Shock SuspenStories #10

(August-September 1953)

The Sacrifice (Table of Contents: 1)

A Crime SuspenStory / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Gaines (co-plot); Al Feldstein (co-plot, script)

Pencils

Jack Kamen (signed as Kamen)

Inks

Jack Kamen (signed as Kamen)

Colors

Marie Severin

Letters

Jim Wroten

First Line of Dialogue or Text

I have just written, signed and mailed to the police a carefully worded statement...

Genre

crime

Characters

Jonathan Fielding (death); Paul Nichols (villain, witness to Jonathan's murder, blackmailer); Gloria Fielding (villain, Jonathan's wife); James Reed (villain, insurance salesman, death)

Synopsis

A woman manipulates a man into killing her husband by pretending to be in love with him, while she and her lover work out a scheme whereby he claims to be a witness to the killing and blackmails the two of them into letting him sleep with the woman. She carries on this act, pretending to be progressively degraded and begging for salvation, until the dupe finally writes out a confession implicating only himself in the murder and swallows a bottle of poison. She then gleefully regales the dying man the details of the con.

Reprints

• in Shock Suspenstories (Russ Cochran, 1981 series) #2 (1981)
• in Iskalde Grøss (Semic, 1982 series) #2/1993 (uke 15 1993)
• in Shock Suspenstories (Gemstone, 1994 series) #10 (December 1994)
which is reprinted
• in Shock SuspenStories Annual (Gemstone, 1994 series) #2 (1994)
• in The Fantagraphics EC Artists' Library (Fantagraphics, 2012 series) #31 - Three for the Money and Other Stories (December 2021) [Reprinted in black and white.]
• in The EC Archives: Shock Suspenstories (Dark Horse, 2021 series) #2

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit per Russ Cochran and added by Craig Delich 2013-12-9. Feldstein reports that Wroten used a K & E Lettering Stylus to do all the lettering with.

Script revisions by Craig Delich.

Cover story.

...so shall ye reap! (Table of Contents: 2)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Gaines (co-plot); Al Feldstein (co-plot, script)

Pencils

Wally Wood (signed as Wood)

Inks

Wally Wood (signed as Wood)

Colors

Marie Severin

Letters

Jim Wroten

First Line of Dialogue or Text

The man and the woman sat in the living-room of their modest frame house...

Genre

crime

Characters

Murray Vorhees; Wilma Vorhees; Kenneth Vorhees (villain, the Vorhee's son, death); Hicky (villain, gang member)

Synopsis

A young man sitting in the electric chair reflects on the events of his youth while his parents are sitting at home do the same. The parents see their past actions in a positive light, but their son sees things from a different perspective.

Reprints

• in Shock Suspenstories (Russ Cochran, 1981 series) #2 (1981)
• in Iskalde Grøss (Semic, 1982 series) #5 [1988] (uke 29 1988)
• in Shock Suspenstories (Gemstone, 1994 series) #10 (December 1994)
which is reprinted
• in Shock SuspenStories Annual (Gemstone, 1994 series) #2 (1994)
• in The Fantagraphics EC Artists' Library (Fantagraphics, 2012 series) #2 - Came the Dawn and Other Stories (August 2012) [black-and-white reprint]
• in The EC Archives: Shock Suspenstories (Dark Horse, 2021 series) #2

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit per Russ Cochran and added by Craig Delich 2013-12-9. Feldstein reports that Wroten used a K & E Lettering Stylus to do all the lettering with.

Script revisions by Craig Delich.

Story involves use of drugs.

Operation! (Table of Contents: 3)

text story / 1 page (report information)

Script

Al Feldstein

Pencils

Marie Severin (spot illustration)

Inks

Marie Severin (spot illustration)

Colors

?

Letters

typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text

The anaesthetist turned the wheel on the gleaming instrument panel...

Genre

crime

Characters

unnamed anesthesiologist; unnamed Chief Surgeon; unnamed Generalissimo (villain, death); unnamed members of the Secret Police (villains)

Synopsis

A dictator is in the operating room, having gas administered as usual, with the doctor ready to operate. The members of the Secret Police were all around the room, making sure the Leader was safe. Suddenly, a man in a bowler hat came in and grabbed the anaesthetist, claiming he was trying to kill the Leader, and not realizing that this led the gas being accidently turned on full.....the end result: the Leader blew up!

