Death Rattle was an American black-and-white horror anthology comic book series published in three volumes by Kitchen Sink Press in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Death Rattle is not related to the Australian one-shot comic Death Rattle , published by Gredown in c. 1983. [1]
Starting out as an underground comix homage to classic horror comics like Tales from the Crypt , [2] [3] Death Rattle Did not fall under the purview of the Comics Code , Allowing the title to feature stronger content – Such As profanity, nudity, and graphic violence – than other comparable horror titles. [3]
Publication history
Death Rattle Volume 1 was published from June 1972-June 1973 under the Krupp Comic Works imprint, putting out three issues in all.
Twelve years later, Death Rattle was revived for volume 2, publishing 18 issues between October 1985-October 1988 under the Kitchen Sink Comix imprint. The first five issues were in full color, but for issue # 6 on the title reverted to black-and-white.
Death Rattle volume 3 ran five issues from Dec. 1995-June 1996, again under the Kitchen Sink Comix imprint.
Death Rattle Vol. 1
The early 1970s saw a number of underground publishers putting out horror comics, from the San Francisco Comic Book Company ‘s Bogeyman ; Rip Off Press ‘ Skull and Up From the Deep ; Richard Corben ‘s Fantagor ; the Mint Print ‘s Insect Fear and Deviant Slice ; Shroud’s Gory Stories ; and Last Gasp ‘s Two Fisted Zombies . [2] Kitchen Sink Press joined the wave with Death Rattle .
The first volume of Death Rattle featured the work of Tim Boxell, including Richard Corben , Peter Poplaski, John M. Pound, Mike Vosburg , and Tom Veitch .
Death Rattle Vol. 2
Death Rattle volume 2 was notable for being one of the few horror titles published during the 1980s, rivaled only by DC Comics ‘ Swamp Thing and FantaCo Enterprises ‘ s Gore Shriek .
The second volume of Death Rattle was lead-edited by Dave Schreiner; The series is most notable for Jaxon’s 11-part, 126-page “Bulto … The Cosmic Slug”, about a space creature’s effect on the people of the ancient Southwest. Rand Holmes did many of the covers. Mark Schultz’s story “Xenozoic!”, Published in Death Rattle # 8 (Dec. 1986), launched its own title, Xenozoic Tales , shortly thereafter. [4]
Other notable contributors to the second volume of Death Rattle Were Charles Burns , Charles Dallas, Richard Corben , Will Eisner , Steve Stiles , Mike Baron , Sam Kieth , Basil Wolverton , Stephen R. Bissette , Spain Rodriguez , William Stout , Joe Coleman , Al Williamson , Wally Wood , Don Simpson , Dan Burr , and Frank Miller (who illustrated the cover of the final issue).
The letters page was known as “Fang Mail.”
Death Rattle Vol. 3
Contributors to the third volume of Death Rattle included Brian Biggs , Mark Schultz , Mark A. Nelson , John Wagner , Alexander Maleev , James O’Barr , Tony Millionaire , John Wooley , Tom Sutton , Matt Howarth , and Thomas Ott .
Death Rattle Volume 3 was edited by Phil Amara, NC Christopher Couch, and Catherine Gornie; it was nominated for the 1997 Harvey Award for Best Anthology. [5]
References
Sources
- Death Rattle (vol.1) at the Grand Comics Database
- Death Rattle (vol.2) at the Grand Comics Database
- Death Rattle (vol 3) at the Grand Comics Database
- Death Rattle (Volume 1) at the Comic Book DB
- Death Rattle (Volume 2) at the Comic Book DB
- Death Rattle (Volume 3) at the Comic Book DB
Notes
- Jump up^ ” Death Rattle (Predawn),”Grand Comics Database. Accessed Oct. 23, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Sabin, Roger (1996). “Going underground”. Comics, Comix & Graphic Novels: A History Of Comic Art . London, United Kingdom: Phaidon Press. pp. 92; 94-95; 103-107; 110; 111; 116; 119; 124-126; 128. ISBN 0-7148-3008-9 .
- ^ Jump up to: a b Fox, Steven. “Death Rattle, Volume 1,” ComixJoint. Accessed Oct. 23, 2016.
- Jump up^ Schultz, Mark; Williamson, Al (1993). Cadillacs and Dinosaurs . Northampton, Massachusetts : Kitchen Sink Press . p. 4. ISBN 0-87816-071-X .
- Jump up^ “1997 Harvey Nominees and Winners Award,”Hahn Library. Accessed Oct. 22, 2016.