Originally Published In Issue 65
Reprinted In Issue 124
During the 1970s the ‘Pocket Chiller Library’ was a pocket-sized mainstream horror comic which ran for 137 issues between 1971 and 1977. From issue 86 onwards the publishers simply started reprinting the earlier stories, the first 28 of these reprints retitling the story. As such, there were only a total of 86 different stories within the series.
Unfortunately, each issue was undated, making it difficult to be sure of the date for first publication of each issue. However, it is widely understood the comics were monthly publications, with the original stories running between 1971 and 1977, therefore the above date of publication is a reasonable assumption. Additionally, each issue was uncredited to either the writer or the comic artist(s).
DLS Synopsis:
When Ann inherited an old house from her grandfather, she inherited a ghost too…or so it seemed. Upon arriving at s small French town close to the house, the locals are quick to warn Ann the house is a bad place. Even her solicitor isn’t too sure about Ann taking up residence in the old house.
Furthermore, to Ann’s surprise, when she arrives at the house she’s greeted by the housekeeper – Marie. Ann hadn’t expected to find any staff there. Although having someone to hand who knew both the house and the surrounding estate, was not a bad thing.
However, that first night in the creepy old house, Ann is awakened by a ghostly arm appearing above her in the bed. It was the first, but it would not be the last strange and ghostly sighting Ann would have at the house and its neighbouring grounds. For there was something deeply troubling about the property. Something from its past. Something embedded in its history.
Ann and her newly found love, Pierre, have no choice but to face the terrifying presence lurking within the property and try to uncover the truth of the unseen master…
DLS Review:
Here we have a typical haunted house scenario, with a young single woman who’s inherited a creepy old house which is supposedly haunted. Of course, being a comic from the ‘Pocket Chiller Library’, there’s hardly any waiting around before we have the first spectral visitation – a ghostly hand appearing above our protagonist as she wakes in bed.
What follows is a weirdly elaborate tale exploring a handful of avenues for the story to go down, but strangely it never fully commits to any of the plot narratives, other than a final unveiling of the property’s history, which only comes to fruition in the last handful of pages.
Of these storyline threads, there’s a miniature substory about a bat which stalks about the old house at night, whilst during the day it’s locked away within a small glass box, seemingly suspended there in mid-flight. Again, the writer of the tale doesn’t take this weird little story much further than a few suggestions of it being involved in the haunting and the odd midnight visitation by the bat. In fact, we never really find out if the bat is supposed to be the work of a taxidermist (which comes to life at night), or if it’s instead a pet bat which they keep in this small glass home. Sounds odd, I know, and it really is!
Outside of these strange hauntings, the swiftly developing love interest of Pierre (an insurance broker from the town), is nothing short of the epitome of cliché, but this nevertheless fits with the mood and age of the comic. He’s a dashing young man who’s one goal in life is to protect Ann. He says all the right lines. He’s there to support Ann through thick and thin, with his dashing good looks, and ability to hold her up whenever she swoons.
The old housekeeper, Marie, is an odd woman who’s constantly muttering some warning or other. She’ll talk to our little bat friend when he’s in his glass prison and generally hobble around the house murmuring cryptic warnings and making Ann sandwiches.
The comic utilises a ‘is-it-really-haunted’ or ‘is-it-just-an-elaborate-ploy’ style storyline for the majority of the tale. People are seen wondering around the premises grounds at night, chuckling to themselves, assumably after enacting some devious plot or other. However, again, this is never fully fleshed-out into anything other than a faint substory which eventually just peters out.
Nevertheless, the story as a whole is utterly entertaining from start to finish. This is down to its quirkiness, and the unpredictability of a story which at first glance would appear to be utterly predictable. The mystery and half-hearted attempts at trying to get to the bottom of it all. The utter wackiness with the sudden sidesteps in the storyline, such as when the ground underneath Pierre’s feet suddenly falls through, revealing an underground tomb and passageways which lead back to Ann’s house! Yep, stuff like that just sort of happens!
All in all the sheer creative imagination and absolute suspension of disbelief makes the comic a gloriously enjoyable, grin-inducing read.
The comic book runs for a total of 64 pages.
© DLS Reviews
