Gwandanaland Comics #1420-A - A Steve Ditko Readers Treasury - 1954

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 1)

table of contents / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Letters

typeset

Indexer Notes

Contents page.

Paper Romance! (Table of Contents: 2)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Ben Oda

Genre

romance

Reprints

• from Daring Love (Stanley Morse, 1953 series) #1 (September-October 1953)

Indexer Notes

Per Blake Bell, "Strange and Stranger: The World of Steve Ditko" (Fantagraphics Books, 2008, ISBN-13: 9781560979310), page 20, Steve Ditko's first published work (his second sale, appearing before his first sale) is penciling and inking the story "Paper Romance" in Gillmor Magazines' DARING LOVE #1 (September-October 1953). According to Blake, "So buried was this title [DARING LOVE] in the dustbin of history that Ditko's contributions went undiscovered until the late 1980s."

A Hole in His Head (Table of Contents: 3)

comic story / 5.83 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko; Jack Kirby (see notes)

Inks

George Roussos ?

Letters

Ben Oda

Reprints

• from Black Magic (Prize, 1950 series) #v4#3 (27) (November-December 1953)

Indexer Notes

Jack Kirby redrew the creature on pages 4-6, with the exception of page 5, panel 3. Info per Nick Caputo's Blog:

http://nick-caputo.blogspot.com/

Inks previously credited to "Steve Ditko; Jack Kirby", but this looks more like George Roussos throughout.

Hair Yee-eeee (Table of Contents: 4)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Bruce Hamilton

Pencils

Steve Ditko ? (signed as SS) (breakdowns, layouts, pencils (see notes)); Sy Moskowitz ? (signed as SS)

Inks

Sy Moskowitz ? (signed as SS)

Letters

Ben Oda ?

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from Strange Fantasy (Farrell, 1952 series) #9 (December 1953)

Indexer Notes

Hamilton states that this was one of the stories that he sold to Stanmore that they resold.
Per Robin Snyder, Ditko recalls working on the story with another artist. "SS" signature "may" denote Steve Ditko and Sy Moskowitz.

Range War! (Table of Contents: 5)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Ben Oda

Genre

western-frontier

Characters

Utah Kid; Golden Eagle

Reprints

• from Blazing Western (Timor, 1954 series) #1 (January 1954)

Indexer Notes

Name of Utah Kid crudely lettered, replacing another name. The lead character looks very similar to Atlas comics Ringo Kid, although that character's first appearance was later in the year.

Stretching Things (Table of Contents: 6)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Bruce Hamilton

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Ben Oda

Genre

horror-suspense; science fiction

Characters

Lawrence Dawson (first appearance, death); Dr. James Doyle; Dr. Harrell

Synopsis

Dawson suffers from brittle bone syndrome, but Dr. Doyle invents "muiclac" to cure him. He discovers this makes him "elastic" and murders Doyle to keep his secret. However, Dawson's face becomes permanently twisted and he goes to scientist Harrell, who has a formula to restore him to normal. Dawson kills Harrell before he learns the proper dosage. When the police arrive to arrest Dawson, he's just a puddle on the floor.

Reprints

• from Fantastic Fears (Farrell, 1953 series) #5 (January 1954)

Buried Alive! (Table of Contents: 7)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Jack Abel ?

Letters

Ben Oda

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from Black Magic (Prize, 1950 series) #v4#4 (28) (January-February 1954)

Indexer Notes

Inks previously credited to Steve Ditko, but this is not his work.

The Thing (Table of Contents: 8)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

?

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #12 (February 1954)

Indexer Notes

First published comic book cover by Steve Ditko.

Cinderella (Table of Contents: 9)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

?

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Cinderella is being kept slave by her vampire sisters. She leaves home without permission - to warn the prince of an imminent vampire attack.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #12 (February 1954)

Indexer Notes

Cover story.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 10)

Dr. Death / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Jon D'Agostino ?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

The sea holds in its depth...

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Dr. Death (host)

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #16 (March 1954)

Killer on the Loose (Table of Contents: 11)

Radio Patrol / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Memling

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

?

Genre

crime; adventure

Characters

Radio Patrol [Tex; Barry]; Li'l Augie [August Tree]; Corot (Death)

Synopsis

The Radio Patrol has to find out who is killing innocent bystanders - and why.

Reprints

• from Crime and Justice (Charlton, 1951 series) #18 (April-May 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 12)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

science fiction

Reprints

• from Space Adventures (Charlton, 1952 series) #10 (Spring 1954)

Homecoming.. (Table of Contents: 13)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Gill ?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

?

