Post by shaxper on Feb 2, 2015 12:21:19 GMT -5
"...I've got people who know me only because of Aztec Ace, or only because of Godzilla, only because of Planet of the Apes, only because of Batman...there doesn't seem to be anyone who knows all of my work."
-- Doug Moench, 1999
Writer's Spotlight: Doug Moench
A new kind of review thread, the intent of this project is to explore the works of Doug Moench (pronounced "Mench") chronologically, from beginning to end, supplemented with biographical information about one of comicdom's most prolific writers as we go. It's my belief that exploring a writer's works as a whole will offer greater insight that will increase our appreciation and understanding of the individual stories.
So why Doug Moench?
Beyond the fact that, as many of you know, Doug is my favorite writer in all of comicdom, he was also one of the most published writers in all of comidom, touching a plethora of titles and franchises between the 1970s and 1990s. Spending as much time in comicdom working outside of the superhero genre as within, Moench's works show an awesome range in scope and genre, spanning from the most familiar of properties to the most obscure.
And, beyond even that, from Shang Chi: Master of Kung Fu, to Planet of the Apes, Werewolf by Night, Moon Knight, Deathlok, Batman, Weirdworld/Warriors of the Shadow Realm, Aztec Ace, and some of the best revered Warren horror stories of all time, Moench has made his mark repeatedly upon comicdom, writing stellar, acclaimed runs that, for whatever reason, seldom get the critical attention they deserve nowadays. I'd sincerely like to correct that.
So strap on in, pull those old black and white mags and "still only 25 cents!" fine floppies out from the storage units, and yammer along with me as we celebrate all things Doug Moench and explore his creative history together!
Biographical Info: Pre-History, and Starting at Warren
The original submissions to Warren Publishing: 1970
"Snow Job!" (from Eerie #29, September 1970)
"Plague of the Wolf" (from Vampirella #7, September 1970)
"The Creation" (from Eerie #30, November 1970)
"Fate's Cold Finger" (from Vampirella #9, January 1971)
Biographical Info: The Eight Month Gap
Freelance Writing: 1971-1973
"I am Dead, Egypt, Dead" (from Eerie #35, September 1971)
"Bad Moon on the Rise" (from Eerie #36, November 1971)
"Power of the Pen!" (from Psycho #5, November 1971)
"Dethslaker" (from Eerie #37, January 1972)
"Quavering Shadows" (from Vampirella #15, January 1972)
"Stake in the Game" (from Eerie #38, February 1972)
"Yesterday is the Day Before Tomorrow" (from Eerie #39, April 1972)
"The Midnight Slasher" (from Psycho #6, May 1972)
"The Story Behind 'Stake in the Game'" (from Eerie #40, June 1972)
"The Story Behind the Story 'Quavering Shadows'" (from Vampirella #17, June 1972)
"Death in the Shadows" (from Vampirella #17, June 1972)
"The Mask Behind the Face" (from Midwest Magazine, June 25 1972)
"Cross of Blood" (from Creepy #46, July 1972)
"Won't Get Fooled Again" (from Vampirella #18, August 1972)
"Eye Opener" (from Vampirella #20, October 1972)
"Buried Pleasure" (from Creepy #49, November 1972)
"Wedding Knells" (from Creepy #49, November 1972)
Biographical Info: Freelancing for other companies, and Moench's Confrontation with Jim Warren
"Bright Eyes!" (from Eerie #43, November 1972)
"Beauty is Only Blood Deep" (from Nightmare Annual #2, November 1972)
"Ghastly Reunion" (from Psycho #9, November 1972)
"A Plot of Dirt" (from Psycho #9, November 1972)
"Everlasting Mortality" (from Eerie #44, December 1972)
"The Thrill of the Hunt" (from Eerie #44, December 1972)
"Hand of the Discarnate" (from Eerie #44, December 1972)
"The Parade" (from Eerie #44, December 1972)
"The Proverbial Killer" (from Nightmare #10, December 1972)
"The Sum of its Parts" (from Creepy #50, January 1973)
"Ecology of Death!" (from Eerie #45, February 1973)
"Deja Vu" (from Creepy #51, March 1973)
"Bed of Roses" (from Creepy #51, March 1973)
"Hit and Run: Miss and Die!" (from Psycho #11, March 1973)
"The Message is the Medium" (from Eerie #47, April 1973)
"The Night of the Corpse Bride" (from Nightmare #12, April 1973)
"A Most Private Terror" (from Creepy #52, April 1973)
"Halve Your Cake and Eat it Two" (from Creepy #52, April 1973)
"The Creature of Loch Ness!" (from Creepy #53, May 1973)
"The Choice" (from Vampirella #24, May 1973)
"Cold Calculation" (from Vampirella #25, June 1973)
"The Slipped Mickey Click Flip" (from Creepy #54, July 1973)
"Let's All Drink to the Death of A Clown" (from Psycho #13, July 1973)
