Time to Find a New HMO Covers

No one likes surgery, but imagine if the team in the OR consisted of skeletons, zombies and assorted ghouls. Well, it seems that many, many editors thought that this would make a great cover theme. I was quite surprised by how many covers feature this set-up. Let's take a look at a handful of them.

The cover to Mysterious Adventures #16 is one of my favourites. I love how the 'Doctor' is pleading with them to stop the operation, explaining that he 'doesn't need an operation', rather than 'you're just a bunch of skeletons. I'm often not a fan of a ton of cover dialogue, but it works well here - as we know these skeletons are seeking revenge. This series from Story Comics is pretty tough to find, which is a shame as it features a ton of great covers - the majority of which feature a skeleton.

Jerry Grandenetti and Creig Flessel team up for the cover to Black Magic #3, a series that reprints old Simon and Kirby stories from the 50s series of the same name. I'll never quite realize how these patients manage to get all the way to the operating room before they realize that something is not quite right. This team of Satanic ghouls at least appeared to be somewhat competent. I meant to flip through this issue last night to confirm, but I've got a feeling that this story doesn't appear in the issue.

Let's travel back to pre-Code days with this cover from Strange Fantasy #2 from third tier publisher, Ajax-Farrel. This one features a slight twist on the theme, as the team of undead 'doctors' are simply attempting to revive one of their own. A zombie rebellion might take a while to gather steam if every single zombie requires surgery before hitting the mall. I'm not sure who drew this cover (as I have trouble IDing most of that company's output) -but the one zombie in centre background has the sunken eyes that Don Heck was doing at the time. I've only ever owned on book from this series, and I can't really say that it was the highlight of my pre-Code horror collection.

As I've said on here before, DC's Secrets of the Haunted House is a fun little title that is sometimes overlook when 70s horror is discussed. The cover to issue #21 is particularly strong. I am a bit confused, though. While the 'Doctors of the Devil' appear to be ghouls or zombies, they decided to turn their patient into some sort of Lion Man, kind of like Simbar from the Doctor Spektor series (if you know who I'm talking about, you read waaaay too many comics). While Wrightson, Adams, Cardy and Kubert are often, and justly, praised for their fine cover work for DC in the 70s - I feel that Luis Dominguez should be included in those discussions are he cranked out a ton of great covers, such as this one.

By now, we're familiar with the scene portrayed on the cover of Crypt of Shadows #16. The GCD notes that this cover was pencilled by either Ron Wilson or Ed Hannigan. It further states that Nick Caputo provided the info. As Nick visits this blog from time to time, perhaps his can clarify. I really don't know myself - my initial thought after glancing at it was actually Larry Lieber. This is one of the many reprint titles published by Marvel in the 70s that are a great source for affordable Atlas-era horror stories. Sadly, the secret is out, as I've noticed that prices on this creeping steadily upward over the past few years.

Well folks, that a quick look at "Time to Find a New HMO Covers". As I'm in Canada, I can assure my American readers that while universal health care has it flaws, it never gets quite this bad.