Twisted Tales

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This article is about the 1980s comic anthology series. For other uses, see Twisted Tales (disambiguation).
Twisted Tales
The cover of Twisted Tales #2, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson
Publication information
PublisherPacific Comics and Eclipse Comics
ScheduleBimonthly
FormatAnthology
Publication dateNovember 1982 – December 1984
No. of issues10
Creative team
Created byBruce Jones

Twisted Tales was a horror comics anthology published by Pacific Comics and, later, Eclipse Comics, in the early 1980s. The title was edited by Bruce Jones and April Campbell.

Publication history[]

Twisted Tales was published on a bi-monthly schedule by Pacific Comics from November 1982 to May 1984 (eight issues). After Pacific went bankrupt, two final issues were published by Eclipse Comics in November and December 1984. In August 1986, Blackthorne Publishing released Twisted Tales 3-D #1 (#7 in their 3-D series), with reprints of stories taken from earlier issues. In November 1987 a Twisted Tales trade paperback was released by Eclipse Comics with a Dave Stevens cover, featuring previously unpublished stories and art.

With three exceptions (William F. Nolan's "The Party" in Issue # 8, Dennis Etchison's "Wet Season" in Issue #9, and 's "If She Dies" in issue #10, which was later adapted into an episode of the 1980s revival of The Twilight Zone), all of the stories in the entire run of Twisted Tales were written by Jones, who had shown a knack for horror a decade before when he was employed as a scripter for Warren Publishing, writing for their Creepy and Eerie titles. Jones, a self-described "child of the 1950s", was heavily influenced by the horror and science fiction movies of that decade. But as noted in his editorial in Issue #1, his chief inspiration was the bloody and ironically moralistic tales of the EC horror comics. His work in Twisted Tales, often utilizing twist endings, added huge dollops of graphic violence and sexuality to the EC formula, complete with copious female nudity, making the title a definite "adults only" item; several issues sported a "Recommended For Mature Readers" warning on the cover.

Probably the most gruesome and controversial story to appear in the comic was "Banjo Lessons" in the April 1983 issue (#5), with artwork by former underground comics illustrator Rand Holmes. A story about the murderous violence that ensues one summery day when a repressed memory is innocently triggered, it was a shocking mix of extreme gore, cannibalism, homosexuality, and borderline racism. The tale was prefaced by special commentary by Campbell apologizing in advance for any accusations of bigotry the story might spark, but readers' emotional responses to the story still filled the next issue's letters page.

Front covers for the comic were by, among others, Richard Corben, John Bolton, and Bernie Wrightson. Contributing interior artists included Corben, Bolton, Wrightson, Mike Ploog, Val Mayerik, Bill Wray, Tim Conrad, Alfredo Alcala, and Rick Geary, as well as one story written and illustrated by editor Jones himself.

In 1985, soon after the cancellation of Twisted Tales, Eclipse began publishing The Twisted Tales of Bruce Jones, featuring science fiction, fantasy and horror stories written and illustrated by Jones. Although the cover of the initial issue noted that it was to be "Part 1 of 2", the title was expanded to a four-issue run and ceased publication in 1986.

In January 2005, Todd McFarlane announced that he was set to produce a half-hour anthology television series for Fox called Twisted Tales, based on the comic book to which McFarlane had purchased the rights.[1] However, according to Bruce Jones, Twisted Tales was a creator-owned property and does not belong to McFarlane.[citation needed]

Issue guide[]

