Friday Trivia Quiz #15: Hallowe'en Treat

Unfortunately, the Silver Age of Comics was undoubtedly the worst for horror comics. The Comics Code Authority basically arose to ensure that America's youth did not read comic books with horror elements. Consider these requirements from the CCA:

1. No comics magazine shall use the word horror or terror in its title.

2. All scenes of horror, excessive bloodshed, gory or gruesome crimes, depravity, lust, sadism, masochism shall not be permitted.

3. All lurid, unsavory, gruesome illustrations shall be eliminated.

4. Inclusion of stories dealing with evil shall be used or shall be published only where the intent is to illustrate a moral issue and in no case shall evil be presented alluringly nor as to injure the sensibilities of the reader.

5. Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking dead, torture, vampires and vampirism, ghouls, cannibalism and werewolfism are prohibited.

That pretty much does it for the more interesting forms of horror, and as a result, the "horror" comics of the Silver Age were pretty tame fare, mostly featuring monsters like Frankenstein. By the end of the 1960s the cracks in the CCA wall were becoming obvious, and in the 1970s horror with vampires and all returned with a vengeance.

So here's a little quiz about some of the moderately horrific comics of the Silver Age:

1. In Detective #336, Batman was bewitched:



Who was the witch, and who was the real mastermind behind her?

2. Although vampires were prohibited, the CCA allowed two stories featuring a villain who stole the life force from people, battling (and battering) Superman. What was the name of this villain?

3. Who was the original Green Goblin?

4. What was the name of Marvel/Atlas' late 1950s ripoff of Casper, the Friendly Ghost?

5. Although werewolves were banned as noted above, one key DC character turned into a wolf in a mid-1960s comic. Name him.

Number 405


Vampire Valtz


HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

A year ago today I showed you this MLJ Witch's Tale story. Pappy's friend, 1506NixNix, who provided the scans for that, has provided the scans for yet another MLJ treat. This time it's starring Mr. Justice from Blue Ribbon Comics #11. We see a dance called the vampire waltz, and we also find out that vampires can turn into werewolves. Has anyone else ever suggested such a thing?

The name Carlos Hubbello is an inside joke. Carl Hubbell was an artist who worked in comics for many years. According to the book, The Ten-Cent Plague by David Hajdu, Hubbell's wife, Virginia, actually ghost-wrote many of the stories signed by Charles Biro.

OK, so that's off the subject. Sam Cooper and Joe Blair did the creative honors on this story, which runs the gamut from super heroes to horror, and is a good example of why for a couple of years at least, MLJ, in its pre-Archie incarnation, was one of the most garish and lively of the comic book companies springing up in the late '30s period.

Number 404


Mr. Green and Tubby's ghost


Here are a couple more entries in our Halloween theme week.

I've shown a couple of stories from the John Stanley scripted Tales From The Tomb #1 (and only) giant comic from 1962. I don't know why this comic didn't continue. It could be that even though the stories are great, the artwork can be at times indifferent. "Mr. Green Must Be Fed" is the lead story, drawn by Frank Springer. The green monster ("Mr. Green") looms up much the same way the mud man did in this story from the issue.

If Dell had been under the Comics Code they probably couldn't have shown Mrs. Wittly getting away with feeding Mr. Grimes to Mr. Green. She doesn't seem too concerned that young Harry gets away, even gets away in a police car, because she knows no one will believe him.

The second story is "The Ghost", one of my favorite Tubby stories, from Little Lulu #86, August 1955, drawn by Irving Tripp. Stanley doesn't make it easy for the reader by showing us whether the ghost is real or in Tubby's head. The important thing to the plot is that the ghost is real to Tubby. We're seeing it from his point of view. His parents are puzzled observers while Tubby is on his own, in a desperate struggle to get rid of an apparition. It's funny, but there is an element of paranoia in the situation.

Mr. Green is murderous and violent, but the ghost is benign. Mr. Green wants to eat young Harry, but the ghost seems content to just sit and look at Tubby. Either seems creepy to me.

#074.Indrajal Comics 30

199-1974-Miscellaneous- Mrityu Dhara Ke Do Teer

Password: bookscomics.blogspot.com

It's an Anurag's contribution.














269-1977-Phantom-Daitya Se Samna

Password: bookscomics.blogspot.com
It's an Ajay's contribution.

V20N05-1983-Lt.Drake-The Crime Tangle

Password: bookscomics.blogspot.com

It's an Anonymous contribution.

Trivia Quiz #15 Answers

1. Who was Ace the Bat-Hound's original master?

Bat-Hound's original master was John Wilker, an engraver who had been kidnapped by criminals planning to force him to create phony bonds.

2. Superboy's dog, Krypto, joined an organization of super-powered dogs. What were the initials of the organization, and what did they stand for?

Krypto joined the SCPA, the Space Canine Patrol Agents, in Superboy #132.

3. What gave Streaky, Supergirl's cat, its super-powers?

Streaky got its superpowers from X-Kryptonite, a variant of Kryptonite that Supergirl created while experimenting in an effort to eliminate the weakness to Green K that she and Superman were afflicted with.

4. Supergirl also had a pet horse with super abilities named Comet. What famed sorceress gave him his powers?

Comet was given his powers by Circe, in part to atone for a mistake she made in turning him into a horse (he was originally a centaur). Comet was arguably the most powerful creature in the DC universe during the Silver Age of Comics; he had all the powers of Superman and Supergirl, with no vulnerability to Kryptonite.

5. What was the name of the Martian Manhunter's pet dog?

The Martian Manhunter's pet dog was known as Jupiter during his only appearance in Detective #232.

Dan M and Michael Rebain got the first four; Michael Sensei chipped in the answer to the last question (and I suspect knew the other answers as well).

Number 403


Vampire Jungle Gal!


It's day two of Pappy's Halloween week.

You'll see some creepy stuff here this week. Just keep hanging around.

In "Moon God's Death-dealing Idol" you get a white jungle princess, but she's a vampire white jungle princess! That's mixing genres for you. This is the final story from Beyond #11, from 1952. The first page reminded me of old Tarzan movies: "Bad juju, bwana! We not go there!"

I've also added the one-page filler strips from this issue, "True Stories of the Supernatural." A word of advice: don't put too much credence in the word "true" when it comes to stuff like this.

Number 402


The Ghost Rider has spurs that jingle, jangle, jingle...


BOO!

It's Sunday and the start of Halloween week at Pappy's! We have some different types of horror stories for you, from these two gothic Westerns from Ghost Rider #10, December 1952, drawn by Dick Ayers, to a couple of John Stanley stories, an Ace Comics horror story (Karswell has been running Ace stories lately; an underappreciated horror comics publisher), and an old MLJ superhero/vampire story from the real early days of the comics.

Should be a fun week, full of tricks and treats, so check back.