Halloween is here – or more correctly, Kal an Gwaf (Cornish). Always remember that the Cornish gave you apple-bobbing (or in my school, competitive apple-bobbing where drowning was a potential outcome for the losers). Beware also of course of the dark pixies who are allowed to roam free that night across Bodmin Moor in the guise of beautiful young virgins, eager to swap your souls with that of a dark changeling.
To celebrate Allantide (the Anglicised version), I’m reading the excellent The Beyond comics, starting with no.1. It kicks off with The Werewolf Strikes! – beautiful art from Warren Kremer and a story that with a bit of padding would make a very acceptable Universal feature.
The Tale of the Reluctant Ghost has an intriguing script where members of a séance get their heart’s desire - but not in the way they intended (tee hee). The idea is worthy of Poe but he may have provided more bite to the denouement.
The Phantom Puppet has a terrific premise – a puppeteer creates a puppet of Jack the Ripper that takes on a life of its own. The story could have gone in so many directions – this is only one of them, (Everyone knows by the way that Jack the Ripper was really a Polish barber who went by the name of George or David Cohen (real name Aaron Kosminski or possibly Nathan Kaminsky) Or then again, maybe not, who can say)
Al Hartley’s pencils in Master of the Undead were crisp, clear and masterful. I could have written a different ending though……Not the strongest of stories, though the idea of a mind-controlled zombie Nina had potential.
An outstanding first issue – no wonder The Beyond went on to become a minor classic of the genre – the inspiration for other titles that would emerge later in the fifties. Well worth a read.
Link to the book:
The Beyond 01
