Crime Suspenstories (1950-55 E.C. Comics) comic books 1951

Cover art by Johnny Craig. "Poison!", script and art by Johnny Craig; Mr. Boles was pretty smug, as he and his housekeeper attended the funeral of Margaret Boles...smug thinking that no one knew he had killed his wife; But everything that his housekeeper says and does seems to indicate to him that she somehow knows what he did. "The Giggling Killer," script and art by Harvey Kurtzman; With the newspapers reporting the deaths of people at the hands of "The Giggling Killer," poor Lester, nagged to death by his wife, plans to see if he in some way can establish an alibi and then kill his wife in the style of the killer. "Getaway" text story by Albert B. Feldstein. "Faced With Horror!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Wally Wood; Sam and Willie hold up a bank and shoot a teller in the process; Unfortunately for them, an employee photographed them while making their escape, and Brogen was identified; He decides to have plastic surgery to make him look like a different person. "Blood Red Wine!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script adaptation), art by Graham Ingels; Old Ballo, whose wine business had been ruined by a review made by a wine connoisseur, decides to invite the man to his home and do away with him; Adapted from the short story "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover art by Johnny Craig. "Backlash!", script and art by Johnny Craig; Mystery writer Wilton believes he has come upon a logical, workable method of committing a crime behind locked doors of a sealed room; But one publisher after another rejects the manuscript at every turn...so Wilton decides to commit the crime for real. "Premium Overdue!", script by Albert B. Feldstein, art by Jack Kamen; To humor a good looking, young insurance salesman, Thelma takes out a double-indemnity policy on her good-for-nothing, worthless husband; After she kills him, she drives out on a country road to dispose of the body, fakes an accident, collects the money and then meets George. "Stranger" text story by Albert B. Feldstein. "Conniver!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Jack Davis; A comic book editor has endured five years worth of sweating and toiling for his publisher, and never is given the credit he believes is due him; Wanting to get the boss out of the way, Tom Brogen decides to use one of the artists to do the deed through a series of manipulations in which Tom worms his way into Paul's fiancee's life and blames "an affair" with Mr. Graynor. "Heads-Up!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Graham Ingels; Dora gets fed up with her husband and his freak show occupation, and falls in love with another circus performer; When Fred discovers the affair and the fact that the pair intend to put him out of the way, he comes up with a plan. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover art by Johnny Craig. "The Sewer!", script and art by Johnny Craig; At a party thrown by the Goldens, Harry and Irene concoct a scheme to kill John, dump him in a sewer, and then be together for all time; However, the foul deed, once done, turns Irene's stomach and she ditches him. "Mr. Biddy ... Killer!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Jack Davis; Really fed up with his wife, Archie ponders what to do.....until he meets a Mr. Biddy, who offers to kill his wife for Archie. "Smart!" text story by Albert B. Feldstein. "The Gullible One," script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Jack Kamen; Fred Vanderhoff invites a group of his hunter friends to his mountain retreat to do some hunting, but the next morning they discovered that a heavy snow had fallen overnight, trapping them in their retreat for at least two weeks; When their host is killed the next day, the others make their way to the Police, each suspecting the other of the crime. "Partially Dissolved!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Graham Ingels; Crowds flocked to the theater to see Ventar, acclaimed as good a magician as the late Houdini or Thurston; The magician later reveals to his longtime assistant a new metal he created that dissolves in water, thus allowing his to do a variety of seemingly dangerous illusions. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover art by Johnny Craig. "A Toast...to Death!", script and art by Johnny Craig; A wife is fed up with her lazy, good-for-nothing husband who prefers to spend his time babying a special grape vine than spending time with her; So she poisons his favorite wine, buries him and then concocts an elaborate cover-up, living the life of Riley on her late husband's money. "Out of My Mind!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Jack Kamen; Betty hates her husband with a passion and decides to murder him by feigning fainting attacks over a period of months, then acting out in a murderous way when Bert's brother is present. "Air-Tight!" text story by Albert B. Feldstein. "The Switch," script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by George Roussos; The Lamberts are fighting again, but one night Edwin over-hears Harry conversing with a person that Edwin believes is a killer being hired to kill Harry's wife. "Jury Duty!", script by Bill Gaines (co-plot) and Albert B. Feldstein (co-plot, script), art by Graham Ingels; Somehow Peter Kardoff survives the hangman's noose, then starts to take revenge by killing off the members of the jury that convicted him, convinced the law cannot do anything since he was legally pronounced dead. 36 pgs., full color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Johnny Craig. Stories by Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein and Johnny Craig. Art by Johnny Craig, Jack Kamen, Graham Ingels, and Jack Davis. EC's New Trend crime title featured top-notch art and writing, barrier-pushing graphics and pre-Code violence. Mrs. North's fear turns to murderous paranoia when she suspects her maid is the axe-murderer stalking the neighborhood. A Texas oil millionaire's wife falls for an oilfield worker, and they plot to murder her husband. Strange circus murders result after a human cannonball's wife has an affair with a trapeze artist. Hatchet-Killer!; Revenge!; Inches; Phonies; Horror Under the Big Top! 36 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.

Cover by Johnny Craig. Stories by Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein and Johnny Craig. Art by Johnny Craig, Jack Kamen, Graham Ingels, and George Roussos. EC's New Trend crime title featured top-notch art and writing, barrier-pushing graphics and pre-Code violence. Felix's plot to murder his wife features untraceable poison, a slip of the tongue, switched gravestones, and a gruesome comeuppance. A radio broadcast about an escaped maniac turns a pleasant evening's hitchhiking into a night of terror. When partners in a meatpacking business discover a way to swindle the customers and the competition, can murder be far behind? Out of the Frying Pan…; A Trace of Murder!; Double-Cross; The Escaped Maniac!; Partnership Dissolved! 36 pages, Full Color. Cover price $0.10.