May 24, 2007

Haunted #39 [1978]

 This issue has a reprint of the 7-page "Along Came a Spider and..." from HAUNTED #7 [1972]. A fairly minor entry in the Ditko catalog, made all the more minor in this version thanks to some spotty reproduction. The story has a dirty American hippie (oddly named Tyler Rand. No relation, I assume) looking for a place to live in London, when he finds a room with a rich older widow who he plans to seduce and swindle. It's kind of confusing to figure it out completely since there are a few scenes where the speech balloons are clearly supposed to be thought balloons. Someone needs a refresher course.

His plan continues well, although he's vexed by the widow's instance that a spider in his room be left undisturbed. He also has to finance his plans with some purse snatching. I get lost after that, but it seems the spider is the lady's husband, who turns the hippie into a spider, and then another victim is drawn into the lair.

As I said, minor Ditko, and not well printed, but with a few interesting visuals. What's the name of the cloaked ghost who hosts these stories? I know Dedd and Graves and Winnie and the Baron, don't think I know the ghost's name.




1 comment:

  1. those Ditko pieces in Charlton's monster mags were cool. A nice reprint volume would be great, if they could ever figure out who owns the rights these days.

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