"Catacomb of Torment Honors Classic Horror Comic Cover"

1954's Crime SuspenStories #22 stands out as perhaps the most notorious and iconic horror comic ever published. You might not recognize the title off the bat, but the chilling image of a man wielding an ax and gripping his wife's severed head is unforgettable. This issue significantly fueled the anti-comics backlash of the 1950s, leading to the establishment of the Comics Code Authority and ultimately the downfall of EC Comics.

Fortunately, EC Comics has been resurrected by Oni Press, and their latest release honors Johnny Craig's controversial cover art. IGN is thrilled to exclusively unveil artist Jay Stephens' cover for Catacomb of Torment #1, which is part of an ongoing series celebrating classic EC tributes. Feast your eyes on the cover below:

For a side-by-side comparison, here's the original cover by Johnny Craig for Crime SuspenStories #22:

Catacomb of Torment is part of a thrilling lineup of new EC books under the "Summer of Fear" banner. This horror anthology series showcases talents like John Arcudi, Marguerite Bennett, Dan McDaid, Matt Kindt, David Lapham, and Tonči Zonjić. Joining it are Blood Type by Corinna Bechko and Andrea Sorrentino, and Cruel Universe 2 by J. Holtham, Kano, Ann Nocenti, David Rubín, and Greg Smallwood.

Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson expressed his excitement, stating, "Our EC Comics line is not only the best-selling line of comics in Oni's near-30-year history, they're also an insanely fun thing to work on. So, after exceeding our own already-high expectations with Epitaphs From the Abyss, Cruel Universe, and Cruel Kingdom last year, we're challenging ourselves to get bolder and bigger – and bloodier! – on all fronts as EC enters the second year of its milestone resurrection."

Oni Press Editor in Chief Sierra Hahn added, "Working on EC for the last year has been incredibly inspiring for everyone working on the series – from the team at Oni to our partners building these bite-sized worlds at each level of production. It's a real joy to continue bringing these entertaining morality tales to life with the best storytellers in the business. This summer's slate of comics is no exception."

Dive deeper into Blood Type and Catacomb of Torment with the preview gallery below:

EC Comics' Summer of Fear Preview Gallery

18 Images

The "Summer of Fear" campaign kicks off with the release of Blood Type #1 in June 2025.

For more stunning comic book art, explore our curated list of the most iconic superhero comic book covers of all time.