Death Held The Goblet - Best Horror Comic Stories Ever

“Death Held The Goblet”
Originally Published: “The Witching Hour” issue 36, DC Comics, Nov 1973
Script: Leo Dorfman
Pencils: Eufronio R. Cruz (E.R. Cruz)
Inks: Eufronio R. Cruz (E.R. Cruz)
Colors: ?
Letters: ?
Editor: Murray Boltinoff
Cover Art to ‘The Witching Hour’ #36: Nick Cardy
Greater Comics Database Link: http://www.comics.org/issue/75488/
Submitted by: E.M. Tonner
Preface
This is a tribute to Eufronio R. Cruz.
I have always enjoyed the distinctive artwork of E.R. Cruz throughout the pages of DC comics from the
70’s and 80’s. Mr. Cruz has a very distinctive, recognizable style, yet is also somehow reminiscent of the
works of Japanese manga artists such as Ryoichi Ikegami. Strong, realistic portrayals men and women in
action from various points of reference are the norm. Being geographically close, it would be interesting to
study the influence Japanese manga had on Filipino ‘komiks’ and visa versa.
It should come as no surprise that Mr. Cruz’s style lent itself well to war comics, including various issues
of “Our Fighting Forces”, “Sgt. Rock”, “GI Combat”, and “Our Army At War”. But where he had an
amazing run was in “The Witching Hour”, including various splash pages. Cruz later went on to work in
animation, including “Transformers” and “The Real Ghost Busters”. But for now, let us indulge in the
works of an under-appreciated master of his craft…
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Afterword
God, that’s a great first page!
Three panels of varying angles and action. E.R. Cruz
doesn’t do talking heads, he does ART. That’s story
telling, kids. You can feel the desperation and struggle
of Marcello while the cold skies and water matches
Helga perfectly. Did you notice how she’s wearing an
all-blue outfit to match the cold night sky and water?
No? The angle of the second panel where Helga is
looking down at Marcello and pushing him away? The
third panel where she is distancing herself from the
drowning man?
It shows a lot that Mr. Cruz not only inked in his own
name as artist, but also a very distinct ‘Story By Leo
Dorfman’ as well. That’s magnanimity.
Unfortunately, there’s not a lot online about E.R. Cruz. Like many of the Filipino artists, he seems
like a pretty humble guy who’s happy to be left in anonymity. The man has too large of a body of
quality work to fade into obscurity though:
http://www.comics.org/inker/name/e.r.%20cruz/sort/alpha/
http://www.comics.org/penciller/name/e.r.%20cruz/sort/alpha/
“A just and reasonable modesty does not only recommend eloquence, but sets off every great talent
which a man can be possessed of.”
”
~ Joseph Addison
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Reprinted In:
Not reprinted as of writing.