The classic EC title is being resurrected as a titles from the kid-friendly Papercutz line — ironic, eh?

Good Lord! *Choke!* The greatest horror comic is back!

After more than 50 years, EC Comics’ legendary flagship title returns with all-new TALES FROM THE CRYPT, narrated by the original Crypt-Keeper, Old Witch, and Vault Keeper. Each issue will feature two 20-page tales of terror in the EC tradition!

Who is responsible for this new trend? Papercutz, the youth-friendly publisher of HARDY BOYS and NANCY DREW graphic novels. Editor Jim Salicrup explains, “Everyone loves scary stories, especially kids, and the TALES FROM THE CRYPT style of dark humor with shock endings truly appeals to all ages, not unlike Harry Potter or Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Despite the furor over horror comics in the ‘50s that led to the demise of most of the EC line, people forget that those comics were created for readers of all ages. Ironically, most of the original CRYPT comics would be approved by the Comics Code today. It’s a real honor for me to be following in the footsteps of Al Feldstein and to be editing an all-new TALES FROM THE CRYPT comic.”

The first issue, which will ship to comics shops in June, will include:
• “Artistic License,” by horror author Marc Bilgrey (H.P. Lovecraft’s Magazine of Horror) and Mr. Exes (Abra Cadaver). The story reveals how two nosy and somewhat murderous neighbors discover the shocking inspiration for Jack Kroll’s outsider artwork.
• “For Serious Collectors Only,” by Rob Vollmar (Bluesman) and Steve Mannion (Batman). This tale explores how far Thomas Donalley—a middle-aged action-figure collector who lives in his mom’s basement—will go for an ultra-rare Japanese figure.
• Introductory pages featuring the GhouLunatics by writer Jim Salicrup and artist Rick Parker (Beavis and Butt-Head).
• Cover by award-winning artist Kyle Baker (Birth of a Nation, Plastic Man, Why I Hate Saturn).

Future issues will include stories by Fred Van Lente (Marvel Adventures), Xeric Grant winner Neil Kleid, Stefan Petrucha (The Shadow of Frankenstein, Papercutz’s NANCY DREW), Don McGregor (Zorro), Sho Murase (NANCY DREW), and other great talents. Each bi-monthly issue is 48 full-color pages for an affordable $3.95

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9 COMMENTS

  1. With this creators (mentioned in the article) I think it will be dark and gritty without a manga look! I’m very excited about this and can’t wait to hold it in my hands!

  2. Frankly I think that it’s the story quality more than looks.

    For example: Forest Witaker’s new Twilight Zone 10$ million an episode, but the writing was so awful it wasn’t worth it.

    I just hope they’re written in the classic EC style type Tales! In either case I’m signed up for the first few issues!

  3. How can you resurrect TFTC and market it to a kid demographic? I realize the original was done this way but that’s why it was great, because it shouldn’t have been and it was controversial because of that fact. They were the adult comics before Vertigo & indy titles existed or before there was such a genre.

    There were some seriously gory and unacceptable things going on the original EC comics. How will a kid oriented comic cater to that? I doubt it’s going to be anything different than what was shown on Saturday mornings under the “Tales from the Crypt keeper” banner.

    I’ll get the first issue but as soon as I see “spooky” art resembling Scooby Doo or something from Cartoon Network I’ll pass on the rest and realize this was just another attempt to cash in on the franchise.

    Speaking on cashing in on the franchise what we should really be focusing on is getting seasons 6 & 7 out. Come on WB announce something already!

  4. If anyone is interested, in between drawing the introductory sequences for Tales From The Crypt, I have started a new online comic strip featuring at least one talking, frequently naked, and occasionally-headless dead guy. Just the sort of thing to do in your spare time. Results can be seen at http://www.rickparkercomics.blogspot.com

  5. so everyone on here knows i got some of the new papercutz tales from the crypt versions and they are absolute trash and a total discrace to the original tales from the crypt comics. The stories are beyond lame and more urbanish in the hood kinda crap with horrible art work not much thought was put into these comics. And I hate everything about them DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS TRASH STICK TO THE REAL TALES FROM THE CRYPT TRUST ME!

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