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Author:
Title: STARTLING TERROR TALES No. 11
Place Published:
Publisher:Star [Indicia: Star Publications, Inc.]
Date Published: July, 1952
Description:

CGC certified: Fair (1.0). Cream to off-white pages. CGC grader's notes: "Heavy spine roll; large, multiple tear right center of interior; moderate staining to cover; moderate tears to cover; multiple piece out cover." Cover: L.B. Cole. Art: Ken Battefield (book-length story: "Ghost Spider of Death"). Cover logo: blue version (a black logo variant exists). Classic spiderweb cover. GPAnalysis: A 1.0 sold for $2000 in February 2022.

L.B. Cole's first spiderweb cover appeared on Suspense Comics #8 (June, 1945). It's a classic image, one of the most striking designs of Cole's career. Seven years later he recycled the spiderweb motif for the cover of Startling Terror Tales #11. This time around, Cole eliminated the heroic figure of Mr. Nobody, a costumed adventurer whose reassuring presence mitigated the horror vibe of the first cover. With a few other changes, Cole delivered a top-tier cover, one of the creepiest of the pre-Code era.

"Whereas the Suspense cover with its black and blue background is 'cool,' the Startling Terror cover with an all-red background is 'hot".... Also, this spider's skull-head is larger and has blood dripping from its teeth. The male victim appears to be dead, and the girl's breasts are given greater prominence. The Suspense cover is disturbing; the Startling cover is downright frightening." — Bill Schelly, Black Light: The World of L.B. Cole. Fantagraphics: 2015, p. 30.

Consignments welcome for PBA's Fall 2022 Comic Book sale. Pre-Code Horror, Golden Age and Silver Age comics, original art, vintage comic-related photos and ephemera sought. Send inquiries to ivan@pbagalleries.com.