Classics Illustrated #21 [HRN 114] - 3 Famous Mysteries

([December 1953])

["Free Free"] (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

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The Sign of the 4 (Table of Contents: 2)

comic story / 29 pages (report information)

Script:

? (adaptor); Arthur Conan Doyle (original author)

Pencils:

Zansky

Inks:

Zansky

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Sherlock Holmes; Dr Watson; Miss Mary Morstan; Thaddeus Sholto; Inspector Jones; Toby (bloodhound); Jonathan Small; Tonga

Synopsis:

Mary Morstan consults Sherlock Holmes about her missing father, mysterious pearls, and a curious invitation. They are led to Bartholomew Sholto, who has discovered a treasure in which she should share, but he has been killed and the treasure taken. Holmes, Watson, and Inspector Jones track the killers and thieves (Small and Tonga), whom Sholto's father had cheated in India. Small and Tonga are both killed.

Keywords:

bloodhound; crime; detective; dog; England; India; murder; mystery

Indexer Notes

Watson is presented comically, as in the contemporary Basil Rathbone-Nigel Bruce films, rather than as in the original story.

The Flayed Hand (Table of Contents: 3)

comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Script:

? (adaptor); Guy de Maupassant (original author)

Pencils:

Allen Simons

Inks:

Allen Simons

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Genre:

horror-suspense

Characters:

Henry Matson; Mrs Matson; Peter

Synopsis:

Peter shows his friends a flayed hand, which belonged to a long-dead murderer. Henry Matson had gone wild, killing with a hatchet, until a strong man wrestled it away and killed him in his turn. The friends warn Peter that the dead killer may return, but he scoffs. That night, the hand strangles Peter as Marston gloats from beyond the grave.

Keywords:

crime; ghost; hatchet; horror; murder; supernatural

Indexer Notes

Bloody hatchet blade in one panel

The Murders in the Rue Morgue (Table of Contents: 4)

comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script:

? (adaptor); Edgar Allan Poe (original author)

Pencils:

Arnold L. Hicks

Inks:

Arnold L. Hicks

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Genre:

detective-mystery

Characters:

Dupin; Poe; inspector; Jean; ape

Synopsis:

A mysterious assailant brutally kills two women in the Rue Morgue. Dupin concludes that the killer must be an ape, and leads the hunt to track him down and kill him.

Keywords:

ape; Borneo; crime; detective; France; horror; murder; mystery; Paris

Indexer Notes

Dupin's friend is specifically identified as Poe, as is not the case in the original. None of Dupin's thought processes are explained. Bloody razor shown, along with dead bodies and pool of blood.

["Born in Boston January 18, 1809, Poe was orphaned in early childhood."] (Table of Contents: 5)

text article / 1 page (report information)

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Genre:

non-fiction

Characters:

Edgar Allan Poe; Guy de Maupassant; Arthur Conan Doyle

Synopsis:

Short bios of the three authors

Indexer Notes

Portraits of the authors

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["Build your own library"] (Table of Contents: 7) (Expand) /

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