Astonishing #18: "Vampire At The Window!"

Astonishing #18
"Vampire At The Window!"
October, 1952

Script: Stan Lee
Art: Unknown

It all began when Reginald Rudley woke up to see a vampire trying to
enter through his bedroom window...  Rudley ran rapidly from his room,
and out into the street... And into the humble office of a private
detective who was wondering why he had picked this particular line of
work.  His latest client looked like he needed a lot of help.

After telling the client to calm down, the detective learns about the
vampire at Rudley's bedroom window.  Having heard enough, the private eye
is about to shove the man out of the office, when the client insists that
he's telling the truth.  The private detective decides to follow Reginald
Rudley to his residence, where the client asks if he happens to have a
gun.  The private eye knows that a gun's no good against a vampire, and
they have arrived on his client's floor.  Rudley wants the detective to
enter the apartment first, but the private eye hopes that they don't
discover that the neighbors are having a costume party next door.  Both
men see the shadow on the wall.

Reginald Rudley wants to flee from the room, but the private eye knows
that he'll need the client if there's a vampire involved on this case.
The baldheaded vampire reaches out with his claw-like fingers, and
insists that he is indeed a vampire.  The private eye admits that his
client was right, while Rudley averts his eyes from the oncoming terror.
The client wants the private detective to do something, and he intends to
do just that.  The private eye removes his hat and coat, while Reginald
Rudley quakes in the vampire's grasp, and wants the detective to do
something.  After dropping his gun, the detective waits for his turn, and
watches as the first vampire drinks his fill.

This story was reprinted in Giant-Size Dracula #2 (September, 1974).

It was also reprinted in the Dracula Vs. reprint miniseries in 1993.

Stan Lee liked to use alliteration when it came to naming the characters
in a story.

His brother, Larry Lieber, would not use alliteration when it came time
to name characters.

The vampire resembles the one seen in the movie, "Nosferatu."

Hannibal King was the vampire detective who was created by Marv Wolfman
and Gene Colan in the pages of Tomb of Dracula #25 (October, 1974).

The private detective was a cigarette-smoker, and cigarettes were
referred to as "coffin nails."

Legend has it that vampires cannot enter a place where they have not been
invited in.

In the Stephen King novel, "Salem's Lot," Ben Mears faced the threat of
Barlow and his minions.

Steve Chung
"Vampire At The Review!"