The story of EC Comics (w/ William Gaines)

[drgangrene]

Bill Gaines is The MAN!

[jmen4ever]

The newstands and grocery stores, yanked them off the stands.there would be moms who would walk away from spopping carts full of frozen goods, that had to be bought or put back on the shalf, and they would say," I refuse to buy from here, as long as you sell those vile comic books"now when 10 or 20 moms a day would be doing that, you can bet it didnt take long for those books to be taken off the shelfs! Im sure even used book stores got flak for selling them.They were all gone by 62.

[Nertrender]

any one notice the similarity between Bill Gains and Jeff Bridges?

[Jcolinsol]

So this is where ted turner got his influence...

[123IN321OUT]

This was great.

[extrapressure]

so this is where ted bundy got his influence...

[extrapressure]

so this is where ted burner got his influence...

[rolex452]

William M. Gaines was a genius at marketing these comics, both for adults and children. He was able to surround himself with the finest writers and artists of the time (re: Kurtzman, Feldstein, Elder, Davis, etc.). Ironically, EC Comics for the SECOND TIME was absorbed by DC Comics (part of the Warner Communication setup), and EC no longer exists. Rest in peace, Mr. Gaines, and EC Comics!

[SidNightWalker]

@rolex452

Don't forget D.C. Fontana

[SidNightWalker]

That punkass who made up total bullshit, and fucked the comic writers, he's the only evil one.

[ryanspeed]

Its a shame those stupid senate jack-offs back in the 50's forced Williams Gaines and his writers to end the EC horror comics! Hell, as a kid I watched scary movies like Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween (just to name a few) and it didnt make me grow up and become a serial killer!

It's almost like those pukes who want to ban firearms when its guns that dont kill people, it's people that kill people!

[FamilyGal07]

If Fredrick Wertham weren't dead, I'd kick his ass for forcing EC to quit the horror comics. I'm 21 and I love my reprints so much. They are unlike anything I've ever read. William Gaines, you are the master of the macabre and we miss you so much!

RIP William!

[Tabish29]

@FamilyGal07 Do they sell these reprints in comic book stores?

[FamilyGal07]

@Tabish29 I've honestly never seen them in comic book stores. I got mine from used bookstores (Half-Price Books). I also got some from an antique toy store. I recommend going there first; I paid only $1 for each comic!

[Tabish29]

@FamilyGal07 Thanks. I'll try but I don't know if NYC still has these little antique stores any longer. Sad.

[cha5]

@Tabish29 They sell them in hardback book format at our comicbook shop (Austin Books) complete volumes of Tales From The Crypt, The Vault Of Horror, The Haunt Of Fear, plus the EC science fiction and war comics. You can probably find them on several comicshop mail order sights like Milehighcomicsdotcom Jimhanley'suniversedotcom and even amazon and e-bay.

I believe the retail price per volume is $49.99 (or around that price) but you should be able to find discounts on line.

[GoreMan99]

Robert Englund, is narrating this is great!

[SnuffyWuffles]

who is the narrator? The voice is very familiar, but I can't place it!

[MrHorrorking13]

Hey, it's me again and i just want to get something off my dead, zombie chest. EC comics ruled the comic book rules in the 1940's and 1950's, until idiotic parents and religious figures led a boycott and a "Witchhunt" on EC. Things like Seduction of the Innocent and all those meetings, nearly destroying the horror comics. If you ask me, all those people had their heads up their asses. RIP Mr. Gaines, we miss you.

[MaxTallon]

@MrHorrorking13 : Gaines was brilliant! I will add one note about the comics witchhunt and the amazing moral hypocricy of it all : Felstein's (and EC's) very last comic story was a Sci-fi piece about bigotry and racism - the hero of the story was black - and, because of this, the censors demanded that Feldstein remove him. But then Gaines told them over the phone "F**k you!" and ran the story, anyway.

[MrHorrorking13]

@MaxTallon I know, the story was called Judgement Day. Even though it was EC's last and brilliant story, the stupied ass code off comic didn't want it published because it had a black man as the main character. It was a cool story. It was like the Shock Suspense comic they ran with a scifi twist. Loved the comic, love EC. They were the best comic book publishers ever.

[MaxTallon]

@MrHorrorking13 : Absolutely! They were the best - way, way ahead of their time!

[MrHorrorking13]

I love horror and horror comics. I have a massive collection of classic horror comics, saddly i don't have any classic, old school horror comic books like Tales from the Crypt Vault of Horror Haunt of Fear Crime SuspenStories Shock SuspenStories, they were sooooo cool. EC started the horror comic book and it inspired a massive waze of new horror comics, if you couldn't see horror the movies, open your comic books, and read them. Thank you, Mr. Gaines.

