Classics Illustrated #167A was a special issue called Prehistoric World, published in 1962. Because the information in the issue is over 50 years old I would not rely on it for accuracy. Science marches on and new things are discovered all the time, but this is probably up-to-date as to what people thought of early people back in those days.

Reed Crandall did the artwork for this nine-page segment of the special (he did other pages, also, but they are interspersed with the work of other artists throughout the book). The Grand Comics Database credits George Evans with the inking. With tall panels in two tiers on the pages Crandall was able to do more full-figure drawing. Crandall’s figures had weight, and their feet were firmly planted on the ground. This is a good example of that. I have said once before I thought that later in his career Crandall’s figure drawing got a bit stiff, but when you see those figures there’s no doubt you’re looking at a Reed Crandall drawing.

Number 124


Norman Nodel's The Great Houdini


Illustrator Norman Nodel is most familiar for his work in Classics Illustrated during the 1950s and '60s. He had worked for Classics editor, L. B. Cole, for several years on various types of publications. I think of Nodel as an illustrator because his work for Classics Illustrated had qualities more of illustration--beautiful penwork and somewhat static figure drawing--than they did of comic art. I think the best example of his work is in Classics Illustrated #167, Faust By Goethe.

"The Great Houdini" was a biographical comic book story published by Classics Illustrated in a series called The World Around Us. It was in issue #25, September 1960, titled The Illustrated Story Of Magic.

Recently there's been a renewal of interest in Houdini's death. Was he poisoned or did he die of a ruptured appendix caused by a blow to the stomach as has always been claimed? This World Around Us story mostly focuses on Houdini's career, but doesn't stay away from the reported manner of his death, although it's told in the same matter-of-fact style as the rest of the 11-page biography.

Click on thumbnails for full-size images.