Genre

science fiction

Reprints

• from Space Adventures (Charlton, 1952 series) #10 (Spring 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 14)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #13 (April 1954)

Keywords

demons; grimoires; magic

Library of Horror (Table of Contents: 15)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Horror writer Ken Rolland searches for inspiration by dabbling with black magic. A kill will offer him trips to the Netherworld. Rolland becomes a famed author, but one day makes the mistake to murder his own fiancée.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #13 (April 1954)

Indexer Notes

Cover story. The Executive editor of the fictional Chilling Mysteries is named Allen Fargo, similar to real Charlton editor Al Fago.

Die Laughing! (Table of Contents: 16)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko ?

Letters

?

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

A group of boys enter a haunted house for their initiation into a college frat. One by one they go missing.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #13 (April 1954)

Indexer Notes

Storyline very similar to "House of Horror" (Haunt of Fear #15[1]) from May 1950.

Avery and the Goblins (Table of Contents: 17)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Avery Calhoun, an old prospector, enters a castle full of cannibal goblins hoarding a treasure. His exploration runs smoothly until he comes to the treasure.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #13 (April 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 18)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

crime

Reprints

• from Racket Squad in Action (Charlton, 1952 series) #11 (May-June 1954)

Botticelli of the Bangtails! (Table of Contents: 19)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Memling

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Jon D'Agostino

Genre

crime

Reprints

• from Racket Squad in Action (Charlton, 1952 series) #11 (May-June 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 20)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

science fiction

Reprints

• from Space Adventures (Charlton, 1952 series) #11 (May-June 1954)

You are the Jury (Table of Contents: 21)

comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter ?

Genre

science fiction

Characters

Ogu

Synopsis

Ogu is an alien assigned a guard post in space. He notes a small planet, Earth in actuality, and goes there to investigate. He runs across a circus. The circus performers try to shark him in a poker game, but Ugo beats them at a "sky's the limit" hand and takes the sky with him. Realizing the people needed the oxygen to survive, he attempts to return the sky. He is arrested for abandoning his post and brought to trial before he can do so. He tries to convince his prosecutors to permit him to return the sky.

Reprints

• from Space Adventures (Charlton, 1952 series) #11 (May-June 1954)

Moment of Decision (Table of Contents: 22)

comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

?

Genre

science fiction

Reprints

• from Space Adventures (Charlton, 1952 series) #11 (May-June 1954)

Dead Reckoning! (Table of Contents: 23)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter ?

Genre

science fiction

Characters

Andor; Kyt

Synopsis

Airman Andor is a police officer in space. He goes to a disturbance call. An elderly man is angry at his maid for attempting to steal his treasure map. She is a young and attractive blonde woman named Kyt. As Andor is interviewing Kyt, the oldster uses his electric whip on her. Andor shoots and kills him, citing resisting arrest. He kisses Kyt. He quits the force, going to the asteroid Klaxon to find the treasure.

Reprints

• from Space Adventures (Charlton, 1952 series) #11 (May-June 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 24)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #18 (May 1954)

What Was in Sam Dora's Box? (Table of Contents: 25)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Memling

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Sam Dora

Synopsis

Recluse Sam Dora always carries a box on his shoulder. Curiosity is killing the townspeople - until one of them has a fatal look.

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #18 (May 1954)

Dead Right! (Table of Contents: 26)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Memling

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Mr. Mord; Sam Drake; Ken Karl; Mephistopheles (cat)

Synopsis

Two newspaper reporters go story hunting and end up with more than they could ever have hoped for. Because Mr. Mord's strange wax museum proves to be a hell's kitchen itself.

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #18 (May 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 27)

Dr. Death / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Jon D'Agostino ?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Have you ever been too frightened to scream...

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Dr. Death (host)

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #17 (May 1954)

3-D Disaster Doom Death! (Table of Contents: 28)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Gill ?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Horror film actor Bruno Thor is fired from his studio. He closes a deal with the devil, however, and comes back for bloody revenge.

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #17 (May 1954)

Triple-Header! (Table of Contents: 29)

comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Gill ?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

On a trip through the Amazon jungles a triangle of husband, wife and rival lover meet their untimely deaths.

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #17 (May 1954)

The Night People (Table of Contents: 30)

comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Gill ?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Vampiristic department store manikins come alive after dark and feast upon a burglar.

