Wednesday, June 24, 2009


Number 546


The Shores of Horror


Web of Horror #1 came out in 1969, published by Cracked magazine's publisher, Bob Sproul. This issue used some (then) new artists, Berni Wrightson, Ralph Reese, Wayne Howard. It also used Don Norman, a name I believe is a pseudonym for Norman Nodel of Classics Illustrated fame, and the old Timely/Atlas/Marvel stalwart, Syd Shores. "Blood Thirst" would fit right into an Atlas horror comic, and showed that Shores lost nothing in the decade-and-a-half since the horror comics were erased by the Comics Code.

I especially like the dynamic panels of the crypt on page 3 and the vampire swooping in on page 4. Syd Shores learned his craft during the 1940s, batting out pages with Al Avison, carrying on Captain America from Simon and Kirby. His action figures jumped right off the page, as they do in this story.

Web of Horror lasted two more issues before expiring. Shores lasted four more years, dying in 1973. We fans lost both times.














6 comments:

  1. Magnificent. Shore sure was something. I love how blood-spattered everything is: Clothes, coffins, floors, faces - everything has blood splatters. Thanks for the post. -- Mykal

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  2. Syd Shores?!!! Syd Shores?!! Fantastic!! See, this is why I am overwhelmed by your blog, Pappy. I am first and foremost interested in the craft of these stories (art, writing, coloring, all of it) and you keep bringing to light work by Stallman(!), Greene, Jack Bradbury, and now the amazing Syd Shores; all largely unsung masters of their craft.

    Syd was among the two best inkers to work over Jack (Everett being the other) during the mid to late 60's at Marvel, and not surprisingly, a talented and engaging artist in his own right. When you go and look at the "Red Wolf" work he did, and some of the little short horror stories for Marvel in the early 70's, you really see Syd at his best as both penciler and inker. The great thing about THIS story is that it's from the same period, but in black and white and his line is beautifully un-obscured by color!!

    Thanks, Pap!

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  3. Shores work is awesome. I have the entire run of Marvels 1970's Red Wolf series, most of which is by Shores.

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  4. I missed out. I don't have any Red Wolf. Guess I should start looking. He did a Western for Skywald, the short-lived Bravados.

    If I can raise consciousness of early comic veterans like Syd Shores, get people interested in their work, then that's a bonus. Thanks for the positive comments, guys.

    Check out some other Shores work I've posted, including a werewolf story, and some more black and white, this time reprints of some Golden Age Timely.

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  5. There seems to be a Reed Crandall/ Creepy influence on this, which, by the way, is great Syd Shores. I wonder whose idea that was.

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  6. Story is by Hugo and Nebula winner Terry Bisson, who was Web of Horror's editor.

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