Reprints

• in Shock Suspenstories (Russ Cochran, 1981 series) #2 (1981)
• in Shock Suspenstories (Gemstone, 1994 series) #10 (December 1994)
which is reprinted
• in Shock SuspenStories Annual (Gemstone, 1994 series) #2 (1994)
• in The EC Archives: Shock Suspenstories (Dark Horse, 2021 series) #2

Shock Talk (Table of Contents: 4)

Shock Talk / letters page / 1 page (report information)

Letters

typeset

Reprints

• in Shock Suspenstories (Russ Cochran, 1981 series) #2 (1981)
• in The EC Archives: Shock Suspenstories (Dark Horse, 2021 series) #2

Indexer Notes

The Editors publish a variety of letters from readers commenting on the story, "The Assault", from issue #8, plus a few other letters.

Home Run! (Table of Contents: 5)

A Science-Fiction SuspenStory / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Gaines (co-plot); Al Feldstein (co-plot, script)

Pencils

Joe Orlando (signed)

Inks

Joe Orlando (signed)

Colors

Marie Severin

Letters

Jim Wroten

First Line of Dialogue or Text

There was a silence surrounding the rocket-ship...

Genre

science fiction

Characters

Doctor Muller (atomic scientist, absorbed into a Martian); Doctor Caxton (Muller's supervisor); a Martian (villain)

Synopsis

Astronauts are approaching Mars when one of their number admits to them that he is really a Martian who designed the rocket in order to return home after his crashed. The other astronauts think he has lost his mind and attempt to seize his gun, which discharges, killing him. They land on Mars and notice that the body has regained its true form and realize the creature was telling them the truth and that hostile Martians are now waiting outside to absorb their bodies and return to Earth as Martian infiltrators.

Reprints

• in Shock Suspenstories (Russ Cochran, 1981 series) #2 (1981)
• in Shock Suspenstories (Gemstone, 1994 series) #10 (December 1994)
which is reprinted
• in Shock SuspenStories Annual (Gemstone, 1994 series) #2 (1994)
• in The Fantagraphics EC Artists' Library (Fantagraphics, 2012 series) #9 - Judgment Day and Other Stories (May 2014) [Reprinted in black and white.]
• in The EC Archives: Shock Suspenstories (Dark Horse, 2021 series) #2

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit per Russ Cochran and added by Craig Delich 2013-12-10. Feldstein reports that Wroten used a K & E Lettering Stylus to do all the lettering with.

Script revisions by Craig Delich.

Sweetie-Pie (Table of Contents: 6)

A Horror SuspenStory / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Bill Gaines (co-plot); Al Feldstein (co-plot, script)

Pencils

Reed Crandall (signed as R. Crandall)

Inks

Reed Crandall (signed as R. Crandall)

Colors

Marie Severin

Letters

Jim Wroten

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Sally screamed...

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Philip Garson (reporter for the Consolidated Press Service, death); Sally Garson (Philip's wife, death); unnamed editor of the Consolidated Press Service; O'Hara (State Patrol officer); Eddie (Consolidated Press reporter); a Ghoul (villain)

Synopsis

Philip, a reporter, is put on a story involving people who have been involved in car wrecks and the bodies displaying evidence of puncture marks on their throats and all blood drained from their bodies. The problem is: not all of the victims were found....just 4 of 16 bodies total. Soon, Philip and his new bride are involved in an accident, and he learns the true fate of all the victims: a ghoul has set up roadside hazards to procure fresh meat.

Reprints

• in Shock Suspenstories (Russ Cochran, 1981 series) #2 (1981)
• in Shock Suspenstories (Gemstone, 1994 series) #10 (December 1994)
which is reprinted
• in Shock SuspenStories Annual (Gemstone, 1994 series) #2 (1994)
• in The Fantagraphics EC Artists' Library (Fantagraphics, 2012 series) #15 - The High Cost of Dying and Other Stories (February 2016) [Reprinted in black and white.]
• in The EC Archives: Shock Suspenstories (Dark Horse, 2021 series) #2

Keywords

Consolidated Press Service

Indexer Notes

Letterer credit per Al Feldstein and added by Craig Delich 2013-12-10. Feldstein reports that Wroten used a K & E Lettering Stylus to do all the lettering with.

Script revisions by Craig Delich.