Chamber of Chills
Encyclopedia
Chamber of Chills is the name of two anthology horror comic book
s, one published by Harvey Publications
in the early 1950s
, the other by Marvel Comics
in the 1970s.
Artists included Bob Powell
, Lee Elias, Rudy Palais, Howard Nostrand
, and Kremer. Issue 7 is mentioned in Dr. Fredric Wertham
's scathing 1954 indictment of comic books Seduction of the Innocent
(p. 389). Chamber ceased publication following the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency
hearings of 1954. Harvey then began concentrating on titles for young children, including Little Dot
and Richie Rich
.
Chamber of Chills was formerly Blondie Comics and its numbering begins where Blondie left off (issue 20). The first four issues of Chamber are consequently numbered 21-24. The numbering was reset with the fifth issue February 1952. Chamber of Chills became Chamber of Clues in February 1955 and saw two issues, folding in April 1955.
in the 1970s. It ran 25 issues Nov. 1972 - Nov. 1976).
The title was one of four launched by Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Roy Thomas
to form a line of science fiction and horror
anthologies with more thematic cohesiveness than the company's earlier attempts that decade, which had included such series as Chamber of Darkness
and Tower of Shadows
. Whereas those titles generally presented original stories, these new books would instead adapt genre classics and other works.
With the four titles' debuts set to be staggered over the course of four months, Marvel premiered Journey into Mystery
vol. 2 (Oct. 1972), Chamber of Chills (Nov. 1972), Supernatural Thrillers
(Dec. 1972), and, with a late start, Worlds Unknown
(May 1973). The first issue features an original six-page story by science fiction
novelist George Alec Effinger
, "Moon of Madness, Moon of Fear", penciled by P. Craig Russell
(then credited as Craig Russell), and a slightly retitled adaptation of the Harlan Ellison
short story
"Delusions for a Dragon Slayer", by writer Gerry Conway
and artist Syd Shores
; in-between was a story by writer Stan Lee
and artist Russ Heath
, "They Wait in Their ... Dungeon", reprinted from Menace #1 (March 1953), from Marvel's 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics
.
The bimonthly series ran exclusively new material through issue #4, with one reprinted story added to the mix for the following two issues, and only one new story in issue #7, after which the series became all-reprint. Most of the reprinted stories were 1950s "pre-Code" horror stories, which the industry self-censorship organization the Comics Code Authority
had forbidden on Code-approved comics until a loosening of the Code in 1971.
Other creators included novelist John Jakes
, scripting "Spell of the Dragon", starring Brak the Barbarian (#2), with art by Val Mayerik
and Dan Adkins
, and adapting his own short story "The Opening of the Crypt", a sequel to Edgar Allan Poe
's "The Cask of Amontillado
", with art by Frank Brunner
(#4); and Gardner F. Fox, a DC Comics
veteran from the 1940s on, with a story each in #3 (art by Ernie Chan
) and #4 (penciled by Howard Chaykin
). Also contributing were Marvel regulars Steve Gerber
, Tony Isabella
, Larry Lieber
, Don McGregor
, and Doug Moench
, as well as editor Thomas, adapting Robert E. Howard
's "The Thing on the Roof", with artist Brunner (#3). Others include two writers better known for their work at rival DC, John Albano
and Steve Skeates
. Other artists included Don Heck
, Jay Scott Pike
, and Paul Reinman
.
The 1950s reprints included work by artists Dick Ayers
, Gene Colan
, Tony DiPreta
, Sam Kweskin
, Mort Lawrence
, Pete Morisi
, Don Perlin
, Bob Powell
, Werner Roth
, Robert Q. Sale, Joe Sinnott
, and Pete Tumlinson
. The latter part of the run began including late-1950s and early 1960s "Pre-superhero Marvel" stories by the likes of Jack Kirby
and Steve Ditko
, mixed with a handful of tales from the earlier 1970s horror comics. Cover artists included Gil Kane
and John Romita, Sr.
