Creepy #139 - Warren

This was during Warren Publishing's last year of existence (*sob*), and many of the issues released during this time were, sadly, either partly or entirely reprints. In some cases, though, Warren really put together a nice package, dipping from their vast pool of great material.

This is an excellent example of one of those issues--an all-Alex Toth issue, featuring seven stories all drawn by the master. Of course, you'd never know it from the cover by Rudy Nebres. Toth never did a cover for Warren, so they didn't have one to reprint, necessitating using someone else's art for an all-Toth issue. So it's understandable, but you have to think using a Nebres cover--whose art style is about as far away from Toth's as humanly possible--was not the best way to sell this issue.

The first story (which the cover represents) is "Daddy and the Pie", written by Bill DuBay, about a kindly alien that's discovered by a family of farmers and taken in. It's a nice, warm story, much more gentle than the kind of tale you usually associate with Warren. Next is "The Monument", written by Archie Goodwin, about murder in the world of...architecture(now there's a field you didn't see used as a backdrop in most comic stories)!

Next up is "Grave Undertaking", also written by Goodwin, and features this breathtaking splash page:

Set in 1820's England, this is an EC-esque story of two undertakers with just a little too much ambition. Toth's use of heavy blacks makes the story feel claustrophobic and adds immeasurably to the--um, creepy--vibe of the story.

Goodwin also wrote the next tale, "Rude Awakening", about a guy having a really bad day. Toth contributed another astounding opening to the next story, "Survival!", written by guess who:

...this story is more of psychological mood piece, reminiscient of the tortured-psyche EC stories drawn by Benard Kriegstein. As usual, Toth knocks this one out of the park, knowing exactly when to pull in close, and when to pull back.

Gerry Boudreau's "Phantom of Pleasure Island" is a hard-bitten detective tale with a crazy, bizarrely-funny-yet-downbeat ending. A series of murders are taking place at an amusement park, and P.I. Hubb Chapin (great name!) arrives to investiagte.

The final story is "Unreal!", this time written by Toth as well, and is set in the world of silent-era Hollywood, yet with an odd, sci-fi twist. Toth uses a lot of repeated long shots which helps make the story feel like you're watching a Keystone Cops-esque silent film.

All in all, an astonishing collection of stories. Not only are the stories themselves good, if not great, but they all had the good fortune to be rendered by the master, Alex Toth.