Tuesday, July 26, 2022

The Boy Who Couldn't Shudder

Here's an oddball fairy tale freak-out from the August - September 1953 issue of Jack the Giant Killer #1, published by Bimfort, Inc. and, according to GCD, this is the one and only comic that Bimfort ever produced. It's a funny little back-up filler story with some silly supernatural moments, not to mention an ending that'll leave you all wet! So hang onto your shivers, and try to control them sufferin' shakes! It's time for--

7 comments:

Brian Barnes said...

OK I've read way to many horror tales because I was 100% sure that the story was going to end with the princess being something horrible and that made Peter shudder, but no ... it just ends like ... that. It's really kind of a strange ending it's not announced at all and it just seems to be "we need to solve this problem in a panel!"

That out of the way, I really like this art. I love the heavy lines and the kind of Walt Kelly-ish figures going on. The skeletons, the spooks, the crazy cats, I love all of it ... and spanking a ghost ... I allow it for a person that can drive an axe straight through an iron anvil!

This would have made a fun cartoon.

Mr. Cavin said...

The spook bowling is so wild. Also the black cats and dogs with hot chains coming out of the fireplace. It all reads like some other culture's slight misunderstanding of Halloween tropes. Or like a kid explaining something he isn't quite old enough to understand. Light somethings been gained in the translation. I love it.

I agree with Brian that it would make a great cartoon. Maybe one of those early black and white Looney Tunes where everything's really round and roly-poly, and everybody's always bobbing up and down in sync with the teacups and flowerpots.

Doc Briar said...

The situation, not the art, of playing nine pens with bones reminds me of a Fleischer cartoon. Thanks for another oddity. Good stuff.

Brian Chapman said...

Loosely based on a tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Youth_Who_Went_Forth_to_Learn_What_Fear_Was

Mr. Cavin said...

Thanks for the link, Mr. Barnes! I'm always delighted and humbled to trip into one of the potholes that still somehow remain in my fairy tale/folklore education, even after all these years of fairly aggressively trying to fill them.

Mr. Karswell said...

Thanks for the link, Mr Chapman, actually-- this post just got better with the added background info. I didn't even think to google it myself first for once haha... and yes, I agree with the comments about how this would've made a great 30's / 40's animated short. I guess there's still time for the creators of Cuphead to maybe resurrect some concepts for future DLC's (if they haven't already!)

Got some DP action up next-- STAY TOMBED!

Mr. Cavin said...

<< Mr. Chapman >>

Derp! That'll teach me to read every single word of a comment before shootin' my mouth off. And Mr. Chapman and I go back such a long way, too. Sorry Brians!