Horror comics
Horror comics are comic books, graphic novels, black-and-white comics magazines, and manga focusing on horror fiction. Horror comic books reached a peak in the late 1940s through the mid-1950s, when concern over content and the imposition of the self-censorship Comics Code Authority contributed to...
s, one published by Harvey Publications
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications. His brothers Robert B...
in the early 1950s
1950s in comics
See also:1940s in comics,other events of the 1950s,1960s in comics and thelist of years in comicsPublications: 1950 - 1951 - 1952 - 1953 - 1954 - 1955 - 1956 - 1957 - 1958 - 1959-1950:See also: 1950 in comics...
, the other by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
in the 1970s.
Harvey Publications
The first Chamber of Chills was a 10-cent horror anthology published bimonthly by Harvey Publications that ran 26 issues (June 1951 - Dec. 1954).Artists included Bob Powell
Bob Powell
Bob Powell né Stanislav Robert Pawlowski was an American comic book artist known for his work during the 1930-40s Golden Age of comic books, including on the features "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle" and "Mr. Mystic". He received a belated credit in 1999 for co-writing the debut of the popular...
, Lee Elias, Rudy Palais, Howard Nostrand
Howard Nostrand
Howard Nostrand was an American cartoonist and illustrator best known for his 1950s comic book stories and his 1959-60 syndicated comic strip Bat Masterson, based on the television series.-Early life:...
, and Kremer. Issue 7 is mentioned in Dr. Fredric Wertham
Fredric Wertham
Fredric Wertham was a Jewish German-American psychiatrist and crusading author who protested the purportedly harmful effects of violent imagery in mass media and comic books on the development of children. His best-known book was Seduction of the Innocent , which purported that comic books are...
's scathing 1954 indictment of comic books Seduction of the Innocent
Seduction of the Innocent
Seduction of the Innocent is a book by German-American psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, published in 1954, that warned that comic books were a negative form of popular literature and a serious cause of juvenile delinquency. The book was a minor bestseller that created alarm in parents and galvanized...
(p. 389). Chamber ceased publication following the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency
Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency
The United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency was established by the United States Senate in 1953 to investigate the problem of juvenile delinquency.- Background :...
hearings of 1954. Harvey then began concentrating on titles for young children, including Little Dot
Little Dot
Little Dot was a comic book character published by Harvey Comics between 1949 and 1982, and then sporadically until 1994. A little girl obsessed with dots, spots, and round, colorful objects, she first appeared in 1949 as a supporting feature in Sad Sack and by 1953 was given her own series,...
and Richie Rich
Richie Rich
Richard "Richie" Rich, Jr. is a fictional character that debuted in Harvey Comics' Little Dot #1, cover-dated September 1953. Dubbed "the poor little rich boy", Richie is the only child of fantastically wealthy parents and is the world's richest kid. He lives and works in an expensive mansion and...
.
Chamber of Chills was formerly Blondie Comics and its numbering begins where Blondie left off (issue 20). The first four issues of Chamber are consequently numbered 21-24. The numbering was reset with the fifth issue February 1952. Chamber of Chills became Chamber of Clues in February 1955 and saw two issues, folding in April 1955.
Marvel Comics
An unrelated comic-book series titled Chamber of Chills was published by Marvel ComicsMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
in the 1970s. It ran 25 issues Nov. 1972 - Nov. 1976).
