“The Dweller In the Dark”

11 pgs. Appeared first time [B&W] in Hot Stuf’ #3 (1976). Reprinted [B&W] in The Odd Comic World of Richard Corben (1978) and [B&W] in Richard Corben Complete Works #1 (1985). Story: Richard Corben & Herb Arnold. Art: Richard Corben (signed as Richard V. Corben). Lettered by hand (Corben).

France [FRA]: as “La cité morte de la peur” in Ogre (1979).
Germany [GER]: as “Der Bewohner der Dunkelheit” in Die Aussergewöhnliche Welt des Richard Corben, Vol. 1 (1977).
Italy [ITA]: as “L’abitante delle tenebre” in Alter alter #9/79 and Collana Nera #8 (1983).
Spain [SPA]: as “El dueño de las sombras” in El extraordinario mundo de Richard Corben [#1] (1977) and Richard Corben obras completas #3 (1985).

Style: Greytonals. Genre: Fantasy. Time Span: Ancient past. Nudity: Full frontal.
Keywords: Curiosity. Ancient ruins. Thiefs. Treasure. Rape. Altar. Zombies. Sorcerer.
Original Art Plate: 25,5 x 38 cm [Source: Angoulême, 2019].
Synopsis: Indian guy and girl explore ancient ruins, while group of gold robbers enter on the other side of city. Sailors wake up zombies, while trying to rape a voluptuous girl on ceremony altar. Indian guy saves girl, only to face angry sorcerer. Other robbers get caught by unspeakable monster.
Comment: Brilliant B&W artwork. Collaboration story of Corben himself and Herb Arnold is part of the 50 page fantasy novel covered entirely Hot Stuf’ #3. Novel contains three separate stories (by separate writer or artist), which are each linked together by one page pass through prologue. All stories (including pass throughs) but one are written by Herb. Only one story is brilliant, it is Corben’s story – and it stands by it’s own without other stories. Corben’s artwork contains a lot of interesting nude poses of Indian girl. Living deads feasting poor sailors on bottom of sixth page is also a brilliant single frame. In Complete Works at the top of seventh page there is, by accident, partly visible text, “- – eller – -“. Mr. Corben titles his art plates with name and a page number up there, so it’s part of that name (“Dweller in the Dark 07”, I think).