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Content Items (9 total)

The Curse of Harkley Heath

Illustration on Cover, Front

Credits

Writer(s): ?

Colorist(s): ? (see notes)

Letterer(s): ?

Subject Matter

Genres: horror

Feature(s): The Vault of Horror

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

In Content Item: Flag

Vault of Horror #13 published July 1950
as [untitled] [Illustration on Cover, Front]

In Content Item: Flag

Vault of Horror #2 published January 1993
as [untitled] [Illustration on Cover, Front]

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 1

Notes: Cover title taken from the second story, from which it is based.

Colors were previously recorded as the work of Marie Severin, but it is unlikely that Severin had begun coloring at EC when this issue was colored (Cassell 2012, 33–34 and 171). The source previously cited by GCD may have been intended to refer to new colors done for Russ Cochran’s 1982 slipcased reprint of the series.
_________
Reference:

Cassell, Dewey, with Aaron Sultan. 2012. Marie Severin: The Mirthful Mistress of Comics. Raleigh: TwoMorrows Publishing.

SuspenStory Fans

Promotional Material (from Publisher) on Interior Page(s)

Credits

Writer(s): ?

Penciller(s): various

Inker(s): various

Letterer(s): ?; typeset

Subject Matter

Genres: horror

Feature(s): The Crypt of Terror

Synopsis: House ad for The Crypt of Terror #17 (with the cover by Johnny Craig) and other art.

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 1

The Dead Will Return!

Story on Interior Page(s)

Credits

Colorist(s): ?

Subject Matter

Genres: horror, mystery

Feature(s): The Vault of Horror

Character(s): The Vault Keeper [cameos]

First Line: So... we meet again, dear reader!

Synopsis: Florence and Bert had just finshed dumping her husband's body in the ocean and made their way back to the lighthouse on the beach. She knew that her husband had a large sum of money somewhere around the house or on the property, and while she was searching outside for it, Bert heard a scream. Rushing to the beach, he saw that the body of Flo's husband has just washed ashore, so he took it and dumped it off the highest cliff in the area.....only to wash ashore again a few days later. Bert decided to take the body this time far up the coast, dump it and return. But Flo was worried and asked him to go back up the coast to make sure the body didn't wash ashore there. While he was gone, Flo remained in the lighthouse....then she saw water seeping under the door, figured it was her dead husband and began climbing the stairs to the top to get away from him. Just as Bert drove up, he heard a horrific scream from the top and the light go out on the lighthouse. He entered the structure, and saw a trail of water leading up the stairs, followed it, and then we hear a scream again. The next day, as government inspectors came to the lighthouse to investigate why the light was out, they found both bodies, covered in seaweed...then they notice a rotted corpse lying on the beach!

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

In Content Item: Flag

Iskalde Grøss #8/1990 published January 1990
as Et tilbakevendende problem! [Story on Interior Page(s)]

In Content Item: Flag

Vault of Horror #2 published January 1993
as The Dead Will Return! [Story on Interior Page(s)]

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 8

Notes: Script credit from Tales of Terror: The EC Companion.

The Curse of Harkley Heath

Story on Interior Page(s)

Credits

Colorist(s): ?

Subject Matter

Genres: horror, mystery

Feature(s): The Vault of Horror

Character(s): Sybil Harkley (death); Hagers (Clayton Harkley's lawyer); Charles Harkley (villain, death); Edgar Harkley (villain, death)

First Line: What is the terror surrounding this once splendid home?

Synopsis: Clayton Harkley had died from a mortal wound inflicted by his brother and left a dying man's curse upon the money he will inherit. The last members of the Harkley clan gather in the house to celebrate their newfound wealth, until their late uncle's lawyer informs the three that his money goes to Miss Sybil, a cousin....not to the brother! The two males decide to kill Miss Sybil with the same morphine that Uncle Harkley had once used, and succeed in a roundabout way. But she returns from the dead to seek revenge.

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

In Content Item: Flag

Vault of Horror #2 published January 1993
as The Curse of Harkley Heath [Story on Interior Page(s)]

In Content Item: Flag

The Fantagraphics EC Artists' Library #2 published August 2012
as The Curse of Harkley Heath [Story on Interior Page(s)]Reprinted in black and white.

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 7

Notes: Letterer credit by Craig Delich.
Script credit from Tales of Terror: The EC Companion. Previous indexer had Harry Harrison.
Cover story.

The Diamond of Death!

Text Story on Interior Page(s)

Credits

Penciller(s): ? (2 panels art)

Inker(s): ? (2 panels art)

Colorist(s): ?

Letterer(s): typeset

Subject Matter

Genres: horror

Character(s): Silas Morgan; Crandall

First Line: The glitter of the huge diamond in Crandall's upturned palm...

