Originally Published In Issue 66
Reprinted In Issue 125
First published back in September of 1973, Issue 66 of the ‘Pocket Chiller Library’ comic series was titled ‘Dark Vengeance’. The comic was later reprinted under the same title within Issue 125.
During the 1970s the ‘Pocket Chiller Library’ was a pocket-sized mainstream horror comic which ran for a total of 137 issues between 1971 and 1977. Each month, two issues of the comic were published, amounting to a total of twenty-four issues of the comic published each year.
However, it should be noted that issue 83 and then from issue 86 onwards, the publishers started reprinting the earlier stories. Of these reprints, the first 29 reprints (issues 83 and then 86 – 113) retitled the story. As such, there were only ever a total of 84 unique stories within the series, despite there being more titles.
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 two publications released simultaneously each month, with the original stories running from January 1971. Therefore, the above date of publication is a relatively reasonable assumption.
Additionally, each issue was unfortunately uncredited to either the writer or the comic artist(s).
Philip Lester was a tad surprised to learn neither Lydia’s mother, nor her servants would be at the house all weekend. It would just be him and Lydia. However, as the pair were engaged, Philip thought little fuss would likely be made of them spending the weekend together in the house.
Although as soon as the pair entered the creepy old house, Lydia chose the moment to announce her true intentions for them being there. For starters, Lydia knew a lot more about Philip than he did her. She knew of Philip’s previous engagement from three years ago. However, during their engagement, the young and impressionable Dorothy had taken her own life, after Philip drove her to absolute despair from him constant infidelity.
But the tragedy of Dorothy’s death was all the more pertinent for Lydia. Unbeknown to Philip, Dorothy was Lydia’s sister. And Lydia Trent had never forgiven Philip for what he did to her beloved sister.
Philip now knew he’d been lured unsuspectingly to the house of their childhood. A house which was haunted. Where, as a child, Lydia found she was able to see spirits. Spirits which Lydia planned to use to her advantage. Nightmarish visions which Lydia Trent would use to enact her dark vengeance…
Oh, this issue of the Pocket Chiller Library is a cracker! It’s one of the more over-the-top offerings, awash with horror and a downbeat and altogether dark premise.
Essentially, we have a pissed off woman who’s seeking revenge upon the man she’s convinced was responsible for her sister’s death. Of course, she’s also able to see and communicate with the many dark spirits which inhabit the dusty old house where she and her sister grew up, and she’s planning to use these spirits in her plan for revenge!
What ensues is an escalating stream of nightmare sequences, designed to push Philip on a descent into absolute madness. As such, there’s an absolute bucket load of grisly horror on show, with the rotting undead form of Dorothy appearing in many of them, grinning insanely at Philip to creep the bastard out.
No matter where Philip goes, Lydia is stalking him, as are the horrors she calls upon. It’s all good grim stuff, with a tongue-in-cheek B-Movie feel to the whole shebang. That said, the ending sequence is perhaps where the story takes a slightly darker direction.
You see, in the final pages of the comic we have a character being encouraged into suicide. There’s zero chance this would be allowed in a modern comic. I’ll not spoil how this all fits into the tale as a whole, but just with the inclusion of such a dark and contentious topic, certainly had me taken aback a tad.
Anyway, the illustrative artwork throughout the comic is relatively mediocre, although the sheer quantum of ghastly images included in the story more than makes up for any overall lacking detail. Seriously, this PCL is packed to the rafters with images of rotting undead beings, or strange spirits terrorising poor old Philip.
For the sheer over-the-top horror exhibited within the comic, I’d say it’s by far and away one of the better PCLs. From start to finish the comic is pure B-Movie horror entertainment, through and through. And with such a dark ending to conclude with, what’s not to like?!
The comic book runs for a total of 64 pages.
© DLS Reviews
