Number 345

The doomed frat boys

My son and his family moved to another state earlier this year. The plan is for him to finish his schooling. I'm in the stands cheering him on, waving the ol' college flag, yelling, "Go, Dave, go!" Luckily he's taking his classes online, because after reading this story, I'm sure I don't want him joining any fraternities.

This story is from a really bad copy of Superior's Strange Mysteries #13. A previous owner shot a b-b hole through it. Someone stuck some tape over some of the holes. One page has a corner missing. Those are all problems with my particular copy, but a worse problem, the really crappy printing, is thanks to the Canadian publisher's anonymous printer.

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Number 294

Mr. Sardonicus

Author Ray Russell wrote the short story, "Sardonicus," which was made into the 1961 William Castle film, Mr. Sardonicus. It has nothing to do with this story, "Death Takes Four," from Strange Mysteries #13, October, 1953, but I thought I'd impress you with my knowledge of arcane trivia. Risus sardonicus, called rictus sardonicus in this strip, is a pretty horrible condition that contorts and freezes the face into a smile. You know, like all of the contestants on American Idol when they're being ripped a new blowhole by one of those idiot judges.

The sardonicus sufferer in "Death Takes Four" is a murderer who fakes--or think he's faking--insanity. It's by the Jerry Iger shop, and it's published by Superior, which used the worst printer in comic book history. My copy of this issue was a target. It has a couple of b-b holes through it, which shows what the previous owner thought of it.

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*******

Say What?

No wonder they call him Sad "Sac."

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