The amulet – it has power to control him! While he wears it, he is yours to command. Providing, of course that you carry the matching talisman. 
- —Anonymous Voodoo cultists
Appearing in ""Altar of the Damned""
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Mambo Layla (First appearance)
- Anonymous
Locations:
- Louisiana
- New Orleans
- Garwood Industries
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for ""Altar of the Damned""
Deep in the bayous of Louisiana, a Voodoo cult performs a macabre ceremony. A man named Simon Garth is strapped to a slab of rock. Attending the ceremony are a group of naked dancers and an obese gardener named Gyps. The mambo (priestess) prostrates herself before Simon's body holding a knife. She drives the knife down, but rather than stabbing him with it, she actually cuts the ropes binding him to the rock. She shouts for him to "Go" before the others take notice of what she has done. Gyps and the other practitioners do indeed notice their mambo's betrayal and give chase. As Simon races through the swamps, his thoughts cast back to recent events.
Flashback:
- Before becoming a victim of the occult, Simon Garth was the senior partner of Garwood Industries, the South's leading coffee distributor. While leaving his lavish estate one morning, he found his gardener, Gyps, complaining about his duties. Garth admonished the surly man, and warned him to shape up. Garth's twenty-three year old daughter, Donna, raced out of the house to ask her father something, but he had already left. Stopping before Gyps, she noticed that the man was carrying a piece of root. Gyps told her that it was called "Johnny-The-Conqueror" root and it was a piece of Voodoo gris-gris. He kept it as a charm because he felt it might bring him good luck.
- At Garwood Industries, Simon Garth presided over a board meeting. Arguing with his partner, Brian Stockwood, he demanded that the company should increase production. Stockwood tried to reason with Simon's irrational behavior, but Garth grew even more violent, grabbing Stockwood by the neck, calling him a "joke".
- Back at the mansion, Donna decided to go skinny-dipping in the pool. Gyps took notice of this and approached her. Shocked, Donna spun around, having no idea that Gyps was watching her. Before Gyps could press his amorous advances even further, Simon showed up and began punching the gardener in the face. He fired him and swore that if he ever saw him again, he would kill him.
- That evening, an inebriated Gyps returned to the Garth estate for revenge. He smashed an empty whisky bottle across the back of his head, and tied him up. He brought him out to the Voodoo camp deep in the swamp and offered him to the practitioners as a human sacrifice.
- What neither Garth nor Gyps knew however, was that the Voodoo mambo was actually Layla, Simon Garth’s office secretary. She was secretly in love with him, and could not bring herself to take his life, so she set him free.
Back in the present, Simon continues to run for his life. Gyps manages to circle around the swamp and catch up to him. He plunges a sacrificial dagger into his chest, killing him, and brings his body back to the camp. He digs a shallow grave, and dumps Simon's body inside. Gyps is still angry however, as he does not feel that Simon had suffered enough before dying. He grabs Layla, and while holding a knife to her throat, forces her to conduct a ritual that will raise Simon Garth from the dead.
The ritual works, and Garth rises from his own grave as an undead zombie. Almost immediately, he begins attacking everyone within his vicinity. One of the Voodoo cultists slips an amulet around the zombie's neck, and the creature stops moving. He hands a second amulet to Gyps and explains that so long as he possesses the Amulet of Damballah (providing that the Zombie continues to wear its companion piece), he will have total control over him. Gyps orders the Zombie to go into the swamp until he is ready to summon him.
Appearing in ""Zombie!""
Featured Characters:
- Zombie (Simon Garth) (First appearance) (Unnamed)
Supporting Characters:
- Donna Garth (First appearance) (Unnamed)
Antagonists:
- Master (Gyps) (First appearance) (Unnamed)
Other Characters:
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
- Devil Doll
Synopsis for ""Zombie!""
The Zombie, wanders through the swamps of Louisiana, until it is time to answer the call of his master. Upon reaching his master he is ordered to go into town to get him money.
