American Update: Pre-Code Horror Fest: Ghostly Weird Stories – Jay Disbrow Horror with L.B. Cole covers (and Jo-Jo the Congo King?)
*Horror 1940-1959: Our latest Pre-Code Horror Fest continues! A highly sought-after series is Star’s Ghostly Weird Stories, a peculiar hybrid title. Each issue features brand new and (rather spiffy) horror tales illustrated by cult artist Jay Disbrow, backed up, presumably in a cost-cutting exercise, by edited reprints, primarily of Fox material. Jo-Jo the Congo King, drawn either by Matt Baker or Jack Kamen imitating him, appears in all four newly-listed issues, and the aquatic superhero Torpedoman in one, but their series titles are removed and given generic horror names. Major selling point of the series, however, is the covers; L B Cole, artistic director of Star, illustrated 95% of the company’s covers, and his lurid, feverish style, almost hallucinogenic, was never on finer display than in these examples. These are mid to low grade copies, but given the very high prices for nicer, these are relatively affordable. Issue #120 is FA £65 (lower corner of most interior pages missing, stories unharmed), #121 is PR £45 (covers detached and separated), #123 VG- £185 and #124 GD- £95 (cover detached). SORRY, THESE HAVE NOW SOLD