Comments on: John Seavey's Storytelling Engines: House of Secrets

By: Blackjak

Blackjak — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:40:42 +0000

Many thanks indeed Paul...

It must have been his own series, as I distinctly remember him describing himself as ".. a Stranger..."

By: Paul Valois

Paul Valois — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:26:25 +0000

The Phantom Stranger 'sort-of" hosted stories in his own series for awhile, he would trade stories with Doctor Thirteen. The Stranger would try to suggest the supernatural existed. 13's stories would always try to suggest the Supernatural didn't exist. The story engine would involve a case in which 13 was involved, and the Stranger would appear to suggest a supernatural involvement in the case. 13 would accuse the Stranger of being a fake and expain that the situation reminded him of a similar case (which was often not so similar) in which the Supernatural was debunked. After that story, the Stranger would also be reminded of a "similar case" in which the supernatural WAS involved. Therefore the main storytline of the isse was really a framing sequence for these cases. The series, although well drawn has a HUGE flaw that ruined nearly every issue. After the pair would encounter the antagonist, be it the demon Tala or even massive ice giant, Dr. Thirteen would always explain that what they encountered was due to mass hypnosis, or illusions caused by fog. In one such case, involving the Ice Giants, Dr.Thirteen's fiance was plucked by a giant during a battle and carried to their cave. Although she was uncharacteristically saved by Tala, Dr. Thirteen suggested that what they all saw was some type of mass hypnosis and didn't really occurr. Not only was his fiance picked up by the giant, but 13 spent several minutes off the ground clutched between the fingers of the same giant. Doubting Thomas the apostle would have believed! As far as the narrator out side The Phantom Stranger's series, you might be thinking of "The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves" or Mr. Ded (in Charleton's Ghostly Tales). Ded wore multiple outfits and artists interpreted him in many different ways. I seem to remember him wearing a cape and fedora on occaision. BTW, his skin was light blue (to signify that we was dead, I guess) and he had light brown hair with white, winged bangs (like Quicksilver).

By: Blackjak

Blackjak — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:16:14 +0000

Could be... But he had a hat, not a hood... Mind you... I was about 6 or 7 years old... Might have mixed my stories and hosts up... But I recall him driving a horse-drawn carriage in full cape, suit and hat...

By: jccalhoun

jccalhoun — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:55:09 +0000

I don't remember the Phantom Stranger hosting. Perhaps you're thinking of Destiny?

By: Blackjak

Blackjak — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:24:49 +0000

Didn't the Phantom Stranger host a title for a while back then?
I'm sure I remember reading some re-prints when I was a kid...
I'm not talking about his own title that spawned of Showcase #80...

By: Denn

Denn — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:45:51 +0000

Ha! Good question Jeff

By: Jeff Ryan

Jeff Ryan — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 18:59:22 +0000

But did they deliver the primary goods of horror anthology hosts: bad puns? how many "boys and ghouls?" per issue are there? How many "eye scream cone"s? Was there even a single reference to a character's mother/mummy?