Review by Ian Keogh
Having built a solid reputation via superheroes, in 1969 Marvel attempted to revive the short-form horror story, variations of which had seen them through the late 1950s and early 1960s. Tower of Shadows, though, was more ambitious, looking to equal the renowned works of the 1950s EC line, rather than to imitate the form.
The tone is set from the beginning with a masterpiece from Jim Steranko (sample art left) pulling out all the cinematic stops in a tale of unfettered greed earning what it deserves. Steranko’s visuals dazzle over seven pages from a scene-setting splash to an equally brilliant climax over three very different tiers. One page incorporates 22 panels, yet every small illustration is something to study, while the gothic detail constantly draws the eye. It sets the standard and expectations very high.
It also sets the moral tone. It’s a rare protagonist even vaguely sympathetic, ensuring a sense of retribution when they meet their fate. This is in consistently imaginative ways in the out and out supernatural work, and only two creators greatly diverge from that. Both Tom Sutton and Wally Wood write and draw their material, with Sutton edging toward humour and Wood preferring fantasy. He contributes more strips than anyone else, his tales of heroes battling demons superbly drawn (sample art right), but while unusual at the time, they’ve not aged well.
Steranko still surprises, whereas most other artists don’t. We know Neal Adams, John Buscema and Gene Colan are excellent, and all play to their strengths delivering first rate art. There may be some expectation of Barry Windsor-Smith being added to that list, but in 1970 he laid out imaginative pages for art an awkward halfway stage of primary influence Jack Kirby and the more decorative style he was evolving. He’s best on his final contribution ‘The Scream of Things’, an ordinary story elevated by Smith’s designs, here channelling Steve Ditko.
The other artist who really surprises is Don Heck. Freed from the constraints of having to draw superheroes, there’s an appealing naturalism to his pages, and an experimentation unseen in any other Marvel work. As he pencilled so few stories for Marvel, it’s also worth noting the excellence of Syd Shores.
Beginning with a creepy host in the tradition of horror anthologies, the idea is dropped in favour of the artists introducing their own work. In Wood’s case it echoes his classic SF tale ‘My World’, and is endearing when featuring others. An extensive appreciation at the start is accompanied by photos of the creators as they were roughly around the time they worked on Tower of Shadows, which is always nice to see.
This isn’t a complete reprinting of the series. Costs were rapidly cut by including a reprint strip per issue, and Ditko’s ‘Man in the Rat Hole’ would have sat well alongside the remainder, but a decision was taken to excise the reprinted material for this reprint. Also missing are two stories adapting works of H.P. Lovecraft, legal issues explained as the reason, one drawn by Smith and Tom Palmer the other. Covers and letters pages are included, though, along with extensive creator biographies.
Most stories here haven’t been reprinted in decades, and they’re worth seeing in digitally restored form, while the background information and contextualisation is very welcome.
