Author:
Title: YELLOWJACKET No. 8
Place Published:
Publisher:Charlton [Indicia: The Frank Publishing Co.]
Date Published: February, 1946
Description: Fine- (5.5). Small split with tiny chip to top spine, tiny chip to bottom spine, very mild corner crease, bit of a wave to back cover near spine. Clean, bright copy. Cream pages. Includes former CGC label (6.0, off-white pages).

Credits: Cover: Ken Battefield. Art: Ken Battefield, Burton Geller, Harold DeLay, Alan Mandel, Gerald Altman.

GPAnalysis: No reported sales in this grade. A 6.0 sold for $225 in 9/22.Primordial Root of Pre-Code Horror: Alan Mandel's story "The Third Wish" (based on W.W. Jacobs' horror chestnut "The Monkey's Paw") is narrated by an Old Witch prototype, who makes her second appearance in this ish (following her debut in Yellowjacket #7, January 1946). Yellowjacket #s 7 and 8 are relatively unknown to collectors, but both mags are significant milestones in the development of pre-Code horror, predating both Avon's Eerie #1 (1947) and ACG's Adventures into the Unknown #1 (1948). It's true that Gilberton's Classics Comics #13 (1943), featuring an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," predates Yellowjacket #s 7 & 8. However, Stevenson's story deals with science and psychology rather than supernatural horror (as does Prize Comics #7's "Frankenstein" tale from 1940).

"Yellowjacket was one of those superhero/anthology titles... and it ran eight issues in the late '40s. The last two installments of the title contained a short horror story narrated by a creepy old witch 'host' type character in a feature entitled 'Tales of Terror.' The striking similarity between this feature and the Old Witch host and Tales of Terror title introduced four years later by the ultimate horror publisher, EC Publications, requires me to mention these obscure comics as the primordial root of Pre-Code Horror." – George Suarez, Tales Too Terrible To Tell #1. NEC: 1989-90, p. 30. See Roger Hill's article in Squa Tront #14 for more dope on Yellowjacket's pre-Code connection.______________________________________________________________

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.