You've heard of people who "stand behind their words", but how often do you see someone "stand ahead" of them?
Well, I've found one in the pages of RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT - TRUE GHOST STORIES # 81 (Gold Key Comics, Cover Date: September, 1978)
Let's zoom in on this page for a closer look!
But, I suppose if ya can't have weird stuff going on (in the stories and in the panels themselves) of a comic like THIS...
3 comments:
This seems somewhat comparable to a film when it goes "out of synch."
It's twice in a row now that you've found a Gold Key example of the kind of thing I would expect more likely to be found in Charlton. I guess it proves that even the best artists can have an off day now and then.
The 50 cent cover price tells me it's from the mid to late 70's, shortly before the winding down period, and with the first bloom of Gladstone still to blossom a few years ahead.
When younger, I was not much of a fan of the more "serious" comics produced by Gold Key, but today I would welcome the chance to read them. Thanks for another great post!
Scarecrow:
Or maybe it’s the comics version of a foreign film with bad dubbing! Take your pick! Either one works!
Gold Key made its share of mistakes, but just not anywhere near as many as Charlton. And, in the interest of impartiality, I don’t hesitate to call out “GK gaffes” when necessary. Or DC’s, or anyone’s if it makes for interesting blogging. Of course, unlike some other places on the Internet, we don’t exist here solely for the sake of “making fun of things”. Sometimes, it’s just an interesting look at the processes behind the comics – and how they can occasionally go wrong – increasing our “oft-taken-for-granted” appreciation for how often they get it right!
But, beyond merely being more plentiful, Charlton’s mistakes are far more egregious – varying between horrifying and hilarious – as you will continue to see as we go forward. But its unconventionality was also one of its strong points, in that they gave us things (many of them more entertaining than I’d have thought some years back) that you’d never see from a more traditional publisher. I may not have always felt this way… but I’m GLAD there was a Charlton!
The more "serious" comics produced by Gold Key definitely came to me later the funny ones – save an occasional licensed property I really liked from TV like VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA or STAR TREK – but they eventually found their way into my collection and they’ve been a great reading experience. …And the covers, frankly, are STUNNING! …It’s also never too late to pick up a few. The BORIS KARLOFF, TWILIGHT ZONE, and RIPLEY’S titles are particularly good – and they remained so during Gold Key’s general decline as the ‘70s wore on.
Oh, and one additional note…
I did not intend for it to be “…twice in a row now that you've found a Gold Key example of the kind of thing I would expect more likely to be found in Charlton.”
It was truly luck of the draw, in that I am presently very busy with Fantagraphics work, and that (for both of those posts) I drew from my deep well of pre-written posts, stored to “keep the Blog fresh!”. Since the first of those was about Mickey Mouse, my thought was to select one that was “unlike Mickey Mouse” for the sake of variety. …Ah, RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT – TRUE GHOST STORIES… that should fit the bill!
…Not realizing that I was doubling-up on the “Gold Key gaffes”! Oh, well… That’s Blog-biz!
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