The EC Archives: Vault of Horror, Vol. 1

The Entertaining Comics (EC) line of comics were initially published as ten-cent comic books from 1950-1955. Publisher Bill Gaines and editior/writer/ artist Al Feldstein were pioneers in the field of horror and science fiction comics, since before they came along, most comics focused on themes of superheroes, western, romance, and crime.My beloved late uncle, who shared a love of comic books with me would share many of his comics with me as I was growing up. He was a collector and had many rare comics, including several classic horror comics from the 50s and 60s. My mom disapproved of a young girl reading such comics, so it became our little secret, and even though decades have passed since then, I have such fond memories of these comics so much so that when I came across these EC Archives Comics, I could not resist them. I have only one in my collection at present but plan on adding on to my collection whenever budget allows.They may be pricey, but worth every penny! Volume 1 of THE VAULT OF HORROR, contains Issues 1-6 and features:A Foreword by R.L. Stine - his reminiscences of discovering and enjoying these comics brought back my own fond memories, with a touch of humor and nostalgia that is just so apt for this editionThe Vault of Horror #12 (April-May 1950)Portrait in Wax!The Werewolf LegendHorror in the NightTerror TrainThe Vault of Horror #13 (June-July 1950)The Dead Will ReturnThe Curse of Harkley HeathDoctor of HorrorIsland of DeathThe Vault of Horror #14 (Aug-Sep 1950)Voodoo Vengeance!WerewolfRats Have Sharp Teeth!The Strange Couple!The Vault of Horror #15Horror House!Terror in the Swamp!Report From the Grave!Buried Alive!The Vault of Horror #16Werewolf Concerto!Fitting PunishmentThe Grave WagerEscape!The Vault of Horror #17Terror on the Moors!Baby...It's Cold Inside!Beast of the Full Moon!Voodoo Horror!The comics are printed on high-quality, glossy paper and the coloring and art work is amazing. I truly do not understand some of the complaints. To me, this is pure brilliance. Yes, sometimes the coloring appears garish, but I feel that is in keeping with the theme. Also, I am just thrilled to have these comics again - alive and thriving in the modern world. Bonuses: the inclusion of ads from the time, commentary by the Vault-Keeper, and more! C'mon, how could any classic horror comics fan resist these wonderful editions?

I find this series of horror comics to be a real pleasure to read. Granted the stories at times are a bit predictable, but they are still fun. I find the coloring to be very well done: crisp lines, vibrant colors, and shading that serves to add to the supernatural mood. Having read the available Dark Horse volumes of Creepy and Eerie, which feature black and white stories, I was a bit worried the color might detract from the spookiness. It does not. I think it enhances it.Heavy in text, each issue allows the reader to really take his time, if he chooses, and truly absorb the words and the images. The artwork is well done and the gore that got the series in trouble seems tame by today's standards, but is still sufficient enough to generate a few nightmares. The Vault Keeper Corner is a hoot to read; so earnest in his pleas for fan letters and the obligatory derogatory banter with his "rivals" the Crypt Keeper and the Old Witch. Also a nice touch are the essays by Roger Hill at the end of each issue which provide some behind-the-scenes insights of that issue.This is the second time that I'm aware of that this series has been available for purchase so don't miss your chance to add them to your collection. They are well-constructed and are a steal at the price offered by Amazon. Too young to know these stories when they were originally printed, I am glad I have the opportunity now to experience them.

How I wanted to LOVE this....Wasnt born yet when these originally came out,have read and read for ages about the infamous EC comics and the subsequent rise of the Comics Code.Not only do I love comics,but all things horror related as well.When the earlier hardbound collections came out,I was around but missed out then too, as they were not in my price range (especially for black & white!!). So I started with this volume,older and with a few more dollars to spend,having read lots of glowing reviews about this lines (EC archives) quality. And the verdict? Well the claims of quality are absolutely true,this is BEAUTIFUL.Cloth binding,vibrant colors,glossy black dust jacket,etc. The stories,however, have left me a little "cold".Generally each only being around 6-9 pages, to say they are predictable would be a gross understatement.EC's reputation for "twist endings" is legendary,but you'll have no problem figuring out the "twist" by about page two.Yes I realize that the source material here is almost 60 years old.But the writing is just...Juvenile.And the artwork,at least in this volume,left a lot to be desired.The cover reproductions are amazing,but the actual art in the stories left me somewhat unimpressed.Seriously, I remain totally perplexed how this can maintain such a tremendous reputation for cutting-edge comic story telling.I can recognize this as a forerunner to the modern mature-themed comic,with the subject matter of death,revenge,monsters,etc..,but in my opinion this remains more of a historical cultural artifact than a source of graphic arts entertainment.You know how when you revisit one of the classic Universal monster films,for example,& you notice that some of the conventions of moviemaking from that time are dated,but that the movies themselves still make an impact and are still fun to watch?Yeah they are slower,and their is no state-of-the-art CGI effects,but they are still entertaining. These are not anything like that,this is just plain dated.The quality of much art can be judged by its timelessness.This unfortunately is most definitely rooted, forever, in the time in which it was originally released.Back into the vault....

Tried-and-true comic buffs might disagree, but I much prefer the slick printing paper used in this new book to the grainy, dotted printings of the original comics. Don't get me wrong - the originals are masterpieces in their own right, but these EC Archives collections are the best of both worlds. Well-told, old-time, scary or suspense stories on shiny, new paper. The cover re-prints alone are astonishing! I recommend any of the EC Archives collections to anyone who enjoys comics, and wants to see them jump off the page in their new format. Absolutely beautiful!

Yet another volume in the steadily growing line of full colour EC Comics hardbacks. These six collected issues of Vault of Horror are from the early days of the title and are a bit hit and miss. Nevertheless, most stories herein still have a suitable creepy atmosphere and the traditional EC mix of cynicism and black comedy is evident. Classic pre-code horror comics.

Came very fast, packed well, no damage. I've wanted to add these to my collection for some time now, and theydid not disappoint. The books have great written bios and historical tidbits throughout, and the reproductions are verywell done. I'm not a purist, so the coloring didn't bother me as it is clearly a modern job. Closest thing most of us will getto holding these formative comic gems in our hands.

This is a really good, book, nice paper, nice stories, and it's not 59,99 like in all comic book store, it's less expensive. Only thing I don't really like it's the new coloring, you lose the gritty old coloring of the original edition.

Excellent condition. Arrived quickly. Great shape, just as described. Would recommend.