Horror Comic Review – The Hand Of Glory

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1952 – Chilling Tales – spoiler alerts Though written by an anonymous editorial assemble as with many comics of the period, the artist was Matt Fox, who was noted for his garish, grotesque hellish artwork. It is the art that stands out most in this grizzly yet predictable tale. A duo of 18th century English Highwaymen decide to protect themselves from potential death by making a hand of glory. This involves severing the hand of a hanged man (a captured colleague left rotting on a tree by the authorities) and soaking it in candle wax made from the fats surrounding the deceased’s human heart. A candle is then set in the hand’s grip and it can only protect them while its flame burns. It renders them immune to bullets and other pain while it works. For a short time, the hand protects them until in blowing up a safe, they knock the burning candle loose from its fingers. That is the cue for the dead man to reclaim his hand and leave the bodies of the two men mysteriously minus theirs. Hands of glory turn up in a few horror stories including the original Wicker Man movie. Arthur Chappell