Cryptology # 6 December 2025 (magazine review)
As you can tell from the cover of this edition of ‘Cryptology’, the theme is zombies, although it widens to a few other subjects but mostly still on subject.
Writer Mark Voger points out that in the early days of American cinema, despite segregation being officially came to an end, it was difficult for black actors to get film work in other than subservient roles until Haitian zombies came alone. However, his list of actors and actresses who did get work is quite significant, even if they didn’t all play necessarily black roles and some featured better in zombie films. Rather significantly, ‘Son Of Ingagi’ (1940) had black actors Zack Williams and Laura Bowman in the lead roles.
Probably the most significant thing about writer Roberto Barreiro’s article about the 1932 film ‘White Zombie’ was to discover that ‘zombie’ can’t be copyrighted because it’s a common word. Producer brothers Edward R and Victor Hugo Halperin realised this and when they were sued over it, with this film, they successfully won.
Writer Tom Vincent looks at the zombie illustrations and paintings of Bernie Wrightson who explained that there is some comedy in them. Considering his idol was Graham Ingels, I’m surprised there isn’t an article about his work here, too.
A lot of the articles are focusing on various zombie films over the years. Film zombies are not all cannibals, some are just controlling the recently dead. I do wonder at who came up with the idea that they should walk with their arms out. Yes, there is an element of menace but if they are partially-sighted, then they might have a lack of balance which having their arms out might compensate.
It’s interesting that co-editor Peter Normanton pointed out the problems of seeing ‘x’ films when under-age. My voice broke early and so I paid adult early to see horror films and such and stayed that way. I heard some of my class decided to vary their age depending on the film but got caught out.
Will Murray’s interview with actor Mark Donovan who acted as a hulking zombie in ‘Shaun Of The Dead’ and a fan of the genre and make-up gave some interesting insight so I might watch the film next time its on television.
There’s a look at pre-Comic Code Authority comics with zombie themes and a rather interesting list of later Marvel artists, like George Tuska and Werner Roth, who worked on them. Even Stan Lee wrote them in the limited run ‘Menace’ comicbook.
It’s hardly surprising that, like with other comicbooks moving over to the cinema, that zombie films are still prolific today. I’m sure the Cryptkeeper will return to this subject again. As it is, if you’re after a briefing on zombie history in cinema and comicbooks, then this issue is worth picking up.
GF Willmetts
February 2026
(pub: TwoMorrows Publishing. 82 page illustrated magazine. Price: $10.95 (US). ISSN: 2997-4-416X. Direct from them, you can get it for $10.95 (US))
check out websites: www.TwoMorrows.com and https://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=98_194&products_id=1846&zenid=hudjul6acr848v7tr8olqsf2a1
