Lolth Source?

[geneweigel]

I was reading old comics on-line and I accidentally discovered the most likely inspirational source of Lolth for sure from MARVEL TALES #105 (1951). Here it is in entirety:

www.atlastales.com/story/11944

Sort of reminiscent of that DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS CARTOON episode with Lolth.

[GRWelsh]

Yeah, I've seen this before. I think it was reprinted as a story in the back of a comic book published in the 1970's. Adventure into Fear, with the Man-Thing, maybe?

It definitely looks like Lolth!

[geneweigel]

Yes! Definitely was in ADVENTURE INTO FEAR with MAN-THING but I've never made the association that it was from Gary's time on comics. Which makes it even more interesting. Its too bad that more isn't a available on-line. I saw one on that website that was interesting although I can't verify:

www.atlastales.com/issue/2989

1957 very interesting. I previously found a story with a alien that resembled an ochre jelly in one of those "EC comics" that was definitely on his slate.

[geneweigel]

Apr 10, 2013 9:28:29 GMT -5 geneweigel said:

Yes! Definitely was in ADVENTURE INTO FEAR with MAN-THING but I've never made the association that it was from Gary's time on comics. Which makes it even more interesting. Its too bad that more isn't a available on-line. I saw one on that website that was interesting although I can't verify:

www.atlastales.com/issue/2989

1957 very interesting. I previously found a story with a alien that resembled an ochre jelly in one of those "EC comics" that was definitely on his slate.

The jury is in on that one. Its completely not a black blob creature. The cover is still inspirational (I noticed that some stories don't match)

That said I found a real "Marvel match up".

Anyone remember a 1975 story called MEN WITH FANGS in CHAMBER OF CHILLS? It said it was reprinted from TALES OF SUSPENSE #25 (1962) however it isn't true. Its reprinted from SUSPENSE #25 (1952) making it firmly within the Gygax comic influence era.

So reread it if you got it around. They have three forms in story as well human, half-human and rat which is very interesting. This predates the Leiber story by sixteen years. The only variance is they say have to willingly be bitten.

[geneweigel]

I forgot to explain why it wasn't a "pudding" or anything. It was a floating alien who randomly finds a guy to give the power of intangibility. Nothing to do with the "crawling out a pit" cover like I said.

[Merkholz]

Very interesting! It is quite joyful to discover that Gary took inspiration from a wide variety of sources, both the old myths and the recent "pop media". It is a true testament to his story-telling skills that he could weave so compelling and powerful tale in a coherent and internally consistant way through the use of an innovative game.

[geneweigel]

Yeah, comics have a hideous past thats so warped and twisted that its hard to put a finger on whether it was "juvenile". Maybe by today's standards its not but a lot of fucked up supernatural shit went on in these things. And back then everything was concept based. Comics of the the last 20 years are about using old concepts and burying them in text thats stretched over issue after issue. In the golden age comics were packed with stories and concepts.

[geneweigel]

I'm convinced Gary had the issue of MARVEL TALES with the spider woman.

It has a story that seems to be the source of the segment of CREEPSHOW based on the King story "The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill"(1976)with the meteor and Stephen King except in this version its about a wicked old man that rents a fishing cabin . Whoever comes to evict him gets infected by a plant that consumes them turning them into a vaguely man-shaped plant with rotting smell and blood-like sap. Sounds like a lot of Gygax concept monsters.

Even though the more pretensiosu might claim COLOUR OUT OF SPACE (1927) or SEED OF THE SEPULCHRE (1933)was King's influence for that tale... HORSE MANURE!!! The CREEPSHOW movie was the tell! Same with Gygax and he admitted it!