Satanna, Daughter of Satan: "Genesis of Depravity!" (from Eerie #50, August 1973)
"Special Sale: Canned Death 1/2 Off" (from House of Mystery #216, August 1973)
"Moonspawn" (from Vampirella #26, August 1973)
"Fringe Benefits" (from Vampirella #26, August 1973)
"Just A Shot Away" (from G.I. Combat, August 1973)
"Death of the 80th Victim" (from Nightmare #14, August 1973)
"The Way of All Flesh" (from Creepy #56, September 1973)
"In My Father's House" (from Creepy #56, September 1973)
"Damsel in Dragon Dress" (from Grimwit #2, September 1973)
The Freelance Backlog: 1973-1977
Biographical Info: A Plethora of Moench
"The Clash of Leviathans!" (Vampirella #28, October 1973)
"Eye Don't want to Die!" (Vampirella #28, October 1973)
"The Hope of the Future" (Creepy #57, November 1973)
"The Low Spark of High Heeled Noise!" (from Creepy #57, November 1973)
"The Red Badge of Terror" (from Creepy #57, November 1973)
"Sense of Violence" (from Creepy #57, November 1973)
"Not So Loud--I'm Blind!" (from House of Secrets #113, November 1973)
"Last Lunch for Rats!" (from Vampirella#29, November 1973)
"The Vampires are Coming, The Vampires are Coming!" (from Vampirella #29, November 1973)
"Change...into Something Comfortable" (from Creepy #58, December 1973)
"Curiosity Killed the Cat" (from Creepy #59, January 1974)
Schreck: "First Night of Terror!" (from Eerie #53, January 1974)
"Hunger of the Slaughter-Sludge Beasts!" (from Psycho #16, January 1974)
Schreck: "Bright Eyes!" (from Eerie #54, February 1974)
Schreck: "Worms in the Mind!" (from Eerie #55, March 1974)
Schreck: "No Flies on Schreck!" (from Eerie #55, March 1974)
"Luana" (from Vampirella #31, March 1974)
"How I Beat the Draft" (from Weird Trips Magazine #1, March 1974)
The Spook: "Stridespider Sponge-Rot (from Eerie #57, June 1974)
"Black and White Vacuum to Blues" (from Vampirella #24, June 1974)
The Spook: "Webtread's Powercut" (from Eerie #58, July 1974)
The Spook: "Knucklebones to Fever Twitch" (from Eerie #58, July 1974)
"The Thought and The Egg" (from Hot Stuf' #1, June 1974)
"Forgotten Flesh" (from Creepy #64, August 1974)
"Mates" (from Creepy #64, August 1974)
Supplemental Info: The Backlog Winds Down
"Desecration" (from Creepy #66, November 1974)
"Pinball Wizard" (from Creepy #66, November 1974)
"The Wisdom of Many, The Wit of One" (from House of Mystery #228, January 1975)
"The Stars My Salvation" (from Creepy #68, January 1975)
"The Curse of Castle Vlad!" (from Vampirella #39, January 1975)
"Room for One More" (from Creepy #71, May 1975)
Supplemental Info: The Creepy #72 (July 1975) Dilemma
"In Darkness It Shall End!" (from Creepy #76, January 1976)
"A Thin Dime of Pain" (from Eerie #72, February 1976)
"Ain't it Just Like the Night" (from Creepy #80, June 1976)
"Your Epitaph is Only A Birthday Card" (from House of Mystery #244, August 1976)
"Eye for Eye, Fang for Fang" (from Creepy #88, May 1977)
"Demon Child" (from House of Mystery #253, August 1977)
Supplemental Info: The Top Ten Moench Freelance Stories (1970-1977)
The Marvel Era: 1973-1983
Biographical Info: Moench at Marvel
October 1973
Dracula Lives! #3
November 1973
Chamber of Chills #7
January 1974
Tales of the Zombie #3
March 1974
Dracula Lives! v.2 #1 (#5)
Tales of the Zombie v.2 #1 (#4)
April 1974
Vampire Tales #4
Ghost Rider #5
May 1974
Dracula Lives! #6
Tales of the Zombie #5
June 1974
Monsters Unleashed #6
Vampire Tales #5
July 1974
Creatures on the Loose #30 (Moench's first mainstream comic book script)
Haunt of Horror #2
Tales of the Zombie #6
August 1974
Astonishing Tales #25
Supplemental info: Deadly Hands of Kung Fu vs. Master of Kung Fu
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #3
Vampire Tales #6
Biographical info: (FINALLY!) A Full Time Writer
Werewolf by Night #20
Monsters Unleashed #7
Planet of the Apes (magazine) #1
September 1974
Frankenstein #12
Master of Kung Fu #20
Dracula Lives #8
Haunt of Horror #3
Creatures on the Loose #31
Giant-Size Master of Kung Fu #1
Marvel Premiere #17
Werewolf by Night #21
Tales of the Zombie #7
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #4
October 1974
Giant-Size Werewolf #2
Master of Kung Fu #21
Astonishing Tales #26
Giant-Size Spider-Man #2
The Deadly Hands of Kung Fu: Special Album Edition
Marvel Premiere #18
Werewolf By Night #22
Vampire Tales #7
Monsters Unleashed #8
Planet of The Apes (magazine #2)
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #5
November 1974
Frankenstein Monster #13
Master of Kung Fu #22
Marvel Premiere #19
Werewolf By Night #23
Dracula Lives #9
Haunt of Horrors #4
December 1974
Master of Kung Fu #23
Adventure Into Fear #25
Astonishing Tales #27