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A Crossdressing Tale From The Crypt
Crossdressed Double-Cross
By Brittany Rose
Click on artwork to see much larger graphics. Be prepared for files 100-200k in size!
This month as part of our series on Mad Magazine
we dip back into the vaults of their original parent company for
a classic story from Tales from the Crypt. It seems appropriate
for Halloween to include a crossdressing tale from one of the
premiere horror comics of the fifties. Although EC was capable
of gore, more often than not the emphasis was on surprising plot
twists. This particular story, "Standing Room Only",
originally appeared in Crime Suspenstories #23 from 1954,
but was recently reprinted in Tales from the Crypt, #5,
March 1992.
Burnin' Down the House
The story begins with Carl Dunn, in his underwear,
standing beside the burned ruins of a house. As he laughs at the
death of his sister, Cynthia, and her husband, he pulls a green
dress over his head, applies makeup, "and Carl was Cynthia
Reborn". It was no huge stretch, since as twins they had
often impersonated each other. As an adult, Carl turned
out to be pretty much scum, abandoning his mother and sister to
go and be a big shot. Years later, he had become a drunken bum
with no future.
If You Can't Live Off Your Sister, What Good Is
She?
One day Carl sees his sister's photo in a dumpster
newspaper. She's married an oil millionaire. Carl wastes no time
moving in on them, but she cuts him off with a hundred bucks.
Seeking revenge he hits on the idea of impersonating her. Once
he determines that her husband has willed his entire fortune to
her, he puts his plan into action. He surprises the couple in
their country cottage, knocks them unconscious, dresses Cynthia
in his clothes, and torches the place. As he hears the sounds
of sirens, he prepares to go into his act.
The Grieving Widow
The police arrive, and a sobbing 'Cynthia' tells
them how she barely escaped but her husband and brother died in
the fire. Eventually she winds up at the lawyer's office..
As the lawyer begins to explain her new status, he also begins to
put the moves on her. At the reading of the will, "Carl remembered
to act the grieving widow
dabbing at 'her'nose..sniffing
sadly
Then
A toss of 'her' head
Chin-up Cynthia"
Then after he tosses her a pack of cigerettes that she catches
with her knees, she suggests that they go out.
So Close, and yet
At the club, the lawyer shifts back into wolf mode,
giving Cynthia complete confidence in her new role. (ec 4) But
then Carl makes that one mistake that costs him everything. Try
to guess what it is before you check the last image! (ec 5)
Bonus!
Last month I featured crossdressing in Mad Magazine,
and this month (October, 97 #362) Mad has a feature entitled,
"A Mad Look At Crossdressing! How's that for timing? Here's
a taste. (Mad1) Next month we'll look at a couple more samples
and finally focus on Spy Vs. Spy.
All images copyright Mad Magazine and DC Comics.
Any comments, suggestions, or examples, write me
at BrittTV@aol.com.
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