Monday, August 3, 2009

Bernie Wrightson: Stake Out

"Stake-Out" is a humorous four-pager by Bernie Wrightson. The opening splash page is serviceable but unspectacular. Pages two and three are really the highlights. Wrightson shows off a good knowledge of sequential narrative. The protagonist's actions from panel to panel follow a logical progression and the flow is natural and pleasing to the eye. The payoff is on the last page and requires some knowledge of EC Comics and The Seduction of the Innocent. It looks to me on the last page Bernie tried to draw the different horror hosts in the style of the artist most often associated with them. This shows particularly well on the Crypt Keeper/Jack Davis face and the Old Witch/Graham Ingels figure.

"Stake-Out" was originally published in I'll Be Damned #2 (July 1970) and has since been reprinted in both The Mutants (1980) and The Reaper of Love (1988). It was probably reprinted in Back For More, but damn it, I can't put my hands on my copy of that book.











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