Author:
Title: CRIME SUSPENSTORIES No. 24
Place Published:
Publisher:EC [Indicia: L. L. Publishing Co. Inc.]
Date Published: August-September, 1954
Description: CGC certified: Fine- (5.5). White pages. Grader notes: Light fingerprints on cover; light soiling on cover; light spine stress lines to cover; moderate creasing to cover.

CGC Census: 126 graded copies (120 Universal, 2 Qualified, 1 Signature, 3 Restored).

GPAnalysis: A 5.5 sold for $420 in 1/24.

Credits: Cover: George Evans. Scripts: Carl Wessler, Al Feldstein, and Jack Oleck? Art: Reed Crandall, Jack Kamen, Joe Orlando, Al Feldstein, Bernie Krigstein.The Moment Before Mayhem: "[George Evans] seems to have specialized in [the] eyes of madmen and fresh corpses, represented by the four disturbing eyes on the cover of #24. There is an undercurrent of black humor here, but it is blacker than just about any other EC humor." – Max Allan Collins, Crime SuspenStories Vol. 5. Russ Cochran: 1983.

One could argue that by freezing the action in the moment before dismemberment, Evans's cover spares young readers the gory details. Then again, one could argue that by leaving the bloody climax up to kids' imaginations, Evans implicates young readers, stimulating violent imaginings in their impressionable minds. One needn't be a Wertham to consider such ideas; Harvey Kurtzman hated EC's horror mags and considered it immoral for EC to foist them off on kids, and Jack Davis admitted misgivings about some of his horror stuff, but says he drew whatever he was told to because he "was kind of afraid" to refuse assignments (see Davis's interview in The Comics Journal #225, July 2000).

Bill Gaines expressed contradictory views about the ability of comics to influence young readers. When he testified before the Senate Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency in 1954, he was asked "If it does [children] a lot of good to read these things?" Gaines replied, "I don't think it does them a bit of good, but I don't think it does them a bit of harm, either." A bit earlier in the investigation, though, he insisted that EC stories were capable of influencing readers thoughts and actions in positive ways: "We have, I think, achieved some degree of success in combating antisemitism, anti-negro feeling, and so forth."

If not for the Comics Code crackdown, how far would publishers have gone with sex and violence in pursuit of kids' dimes? Bill Gaines' opposition to any level of censorship was absolute. When asked if he objected to anything at all being published, even child pornography, Gaines replied: "I personally have no objection to it. They might arrest the guys for what they did to the kids, but I don't have any objection to the pictures they took." – The Comics Journal Library Vol. 8: The EC Artists. Fantagraphics: 2016.______________________________________________________________

A limited edition of ten hardcover catalogues is available, in addition to a few dozen softcovers. Fun reference, great keepsake, fully illustrated, chockablock with obscure facts, gags, bon mots. Softcovers are $40, deluxe hardcovers with dust jackets and limitation plates are $200. These books always go fast so don't delay. To order, contact ivan@pbagalleries.com.

Consignments welcome for PBA's Summer 2024 Comic Book sale. Top prices for Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age, Silver Age, original art and ephemera. Find out why PBA is the new fan-fave of funnybook fiends. "This is some of the best commentary I've yet seen on the quality of the content of comic books... Priceless." – R. Crumb. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com.

Coming Soon: The DC Universe Collection Part 3: The Golden Age (August 2024) and Weird Tales and Amazing Stories: The PBA Pulp Sale (September 2024). Contact ivan@pbagalleries.com to get on the notifications list.