Number 1526: Foul Powell

Bob Powell and his studio had such a recognizable style it is easy to spot their work, no matter the genre. Some of my favorite Powell stories are from the horror comics of the early '50s, where they drew some of the foulest monsters and creepiest characters in the comics. These two stories are from Ziff-Davis’ Eerie Adventures #1 (1951) (The only issue, title dropped to avoid legal trouble with Avon, who also published a comic called Eerie).

There should be some sort of award for understatement in “The Vampires from Venus.” Two brothers rescue a manlike creature from the swamp. The thing is fish-belly white and has cat eyes. One of the brothers says to the other, “Jake, there’s something weird about this guy.” (Hey! you think?!) Yet Jake replies, “Don’t be silly! He’s just a little shaken from the crash.” People in horror comics can be so damn dumb it’s no wonder horrors happen to them.