The title was one of four launched by Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Roy Thomas
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas, Jr. is an American comic book writer and editor, and Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly best known for introducing the pulp magazine hero Conan the Barbarian to American comics, with a series that added to the storyline of Robert E...
to form a line of science fiction and horror
Horror fiction
Horror fiction also Horror fantasy is a philosophy of literature, which is intended to, or has the capacity to frighten its readers, inducing feelings of horror and terror. It creates an eerie atmosphere. Horror can be either supernatural or non-supernatural...
anthologies with more thematic cohesiveness than the company's earlier attempts that decade, which had included such series as Chamber of Darkness
Chamber of Darkness
Chamber of Darkness was a horror/fantasy anthology comic book published bi-monthly by Marvel Comics that under this and a subsequent name ran from 1969-1974...
and Tower of Shadows
Tower of Shadows
Tower of Shadows was a horror/fantasy anthology comic book published by Marvel Comics under this and a subsequent name from 1969-1975. It featured work by such notable creators as writer-artists Neal Adams, Jim Steranko, Johnny Craig, and Wally Wood, writer-editor Stan Lee, and artists including...
. Whereas those titles generally presented original stories, these new books would instead adapt genre classics and other works.
With the four titles' debuts set to be staggered over the course of four months, Marvel premiered Journey into Mystery
Journey into Mystery
Journey into Mystery was an American comic book series published by Atlas Comics, and later its successor Marvel Comics. It featured horror, monster, and science fiction stories...
vol. 2 (Oct. 1972), Chamber of Chills (Nov. 1972), Supernatural Thrillers
Supernatural Thrillers
Supernatural Thrillers was a horror fiction comic book published by Marvel Comics in the 1970s that adapted classic stories of that genre, including works by Robert Louis Stevenson and H.G. Wells, before becoming a vehicle for a supernatural action series starring an original character, The Living...
(Dec. 1972), and, with a late start, Worlds Unknown
Worlds Unknown
Worlds Unknown was a science fiction comic book published by Marvel Comics in the 1970s that adapted classic short stories of that genre, including works by Frederik Pohl, Harry Bates, and Theodore Sturgeon.-Publication history:...
(May 1973). The first issue features an original six-page story by science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novelist George Alec Effinger
George Alec Effinger
George Alec Effinger was an American science fiction author, born in 1947 in Cleveland, Ohio.-Writing career:...
, "Moon of Madness, Moon of Fear", penciled by P. Craig Russell
P. Craig Russell
Philip Craig Russell , also known as P. Craig Russell, is an American comic book writer, artist, and illustrator. His work has won multiple Harvey and Eisner Awards...
(then credited as Craig Russell), and a slightly retitled adaptation of the Harlan Ellison
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison is an American writer. His principal genre is speculative fiction.His published works include over 1,700 short stories, novellas, screenplays, teleplays, essays, a wide range of criticism covering literature, film, television, and print media...
short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
"Delusions for a Dragon Slayer", by writer Gerry Conway
Gerry Conway
Gerard F. "Gerry" Conway is an American writer of comic books and television shows. He is known for co-creating the Marvel Comics vigilante The Punisher and scripting the death of the character Gwen Stacy during his long run on The Amazing Spider-Man...
and artist Syd Shores
Syd Shores
Sydney Shores was an American comic book artist known for his work on Captain America both during the 1940s, in what fans and historians call the Golden Age of comic books, and during the 1960s Silver Age of comic books....
; in-between was a story by writer Stan Lee
Stan Lee
Stan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
and artist Russ Heath
Russ Heath
Russell Heath, Jr. is an American artist best known for his comic book work — particularly his DC Comics war stories for several decades and his 1960s art for Playboy magazine's Little Annie Fanny featurettes — and for his commercial art, two pieces of which, depicting Roman and...
, "They Wait in Their ... Dungeon", reprinted from Menace #1 (March 1953), from Marvel's 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics
Atlas Comics (1950s)
Atlas Comics is the term used to describe the 1950s comic book publishing company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. Magazine and paperback novel publisher Martin Goodman, whose business strategy involved having a multitude of corporate entities, used Atlas as the umbrella name for his comic...
.
