Eerie 138

Nestor Redondo provides the cover for this issue of Eerie, cover dated January 1983.

The first two stories of this issue are "The Mist" a continuation of the series that has appeared on and off again in Eerie for the past few years. Art for both stories is provided by Bill Draut (the third artist for this series!) and story is provided by Don McGregor. A seemingly ordinary woman, Victoria Westgate, is captured by the minions of the mysterious Lucifer de Montalbon, who believes her to actually be Auguste, a voodoo priestess who doesn't remember her actual identity. She is bound as part of a ceremony in the woods, and when lightning strikes, she gains powers that permit her to kill Lucifer and his minions.

Third is "Granny Gutman and the Limbo Men" by Fred Carrillo (art) and Rich Margopoulos (story). This story is another one of Eerie's very lame color inserts. Another incredibly lame super hero story, featuring an old woman who orders around three losers who turn into super heros at her beckon. An alien bad guy block up a volcano in order to wreack havoc on California, all so he can mate with one of the super heroes. The heroes defeat him and save the day.

Fourth is "Glythis" by E.R. Cruz (art) and Timothy Moriarty (story). A pair of scientists are working on developing a device that permits them to go to another dimension. Another scientist arrives, trying to steal their technology, and chaos ensues. Access to another dimension is opened, and one of the scientists is sent to that dimension, while Glythis, a humanoid monster that was about to be killed is sent over to Earth. The scientist meanwhile is about to be executed in Glythis' place. This was intended to be a series but due to the end of Warren Publishing the series ended here.

Last is "Sherlock Holmes - A Study in Scarlet" by Noly Panaligan (art) and Rich Margopoulos (story). Some very nice art in this story, which is part of a series originally started in the Rook magazine. This story features Sherlock Holmes solving a mystery where a man fell in love with a mormon girl but the mormans captured her and she died of a broken heart. The man seeked revenge and killed those who captured her, but ends up dying in his jail cell due to a heart defect.

Eerie 136

Nestor Redondo provides the cover for this issue of Eerie, featuring the interior story Starlad. This issue is dated November 1982. Lots of stuff coming to an end in this issue.

First is the Rook in "The Fallen Part Two" by Luis Bermejo (art) and Budd Lewis (story). This story was the last Warren appearance of the Rook. This story continues from the previous issue, where the Rook has traveled into the future and encounters a crashed spaceship. In this story an evil alien being breaks out and starts killing people. The Rook and the others realize that the ship's pilot caused the creature's creation and that any exposure to it will cause the person being exposed (or animal being exposed) to also turn into a monster. The Rook solves things by traveling back in time and removing the alien pilot from his ship such that the alien monster was never created.

Second is "Space Force: Shipwrecked", by Paul Gillon (art) and Jean Claude Forest (story), in its final appearance. Chris and the others travel to one of Saturn's moons. The natives tell them of rat-like aliens gathering and of Valerie, that she is there and is considered a goddess. Chris heads there and finds talking frog creatures who attack him. After escaping he finally comes across Valerie, still encased in the orb that he too was encased in while in space. Mara meanwhile is confronted by the frog creatures as well. Unfortunate that the series suddenly ends here when it is getting interesting.

Third is "Starlad" by Vic Catan (art) and Bill Dubay (story). This story is another color insert story in the style of the one appearing in Eerie 134. This story features a sick boy who is about to die. His doctor tells him that he is actually an alien superhero, and he makes the boy into a superhero as well. In reality, the boy has died. I could tell by page two exactly where this story was going as Bill Dubay simply rips off his own story "Dick Swift and His Electric Power Ring" from Creepy 86. Very lame.

Fourth is "Haggarth" by Victor de la Fuente (story & art). Haggarth's last appearance, this story resolves a number of running storylines such as the amazonesses, the stones, and the spirit Haggarth had encountered earlier. A fairly good finale, although not as well resolved as the earlier Haggarth storyline. Still the best story in the issue though.

Eerie 127

Nestor Redondo gives us the cover for this issue of Eerie, dated December 1981. This cover features Haggarth taking on King Thall and his tiger.

