CRIME SUSPENSTORIES #20 * CGC 5.0 * SOTI Classic * Hanging Cover
Author:
Title: CRIME SUSPENSTORIES No. 20
Place Published:
Publisher:EC [Indicia: L. L. Publishing Co. Inc.]
Date Published: December, 1953 -January, 1954
Description: CGC certified: VG/Fine (5.0). White pages. Grader notes: Creasing to cover; finger bends on cover; multiple front & back cover stains; spine stress lines to cover.
CGC Census: 292 graded copies (277 Universal, 1 Qualified, 1 Signature, 13 Restored).
GPAnalysis: A 5.0 sold for $2040 in 3/23.
Credits: Cover: Johnny Craig. Scripts: Johnny Craig, Bill Gaines, and Al Feldstein. Art: Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, Jack Kamen, Reed Crandall. Overstreet: "Used in SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT. Classic hanging cover."Fizzed-Up SOTI Pop: Dr. Wertham gave Johnny Craig's hanging cover to Crime SuspenStories #20 a queasy full-page illustration in Seduction of the Innocent. Although usually quite the gasbag, Wertham presented Craig's over-the-top image with minimal commentary – "Cover of a children's comic book" – understanding that in this case, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. As recently a decade ago, this mag sold for relative chicken feed – if anything, some Fan-Addicts found the cover image offputtingly grotesque – but in recent years, it's status as a SOTI superstar has caused prices to pop.
"Johnny Craig's 1954 cover art for Crime SuspenStories #20 represents the logical conclusion to an entire industry of increasingly shocking visuals that appeared during the gore-drenched, pre-Comics Code 1950s. As an explosive image designed to sell via titillation, it couldn't be more effective.... Any and all variations on the EC yarns are crystallized in this single, essential event; victim and killer are finally conflated." – M. Todd Hignite, Comic Art #5. Hignite-Zimmer: 2004.______________________________________________________________
A limited edition of ten hardcover catalogues is available, in addition to a few dozen softcovers. Fun reference, great keepsake, fully illustrated, chockablock with obscure facts, gags, bon mots. Softcovers are $40, deluxe hardcovers with dust jackets and limitation plates are $200. These books always go fast so don't delay. To order, contact ivan@pbagalleries.com.
Consignments welcome for PBA's Summer 2024 Comic Book sale. Top prices for Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age, Silver Age, original art and ephemera. Find out why PBA is the new fan-fave of funnybook fiends. "This is some of the best commentary I've yet seen on the quality of the content of comic books... Priceless." – R. Crumb. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com.
Coming Soon: The DC Universe Collection Part 3: The Golden Age (August 2024) and Weird Tales and Amazing Stories: The PBA Pulp Sale (September 2024). Contact ivan@pbagalleries.com to get on the notifications list.
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Author:
Title: CRIME SUSPENSTORIES No. 20
Place Published:
Publisher:EC [Indicia: L. L. Publishing Co. Inc.]
Date Published: December, 1953 -January, 1954
Description: CGC certified: VG/Fine (5.0). White pages. Grader notes: Creasing to cover; finger bends on cover; multiple front & back cover stains; spine stress lines to cover.
CGC Census: 292 graded copies (277 Universal, 1 Qualified, 1 Signature, 13 Restored).
GPAnalysis: A 5.0 sold for $2040 in 3/23.
Credits: Cover: Johnny Craig. Scripts: Johnny Craig, Bill Gaines, and Al Feldstein. Art: Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, Jack Kamen, Reed Crandall. Overstreet: "Used in SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT. Classic hanging cover."Fizzed-Up SOTI Pop: Dr. Wertham gave Johnny Craig's hanging cover to Crime SuspenStories #20 a queasy full-page illustration in Seduction of the Innocent. Although usually quite the gasbag, Wertham presented Craig's over-the-top image with minimal commentary – "Cover of a children's comic book" – understanding that in this case, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. As recently a decade ago, this mag sold for relative chicken feed – if anything, some Fan-Addicts found the cover image offputtingly grotesque – but in recent years, it's status as a SOTI superstar has caused prices to pop.
"Johnny Craig's 1954 cover art for Crime SuspenStories #20 represents the logical conclusion to an entire industry of increasingly shocking visuals that appeared during the gore-drenched, pre-Comics Code 1950s. As an explosive image designed to sell via titillation, it couldn't be more effective.... Any and all variations on the EC yarns are crystallized in this single, essential event; victim and killer are finally conflated." – M. Todd Hignite, Comic Art #5. Hignite-Zimmer: 2004.______________________________________________________________
A limited edition of ten hardcover catalogues is available, in addition to a few dozen softcovers. Fun reference, great keepsake, fully illustrated, chockablock with obscure facts, gags, bon mots. Softcovers are $40, deluxe hardcovers with dust jackets and limitation plates are $200. These books always go fast so don't delay. To order, contact ivan@pbagalleries.com.
Consignments welcome for PBA's Summer 2024 Comic Book sale. Top prices for Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age, Silver Age, original art and ephemera. Find out why PBA is the new fan-fave of funnybook fiends. "This is some of the best commentary I've yet seen on the quality of the content of comic books... Priceless." – R. Crumb. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com.
Coming Soon: The DC Universe Collection Part 3: The Golden Age (August 2024) and Weird Tales and Amazing Stories: The PBA Pulp Sale (September 2024). Contact ivan@pbagalleries.com to get on the notifications list.
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