Chamber Of Chills #6: "A Sight For Sore Eyes!"

Chamber Of Chills #6
"A Sight For Sore Eyes!"
September, 1973

Story: Unknown
Art: Unknown

Two of Luther Cain's employees are having a few words about him at his
real estate offices.  Their nearsighted employer is having them working
overtime again, and has one of them looking for the Randall property
papers before it's time for them to go.

Having heard their comments, Luther Cain is ready for the Randall
mortgages, and not their comments.  The redheaded secretary rushes to
catch her bus, while her blonde friend stutters, and hands over the
paperwork.  He doesn't care, as long as he receives his money's worth
from his employees.  Cain has become used to the remarks about his
personality from his employees and business associates... and does not
care.  There is one thing which continues to rankle him... his poor
eyesight.  A pedestrian darts out of the way in time, then shakes his
fist after the car which nearly struck him.  The best optometrists and
eye doctors in the world can do nothing for him, but Luther Cain is
content with his money, and the Randall property which he will be
claiming tonight.

Despite his poor eyesight, the real estate agent can see the prime
property owned by Caleb Randall.  The elderly man seems to be unaware of
what he owns, but his own tears are not enough to melt the stone heart of
Luther Cain.  Randall is unable to sign the foreclosure papers, for the
sake of his wife's health, but he doesn't have the money to pay Cain.
The money had been used for an eye doctor to heal her sight.  A strange
one, but a wonderful doctor who was able to completely restore her
vision.  Remembering his own affliction, Luther Cain asks Caleb where he
can find this doctor, but the older man seems reluctant, and wants to
tell him something else.  The real estate agent offers to sign over the
mortgages, if this doctor is all he claims to be, and the place will
belong to them.  Although his wife is not here, Caleb is unsure about
what he should do.

It is nighttime as they make their way up a lonely mountain road...  Cain
learns that this particular doctor has chosen to live like a hermit, but
assumes it's because he's a genius.  Em has told her husband that since
the man doesn't have a medical license, he has to keep things under the
table.  Standing in the unclean shack, and looking at the bearded doctor
with the unwavering eyes, the real estate agent is beginning to have
second thoughts.  As Caleb asks if his friend can be helped, the bootleg
doctor is confident in his abilities, and continues to chew on an apple.
The patient is to be placed on the operating table in the next room --
for some impromptu surgery, and the old man is to administer the
anaesthetic.  Luther Cain shudders at the doctor's eagerness to get
started, but the man chews on his apple, and wonders how badly his
patient wants to see again.  The patient rests on the kitchen table...
with Caleb applying the chloroform, and the real estate agent sinking
into a darkness filled with fear.

Days pass, with Luther Cain smiling as he recovers in the Randall home,
and is reassured by Em that eyesight can be a heavenly thing.  Although
they treat him as one of the family, Cain wonders if he can somehow
nullify the paper of ownership he had signed over to the Randalls.  These
thoughts end when the time comes for the unveiling.  He wonders what it
will be like not having to stumble into things.  Luther Cain lets go of
his breath and licks his lips, as a white light greets his eyes.  The
blurry image of Caleb comes into sharp focus.  His heart filled with joy,
he then turns towards Em, and looks again...  At first he thinks it must
be double vision, but no...  His fingers reach towards his own face, as
the old woman tells him how it can be hard getting used to.  Thanks to
the doctor who took care of Em Randall, Luther Cain now has four eyes to
see with.

The Grand Comics Database has no creator credits for this story.

I've had many coworkers who were in the real estate business.

If he had been a nicer sort, Luther Cain might have been able to gain
super senses by helping an old man out of the way of a truck carrying
radioactive materials.

As it is, the real estate agent could have made his home in the
subterranean bowels of Monster Island.

When dealing with Em, it's always a good idea to click your heels
together, and say "There's no place like home... there's no place like
home..."

I wonder if Caleb and Em Randall ever came across a rocketship in their
backyard?  Whoops!  Wrong universe.

An apple a day failed to keep the doctor at bay.

Anyone else have the feeling that if Luther Cain hadn't thought about
nullifying the paperwork, he would have regained his eyesight without the
unsightly side-effects?

The eyes are the windows to the soul, and right now a certain real estate
agent has more soul than James Brown.