The Zombie wanders into the French Quarter of New Orleans, but the revelers take little notice of him. Those who do react, merely think that he is simply another partier wearing an elaborate costume. The zombie attacks a pedestrian, but a policeman takes notice and gives chase.
The Zombie returns to his master's cottage, but the man is enraged to see that he came back empty handed. He then orders the zombie to attack a young woman at the main house. The master plans on staging her rescue from the zombie in order to gain her affection.
The Zombie breaks into the woman's room, but feels an uncontrollable urge to turn away. A part of the Zombie's humanity recalls this woman as his own daughter, and he is incapable of killing her. The Zombie returns to the garden shed and strangles his former master. He then wanders back to his own shallow grave and lies down.
Appearing in ""Iron-Head""
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Bums
Antagonists:
- Zombies
Races and Species:
Locations:
Synopsis for ""Iron-Head""
A man decides to make money by reselling flowers stolen from graves until the dead return to take their flowers back.
Appearing in ""The Sensuous Zombie""
- Appearances not yet listed
Synopsis for ""The Sensuous Zombie""
An editorial about the creation of "Tales of the Zombie" magazine, and a look at zombies of popular culture. Looking back at such films as White Zombie, Revolt of the Zombies, The Ghost Breakers, King of the Zombies and others.
Appearing in ""The Thing From the Bog!""
Featured Characters:
- Thomas
Supporting Characters:
- Fredrick Corter
Antagonists:
- Mother Feere
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Denmark
- Northern Jutlands
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for ""The Thing From the Bog!""
In the peat bogs of the Northern Jutlands in Denmark, a peat-cutter named Fredrick Corter and his stepson Thomas discover a bog man half-buried in the muck. Fredrick immediately grows concerned and warns Thomas away from the dried husk. Thomas recalls how two years past, his mother (Mother Feere), invoked a spell to give life to the buried corpses in the swamp. The demons who answered her call however, struck her down with a violent and painful death. In her final moments, she told Thomas the words required to raise the bog men.
Thomas also recalls when Mother Feere told him the history behind the bog men. She told him that the original bog men were once powerful sorcerers who had cut ties with their elemental brethren. A fight broke out between the two camps, and the more powerful sorcerers banished their adversaries to the bog. Centuries later, a witch was executed and buried in the bogs. She eventually rose as Mother Feere and slaughtered the descendents of those who executed her. The only one to survive her rage was a young boy, Thomas. Mother Feere took him in and raised him as her own son.
Fredrick Corter pulls Thomas away from the grave and takes him home. He warns him never to go near that patch of land ever again. He meets with some colleagues and prepares to burn down the entire bog.
Thomas sneaks out of the house and goes to the shallow grave of the bog man his father and he unearthed earlier. He recites the incantation that brings them to life, but regrets it immediately after. He knows the spell that will return them to their previously inert state, but he is too scared. He runs back towards the village to find his father.
Fredrick Corter sees Thomas, and realizes that he is responsible for resurrecting the bog men. Before his son can provide an explanation, Fredrick shoots him. The bog men surround Fredrick and the other hunters and overwhelm them.
Appearing in ""The Mastermind""
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- The Golden Angel (Only appearance; destruction)
Antagonists:
- Billy
- Clive
Other Characters:
- Bernie Wrightson (Host)
- Metropolitan Police Service
- Constable (Unnamed)
Races and Species:
Locations:
- Earthspace
- Heaven (Invoked)
Synopsis for ""The Mastermind""
Emil Vogel is an elderly sculptor whose work includes the crafting of gargoyles for a small European town. Vogel is haunted however by the visage of a statue in the middle of his work place, a large golden gargoyle. He chastises the inanimate "Golden Angel", claiming that its very existence torments him night after night. Vogel's work is interrupted by a knock at the door. A police constable and several towns folk are concerned about rumors they have heard concerning Vogel's nighttime activities. While Vogel is distracted with the constable, two thieves named Billy and Clive sneak into his studio and find the Golden Angel gargoyle. They fire up Vogel's smelting pot and begin to melt the statue so that they can transport the refined gold. When Vogel discovers what they have done, an astonishing change overtakes him. Vogel himself is actually an evil gargoyle and only the existence of the Golden Angel prevented him from assuming his true form. Vogel attacks Billy and Clive and dunks them into the vat of molten gold.
