Originally Published In Issue 58
Reprinted In Issue 117
First published back in May of 1973, Issue 58 of the ‘Pocket Chiller Library’ comic series was titled ‘Suffer A Witch To Live’. The comic was later reprinted under the same title within Issue 117.
During the 1970s the ‘Pocket Chiller Library’ was a pocket-sized mainstream horror comic which ran for a total of 137 issues between 1971 and 1977. Each month, two issues of the comic were published, amounting to a total of twenty-four issues of the comic published each year.
However, it should be noted that issue 83 and then from issue 86 onwards, the publishers started reprinting the earlier stories. Of these reprints, the first 29 reprints (issues 83 and then 86 – 113) retitled the story. As such, there were only ever a total of 84 unique stories within the series, despite there being more titles.
Unfortunately, each issue was undated, making it difficult to be sure of the date for first publication of each issue. However, it is widely understood the comics were monthly publications, with two publications released simultaneously each month, with the original stories running from January 1971. Therefore, the above date of publication is a relatively reasonable assumption.
Additionally, each issue was unfortunately uncredited to either the writer or the comic artist(s).
Edgar and Rose Barlow had been married just three years when they bought the small, elegant country house with the last of their savings. Nevertheless, it was all they’d ever dreamed of in a home.
Soon after moving in, a girl from the nearby village turns up at the house, applying for the job the couple had advertised for their maid. However, the girl – Anna Mell – was known throughout the village to be bad. In fact, no one in the village would have anything to do with her.
When Anna explains she’d come to the village as an orphan and the villagers despise her for that – calling her a charity child, Edgar decides to take her side. Despite the warnings from Mrs Dell their main housemaid, Edgar takes Anna on as their new maid.
Days later Edgar’s goes to the village for cigarettes, to find Anna surrounded by an angry mob of villagers shouting that she’s a witch! There’s no way Edgar can leave the poor girl to the mercy of the villagers. So, he brings Anna back with him, telling Rose she’ll have to move in with them.
But as the days pass, the situation worsens, with the discovery of the mutilated body of Jed Jackson. A boy who’d been attempting to court Anna. Only a wild animal could have inflicted such brutal atrocities on the young lad. Although there was no such beast around those parts.
The villagers vengeful, accusatory eyes soon move to Anna. The one they blame for every problem that arises within the village. The one they believe to be the root of all their woes. The one they’re convinced is a witch!...
DLS Review:
This one’s a classic horror premise. A young couple who take on a new maid, who the local villagers believe to be a witch. Of course, the usual setting for such a story is generally the middle ages. A sort of ‘Witchfinder General’ (1968) setup, only here it’s been modernised for a twentieth century setting. Oh, and Anna Mell isn’t quite the innocent mistaken girl she makes out. Yeah, she’s a bad ‘un alright!
Don’t worry, that’s no spoiler. From the get-go, it’s pretty obvious she’s in cahoots with the lord of darkness. Chanting over the carcass of a chicken, whispering threats to the elderly housemaid, giving Edgar the eye whenever Rose steps out of the room. Oh yes, she’s a devious one. She’s also somewhat taken by the dashing Edgar Barlow!
You can probably see where this is leading. Although I wasn't quite expecting it to end up with such a dramatic final few pages! Oh yes, the finale is wonderfully wacky in a 1970s style over-the-top horror way. A witch’s coven, with demons swooping about the place, and dark disciples of Satan chanting around a huge fire. It’s wild and wacky and so much fun.
The ending to all of this is however incredibly cliched, taking an easy route to finish the story off with. Not that it’s not a thoroughly entertaining ride along the way. In fact, if anything, the cliched conclusion only adds to the wacky horror drama of the whole thing!
The illustrative artwork is your usual PCL affair – with the characters all drawn well. Anna is depicted as a luscious dark-haired, beautiful young woman. Edgar is a handsome but slightly rugged young man with a decidedly 1970s haircut. The demons and dark underlings are wonderfully camp and cliched. Oddly, the only thing that looks out of place in this well illustrated comic, is the decidedly sketchy full moon which just looks wonky and badly drawn in each of the frames!
However, all in all, it’s a damn good PCL. Hugely fun and entertaining all the way to the delightfully cliched horror-filled ending.
The comic book runs for a total of 64 pages.
© DLS Reviews