Steve Chung
"A Review For Sore Eyes!"

Chamber Of Chills #6: "Where There's A Will!"

Chamber Of Chills #6
"Where There's A Will!"
September, 1973

Steve Skeates: Writer
Wayne Muromoto: Artist
Frank McLaughlin: Inker
Jean Izzo: Letterer

The flames from the ceremonial fires and the glow of the full moon
combine to cast forbidding shadows, but what catches the eye is the knife
held in one hand.  A head made of clay is before him, and the desire to
kill is upon him.  The blade sinks deep into the molded head, as the
wielder of the knife remembers what has brought him to this point.  The
three of them had left the city for a vacation in the Tropics, but why
had she insisted on bringing her friend along?  Did she want him as a
chaperone or was he the chaperone?

John had always managed to throw his money around, making him look cheap
in the eyes of Shirley.  Harvey chastened when he was thrown John's share
of the tab, while the girl looked at him with expectant eyes.  Harv was
far from being impressed, but grateful for the cash.  The grateful
feeling died when he saw them kissing each other goodnight.  John had
wanted both of them to leave him alone for the night, but promised to see
them in the morning.  Even without him there, Shirley couldn't stop
talking about their absent friend, and refused Harvey when he offered her
another drink.  With the girl in her room, Harv had the moon all to
himself, and enough time to regret what he had lost when John entered
their lives.

A mumbling sound catches Harvey's ears, and he enters deeper into the
jungle, where he sees an old man practicing voodoo.  The elderly man
doesn't want an audience, but Harv has some money to pay for his
admission.  After hearing what he needed to get rid of his friend, Harvey
buried the old man with his own hatchet.  The rites begin with John's
name being chanted over and over, and tomorrow, Harv would learn how well
it went.

The following day finds John moaning in bed with a fever, but he puts it
off as it being hot in the Tropics.  They go together for a swim, with
Harv wondering how long it would take for John to head for the morgue.
The soon-to-be dead man is ready for another dip, but Shirl is in a
reading mood.  As their vacation comes to an end, John has had the time
of his life, and promises to remember his friends in his will.  Back in
the city, it would be a few days before Harvey would be seeing John
again.

They find John in bed, and in a grumpy mood.  After Harv gets him some
coffee, he's convinced them that if he dies, he rather do it in peace.
As they leave the flat, Shirl confides in Harvey how outside of him, she
loves John most of all.  Now in his apartment, Harv is ready to get rid
of his competition, and sinks the blade into the clay head once more.
John's body is found by the maid, and the competition for Shirley's
affections is over.

It's been one month since it all began, and now Harvey sits with Shirl
for the reading of the will.  The lawyer admits that this particular will
is unusual, but perfectly legal.  John Coburn had practically spent his
entire fortune, but he left Shirley with what little money he had left.
For Harv, the lawyer reads how his client felt that he never really
understood him, and reads what Coburn has left for him.  His one
remaining possession... his curse.  A hand which held a knife becomes a
fist which slams down on the table.  As one hand reaches for his heart,
the other claws for the will.  Shirl watches as Harvey begins to change,
as the growl grows from within his own throat.  The hands and his mind
have become more bestial in nature, with this comes a final
understanding.  Even as he crashes through the office window for the
outside world, Harv knows why John Coburn didn't want to see a doctor.
Shirley watches the retreating figure growing smaller in the distance,
but even she can see that Harvey has become -- a werewolf.  It was a
killing for love, not for money, but he had to be there for the reading
of the will. 

Steve Skeates has written stories for Aquaman, Blue Beetle, Creepy, and
Plastic Man.

Wayne Muromoto is credited by the Grand Comics Database as "Wayne
Muramoto" and this is his only pencilling credit.

Frank McLaughlin has inked for D.C., Marvel, and other companies.

Jack Russell, the Werewolf By Night first appeared in Marvel Spotlight
#2: "Night Of Full Moon -- Night Of Fear!" (February, 1972) by Roy
Thomas, Jean Thomas, Gerry Conway, Mike Ploog, and John Costanza.

Brother Voodoo first appeared in Strange Tales #169 (September, 1973) by
Len Wein, Gene Colan, Dan Adkins, Glynis Wein, and John Costanza.

Steve Chung
"Where There's A Review!"