(Stock Image)
SOLD ON: Thursday, 12/06/2012 12:08 PM
This auction has ended.
PUBLISHER: Aragon
COMMENTS: crm/ow pgs
classic Bernard Baily ants on buried man torture, skull cvr, Wolverton art
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crm/ow pgs
classic Bernard Baily ants on buried man torture, skull cvr, Wolverton artMister Mystery #11 is an enduring masterpiece of pre-Code horror, with Bernard Baily creating a disturbing vision of oversized red ants crawling onto the face of man buried up to his neck. This collectible is also one of the most prominent horror pieces outside of the EC stable, and is notable for Mister Mystery expanding the genre as the first title put out by Stanley P. Morse's Key Publications. (The company operated under a slew of imprints including Gillmor Magazines, Medal Comics, Timor Publications, and Aragon as Mister Mystery's publisher.) In addition to Baily's influential cover, the interior art features work by Basil Wolverton.
Artists Information
Basil Wolverton is primarily recognized for his bizarre and grotesque caricatures that he made his name with in the second half of his career. Starting out as an independent artist, Wolverton worked in a relatively normal, but personal, style throughout the Golden Age, contributing sci-fi and GGA comedy pages to a variety of publishers, including a tenure at Timely. After winning a national contest to draw "Lena the Hyena" which was published in Al Capp's Li'l Abner strip, Basil switched over to his renown "spaghetti and meatballs" style, which consisted of highly detailed and disturbing malformed creatures. Working at Mad Magazine for a spell, Wolverton built up his distinct style and would continue to create shocking and unforgettable images for comics like Plop! through the Bronze Age until his passing in 1978. Since his death, recognition and fanfare for the artist's unique talents have grown in stature, leading his original pages to go for impressive numbers, as well as influencing underground and independent artists who came after him.
American comic book artist, Baily co created DC characters the Spectre and Hourman.