Number 833
The dancing girls and the cult of killers!
Hallowe'en is in two days...and this is not a Hallowe'en story. Sorry to disappoint, but it does have a masquerade of sorts, and people wearing masks. They're all members of an opium-smoking, dancing girl-watching cult. I'm always interested in good cults, and if you know of any would you sponsor me for membership? Besides this blog, there isn't much for me to do in retirement. I'm not looking for anything satanic, but sex and/or UFOs would be acceptable. Especially a UFO sex cult. (If one does not exist I may have to invent it.)
Enough of that...the story is from Wanted #52, from 1953. The artwork is credited by the Grand Comics Database to Harry Anderson. I'm fairly certain this is the first story of Anderson's I've ever posted. He was a solid pro who worked in comics until the 1950s. Wanted was published by Orbit, whose publisher was listed as Ray Hermann, which was a pseudonym for Ruth Hermann. You'll notice a screw-up with the dates in the Cult of Killers story...the body is found in 1948 and the execution of the murderer is four years earlier.
Wanted had a gimmick, which was to offer $100 rewards for the capture of criminals profiled in the comics. Here's a typical Wanted wanted poster:
I wonder if anyone ever collected that $100.
After posting this story I need to get busy furthering my Hallowe'en preparations. I have my moat filled with water and alligators. Today I'm planting landmines in case any of the trick or treaters get past the 'gators.
Howdy,
ReplyDeleteDamn! Harry Anderson is one fine comic artist. Perhaps some of the panels could have done without all the details that were crammed in them,
the story becomes a bit claustrophobic at times, but I love his overall look. His work reminds me of a couple of different artists, Mike Kaluta and Golden Age great Paul Gustavson. Thanks for showing us.
Brian James Riedel
Brian, considering the page rates in those days he could have cut some corners. I agree with you. It looks like he put an awful lot of work into it.
ReplyDeleteFirst I heard of Harry Anderson was on PBS' "History Detectives." A woman had unsigned original art to a story about a one armed pitcher who played in the big leagues during WW2. The sleuths were led to Steve Geppi (who told them that the pitcher did exist) and then to Ron Goulart, who identified the artist as Anderson.
ReplyDeleternigma, great story! I'll watch for it on reruns of History Detectives.
ReplyDelete