My Rating
“Shadows Of Satan”
An escaped circus lion lay dead in a field covered with daisies. The animal’s only crime was trying to feast upon the soft flesh of a young blind woman named Sybl. Isn’t that the nature of the beast? As the big cat leaped forward to kill its prey, a monstrous arm rocketed up out of the moorlands, grasped onto the lion’s throat, and in one quick crushing grasp killed the lion.
In all of the excitement Sybl collapses to her knees as the adrenaline coursed through her body. She was unaware of the large plant covered monster lumbering towards her prone position. In seconds the woman would fall into unconsciousness.
Unaware of her visual impairment, the monster stared down into the woman’s sleeping face. It showed empathy for Sybl’s condition, but also caution, as the beast was no rabid fiend. This heap of plant life was once human himself. Over the next few days the chemically mutated man once named Jim Roberts would become deeply involved with the sleeping beauty’s life in turmoil.
Will the Heap find a cure for his transformation before his human side diminishes into madness? Can the ancestor of the late Baron Von Frankenstein restore Cybl’s blindness? Who are the mysterious hunters who stalk the moorlands insearch of the circus lion.
“When The Sea Goes Dry!”
Originally printed in Strange Fantasy (Farrell, 1952 series) #2 (October 1952)
Porto Bello – Caribbean Sea, Deke and Margot Travers sit at a local Cafe discussing the map laid out on the table in front of them. How could they have gotten so lucky to find the antique document showing the location of sunken Spanish gold. The married couple had never been successful in any of their past business ventures, but this was different. It was as if fate had stepped in and guided their way to the old corner bookstore.
From a dark corner of the restaurant, near the bar, a local of Aztec descent listened in on the Travers with great interest. All that was stopping them from the treasure was a local guide and a boat. Pedro was the man they were looking for even if his intentions were sinister. He knew the location intimately.
The Aztec decides to approach the couple before their check is paid.
What Spanish secrets lay off the coastline of Porto Bello? Why is the strange Aztec so intent on helping the Travers find the missing Galleon sunk two-hundred years ago? Will the Travers’ marital woes bring Doom on the Caribbean expedition?
“The Curse Of The Broken Balcony!”
Originally printed in Strange Worlds (Avon, 1950 series) #8 (August 1952)
Jack Darrow was a Salesman. No, Jack was a very good Salesman. So much so that his sales had broken all company’s records that year. As a reward Jack was offered the lucrative Annedale sales territory days before the new year. To celebrate, and to pad his commissions, on December 31st Jack decided to hit the road for some last minute wheeling and dealing.
Several hours into his trip, Jack found himself driving through the hilly back roads leading up and around several old estates. These were built with old family money. Jack smiled at the thought of the money he was about to make. But then something broke his concentration. A dark-haired man roughly Jack’s age was standing on the side of the road hitchhiking. The was something familiar about the guy, so Jack pulled over and offered a ride.
Holy cow, Pete Larkin? It had been what, twelve years? The hitchhiking had been an old acquaintance of Jack’s at N.Y.U. back in the day. He was happy to see the man, but Pete seemed to be very different since the last time they met. Even though Pete seemed in distress he did offer Jack a room at his estate house. A house that would be burned into his memories for decades to come.
What transpired in the old Manor House under a new year’s moon? Can Jack save his college roommate from slipping into madness? How long do grudges follow a man’s actions?
“Death On The Earth-Mars Run!”
Originally printed in Strange Worlds (Avon, 1950 series) #8 (August 1952)
The crate in Set Grof’s cabin was definitely ticking. The crew of the space liner “Stardust” frantically worked to unsealed the Martian inventor’s personal storage container. Whatever was inside could be explosives or some even more sinister.
Days beforehand the Stardust had left Earth’s orbit bound for the human colonies on Mars. Several big time passengers had booked passage on flight 20 including an interplanetary banker, a degenerate gambler, and a wealthy father and daughter. Unknown to the crew a killer was amongst them. Over the next few hours the chief navigator, Alan Aldane, will uncover a plot that crosses space and time.
Will the space liner Stardust make its scheduled arrival at Mars colony one? Do all Venusian women possess psychic abilities? Can Captain Grant obtain a Space Police warrant before another murder can occur?
“Ballast Of Gold”
Originally printed in Strange Journey (Farrell, 1957 series) #1 (September 1957)
The storm had approached the Steamer Ship “Central America” five days before it was to arrive in New York Harbor. Captain Herdon had to admit it was a rough journey even with the skies darkening. The passengers were a mix of American working class and immigrants from various parts of Europe. The Ship’s crew had to break up several fights during the voyage. The most stressful part for the Captain was concealing the fact there were two-million dollars in pure gold bars stored in the cargo hold.
All of this mattered little as the storm overtook the steamer Central America with unforgivable force. Within an hour the lower decks began to flood from the torrential downpour and rogue waves rocketing across the bow. Both crew and passengers scrambled to help bail water from all parts of the ship. Captain Herdon raced below to the engine room only to find the shovelers trying in vain to keep the water from the coal furnaces. Things were dire indeed.
Will the steamer ship Central America reach the New York harbor with its four hundred and twenty-three passengers and crew? Is Davey Jones ready to accept his latest catch of drowned souls? What will happen to the sizable gold shipment?
Reviewer Notes
What a strange mix of reprints and character reboot this was. I came for the Heap monster and was served a smorgasbord of random silver and gold age stories. Kids really got their money’s worth back in 1971 as this book is packed with content. Modern DC and Marvel readers might not recognize story and content. The Heap is definitely not your grandkids comic book.
I originally purchased this book after listening to an interview with comic book industry legend, Jim Shooter. He had mentioned Sol Brodsky, a former vice president at Marvel, had quit to form his own comic book publishing company with Israel Waldman (of I.W. Publications/Super Comics). As a fan of upstarts like Atlas/Seaboard publications, I wanted to check out Skywald Comics for their Heap character – as it is similar in concept to DC Comics’ “Swamp Thing” and Marvel’s “Man-Thing”.
To my amusement, I discovered the Heap predates both characters and is credited as comics first swamp monster. The character first appeared in Air Fighters Comics No.03 (Hillman Comics) in 1942, and has seen various renditions in books by Skywald Comics (1970s) and Image Comics (1990s). Heap, where have you been all of my life?
Issue one of the Heap acts as a brief introduction to the character, but the cover is misleading. In reality the book follows the standard horror anthology format popular at the time. I’m not a huge fan of anthology books, but this one had enough variety to keep me interested. In regards to the Heap, Skywald would continue his storyline in their black and white magazines until the company closed its doors in 1975.
For me, the most interesting part of this whole issue was the science fiction story “Death On The Earth-Mars Run!”. This story originally ran in Strange Worlds No.08 (Avon Comics) in 1952, and follows a starship crew as a murder stalks their ship. The art is very reminiscent of the Flash Gordan and Buck Roger books at the time. The fashion, the slang, the Space Police. What a great flashback to pre-moon landing science ideas and beliefs.
Overall, I recommend this book to all vintage collectors. It may not be Batman or Wolverine, but it is entertaining. I’m giving the Heap four out of five stars. I sure would like to find those early golden age books to compare the different versions of the muck-monster. My wallet probably can’t afford it, unfortunately.
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