The bimonthly series ran exclusively new material through issue #4, with one reprinted story added to the mix for the following two issues, and only one new story in issue #7, after which the series became all-reprint. Most of the reprinted stories were 1950s "pre-Code" horror stories, which the industry self-censorship organization the Comics Code Authority
Comics Code Authority
The Comics Code Authority was a body created as part of the Comics Magazine Association of America, as a tool for the comics-publishing industry to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. Member publishers submitted comic books to the CCA, which screened them for adherence to...
had forbidden on Code-approved comics until a loosening of the Code in 1971.
Other creators included novelist John Jakes
John Jakes
John William Jakes is an American writer, best known for American historical fiction.-Early life and education:...
, scripting "Spell of the Dragon", starring Brak the Barbarian (#2), with art by Val Mayerik
Val Mayerik
Val Mayerik is an American comic-book and commercial artist, best known as co-creator of Marvel Comics' satiric character Howard the Duck.-Early life and career:...
and Dan Adkins
Dan Adkins
Dan Adkins is an American illustrator who worked mainly for comic books and science-fiction magazines.-Early life and career:...
, and adapting his own short story "The Opening of the Crypt", a sequel to Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
's "The Cask of Amontillado
The Cask of Amontillado
"The Cask of Amontillado" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in the November 1846 issue of Godey's Lady's Book....
", with art by Frank Brunner
Frank Brunner
Frank Brunner is an American comic book artist and illustrator best known for his work at Marvel Comics in the 1970s.-Comics:...
(#4); and Gardner F. Fox, a DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
veteran from the 1940s on, with a story each in #3 (art by Ernie Chan
Ernie Chan
Ernesto "Ernie" Chan is a Filipino-born American comic book artist.-Biography:Chan migrated to the United States in 1970, and became a citizen in 1976. For a number of years, he was obliged to work under the name "Ernie Chua" as that name had been wrongfully entered on his U.S...
) and #4 (penciled by Howard Chaykin
Howard Chaykin
Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his innovative storytelling and sometimes controversial material...
). Also contributing were Marvel regulars Steve Gerber
Steve Gerber
Stephen Ross "Steve" Gerber was an American comic book writer best known as co-creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck....
, Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella
Tony Isabella is an American comic book writer, editor, artist and critic, known as the creator and writer of Marvel Comics' Black Goliath, DC Comics' first major African American superhero, Black Lightning, and as a columnist and critic for the Comics Buyer's Guide.-Marvel Comics:Before he joined...
, Larry Lieber
Larry Lieber
Lawrence D. "Larry" Lieber is an American comic book artist and writer, and the younger brother of Marvel Comics' writer, editor and publisher Stan Lee....
, Don McGregor
Don McGregor
Donald Francis McGregor is an American comic book writer best known for his work for Marvel Comics, and the author of one of the first graphic novels.-Early life and career:...
, and Doug Moench
Doug Moench
Douglas Moench , better known as Doug Moench, is an American comic book writer notable for his Batman work and as the creator of Black Mask, Moon Knight and Deathlok.-Biography:...
, as well as editor Thomas, adapting Robert E. Howard
Robert E. Howard
Robert Ervin Howard was an American author who wrote pulp fiction in a diverse range of genres. Best known for his character Conan the Barbarian, he is regarded as the father of the sword and sorcery subgenre....
's "The Thing on the Roof", with artist Brunner (#3). Others include two writers better known for their work at rival DC, John Albano
John Albano
John Albano was an American writer who worked in the comic book industry. He was recognized for his work with the Shazam Award for Best Writer in 1971, and the Shazam Award for Best Individual Short Story in 1972 for "The Demon Within", in House of Mystery #201 .Albano's most famous co-creation...
and Steve Skeates
Steve Skeates
Steve Skeates is an American comic book creator known for his work on books such as Spectre, Hawk and Dove, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Aquaman, and Namor the Sub-Mariner.-Career:...
. Other artists included Don Heck
Don Heck
Don Heck was an American comic book artist best known for co-creating the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, and for his long run penciling the Marvel superhero-team series The Avengers during the 1960s Silver Age of comic books.-Early life and career:Born in the Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, New...
