Crime SuspenStories #22 Gaines File Copy Pedigree 4/12 (EC, 1954) CGC NM 9.4 Off-white to white pages....
Auction amount: $90,000.00
Sold: Sep 15, 2024
Crime SuspenStories #22 Values
Publisher: EC, 1954
About Crime SuspenStories #22
The horrific decapitation cover by Johnny Craig is noted as a classic by Overstreet, and is considered one of the most infamous pre-Code horror covers ever produced. In fact, it was used in a US Senate investigation on the effects of violence in comics on juvenile delinquency. Reed Crandall, Bernie Krigstein, Joe Orlando, and Jack Kamen art. Currently #1 on Overstreet's list of Top Ten Crime Comics.Why sell your comic books with Heritage Auctions?
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*Please note, comics do not have to be CGC-graded.
COVER DETAILS
Inks: Johnny Craig (signed)
Notes: This cover became infamous during the 1954 Senate hearings on comics.
STORY DETAILS
Characters: Bertha Cracken (Norman's wife, death); Bert Collie (game show host); Norman Cracken (villain); Sally (villain, former actress, poses as Norman's wife)
Synopsis: Norman and Sally conspire to kill Norman's wife so that they can go off and be together in New York. Sally had undergone plastic surgery to look just like Bertha and studied her voice from recordings in order to fool everyone and now it was up to Norman to kill Bertha with an axe, which he does. After flying to New York and checking in to a hotel with "his wife", the couple attend the filming of a radio game show, and are chosen as contestants, and win $3000. To their horror, they learn that a crew is back at Norman's back yard in Ohio, burying the treasure: right where Norman buried his wife!
Pages: 8.000
Script: Bill Gaines (co-plot); Al Feldstein (co-plot, script)
Pencils: Reed Crandall (signed)
Inks: Reed Crandall (signed)
Letters: Jim Wroten
Notes: Inspired by the 1939 John Collier story "Back for Christmas".
Data Courtesy of Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license
GoCollect Price Guide Report for this comic
CGC Census Report*
| Grade | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.9 | 10.0 | Total |
|
Universal |
13 | 12 | 18 | 22 | 27 | 30 | 50 | 40 | 46 | 41 | 34 | 19 | 24 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 434 |
|
Qualified |
0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
|
Signature Series |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
Restored |
2 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 |
| Total | 15 | 18 | 19 | 29 | 34 | 31 | 58 | 44 | 49 | 47 | 35 | 20 | 25 | 18 | 19 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 486 |
*All information listed is intended to be as accurate as possible, but errors are possible. No item may be returned or refused based on this information which is provided as a service to our customers. You should contact each pricing source directly to determine the accuracy of this information.
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