Boris Karloff: Tales of Mystery Volume 5, brought to us by Dark Horse Books delivers science-fiction and horror comics that have been out of print for years, narrated by horror legend, Boris Karloff. There are 4 previous editions of this series available and they are HIGHLY recommended.
I need to just get this out of my system…HOLY SHIT I LOVE WORKING WITH DARK HORSE!!! Sometimes it’s so satisfying to get out of the realms of DC and Marvel because you want to read something new…even if that something new is something old. Comics have been around for a very long time. If you want to really know your shit and be able to compete with the hardcore fanboys (and fanGIRLS) out there, you need to break out the classics. Like Batman when he was still Bob Kane’s baby. But as usual, I digress.
Sometimes, when people ask me how much I get paid to write for this site, I want to punch them in the face. I get some of the most wonderful reads in the world, delivered to me…in mint condition and I get to keep them. One such example is this one. Dark Horse Archives brings us traditional sci-fi and horror from the late 60s and early 70s. There are over twenty awesome stories brought to us in this 5th volume. There is also a foreward by Sir Christopher Lee, another horror legend (and yes.. Saruman in the LotR trilogy that was directed by Peter Jackson) and an introduction by Frank Sinatra, Jr. Don’t ask me why he was involved in this, I guess because they were friends?
Anyway, I did want to mention something about a particular story.. and that’s the first one in the book. It isn’t too long and it does have a twist in the ending. It’s called “The Thing Called Illona” and it reads just like a traditional “Twilight Zone” episode. I really enjoyed the artwork, by Sal Trapani, a whole lot as well. The covers of each of these comics is total pulp style, which is simply nice to look at. The panels are classic comic.. no other real way to describe them but CLASSIC. Sometimes I miss that, with all of the computer graphics this and that in the world, you miss traditional pencil and ink work.
The reason that I think this particular comic called out to me, out of all them, is because in 2011, it seems that almost every vampire is the sexiest thing in the world. Right? Aren’t they all simply the most fuckable monsters on the planet? We have teenaged girls willing to throw themselves into pits of fire to make out with a sparkly vampire in Washington… or down in Louisiana, where the True Blood vampires live.. they want their names to be “Sookie Stackhouse” if only to hear it in a sexy vampire’s voice, before he rips off their clothes and bites me. Wait, I meant them. (Please, keep pretending that I’m super cool…besides, In the TB universe, I’m so “Team Sam”… mmm Sam Merlotte..)! In “The Thing Called Illona” vampires go back to their ugly-ass roots. They’re not these delectable creatures of the night…they’re gross lizards who feed off of souls to maintain their youth. Seriously… let’s let our monsters be monsters every once in a while. All respect due to the one and only, Bram Stoker.. sometimes I prefer a gross creature, than a seductive one.
As an aside, when I was 18, I went to Hollywood for the first time. Of course, I took on the miles and miles long trek on the Walk of Fame, touristy as ever. When I got to Boris Karloff’s star, I laid on the ground next to it, seemingly giving it a hug, with my father laughing hysterically at me, taking a picture. This is one of the best memories I have with my father, while he was still alive. It was partially due to our mutual love for each other and that of Boris Karloff. Yes.. he was Frankenstein’s monster in “Frankenstein” and Im-ho-tep in “The Mummy”, he was David Mallory in “Night Key”and Edmond Bateman in “The Raven” and those are just the first 4 roles I could think of… but he was more than that. He made comics, too! Did you know he made up the name Boris Karloff? Nuts, right? Anyway, if you can pick up this series, lovingly delivered to us by Dark Horse, do that. You’ll thank me for it!
Sometimes, you need a break from capes and tights.. and need to read about lab accidents gone wrong and robot-monsters that turn against their creators. But you know, don’t tell Batman I said so.
