Dates
- Cover date
- December 1951-January 1952
- On sale
- August 22, 1951
- Pages
- 36
Editions and covers
- Original editionSource ↗
Creators
Stories
- Out of the Frying Pan... · Crime SuspenStories · 8 pages
Old Charlie's efforts to describe the sights outside of the hospital window are really appreciated by two paralyzed patients. But soon, a new patient, Hank Bowers, being held for murder and supposedly blind, is put into the room and he does not appreciate such talk. Until Hank gets an idea for escape.
- A Trace of Murder! · Crime SuspenStories · 7 pages
The murder-suicide of a husband and wife greatly interests Felix Morley, who wishes to do away with his nagging wife for young and fresh Helen. Felix researches and discovers that some poisons can be administered with no trace of the poison left behind and decides to use it on his wife, Emma, who dies, and all her money is left to Felix. But Felix slips and says that he killed his wife to his girl, so Helen goes to the Police. Unbeknownst to Felix, two cemetery vandals switch the headstones of Emma and Muriel, so when the Police investigate, Felix is in a fix.
- Double-Cross · 2 pages
Carlisle and Morton had perpetrated a $100,000 heist in Scranton, but managed to outrun the law. But Morton loved Ben's moll, Donna, so planned to have her set up Ben for a killing, then she and Morton could run off together with all the dough. However, Ben knows of the plan and plans a double-cross himself, which works out well.
- The Escaped Maniac! · Crime SuspenStories · 6 pages
Bert picks up a hitchhiker alongside the road in a blinding rainstorm and begin a journey together. But when Beeker turns on the radio instead of the car's heater, they hear a broadcast telling of an escaped maniac from the state hospital for the criminally insane and not to pick up any hitchhikers. Naturally, Bert is nervous as they locate an unoccupied home to get out of the rain. Unfortunately, Charles falls victim to the man who picked him up: the real maniac!
- Partnership Dissolved! · The Haunt of Fear · 7 pages
Doc Merrick displays the effectiveness of his secret chemical solution to tenderize meat: an extract of the papaya fruit, containing an enzyme called Papien which, when mixed with Merrick's secret catalytic agent, creates a solution which acts like Pepsin, a digestive enzyme found in the human body. Together they plan to undercut their competitors in the meat business by dipping cheap cuts into the solution and creating high grade steak. Although Winkler kills Merrick to get all the profits from this partnership, he unexpectedly drinks some of the solution which dissolves him from the inside.
Reprinted in
Crime Suspenstories (1983), Tales from the Crypt (1990), Crime Suspenstories (1992), The Fantagraphics EC Artists' Library (2012), The EC Archives: Crime Suspenstories (2016)