"Concerto for Violin and Werewolf!" - EC Comics

In Memory of Jack Davis

During the hiatus from the Cryptic Corridor it didn't escape my attention that we lost a truly great and influential artist.

Jack Davis, one of my favorite comic artists, passed away on July 27th.

Truly a lifelong artist, Davis was a published illustrator at the age of 12 and he did not retire until he was nearly 90.  He enjoyed a very busy, decades-spanning career creating a staggering amount of output in the form of movie posters, album covers, and various advertisements.  Of course, he is most well known for his work with E.C. Comics and later MAD Magazine.

Davis' artwork gushed irreverent humor so well that he was a perfect fit for MAD's "Usual Gang of Idiots".  He had a very distinctive style which primarily consisted of mangy caricatures with exaggerated features.  At a glance his illustrations might seem haphazardly tossed together, and a maybe a bit sloppy or unrefined, but a closer look at any of his work reveals that he was in fact a master of a variety of media including pencil, ink, and even water color.  His talent has been acknowledged with

Below are a few of my favorite of Jack Davis' illustrations.

"Lower Berth" - EC Comics

"Meanwhile, on the Empire State Building..."

Even monsters need a helping hand sometimes...

Artwork by the ever-amazing Jack Davis for Mad Magazine.

"Voodoo!" - Creepy

I finally got my hands on a copy of the first issue of Creepy!  There I was... thumbing through a long box full of horror comic goodness at Mask-Fest when I came across that infamous yellow cover...  I couldn't believe my eyes!  This was one issue I was certain that would never become a part of my collection, but there it was!  After exhibiting some smooth negotiation mad-skill with the vendor, I was able to not only secure this prize, but also another issue (the "All Monster Issue") for free!

Thus, it is with great pleasure that I present to you the very first story to grace the pages of Creepy...  "Voodoo!"

"Horror Movie Scenes We'd Like To See" - Mad Magazine

"Survival... Or Death!" - EC Comics

Originally published in EC Comics' Tales from the Crypt #45 in 1954, "Survival...  Or Death!" was written by Carl Wessler and illustrated by Jack Davis.