narrator IN the story, although the formal introduction TO the story is delivered by Fawcett horror host Dr. Death. That\u2019s a bit awkward; and the Old Witch looks every facial hair an EC rip-off.
\nOnly this time it\u2019s not Moldoff, but Weltman (possibly, possibly…).<\/p>\n

…and in…<\/strong><\/p>\n

WHIZ COMICS #155 (last issue), June 1953<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Hero\u2019s Spirit!\u201d (Maurice Gutwirth)<\/p>\n

Jaspar, a veteran form the Spanish-American war, is killed by the greedy Waldo. When the old man\u2019s treasure reveals itself to be worthless medals, Waldo flees over the cemetery and gets killed by the ghost of Jaspar.
\nThat\u2019s a weak one; I suspect they didn\u2019t dare dishing out the good stuff in the more kiddie orientated WHIZ magazine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UNKNOWN WORLD\/ STRANGE STORIES FROM ANOTHER WORLD\u00a0 –\u00a0 5 issues Editor of these books is Mercedes Shull, another woman in the business. Again, Virginia Provisiero takes over for the last two issues. By the way: almost all of the books are available to view and\/or download at the Digital Comic Museum. I took care of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":72,"parent":0,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1089,"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12\/revisions\/1089"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/72"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/charm-of-charlton.de\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}