Monsieur Sourire #[nn]
"Le cercueil" delivers a chilling, atmospheric tale from Ray Bradbury and Al Feldstein, illustrated with haunting precision by Jack Davis, whose inks lend a tangible dread to every panel. When a teacher’s past trauma resurfaces in the form of a recurring skull at his window, his obsession with a children’s game of poison turns into a descent into isolation—until the line between punishment and punishment blurs. The cover by Jack Davis captures the story’s eerie stillness, a perfect match for this unsettling, slow-burning tale of guilt and retribution.
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Mr. Howard returned to his classroom in time to see some of his students corner a young boy, who then fell out of a window to his death. Stunned, Howard resigned his position because he secretly now hated all children because of what happened. Seven years later, he resumed teaching after a fellow teacher friend of his died. He called his charges less than human....and they resented it. One day he came across some the kids "playing poison".....on sidewalks with names on them that they took for gravestones. From then on, Howard screamed at any kid even playing hopscotch on the sidewalk. One night, as he sat in his home, he saw a skull appear outside his window.....and he continued seeing it, night after night. One evening, he ran outside after the kids responsible, and fell into an excavation ditch. The kids covered him with dirt. In the days that followed, no adult paid much attention to the sidewalk square with the name "M. Howard R.I.P." on it......as the kids continued to play their game of poison!
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).