FOUL PLAY AND OTHER STORIES

When Jack Davis took up his pen for EC Comics, he imbued his stories with a playful sense of (gallows) humor that made his innocent victims more eye-poppingly terrified, his ax-murders more gleefully gruesome, and his revenge-seeking corpses more morbidly motivated than any other EC artist. These horror and suspense tales — from the pages of Vault of Horror, Haunt of Fear, Crime SuspenStories, and Shock SuspenStories — include frightful fare such as “Hyde and Go Shriek!”, “Tombs-Day!”, “Witch Witch’s Witch!”, “Head-Room!”, “Chop Talk!”, “Coffin Spell!”, and more, all leavened with the cackling, pun-laced wit of scripter Al Feldstein and illuminated as only the virtuoso brushwork of Jack Davis could present them.But the standout story has to be “Foul Play,” the most infamous of all EC horror stories, in which a baseball team takes revenge on a murderous rival player by, um (spoiler alert), “repurposing” various parts of his anatomy for one final blood-spattered, organ-scattered inning. You’ll never see a baseball game the same way again. And as gruesome as that sounds (and is!), Davis deftly pulls it off with aplomb and a mordant sense of absurd humor that will have you cringing and laughing at the same time. Plus, not one, not two, but three Davis-driven adaptations of haunting short stories by Ray Bradbury: “The Coffin!”, “Let's Play Poison!”, and “The Black Ferris!”.We round out this volume with all three of Davis’s EC science-fiction adventures, and all five of his aerial war stories from the legendary EC title, Aces High. 40 stories in all, most scripted by EC legend Al Feldstein, plus in-depth commentary by EC experts Thommy Burns and Grant Geissman.

Secure the best deal by acting fast! Our Pre-Order promo offers unbeatable prices on must-have items. Be quick to lock in the lowest cost before the promo ends.

The best part? You won't be charged until your item is ready to ship. This means you can reserve your product at the best price without immediate payment. Whether you're first in line or just ahead of the crowd, you're making a smart choice. Reserve your item now and enjoy the benefits of being an early buyer, with the added flexibility of delayed payment!

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs