The EC Archives: Terror Illustrated

The EC Archives

by Al Feldstein, Jack Oleck, Reed Crandall (Illustrator)

Enjoy the complete run of Terror Illustrated, an innovative "Picto-Fiction" magazine!


Containing illustrated prose stories of terror, murder, and more of society's supernatural secrets--featuring work by the classic crew of the EC bullpen: Al Feldstein, Jack Davis, Joe Orlando Johnny Craig, and more! Features the never printed third issue and a brand-new foreword by Mick Garris!

This archive volume contains Terror Illustrated issues 1 though 3.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Horror

184 pages, Hardcover

Published March 8, 2022

About the author

Albert Bernard Feldstein was an American writer, editor, and artist, best known for his work at EC Comics and, from 1956 to 1985, as the editor of the satirical magazine Mad. After retiring from Mad, Feldstein concentrated on American paintings of Western wildlife.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Billed as Picto-Fiction, this EC collection isn't true comics but more illustrated prose. There are still panels, they are just accompanied with a paragraph or two of text. If you've read any of Tales from the Crypt or Haunt of Fear, you will recognize some of these stories as they were just translated to this format. I did find it interesting that Al Feldstein wrote some of the stories under his Alfred E. Neuman psuedonym.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

very nice collection of the classic stories. Many big name artists got their start at EC. Recommended

[Jammin Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy these EC archive books. They reflect the style of comics from when my dad was a kid which is a blast for me. I look forward to reading all the versions. I think this terror version is one of my favorites.

I received an e-ARC of this book from Dark Horse Comics via Edelweiss. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

These stories were marketed as adult entertainment but the writing is still in the realm of comics, all purple prose and one-dimensional characters. That disconnect is probably why this experiment failed at the newsstand.

The art is everything fans love about EC and enough reason for this volume to exist.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good twists, lots of great art, but overall, not EC's most memorable stories. I liked the one about the kids discovering the vampire from the unpublished third issue - the ending seemed obvious in retrospect, but caught me completely off guard, which is the best kind of twist ending.

[Wdmoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good fun.

[Byron · Rating 5 out of 5]

EC’s Picto-Fiction line is essential reading for comic book aficionados, and Terror Illustrated is no exception. The format is a unique hybrid of prose and illustrations, offering a reading experience that’s different from traditional comics. This shift makes it easier to immerse yourself in the haunting visuals, as you aren’t racing through pages, but instead lingering on the artwork for extended periods. It’s a format that aligns well with Feldstein’s writing style, which often leaned heavily on prose captions to drive the narrative.

The Picto-Fiction format suits Feldstein’s approach, and in some ways, it enhances the experience over the original EC comic versions. Many of the stories in Terror Illustrated are remakes of classic EC tales and reading them in this format grants the written word center stage. It’s clear that these are stories rooted in prose, with the illustrations serving to complement the atmosphere rather than lead the plot.

One element I did miss, however, was the presence of the horror hosts—the Old Witch, Crypt-Keeper, and Vault-Keeper. Initially, I didn’t think their absence would matter, but without their humorous introductions and outro puns, some of the stories felt a little more intense and grimmer than expected. While the hosts’ comedic tone often helped soften the edge of EC's darker tales, removing them from the equation makes the stories more unsettling. For readers who enjoy the darker side of horror, this may be a plus, but for me, it occasionally made the tales feel a bit overwhelming—particularly when dealing with heavier subjects like necrophilia or prepubescent psychopaths. Still, it's not fair to dock the book a star for this, as horror stories are supposed to be unnerving, and Terror Illustrated achieves that without reservation. If you’re a fan of EC's horror legacy, this collection is certainly worth your time.