{"product_id":"ec-archives-crime-illustrated","title":"EC ARCHIVES Crime Illustrated","description":"\u003cp\u003eContained here is the\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003ecomplete run, two magazine-format issues and the unpublished #3! This was the innovative “Picto-Fiction” magazine that EC created to circumvent the newly created Comics Code, and to break into a more adult comic reading market. Illustrated prose, with one or two large panels per page, tales of frightening crimes, daring heroes, and dangerous psychopaths. Brilliantly illustrated by \u003cstrong\u003eReed Crandall, Wally Wood, Joe Orlando\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eGraham Ingels, Johnny Craig, George Evans, Jack Davis\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eBernie Krigstein\u003c\/strong\u003e.\n\nIn a move suggested by publisher William Gaines, editor \u003cstrong\u003eAl Feldstein\u003c\/strong\u003e included retellings of previous stories: the first issue's \"Fall Guy for Murder\" and \"Mother's Day\", and the second issue's \"Screenplay for Murder\" and \"Pieces of Hate\". Writers included Feldstein, \u003cstrong\u003eJack Oleck\u003c\/strong\u003e (who had contributed to EC's earlier publications), \u003cstrong\u003eRichard Smith\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Larner\u003c\/strong\u003e.\n\nThe format alternated panels of typography with panels of illustrations. Thus, it was arranged in tiers like a comic book but eliminated hand-lettering, balloons and panel borders, allowing the artists far more freedom to expand their artwork and experiment and offer far superior work. And the b\u0026amp;w format and better paper also enhanced the clarity of the work over the often muddy color reproduction on comics at that time.\n\nThe first issue appeared with a cover date of November-December 1955. \u003cem\u003eCrime Illustrated\u003c\/em\u003e ran for a total of two issues. The Picto-Fiction magazines lost money from the start, and when EC's distributor went bankrupt, they had no choice but to cancel them.\n\n\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe third issue included here was assembled but unpublished until Russ Cochran's Complete EC Library\u003c\/em\u003e series, and now here. Also here is a unproduced script.\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\nIntroduction by \u003cstrong\u003eWilliam Malone.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dark Horse","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59640152588574,"sku":"ECACIH","price":49.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0999\/0684\/7006\/files\/ecacih-ec-archives-crime-illustrated-book.jpg?v=1784489463","url":"https:\/\/shop.budsartbooks.com\/products\/ec-archives-crime-illustrated","provider":"Bud's Art Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}