Fear (1960)

[gloomy sundae]

Fear: Tales Of The Terror-Filled Unknown #2 (July 1960)

James Harvey - Confession
David Mason - Account Closed
Larry Bearson - The Veiled Woman
Bryce Walton - The Cage
Donald Honig - End With The Night
Mark Richards - Still Life
Irving Schiffer - The Persuader
Joe Mackay - The Idol
Albert Bermel - Bourbon On A Champagne Carpet
Robert Hichens - How Love Came To Professor Guildea

Launched in May 1960 and published by Henry Sharf and Great American Publications Ltd, Fear went under after only two issues. Despite the striking cover (uncredited, as ever: looks like the work of the same fellow who worked on the later Bizarre), the original stories are instantly forgettable with 'The Veiled Woman' - "She ate not flesh nor drank of blood yet slowly drained his life away" - the pick of a mediocre bunch. What Hichens' classic is doing slumming it in this company is anybody's guess.

Joe Mackay - The Idol: Allen Garth, sculptor, has finally completed his undisputed masterpiece, a grotesque carving modelled on a statue he chanced upon in an Indian temple. Who or what the idol represents he neither knows nor cares, but she has an evil face, eight arms and wears a headdress adorned with tiny human skulls ...

James Harvey - Confession: When the Grim Reaper calls, multi-millionaire Morton Greely begs for another half an hour to salve his conscience. He must confess to his bookkeeper, Alvin, that he committed the murder for which his employee was wrongly imprisoned. Alvin springs a surprise of his own.

Bryce Walton - The Cage: After years of wedded misery, James Rinderman arms himself with a wood-chisel and turns of sadistic wife Madie and Joey, her equally detested cocker spaniel. James' solitary pleasure in life is visiting the zoo - he feels an affinity with the animal kingdom, even if he finds some fascinatingly repellent or just plain despicable. When he's finished carving the corpses, there is only one place for him to go. Easily the nastiest (and best) story thus far.

Mark Richards - Still Life: Reclusive artist Mr. Vishnel takes his vocation seriously. To bring a touch of authenticity to his latest morbid masterpiece, he has gone to the lengths of building a gallows in his room.

Albert Bermel - Bourbon On A Champagne Carpet: Arnold Paley breaks into his prospective in-laws' apartment, intent on making away with all that sexy expensive jewellery - their daughter has cost him a fortune in theatre tickets and restaurant bills. When Jill arrives unexpectedly with a hunky college stud in tow, his day can only get worse. It does.

- dem