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #17 (May 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 31)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #14 (June 1954)

Rumpelstiltskin (Table of Contents: 32)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

The demon Rumpelstiltskin wants to get his hands on soft, human skin. To hide the person and tattoo on it the patterns of the damned. Rumpelstiltskin coaxes a poor miller's daugher into a fatal deal.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #14 (June 1954)

The Evil Eye! (Table of Contents: 33)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Memling

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Warren Cairo plans on murdering his wife Gerda. But she's a witch and knows how to handle the imminent danger. Cairo ends up branded, drowned and eaten by rats.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #14 (June 1954)

Doom in the Air (Table of Contents: 34)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Memling

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense; western-frontier

Synopsis

Wes Brewster is lynched by the Jones brothers. Years later he is awakened by an atom bomb test, stalking his wrongdoers and leaving a trail of radiation poisoning behind him.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #14 (June 1954)

Inheritance! (Table of Contents: 35)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Archeologists Carl Ramen and John Marko discover an Egyptian tablet describing an age-old curse concernng themselves.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #14 (June 1954)

Indexer Notes

Cover story.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 36)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

typeset

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #19 (July 1954)

A Nice Quiet Place! (Table of Contents: 37)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

crime

Synopsis

Tony and Chopper enter their quiet hideout in the mountains, but get attacked by a mountain lion.

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #19 (July 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 38)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko

Genre

horror-suspense; science fiction

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #15 (July-August 1954)

The Worm Turns (Table of Contents: 39)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense; science fiction

Synopsis

Biologist Norman Thoma breeds an invulnerable super-worm and turns it loose on mankind. Humanity seems to be doomed.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #15 (July-August 1954)

Indexer Notes

Cover story.

Day of Reckoning! (Table of Contents: 40)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Memling

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Three sailors kill the shipbuilder Jezab Grimm and board him up on his ship, the Mermaid. The Mermaid travels the seas for years and hunts down all of the murderers.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #15 (July-August 1954)

Comeback! (Table of Contents: 41)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Drama at the carnival: Flexo the rubber man kills snake lady Satana for her money. Returning to the scene of the crime some time later, Flexo is confronted by a vengeful Satana.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #15 (July-August 1954)

If Looks Could Kill! (Table of Contents: 42)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Surgeon Gustave Savage is kidnapped by the hypnotist Merlin. In an ensuing fight, Merlin blinds the doctor, but is killed. Savage transplants the dead man's eyes for his own and can see again. With fatal consequences, because his looks literally kill.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #15 (July-August 1954)

Family Mixup (Table of Contents: 43)

comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

The Becks, skinny husband and fat wife, hate each other and plot their spouse's demise. They succeed.

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #15 (July-August 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 44)

Dr. Death / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Letters

Jon D'Agostino ?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

These murky swamps hide a spine chilling and gruesome tale.

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Doctor Death (host, vignette)

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #18 (July 1954)

Bridegroom, Come Back! (Table of Contents: 45)

comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script

Joe Gill ?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

An evil man is marrying women for money and killing them afterwards. One of them, though, returns from the grave and surprises her former husband.

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #18 (July 1954)

Indexer Notes

First-person narrative of a bride's wedding gown.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 46)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed as Ditko)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed as Ditko)

Letters

?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Hello, Earth... I've landed safely...

Genre

science fiction

Reprints

• from Space Adventures (Charlton, 1952 series) #12 (August 1954)

Keywords

Bug-Eyed Monster; Damsel in distress

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 47)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

adventure

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #20 (August 1954)

The Payoff! (Table of Contents: 48)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Carl Memling

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Charlotte Jetter

Genre

crime

Synopsis

Secret agents fight aboard a train over a valuable vial containing deadly germs.

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #20 (August 1954)

Von Mohl vs the Ants! (Table of Contents: 49)

comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

?

Genre

horror-suspense

Synopsis

Hugo von Mohl runs his African plantation with an iron fist. When he faces an invasion of killer ants, von Mohl fights them with dynamite, guns and fire. But he overlooks a hole the pesty bugs slip through.

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #20 (August 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 50)

Dr. Death / cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Script

?

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Letters

Jon D'Agostino ?

First Line of Dialogue or Text

I defy you to read the spine chilling stories in this issue!!!

Genre

horror-suspense

Characters

Dr. Death (host)

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #19 (August 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 51)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko

Inks

Steve Ditko

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from Strange Suspense Stories (Charlton, 1954 series) #22 (November 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 52)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from The Thing (Charlton, 1952 series) #17 (November 1954)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 53)

cover reprint (on interior page) / 1 page (report information)

Pencils

Steve Ditko (signed)

Inks

Steve Ditko (signed)

Genre

horror-suspense

Reprints

• from This Magazine Is Haunted (Charlton, 1954 series) #21 (November 1954)