[RyoSanadaOfWildfire]

he died June 3rd 1992. I was born June 16th 1992 lol. And my letter is printed in the back of the #8 variant papercutz issue.

i love EC

[Wickedblackjuggalo19]

Heh ha just wonderful. I came on to ec comics when i was well idk i'm 25 now so maybe like around 22-23. I have just heard of it & thought it was brilliant. It's like in the minds of the night gallery, tz, outer limits. tftds, thriller, p.o.s. & all that other madness. Nothing like all that now in these days. Well peace & may gaines r.i.p ty kind sir for the comics.

[cha5]

I've always loved the old EC Comics, heck even that HBO 'Tales From The Crypt' series was kind of fun although I could never get past The Crypt Keeper being a damn puppet.

[willsclassic]

Stellar collection of creative talent, Davis, Ingels, Williamson, Craig, Wood, Evans, Kurtzman, all those guys. Plus the central instigator and creative motor himself, Al Feldstein. Nobody's gonna come along and surpass what EC achieved with that personnel formula.

Impossible of course but imagine the reaction of Bill and Al if they'd seen samples from latter day guys like Rich Corben and Bernie Wrightson. "You're hired. Both. Name your price."

[ryanspeed]

Well, it took William Gaines 40 years to get the recogntion he and those super talented artists deserved and also clear their name from the crap of that 1950's senate subcommitee dog and pony show....better late than never I guess!!

Thanks for the memories Mr. Gaines,you are missed!  R.I.P.

[VAMPIREBIRDIE]

E.C. once stood for Educational Comics THEN the son took over...You are spot on!

[bitchyb73]

the suits are always looking for scapegoats rather than at their own damn failings.

[myleslong8]

I need to disagree... E.C. doesn't stand for entertaining comics...It stands for Excellence in Comics!!!!

[CosmoShidan]

Bill Gains FTW!

[rgkrenkel]

Thank God for Russ Cochran for reprinting the classic EC titles in beautiful hardcovers in high quality!

[C7B27D7B4]

william gaines is the kind of leader we all admire and want to work for; sadly, our economic system punishes and destroys them;

[NotNamedJones]

"Entertaining Comics" -damn straight they were!!

[SidNightWalker]

Comics were scapegoated, time and time again, much like ever other type of form of media.RIP E.C

[FearTheMAL]

I like Tales from the Crypt, Vault of Horror and Haunt of Fear!

[joelkazoo]

First thing out of Gaines' mouth is his gratitude for his artists and writers! Gaines always showed his gratitude toward his staff, because he knew it was them, not him, that made things such a success. A real class act. RIP, Bill!

[brianpadraic]

Agreed! Bill is a great soul and I hope he is knocking them dead wherever he is now! :)

[stencil666]

hail to will gaines!!!

[RationalDischarge]

The EC Comics are thrilling and absolutely timeless! I'm 24 and my cherished EC reprints (discovered at a Goodwill store about six years ago) are the centerpiece of my comic collection. Far from dulling the imagination and the urge to read, these comics whet the appetites and stoke the imaginations, and help foster genuine appreciation of clever writing and masterful comic art technique in the young and old alike! How anyone could deny that these books are a form of high art is beyond me!

[vivalastupidity]

i wanna kill that lady at the begiining

[felixjazzage]

Do it in EC style--run her through a printing press, then carry the oozing bundles to the nearest newstand in the middle of the night.

[vivalastupidity]

whoa that would make a great story man- you got what feldstein and gaines would call a "mind for writing". Alot of EC stories were based on other stories from detective mags and crime stories.

[TLChorrorfreak]

I LOVE EC comics and of course i like the old ones better than the new series

[marceloyanez111]

I met Al Feldstein

[amadoff]

Gaines was a distant cousin of mine. As a boy I was a huge MAD fan. My grandpa told me Gaines was related. I sent Gaines a letter noting the family relationship. 2 YEARS later I received a letter on MAD stationary. Gaines wrote something like: "Your aunt Baska couldn't possibly be Meyer's second cousin because Baska's sister Mussya was Meyer's mom..which would make them sibblings and aunt/neice..which is impossible AND illegal..But one thing is sure:We are related! Madly Yours -Bill Gaines.

[zombiemancomics]

you are soo lucky.

[marceloyanez111]

wish i was u

[sajawebb]

A Madoff...aren't you in jail?

[FamilyGal07]

@amadoff Lucky! I wish I had been related to Bill!