My Rating
Eternal Teacher…
Ken Dupke arrived by carriage that night per the father’s request. It was an odd request, Ken thought to himself. The trip through the moors under a quarter moon made the experience even more somber. It was like a scene out of one of those Penny Dreadfuls sold to old maids on the streets of London. “What have I gotten myself into?” Ken asks himself.
The morning comes and Mr. Benjamin greets his daughter’s Proctor in the downstairs conservatory. Ken makes small talk with his employer as he is given a small tour of the estate. Mr. Benjamin and his wife are quite wealthy but they are desperate to find a teacher who has experience teaching special needs children. In their correspondence to Ken Dupke they describe their daughter Beth as a girl with the demeanor of a five year old. When Beth is introduced later in the day Ken would discover something much different!
What is the dark secret which awaits Ken Dupke in the upstairs of Benjamin Manor? Why have so many teachers resigned from such a lucrative venture? Is repetition the best form of learning?
A Kiss To Save Him From The Grave
Mr. Galt was not known for being generous with his fortune, but when he offered to build a new clinic for Dr. Thorton in exchange for his personal care, Dr. Thorton jumped at the chance. The only caveat was in the form of a full-time nurse. Mr. Galt insisted on having one at his side. Lucille Burton was the top candidate on Dr. Thorton’s list.
Lucille was young, single, and had no family ties in the area. She was perfect for the home care position. What Dr. Thorton would come to find out later would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Mr. Galt was not expected to live more than a few weeks. However, when Dr. Thorton made his first house call on Monday, he discovered a confused Lucille wandering the halls of the Galt mansion. What was more disturbing was the fact that Mr. Galt’s health was degenerating quickly the week before, but now he seemed to have gained back some color in his face. His demeanor was also more energetic as well. It was as if the mere presence of Lucille Burton revived a portion of Galt’s youth.
Who is standing behind Lucille but is never seen in the mirror? Why are there no records of the Galt family having a male child for four generations? What is controlling Lucille in her dream state?
A Quiet Place (text only story)
The Weirwood Inn had many guests stay within its walls, but none were more peculiar than its owner, Ellen Weirwood. She was blind but most wouldn’t realize it. Ellen had memorized every inch of the building doom top to bottom. There was little that surprised her, but when she ran into Harley for the first time, it was as if he appeared out of the void.
Why had she not heard him approach? He explained he walked softly. Why did he never come down for meals? Harley dined at the University down the lane. Why did he smell so strongly of smoke? That he would not answer.
Can the university dean find any records of Harley? Who has been staying in room number eight? Can any of the other guests give Ellen a physical description of her new male acquaintance? Collect the series to find out!
Reviewer Notes
It took me about a year to track down the complete run of Charlton Comics Haunted Love series. With Valentine’s Day this week I decided to crack open this gothic romance series and give them a read. From the late 1960s through the 1970s horror comics made a slight revival. With the popularity of shows like Dark Shadows, Charlton released this series hoping to cash in on the gothic fad popular then.
This series is written in the anthology style featuring multiple stories. In this case we get two illustrated main features and one short story in text form. The advertisements in issue one give clues to who Charlton Comics is targeting for sales. I will give you three clues: fake nails, dieting products, and spa attire.
The initial stories in issue one where really good, too bad they weren’t interconnected in some way. I did have a question in regards to story number one. With what the parents knew about their daughter, why would the father bother spending money for a tutor? Think gothic 50 First Dates.
The second story reminds me of the old Hammer Films. I’m quite sure those are what inspired this particular plot. Tom Sutton and Joe Staton really bring out the essence in their artwork. I love the design and character art. Nurse Lucille Burton is a hottie!
I’m giving Haunted Love #1 four out of five stars. I really do admire the mid sixties and seventies horror art. In my mind this is what defined modern comic books.
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