First is "Justin, King of the Jungle" by Rudy Nebres (art) and Bill Dubay & Rich Margopoulos (story, Dubay as Will Richardson). Justin King , who spends much of his time in the jungle gets upset when poachers kill an elephant. They shoot him and leave him for dead, but he survives, then comes after them, killing them one by one until all are dead.

Second is "Reuben Youngblood" by Howard Chaykin (art) and Budd Lewis (story). An uncredited Lee Elias draws the first page. Reuben Youngblood originally appeared back in Eerie 72 in 1976, and makes his second appearance here. One wonders whether this second appearance was meant to appear around back then. In this story Youngblood acts as an undercover bodyguard for a bootlegger during prohibition. Only the bootlegger is actually a vampire! Luckily Youngblood kills him with a grenade.

Third is "Merlin and the Sorcerer from E.R. Cruz (art) and Budd Lewis (story). Merlin, from the Cagim series tells this story of his encounter with Harry Houdini during the 1920s. Merlin poses as an archeologist who is an expert on druids, and when he finds a collegue dead, with an object down his throat, he heads to the archaeological site. There he meets Houdini and they head down a long tunnel where they encounter bizarre tentacled monsters.

The issue concludes with the latest "Haggarth" story by Victor de la Fuente (story & art). Haggarth and Borin confront the priest and Haggarth reveals that he has the manuscript that so many are after. Sensing how power hungry Borin is, Haggarth kills him. He then goes to confront Thall, who has the priest killed when he turns up empty handed without the manuscript. Thall takes it when Haggarth throws it to the ground, but when he flees Haggarth causes the place to collapse, killing Thall. A pretty good conclusion for the story that has been going on here for a number of issues, although the series will continue for a while.

1994 21

An odd looking cover for this issue by Alex Nino. There are no credits on any stories in this issue; credits are based on those included in Richard Arndt's well known Warren listing, and the writer names given on the content page.

First is "Lord Machina!" by Alex Nino (art) and Bill Dubay (story). This story features a new computer device from a company called Futura that needs to be reviewed by a government agent first. The agent soon acquires a huge debt from gambling with the machine and after losing all his money is forced to perform assassinations by the device. Eventually he can't take it anymore and destroys it.

Second is the second part of "Diana Jacklighter, Manhuntress!" by Esteban Maroto (art) and Jim Stenstrum (story). Diana travels along the planet she has crashed on with her companion Jason, who has taken the form of a penis and balls. During her search for the first of the seven escaped criminals, she encounters a creature she lets live, which saves her later on when she encounters the criminal.

Third is "Love is a Many Tentacled Thing" by Delando Nino (art) and Bill Dubay (story). This story features a planet of tentacled monsters that release nuclear energy when they make love, forcing them to not make love with each other as it'd cause a large explosion. There is a connection between one such beast and a human woman who makes love to it. Eventually the beast transforms to Earth and the woman, who is transforming into one herself makes love with him again, and it results in the Earth blowing up.

Fourth is "Ghita of Alizarr" by Frank Thorne (story & art). In this story Ghita meets up again with the mute witness from the previous part and engages in some lesbian sex with her in which it is revealed that she is not mute after all. Unfortunately a monster from Urd, masquerading as a human arrives and kills the waitress, attacking Ghita before she is able to save herself.

Fifth is "Angel!" by Rudy Nebres (art) and Bill Dubay (story). This is the kick off of a new series, starring a young woman named Angel and her companion, a monster called Ape, who rescue a pair of archeologists from some humanoid monsters.

Sixth is "Mars Bar: Tales of the Red Planet Saloon" by Redondo Studio (art) and Gerry Boudreau (story). A martian creature called Snort convinces a woman he likes, Slut to marry him due to money he'll make by being in the army and patenting inventions. She soon falls in love with his commanding officer Mungo however, and cheats on him, then gets him to kill himself by saying she doesn't love him. He comes back as a robot however and kills both of them.

Last is "Freefall!" by Alex Nino (art) and Bill Dubay (story). This story features an astronaut caught outside of a ship in space, but he screws up while trying to get back to it, ending up blowing up the entire thing.

Eerie 116

A so-so issue by Enrich starts off this issue of Eerie, dated November 1980. An absolutely dreadful issue of Eerie, there's nothing good here. Sorry for the quick reviews, this issue is just too poor to be able to give it the full coverage I give average and above average issues.

First is "Blackjack", featuring the return of the Rook to Eerie for this issue only. Art is by E.R. Cruz and story is by Rich Margopoulos. As usual this Rook story has multiple stories going on at once. The Rook encounters a giant amoeba. Bishop Dane and Manners go to prehistoric times, kill a few dinosaurs, and get banned permanently from their by some advanced society living back then. Finally, a rival scientist of the Rook's, Blackjack shows up and tries to tamper with things, taking on Kate and Jan.

Next is 'Starwarriors' in the story "Plunderworld". The logo for this story is an obvious ripoff of the Star Wars logo. Art is by Fred Redondo while story is by Rich Margopoulos. This dreadful story is about the adventures of imp like creatures known as the Star Warriors. This story has no connection to the Star Warrior story that had appeared in issue 114. And thankfully, this did not become a continuing series, ending here.

Third is "The Marks of Merlin!" a new series titled "Cagim" by E.R. Cruz (art) and Budd Lewis (story). This new series features Merlin the magician, who meets his prior younger self (called Ambrose) and educates him. At the same time a Dark Queen who had prior dealings with Merlin fights him, but Ambrose, wearing a superhero costume fixes things. Nothing interesting whatsoever here, although additional stories in this series would appear for a while.

Last is the latest Haxtur story, "Warriors and Friends!" by Victor de la Fuente (story & art). A small group of knights find Haxtur and accuse him of being a spy. Haxtur fights them, killing all but one, and taking their horse. A very short story this time, at a mere 6 pages. This series would conclude with the next issue.

1994 20

Given the total ineptitude of Eerie 113, I'll be covering a second issue as well today.

The cover of this issue is by Nestor Redondo. Only a so-so issue at best unfortunately. It is cover dated August 1981.

First is another "Young Sigmond Pavlov" story by Alex Nino (art) and Bill Dubay (as Will Richardson, which is how he's referenced throughout the issue). This story is actually a vast improvement over the previous one. It features Pavlov once again talking to a patient, this time a guy who claims that God sent him a giant spaceship-like ark and ordered him to gather bizarre creatures from across the world. He does so only to find out its only a joke being played on him by God. Similar to the previous story, this story is primarily two page spreads by Nino, although the artwork is considerably toned down in terms of content compared to the last story.

Second is "Diana Jacklighter, Manhuntress!" a new series by Esteban Maroto (art) and Jim Stenstrum (story, as Alabaster Redzone, which is how he's credited throughout the issue). The most interesting thing in this issue, it kicks off a pretty long series. Jacklighter is a pilot responsible for what was supposed to be an easy mission, transporting a group of 7 criminals that are in suspended animation. When her ship is struck by a meteor however, the ship crashes and all the criminals, who also happen to be suffering from a plague, escape. Jacklighter is now forced to head out and capture all of them. Some nice art by Maroto although the suspended animation chamber appears to be ripped off from the movie Alien.

Third is "Little Beaver" by Vic Catan (art) and Bill Dubay (story). This story takes place in a future where the communists and capitalists have battled, wiping out most of the world. A teenage native american girl and her grandmother Running Box think they are the only humans left and live with a tentacled monster, but some communists still alive arrive and end up getting blown up by a nuclear bomb they possess.

Fourth is "Ghita of Alizarr" by Frank Thorne (story & art). This story's considerably shorter than the usual Ghita story, at only 8 pages. Ghita and friends come across an inn where they stay. There they witness a mute maid being decapitated as part of a magic trick. During the trick her head tells Ghita not to return to Alizarr.

Last is the return of "Spearchucker Spade: Intergalactic Eye" by Alex Nino (art) and Bill Dubay (story). The previous story was so-so, this one is rather lousy, although the art is nice. Spade heads out to a space station to help fight against Ronald Reagan's crazy descendent. Thankfully this was it for this particular character.