Appearing in ""Night of the Walking Dead!""
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Gene Griggs
Other Characters:
- Gyps (as a corpse)
- Lou (a coroner)
- Sam Jagger
- Unnamed hunter
Locations:
- Louisiana
- New Orleans
- New Orleans Police Headquarters (7th Precinct)
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for ""Night of the Walking Dead!""
Donna Garth meets with New Orleans police detective Sam Jagger. Jagger takes her to the morgue where she identifies the body of Gyps, the gardener. The coroner reveals that the cause of death was strangulation. The only strange evidence found at the scene was one of the talismans of Damballah. Having little idea as to its true purpose, Jagger lets Donna keep the amulet. Donna concentrates on the item and thinks of her father.
Miles away, Simon Garth – the Zombie rises from his grave. He begins shambling back towards town when he encounters two hunting dogs. He throws one against a tree, then smashes the other repeatedly into the ground until it dies. The hunter comes upon the slaughtered dogs and runs in terror.
Back in town, Donna Garth leaves the police precinct and gets ready to get into her car. A heroin addict named Gene Griggs startles her and steals her handbag. He runs off and finds shelter inside of an abandoned building. Griggs is disgruntled to find that Donna only had three dollars in her purse, but he feels that he might be able to sell the talisman. He also finds a small .38 handgun and shoves it into his pocket.
Later that evening, Griggs stalks the French Quarter of New Orleans and accosts two pedestrians. He shoots them both, but one of them, a woman, is still alive. Griggs attempts to steal her necklace, but she scratches at his face. He finishes her off by shooting her directly in the face.
As Griggs turns around, he sees the Zombie standing before him. He has no idea that the Zombie is attracted by the presence of the talisman and Griggs tries to stab him to death. When this fails, he tries to shoot him, but the Zombie grabs Griggs' wrist and turns the gun back on him. A shot goes off and Griggs falls over dead. The Zombie begins shuffling away, leaving the amulet of Damballah lying on the ground next to Griggs' body.
Notes
- This issue shipped on April 4th, 1973.
- First Marvel Comics appearance of the Zombie. His first actual appearance was in Menace #5, published in 1953 by Atlas Comics (the Silver Age precursor to Marvel Comics). Donna Garth and Gyps also made their first appearances in Menace #5, though they are not provided with actual names until this issue.
- The Zombie was created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett.
- "Zombie" was originally printed in Menace #5. It is also reprinted in Tales of the Zombie Annual #1.
- "Altar of the Damned" and "Night of the Walking Dead!" are also reprinted in Tales of the Zombie Annual #1.
- This issue includes a six page article by Tony Isabella entitled "The Sensuous Zombie". The article highlights certain classic zombie films such as Das Kabinett des Dr. Caligari, White Zombie, Revolt of the Zombies, Plague of the Zombies and the original Night of the Living Dead.
- Brian Stockwood is referred to only as Stockwood in this issue.
- First appearance of Sam Jagger.
- First and only appearance of Gene Griggs; dies in this issue.
- First appearance of the Mambo, Layla.
- Although never specified by name, the Satan that appears in "The Thing From the Bog" is likely Marduk Kurios.
Trivia
- The indicia of this issue lists the title as "Zombie", not "Tales of the Zombie".
- The Haitian Junior Chamber of Commerce consulted as technical advisors for the Voodoo-related segments in this issue.
- The first page of "Mastermind" contains a passage from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- Zombie article at Wikipedia
- Zombie profile at the Marvel Universe
- Zombie profile at the Marvel Appendix
- Zombie profile at the Marvel Directory
- Zombie profile at Comic Monsters
- Zombie article at Photon Torpedoes
- Zombie (Religious Affiliation)