Tales from the Crypt: A-Corny Story

[alicemacher]

Of all the EC horror stories I've read, "A-Corny Story" (Tales from the Crypt #28, Feb-Mar 1952) is the one I find the most chilling. This, despite the utter lack of gore, scary faces, or the like. (The art, after all, is by Jack Kamen, best known for his realistic touch on EC's crime and suspense stories.) Read on and I'll tell you why, at the end.



Arnold Everette, having recently taken the reins of his late father's company, summons the oldest remaining employee to his office.





Carlo does return to Haiti and, resolved to get even with his ageist ex-boss, visits a Voodoo practitioner for help. Two months later, Arnold receives a strange gift at home: an old, gnarled oak tree, with a note from Carlo attached, claiming that Haitians venerate this tree for its ability to ward off old age. Arnold chuckles at the sarcasm but has his butler Jeeves plant it out back anyway.

A week passes, and Arnold finds himself with more energy than he's had in years. Soon, the wrinkles on his face disappear. At the same time, he notices the tree has grown straighter and leafier. Some days later, he decides to skip shaving that morning; the same day, he notices the tree apparently growing still younger.








Okay. So why do I find this story, with all its understatement, especially creepy? Well...consider that the oak, in the end, regressed to an acorn--its "pre-birth" state, as it were. If so...what did Arnold regress to, after he became a newborn infant but before he disappeared completely?

Sleep well, everyone.

Comments

[veleda_k]

I saw the title and expected something to do with corn. I finished it, looked at the title again, and thought, "Wait, the story had nothing to do with corn." Then I got it.

[alicemacher]

Even the title pun is understated (by EC standards)!

[althechi]

The pun in the last panel is just heinous, though.

[starwolf_oakley]

There was a Spirit story like this. Unless it was Greyshirt, Alan Moore's Spirit homage. I can't remember which.

[md84]

Reminds me of one of the creepier (which is saying a lot) JoJo's Bizarre Adventure villains, Asdesi. He was a jerk whose Stand was a shadow that would reverse the aging of anyone it touched. The longer it touched them, the younger they would become. One unlucky young woman was de-aged into a fetus, and would have died if Asdesi hadn't been defeated in time. His attempt to defeat Jotaro this way hilariously failed because Jotaro was a badass even at the tender age of seven.

[minervasolo]

The image of the baby crying alone at home creeps me out. It reminds me of the beach scene in Under The Skin. Alone, confused, scared, and there's no one coming to help.

[zapbiffpow]

Me, I was freaked out by the baby speech. It reads terribly like a man slowly losing his mind and loving it.

[cypherfdp]

For some reason all children younger than 6 in old comics are only capable of Hulk speak at best, even at ages where they should be speaking in full sentences.

[sindra]

Disproportionate retribution at work.....

Employee gets forcibly retired and wants to "teach a lesson" to his new ex-boss. Said lesson eventually makes said ex-boss pretty much disappear from existence. (in a way, killing him)

Good job. Couldn't just force the guy to re-grow through childhood and maybe learn some better behavior, huh? -_-

[alicemacher]

But then it wouldn't be (as much of) a horror story!

[superfangirl1]

Very creepy, but great horror story.