WOOD, WALLY - ShockSuspenStories #3 large cover, man trapped! EC preachy series 1952

Original cover art for Shock SuspenStories #3 (EC, June/July 1952) By legendary artist Wally Wood (1927-1981).
The lurid pen-and-ink drawing, which pictures a man caught in a bear trap while a large cougar bears down upon him, wonderfully illustrates the promise of "Jolting Tales of Tension in the EC Tradition" that await readers brave enough to open the comic and read further.
The cover artwork represents the story inside entitled "Stumped," illustrated by Jack Davis. (In this story, the man in the bear trap chews his leg off to escape; which, of course, is typical of the horrific fare presented by the writers at EC; is it any wonder these comics were a source of controversy in the early 1950s?) Signed "Wood" in the lower left corner.
This is an early Wood cover art and his second Shock SuspenStories cover, dating from the period in which he first began to garner critical acclaim for his work. It also dates from the same year in which he began work on EC's MAD, one of the titles, along with Marvel's Daredevil, that he is best known for today. A multidimensional artist, Wood would later apply his talents to a wide range of media, including comic books, magazines, trade cards, advertisements, books for young readers, and racy men's magazines. Today Wood is a member of both the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame (he was the inaugural inductee in 1989) and the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame (1992).

The cover art measures 15 x 22 inches (total dimensions) and includes the applied title graphics and text, as well as editorial notations. The art is in the same excellant condition!

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