# Date Cover Artist Story Story Artist Plot
1 November 1982 Richard Corben Infected Richard Corben Sleazy credit collector seduces beautiful woman who warns him beforehand that she has "crabs"
Out of His Depth Alfredo Alcala Stupid but rich man returns from the grave to kill the wife who murdered him
A Walk in the Woods Bret Blevins Couple vacationing in Germany find themselves trapped in an increasingly horrific fairy tale
All Hallows Tim Conrad A group of boys help the mouldering corpse of a friend who was murdered seek vengeance on his killers every Halloween
2 April 1983 Bernie Wrightson Over His Head Mike Ploog Loser's daydreams about love affair with beautiful woman result in her "murder" and his drowning death
Night Watch Ken Steacy Warfare between members of a platoon and giant rat turns out to be a child playing with toy soldiers
Infant Terrible Val Mayerik Young woman's aborted fetus dumped into polluted river mutates into monster that rapes her
Speed Demons Rand Holmes Ghostly couple force taxi driver to drive recklessly fast
3 June 1983 Richard Corben Me an' ol' Rex Richard Corben Boy's imaginary friend, a dinosaur, is really his cannibal father chained up in a wood shed
Off Key Doug Wildey Young couple find their lives inadvertently controlled by a friend's constantly changing screenplay draft
With Honor Bill Wray Japanese soldier convinces his friend to remain behind on an island for years following World War II so he can steal the man's wife
Sunken Chest Bret Blevins An abusive fisherman left in the ocean to die by his wife's lover is consumed by a large shark
4 August 1983 John Bolton The Well John Bolton A young woman follows her husband into a well and is raped and impregnated by a hideous monster
Nick of Time Don Lomax Lesbians concoct an elaborate plan to rid themselves of their husbands
The Secret Place Bruce Jones Lonely boy develops a friendship with a creature hidden in a lake
5 October 1983 Richard Corben Terminated Richard Corben Villagers shotgun-murder a horribly diseased man, whose bloody remains fall into the town's water supply
Scritch...Scritch...Scritch Bill Wray Man devises an ingenious plan to force his friend to commit suicide, so he can seduce the dead man's wife
Majority of One Val Mayerik In a world populated by werewolves, "normal" men and women are routinely hunted down and killed
Banjo Lessons Rand Holmes Man on trial for the gruesome murders of his three best friends reveals the circumstances leading to their deaths
6 January 1984 John Bolton You, Illusion John Bolton Old man can control other people's lives in his dreams
Evening Walk John Totleben A man walking in the city at night turns into a dog, while the man's dog transforms into a woman
Home Ties Mike Hoffman In a haunted house, a man sees a murder and suicide reenacted by ghosts
Roomers Attilio Micheluzzi Decrepit old man sits in his apartment and waits to die
7 March 1984 John Bolton Holly's Hobby John Bolton Eccentric old woman murders visitors and keeps their severed heads to talk to
Hooked! Bill Wray A gigolo encounters his latest target's murderous mutant son
Sasquatch Ian Aiken & Brian Garvey Cannibalism, murderous vengeance and the Abominable Snowman
Shut-In Tanino Liberatore Mute old man incapable of movement daydreams about murdering his sexy teenaged babysitter and her boyfriend
8 May 1984 John Pound Way down there in the Dark Thom Enriquez Abused young boy has a telepathic connection with a mutant-thing in the sewer
First Impressions Butch Guice After desecrating his obnoxious professor's grave, a young college student steals the dead man's watch. only to have the corpse bite his leg, leaving teeth permanently imbedded in the flesh
An Unsettling Incident Rick Geary In 1735, a young man murders his wife and her sister with an axe
The Party Mike Hoffman Man trapped for eternity in a hellish party
9 November 1984 John Bolton Warped Panels Thom Enriquez Writer and his artist friend find themselves trapped in a comic book story
Deadlights Bill Wray Ghostly 1950s teenagers haunt a highway
Spade, the Werewolf, and Me Val Mayerik After being bitten by a monstrous wolf, a boy's beloved pet dog becomes a werewolf
Wet Season Mike Hoffman Numerous human-shaped female-things from a watery world marry eligible men in a small town and transform the area into a rain-soaked place of horror
10 December 1984 John Pound Beer Berni Wrightson Newcomer in a snowy Canadian village stops off at a bar for a beer and is told an outlandish story about the Sasquatch
One for the Money… Bill Wray Thief robs a house during a costume party, and murders a guest in a bear suit who has caught him in the act. Stealing the dead man's costume, he escapes into the woods and is killed by hunters
Hatchet Job Gray Morrow Time traveler thinks he will act as a witness to the Lizzie Borden murders, but ends up committing the crimes himself
…Two for the Show! Bill Wray At a costume party, a man in a bear suit accidentally kills a burglar during a struggle. He pockets the stolen loot himself, then escapes into the woods and is killed by a grizzly bear
If She Dies Attilio Micheluzzi Father struggling with the imminent death of his daughter is visited by the ghost of a young girl
Poison in the Pantry Rick Geary Woman kills new husband and his family with "Rat-Pruf" poison
1 August 1986 Steve Huston Terminated Rich Corben 3-D rendering of story reprinted from issue # 5
3-D Issue Way down there in the Dark Tom Enriguez 3-D rendering of story reprinted from issue # 8
First Impressions Butch Guice 3-D rendering of story reprinted from issue # 8
Evening Walk John Totleben 3-D rendering of story reprinted from issue # 6
You, Illusion John Bolton 3-D rendering of story reprinted from issue # 6
NA November 1987 Dave Stevens Termites from Mars Rick Stasi 1950s small town boys love science fiction movies and experience an unforgettable evening in a haunted house
Fraternity Scott Saavedra Lonely fat man picks up women in bars by telling them sob stories about his non-existent dead brother
Night Dive Henry Mayo Ambitious young man joins exclusive yacht club and finds it is his one-way ticket to Davy Jones' Locker

References[]

  1. ^ ""Twisted Tales" to Television". Comics 2 Film. Retrieved 2007-06-21.

External links[]

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