HAUNT OF FEAR #4 * CGC 3.0 * Wood's "Man From the

Heading:
Author:
Title: HAUNT OF FEAR No. 4
Place Published:
Publisher:EC [Indicia: Fables Publishing Co., Inc.]
Date Published: November-December, 1950
Description:

CGC certified: G/VG (3.0). Cream to off-white pages. Cover: Al Feldstein. Plots/scripts: Bill Gaines, Al Feldstein, Gardner Fox. Art: Graham Ingels, Jack Kamen, Jack Davis, Wally Wood. GPAnalysis: A 3.0 sold for $264 in August 2020.

Workhorse Wally Wood's "Man from the Grave" hints at the demons that fueled his relentless creativity. The story features a cursed artist who must labor at his easel until he works himself to death. Even then the artist finds no peace, as he soon returns from the grave to paint more masterpieces: "I could not stay away...from my work! Got to...work and...keep on...working! Forever and ever...to work and paint! Even though I smell of the charnel-house and the grave!"

31 years after this story's publication, a debilitated and barely-able-to-draw Wood killed himself. Bhob Stewart eulogized the artist in language that recalls "Man from the Grave": "Wood lived to work, and he did so obsessively, on and on into the night — night after night, month after month, year after year — until the prospect of doing no work loomed before him."

A limited edition of 150 softcover and 15 hardcover catalogues is available. 400 lots, fully illustrated. Fun reference, great keepsake. Softcover $30, deluxe hardcover with dust jacket and limitation plate $200. Ten of the 15 hardcovers are pre-ordered and the rest will go quickly, so reserve yours now. To order, contact ivan@pbagalleries.com.

Consignments welcome for PBA's December 2021 Comic Book sale. Top prices for Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age, Silver Age, original art and ephemera. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com.