PIRACY #3, #4.

I picked up two more EC books for my collection: PIRACY #3 and PIRACY #4. They are part of Bill Gaines' failed effort to keep EC afloat as a comic book company after the comic book scare of the 1950s that all but killed the industry. And looking at these books I'm reminded once again how the Comics Code and its insane backers robbed us of the finest comic book publisher of the day.

Both of these covers are by artist Reed Crandall. Crandall was noted for amazing line work and attention to fine detail. He was considered one of the best artists around in the Golden Age and it was likely only the high page rates that Gaines offered his employees that enabled Crandall to be able to lavish the attention he needed to create his lush pages.

Gaines was keeping his stable of great artists busy for the year or so that he tried to change direction on his radical imprint. But it just was not to be. Not when he had MAD under his wing and which he was able to switch to magazine format to merely escape the pernicious Comics Code Authority.

Alas.

PIRACY #3 with a gorgeous Reed Crandall cover.

PIRACY #4 with another spectacular Crandall cover.