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The EC Artists' Library #31
Three for the Money and Other Stories
Librarian note: An alternative cover for this ISBN can be found here.
Grand Master crime novelist Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition) introduces these tales, which include the infamous “The Orphan” — one of the stories that got EC Comics into hot water during the U.S. Senate’s investigation into comic books. “The October Game” is adapted from the chilling classic short story by Ray Bradbury. A gruesome look at a malevolent Halloween party game perpetrated by a man who believes the child of his unfaithful wife is not his. In “Frozen Assets!,” a woman and her lover seal her still-living husband in a chest freezer. “Standing Room Only” — a brother murders his twin sister and her husband, and disguises himself as her so he can inherit their estate. But then the estate lawyer makes a play for the “widow” ... “Three for the Money” — A woman finds her husband dead — with a knife in his back and a bullet in his head. The police arrest two suspects — but to get a conviction, they must determine who acted first. Who actually committed the murder, and who stabbed or shot a man who was already dead?
Like every book in The Fantagraphics EC Artists’ Library, Three For The Money And Other Stories also features essays and notes by EC experts on these superbly crafted, classic masterpieces.
Grand Master crime novelist Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition) introduces these tales, which include the infamous “The Orphan” — one of the stories that got EC Comics into hot water during the U.S. Senate’s investigation into comic books. “The October Game” is adapted from the chilling classic short story by Ray Bradbury. A gruesome look at a malevolent Halloween party game perpetrated by a man who believes the child of his unfaithful wife is not his. In “Frozen Assets!,” a woman and her lover seal her still-living husband in a chest freezer. “Standing Room Only” — a brother murders his twin sister and her husband, and disguises himself as her so he can inherit their estate. But then the estate lawyer makes a play for the “widow” ... “Three for the Money” — A woman finds her husband dead — with a knife in his back and a bullet in his head. The police arrest two suspects — but to get a conviction, they must determine who acted first. Who actually committed the murder, and who stabbed or shot a man who was already dead?
Like every book in The Fantagraphics EC Artists’ Library, Three For The Money And Other Stories also features essays and notes by EC experts on these superbly crafted, classic masterpieces.
- GenresComics
224 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 12, 2021
Three for The Money and Other Stories collects twenty-two EC crime stories illustrated by Jack Kamen, as well as four stories drawn by Sid Check and six drawn by Fred Peters.
Aside from the elusive 50 Girls 50, I've read and shelved all of the Fantagraphics EC Library so far so it was only natural I'd pick this up.
Jack Kamen isn't my favorite EC artist, with his romance comics gone wrong style, but the guy has some chops. Most of the twenty-two stories of his in this collection are of the love gone wrong type, with a husband or wife wanting to bump off his or her spouse. Otto Binder, Al Feldstein, and Carl Wessler come up with endless variations on the James Cain Postman Always Rings Twice/Double Indemnity plot and Kamen makes hay with most of them.
The Sid Check bones stories are very good. I'm surprised he never became an EC regular. I read Ship Shape decades ago in a Gladstone reprint and it remains a fun EC horror tale. I didn't really care for Fred Peters' style in his eight stories. It was a little too rough for me.
Double dealing spouses are the order of the day in Three For the Money And Other Stories and Jack Kamen gives everyone their money's worth. Four out of five stars.
Aside from the elusive 50 Girls 50, I've read and shelved all of the Fantagraphics EC Library so far so it was only natural I'd pick this up.
Jack Kamen isn't my favorite EC artist, with his romance comics gone wrong style, but the guy has some chops. Most of the twenty-two stories of his in this collection are of the love gone wrong type, with a husband or wife wanting to bump off his or her spouse. Otto Binder, Al Feldstein, and Carl Wessler come up with endless variations on the James Cain Postman Always Rings Twice/Double Indemnity plot and Kamen makes hay with most of them.
The Sid Check bones stories are very good. I'm surprised he never became an EC regular. I read Ship Shape decades ago in a Gladstone reprint and it remains a fun EC horror tale. I didn't really care for Fred Peters' style in his eight stories. It was a little too rough for me.
Double dealing spouses are the order of the day in Three For the Money And Other Stories and Jack Kamen gives everyone their money's worth. Four out of five stars.
August 26, 2022
Better than you think. Starts very strong with "October Game", a Bradbury tale that features very heavy inks for a Kamen story...or anyones. "The Orphan", his most infamous story is here, looking great. The back of the book features some snippets of work by two other artists (the quickies from Crime Suspenstories) that you can think of as a bonus or as throwaway.....I'm in the first group, especially since most of the other Kamen volumes in this series are almost unforgivably short. Not as attractive a cover as the other two best Kamen books (Daddy Lost His Head, Zero Hour), but this one is maybe the most worthwhile.
January 9, 2023
Beautifully subversive! Starts very strong with "October Game", a Bradbury tale that features very heavy inks for a Kamen story...or anyones. The atmosphere of this story is wonderful in black and white, and one of the very best two or three things Kamen did. That goes ditto for "The Orphan", his most infamous story, looking great. "Four Sided Triangle" is another fun and beautifully detailed one; I love the reflections in the jealous eyes! The back of the book features some snippets of work by two other artists (the quickies from Crime Suspenstories) that you can think of as a bonus or as throwaway.....I'm in the first group, especially since most of the other Kamen volumes in this series are almost unforgivably short. This redone front cover finally puts it in league with the other two best Kamen books (Daddy Lost His Head, Zero Hour), making this one the most worthwhile, IMHO. (less)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews