Top Pre-Code Horror Comic Cover Artists - Part 2

(*2*)It’s October, and meaning we right here at GoCollect are turning our consideration to horror comics. We’re persevering with our take a look at the highest cowl artists of Pre-Code Horror comics and the influence they’ve had on comedian accumulating.

Bernard Baily

Perhaps no different artist had as nice an influence in each Golden Age superhero and Pre-Code Horror comics than Bernard Baily. Co-creator of each Sandman and Hourman for DC, Baily additionally drew among the most terrifically terrifying comedian covers ever seen.

He additionally based Bernard Baily Studio with Mac Raboy the place quite a few artists obtained their begin, together with Frank Frazetta, Gil Kane, and Carmine Infantino.

A Poke within the Eye

Eye accidents are a favourite of Pre-Code Horror collectors, and none are as horrific as the quilt for Mister Mystery #12 printed by Aragon Publications in 1953. So visceral is the quilt you possibly can virtually really feel the warmth of the poker because it nears the horrified man’s eye.

There are 76 graded copies however none above the grade of 8.0. The newest sale was a 6.0 going for $14,376 within the August 25 ComicConnect public sale. The highest worth paid was $36,000 for an 8.0 from the gathering of Nicolas Cage, certainly one of solely 5 copies within the prime grade. Mister Mystery #11 and Mister Mystery #18 are additionally price trying out for his or her ugly Baily covers.

More Brains!

What’s to not love concerning the cowl for Weird Mysteries #5 printed by Gilmor Magazines in 1953? If you’re a fan of uncovered mind matter, this one’s for you!

There are 77 graded copies however, once more, none above 8.0. The most up-to-date sale occurred within the September 17 Heritage public sale when a 4.0 went for $14,000. The highest worth paid was $22,800 for a Northford Pedigree 5.5 from the gathering of Nicolas Cage in a September 2022 Heritage public sale.

The lone 8.0 graded copy offered in a 2015 Heritage public sale for $17,925. It’s laborious to think about it going for lower than $30,000 now. Weird Mysteries #4 additionally sports activities a Baily cowl price your perusal.

Lou Morales

Making his mark for the writer Charlton, Lou Morales was a preferred artist on the title, The Thing. Morales’ work was additionally ceaselessly seen in quite a few Atlas horror titles. Keeping with the attention harm theme, the quilt for The Thing #7 simply seems to be completely painful; you possibly can virtually really feel the agony because the demon gouges out that poor man’s eyes.

There are a scant 43 graded copies though there’s one within the prime grade of 9.2. Only three copies have offered this yr with the highest sale being a 5.0 going for $1,080 within the March 21 Heritage public sale. The prime general sale was an 8.5 that went for $3,600 again in 2019. It’s been 14 years since one of many 9.0 graded copies final offered in 2009 for $2,091.

The lone 9.2 copy has by no means offered. In truth, no copy above 7.0 has offered since 2020, making it tough to determine true current values for the upper grades. It might be very attention-grabbing to see the ultimate worth if one goes up on the market within the close to future.

The Tongue Bouquet

The cowl for Lawbreakers Suspense Stories #11 and its general theme is disgusting sufficient that it’s been granted its personal sobriquet by Pre-Code Horror collectors: “The Tongue Bouquet,” based mostly on the fistful of tongues Morales organized as a floral bouquet within the creepy man’s hand. This marks Morales as one of many creepier artists of his time.

There are 76 graded copies and an 8.0 simply offered for the primary time within the September 17 Heritage public sale for the value of $7,800. The highest worth paid was $19,200 for a Bethlehem pedigree 8.5 within the January 2022 Heritage public sale. The lone 9.0 has by no means offered.

Johnny Craig

Among the high quality steady of EC artists, none has caught the attention of Pre-Code Horror collectors greater than Johnny Craig. Some of the most effective and most effectively-recognized horror covers are from Craig’s pen.

His real looking draftsmanship units him other than different horror artists and matches effectively together with his moody and cerebral tales, scripting his personal tales being one other side that units him other than his friends.

Just check out his most well-known Pre-Code Horror cowl – Crime SuspenStories #22. It’s not simply the horrific material that pulls the attention, however the framing of the scene as effectively. No marvel that it was one of many star witnesses for the prosecution within the 1954 Senate hearings on juvenile delinquency. In truth, EC writer William Gaines testified that he thought the quilt was in good style.

There are 413 graded copies, a excessive quantity and proof of its excessive recognition. The lone 9.8 and 9.6 copies have by no means offered, however a 9.4 Williams Gaines File Copy offered earlier this yr within the March 16 ComicConnect public sale for a staggering $90,112. Just think about the heights it may attain if the 9.8 or 9.6 had been supplied in an public sale.

Almost Too Real

Another of Craig’s masterpieces is the quilt for Crime SuspenStories #20. The eye is unquestionably drawn to this cowl but needs to look away, because it’s virtually too actual, making it all of the extra horrifying. While not fairly on the degree of fame of Crime SuspenStories #22, there are nonetheless 278 graded copies.

There have been 9 gross sales this yr, with the highest sale being a 6.5 going for $2,900 in a July 24 eBay public sale. The prime worth paid was for a 9.6 graded William Gaines File Copy that offered for $31,200 in an April 2022 Heritage public sale. It is certainly one of solely two copies on this prime grade.

A Personal Favorite

Being somebody who spent a great deal of my commuting time within the New York City subway system for a few years – and seen many bizarre issues within the course of – I can let you know {that a} scene like Craig drew for the quilt of Vault of Horror #30 would have despatched me screaming off the practice on the subsequent cease, no matter the place it was.

Just the concept of a stranger’s stump of an arm hanging there in a subway automotive conjures up the very worst that one human can do to a different. And but, maybe due to my private connection to the subject material, I simply can’t look away. That, for me, makes it probably the most horrifying of the Pre-Code Horror comedian covers. There are 114 graded copies; it’s positively not one of many prime Craig covers for collectors.

Prices are extra affordable as effectively, with a grade as excessive as 5.5 going for as little as $708 within the March 22 Hake’s public sale. The prime worth paid was $7,800 for one of many two prime-graded 9.6 copies in a February 2019 Heritage public sale, a lot decrease than it will possible promote for in a gift-day public sale.

Other Contenders

While I can’t embrace writeups on each one of many nice Pre-Code Horror cowl artists, I might be remiss if I didn’t level out a couple of others. Don Heck – of Avengers fame – drew some terrific headshots (pun considerably meant) for Horrific, probably the most notable being the quilt for Horrific #3. Web of Evil #5 by Jack Cole, This Magazine is Haunted #11 by Sheldon Moldoff, Out of the Shadows #8 by Jack Katz, and so many extra are price trying out.