September 16, 2007

Bram Stoker's Indian comic

Graphic Novel Review:  Graphic Classics: Bram StokerUnder the editorship of Archie Goodwin and presided over by the EC-influenced horror host, Uncle Creepy, Warren’s Creepy regularly featured comic book versions of classic horror fiction, two of which included Stoker's "The Judge's House" and "The Squaw." As illustrated by comics great Reed Crandall, both comics served to alert young readers to the genuinely creepy fiction Stoker had written beyond his oft-told vampire tale.

Both of these tales show up in Classics, with "Squaw" retitled as "Torture Tower," perhaps out of a desire to downplay the original story's Native American subtext. Neither of the new versions made me forget Goodwin and Crandall's original adaptations, though "House" artist Gerry Alanguilan comes close to matching Crandall's straightforwardly sinister style.
Comment:  "The Squaw" probably was renamed because the name is offensive to people.

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