art by Jack Davis, story by Al Feldstein
Tales From the Crypt #33[#17] (1953)
I just now got the pun in the title. Won't explain it since it reveals the snap ending of this issue, one of the snappiest of them all.
Anyway, this is one of the gory masterpieces of Jack Davis, set in an 19th century travelling carnival side-show. The main attraction is a genuine Egyptian mummy, until the owner of the carnival is presented with the preserved corpse of a two-headed man, which first serves as a co-headliner and then takes over top billing. Of course, the mummy and the two-headed corpse fall in love (is it necrophilia if both sides are dead?) and when their displays are moved away from each other they run off. A year later the carnival returns to the region and, well, that's the surprise.
Davis really goes to town on this one, with all sorts of crazy details on the gory aspects in his lush inking style (including the cover image of the mummy and two-headed corpse). This story also has one of the best opening page portraits of the Crypt-Keeper.
The kind of inspired insanity that makes you love the EC classics.
I like the part about necrophilia....;)
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