, Jay Scott Pike
Jay Scott Pike
Jay Scott Pike , is an American comic book artist and commercial illustrator known for his 1950s and 1960s work for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, advertising art, and as a Playboy-affiliated good girl artist...
, and Paul Reinman
Paul Reinman
Paul J. Reinman was an American comic book artist best known as one of industry legend's Jack Kirby's frequent inkers during what comics fans and historians call the Silver Age of comic books...
.
The 1950s reprints included work by artists Dick Ayers
Dick Ayers
Richard "Dick" Ayers is an American comic book artist and cartoonist best known for his work as one of Jack Kirby's inkers during the late-1950s and 1960s period known as the Silver Age of Comics, including on some of the earliest issues of Marvel Comics' The Fantastic Four, and as the signature...
, Gene Colan
Gene Colan
Eugene Jules "Gene" Colan was an American comic book artist best known for his work for Marvel Comics, where his signature titles include the superhero series, Daredevil, the cult-hit satiric series Howard the Duck, and The Tomb of Dracula, considered one of comics' classic horror series...
, Tony DiPreta
Tony DiPreta
Anthony Lewis DiPreta , better known as Tony DiPreta, was an American comic book and comic strip artist active from the 1940s Golden Age of comic books...
, Sam Kweskin
Sam Kweskin
Irving Sam Kweskin , who sometimes worked under the name Irv Wesley, was an American advertising and comic book artist.-Early life and career:...
, Mort Lawrence
Mort Lawrence
Morton "Mort" Lawrence is an American comic book artist and penciller. He is best known for his work on Atlas Comics' Young Men series which reintroduced Captain America and Bucky as communist hunting super-heroes....
, Pete Morisi
Pete Morisi
Peter A. Morisi , who sometimes went by the pseudonym PAM, is an American comic book writer and artist who also spent much of his professional life as a New York City Police Department officer. He is best known as creator of the 1960s Charlton Comics series Peter Cannon .....
, Don Perlin
Don Perlin
Don Perlin is an American comic book artist and occasional writer best known for Marvel Comics' Werewolf by Night, The Defenders, and Ghost Rider...
, Bob Powell
Bob Powell
Bob Powell né Stanislav Robert Pawlowski was an American comic book artist known for his work during the 1930-40s Golden Age of comic books, including on the features "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle" and "Mr. Mystic". He received a belated credit in 1999 for co-writing the debut of the popular...
, Werner Roth
Werner Roth (comics)
Werner Roth was an American comic book artist, perhaps best known for immediately succeeding Jack Kirby on Marvel Comics' X-Men....
, Robert Q. Sale, Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott
Joe Sinnott is an American comic book artist. Working primarily as an inker, Sinnott is best-known for his long stint on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, from 1965 to 1981 , initially over the pencils of industry legend Jack Kirby...
, and Pete Tumlinson
Pete Tumlinson
Howard Peter "Pete" Tumlinson was an American book illustrator and a comic book artist whose worked appeared from the late 1940s through the 1950s in titles published by the Marvel Comics predecessors Timely Comics and Atlas Comics...
. The latter part of the run began including late-1950s and early 1960s "Pre-superhero Marvel" stories by the likes of Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
and Steve Ditko
Steve Ditko
Stephen J. "Steve" Ditko is an American comic book artist and writer best known as the artist co-creator, with Stan Lee, of the Marvel Comics heroes Spider-Man and Doctor Strange....
, mixed with a handful of tales from the earlier 1970s horror comics. Cover artists included Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
and John Romita, Sr.
John Romita, Sr.
John V. Romita, Sr. is an Italian-American comic-book artist best known for his work on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man...
External links
- Chamber of Chills (1972-1976) at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
- Chamber of Chills (Marvel, 1972 series at the Grand Comics Database
- The Comic Book Database Chamber of Chills (Harvey) cover art gallery