Synopsis: Crandall was holding a huge diamond in his hand when the door behind him swung open and Silas Morgan entered, his eyes focusing on the bright gem, and he warned Crandall to put it away before danger befell him, just as it had for every previous owner....owners who simply vanished off the face of the earth! As Morgan leaped at Crandall, Crandall dodged and grabbed the cane from Morgan and killed him with it. Crandall took Morgan's body down to the furnace room and threw the body in the furnace, then went into rare tropical plant room to look around. Suddenly, something rubbery grabbed Crandall's neck and he turned to see the "Man-Eater" plant pulling him toward its gaping mouth and enveloping him. As the screams stopped, a shiny object fell to the floor at the plant's feet: the diamond of death!

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

In Content Item: Flag

Vault of Horror #2 published January 1993
as The Diamond of Death! [Text Story on Interior Page(s)]

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 1

Doctor of Horror

Story on Interior Page(s)

Credits

Writer(s): ? (adaptation)

Colorist(s): ? (see notes)

Subject Matter

Genres: horror

Feature(s): The Vault of Horror

Character(s): Dr. Finch (retiring school Dean, new school Governor); Dr. Cranshaw (death); Professor (later Dean) Alfred LeMonet (villain, death)

First Line: In the seventeenth century, when Alfred Lemonet was anatomy instructor...

Synopsis: At the Hampshire Surgeon School, Professor LeMonet is told that attendance in his classes must increase if he is to remain as a teacher there, so he digs up cadavers for use in his anatomy classes, and enrollment suddenly blossoms, to the Dean's delight. LeMonet decides to kill his competition to get the Dean's job, then sees an opportunity to become Governor as well. LeMonet hires men to go out and kill people along the waterfront area, and bring their cadavers to the school to impress the royal surgeon, but the men make a grievous error, for LeMonet's body is among the other corpses!

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

In Content Item: Flag

Vault of Horror #2 published January 1993
as Doctor of Horror [Story on Interior Page(s)]

In Content Item: Flag

Iskalde Grøss #4/1994 published January 1994
as Doktor Død [Story on Interior Page(s)]

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 6

Notes: Ingels's first horror story.

Story was inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Body Snatcher," which was itself inspired by the real-life Burke and Hare case of 1828.

Colors were previously attributed to Marie Severin (see Indexer Notes for this issue’s cover, above).

[untitled]

Letters Page on Interior Page(s)

Credits

Colorist(s): ?

Letterer(s): typeset

Subject Matter

Character(s): The Vault Keeper

Synopsis: Letters are printed from Jim Long, Barbara Nelson and Richard Morland. There is a gag letter from "A. Stiff" and the "Vault-Keeper's Book Selection" listing.

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 1

[untitled]

Promotional Material (from Publisher) on Interior Page(s)

Credits

Penciller(s): various

Inker(s): various

Colorist(s): ?

Letterer(s): typeset

Subject Matter

Synopsis: Comprised of house ads for Picture Stories From American History #1-4; Picture Stories From Science #1-2; Pictore Stories From World History #1-2; the Complete Old Testament; the Complete New Testament; Picture Stories From the Bible: Old Testament #1-2; and New Testament #1. All have the covers reproduced.

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 1

Island of Death

Story on Interior Page(s)

Subject Matter

Genres: horror, mystery

Feature(s): The Vault of Horror

Character(s): Stephen Crane; Alec; Count Alvar Cabeza (villain, death)

First Line: High in the empty sky...

Synopsis: Steve Crane, along with his partner Alec, are flying over a small island, when the plane develops engine trouble and crash-lands. Crane drags himself out of the water, spots a huge castle atop a mountain and manages to crawl up and knock on the door before he passes out. When he awakens several days later, he meets his benefactor, Count Cabeza, who provides a delicious meal before taking him into his trophy room. The Count shows him his animal trophy heads, but notes that he has yet to match wits with another type of animal: man! And Steve Crane is to be that man.

Reprinting

In Issue:

The Vault of Horror #1 published January 1982

In Content Item: Flag

Vault of Horror #2 published January 1993
as Island of Death [Story on Interior Page(s)]

Reprint Notes:

Miscellaneous

Pages: 7

Notes: This story by Kurtzman is inspired by Richard Connell's short story, "The Most Dangerous Game."

Marie Severin’s statement that “[Harvey] Kurtzman colored his own art, especially on covers...” (1995) suggests that Kurtzman colored stories that he drew, albeit perhaps less consistently than he colored his cover art.
_________
References:

Cassell, Dewey, with Aaron Sultan. 2012. “The Artists of EC Comics” (reprinting Severin 1995). In Marie Severin: The Mirthful Mistress of Comics. 46–47. Raleigh: TwoMorrows Publishing.

Severin, Marie (John Province, transcriber [uncredited]). 1995. “Mostly About Color.” In CFA-APA 36, January.