CHURCHILL PREP CHURCHILL PREP
Membership:
Purpose: Private school, preparing students for college;
it was something of a boarding school, as the students lived/slept there
Aliases: Churchill Prep is presumably short for Churchill Preparatory Academy or School
Affiliations: Martin Cunningham, Carla Thornehill, Gerry Thornehill
Enemies: None known
Base of Operations: Somewhere in New England
Significant Features: The mall, Ol' Bailey,
First Appearance: Vampire Tales#8/3 (December, 1974)
History: (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Jason was a student at Churchill Prep.
(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Jason had jumped off the giant oak tree Ol' Bailey into Churchill Prep's private pond/swimming hole during daylight.
(Vampire
Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Jason's friend Gus dared him to jump into the
watering hole from Ol' Bailey at night, calling him a coward if he
would not do it. Unwilling to turn down a dare. Jason brought Gus and
Kit with him when he left their dorm after dark (at some point after
8pm) on the first really warm spring night.
(Vampire
Tales#8/3 (fb)) - As Jason, Gus, and Kit approached Ol' Bailey, they
were unaware of the vampire Martin Cunningham circling above them in
bat form or landing on the ground nearby.
(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Having
sought to adopt a young man with whom to share his life and wealth,
Cunningham considered that these youths would do nicely, as they were neither too young nor
too old. Reminded of himself as a youth, Martin swiftly decided that Jason was the one he wanted.
(Vampire
Tales#8/3 (fb)) - Noting that it was awfully dark, Kit suggested they should go back to
the dorm, but Jason reminded him that a dare was a dare, and Jason
further pointed out that no one could call him a coward, as he was not
afraid of anything and anyone who said he was afraid was a liar. Even
after Gus noted that he had been only kidding and agreed that they
should go back, Jason told him that it was too late, as they were
already there.
As the boys stripped down to
their underwear, both Gus and Kit were clearly concerned, noting that
it was awfully quiet out there and that it was like the place was
haunted, respectively. Jason teased his friends, asking what a ghost
had ever done to them. Looking up at the giant oak, Gus stated that it
was really high and asked if it was safe. Replying that he had done the
dive in daylight before and that it was "a snap," Jason climbed high up
into the tree until reaching the "diving board" branch, which slowly
dipped under his weight.
However, as Jason readied himself to jump, the vampire bat (Jason didn't see what it was)
flew past him, startling him and causing him to fall backwards to the
ground. Jason was knocked unconscious, and Gus and Kit decided to go
get the principal to help. Cunningham then alighted on the ground in
human form, noting that the boy was uninjured (he almost certainly had a concussion from being knocked unconscious from an impact); considering the boy to be brave and handsome, he confirmed that Jason was the one he wanted.
As Jason revived, he confirmed that he thought he was alright, and
Martin Cunningham introduced himself, claiming to have been taking a
walk nearby when he heard someone call for help.
Jason was back on his feet and dressed by the time Gus and Kit
returned with the principal, Mr. Peterson, and Nurse Stanton.
As the nurse checked him over, Jason tried to explain how Mr. Cunningham had taken care of him, but Peterson interrupted, listing a number of rules Jason had broken. Martin then interrupted, suggesting that Peterson was being a little hard on the youth before noting that he had been thinking of making a donation of $50,000 to the school, but was reconsidering it if Churchill Prep was the sort of school that punished a boy for being mischievous...
After
Peterson changed his tune and assured him there would be no punishment,
Martin told Jason that perhaps he would see him after school as they had
a great deal about which to talk. 
(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Jason was disappointed when Martin did not show up after school.
(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - After sunset, Martin flew onto campus as a bat, descending to Earth and returning to human form unseen before greeting Jason.
(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Martin and Jason had a long talk, although something in Martin's manner disturbed Jason.
(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - The next evening, Cunningham fatally drained the blood from Jason's parents; a witness to this assault reported what he saw to the police but was disbelieved. At some point thereafter, Peterson was informed of this, and the next morning he apparently asked Jason's friend Kit to accompany him to inform Jason.
(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - The next day, Kit -- informed and accompanied by Mr. Peterson -- awakened Jason and told him of his parents' death.
(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Cunningham adopted Jason Thornehill.
Comments: Created by Carla & Gerry Conway and Alfredo Alcala.
It is unrevealed whether Jason stayed on at Churchill Prep after being adopted by Martin Cunningham, but regardless, neither the school, nor Mr. Peterson, Nurse Stanton, Gus, or Kip were mentioned again.
Stories that occur without any direct ties to the modern Marvel Universe are typically considered to have occurred at the time of publication and outside of the sliding timescale. As this story covered a 10 year flashback and was printed in 1974, I would think the earliest portions of the story would have taken place in 1964. The end point of the story was considered the present time of the narrator, Jason Thornehill. Regardless, Jason's sideburns and the style of the clothing fits for the 70s for me.
Profile by Snood.
CLARIFICATIONS:
Churchill Prep has no known connections to
  The Principal of Churchill Prep(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - After Jason Thornehill fell from Ol' Bailey at night following a dare and was apparently knocked unconscious, his friends Gus and Kit decided to go get the principal to help. The vampire Martin Cunningham -- who had caused Jason to fall as part of his plan to adopt the youth to become his inheritor -- then approached and attended to the already recovering Jason. Jason was back on his feet and dressed by the time Gus and Kit returned with Mr. Peterson and Nurse Stanton. As the nurse checked him over, Jason tried to explain how Mr. Cunningham had taken care of him, but Peterson interrupted, listing a number of rules Jason had broken, including being out of his dorm after 8 pm as well as "this little escapade." Martin then interrupted, suggesting that Peterson was being a little hard on the youth. Peterson countered that he would be the judge of that and asked who he was. Cunningham introduced himself before noting that he had been thinking of making a donation of $50,000 to the school, but was reconsidering it if Churchill Prep was the sort of school that punished a boy for being mischievous... After Peterson changed his tune and assured him there would be no punishment, Cunningham advised Peterson that he could expect his check in the morning.  (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - The next evening, Cunningham fatally drained the blood from Jason's parents; a witness to this assault reported what he saw to the police but was disbelieved. At some point thereafter, Peterson was informed of this, and the next morning he apparently asked Jason's friend Kit to accompany him to inform Jason. (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - The next day, Kit -- informed and accompanied by Mr. Peterson -- awakened Jason and told him of his parents' death, although the details were omitted, and Jason assumed they had died without any wrongdoing. --Vampire Tales#8/3 |
  The nurse of Churchill Prep(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - After Jason Thornehill fell from Ol' Bailey at night following a dare and was apparently knocked unconscious, his friends Gus and Kit decided to go get the principal to help. The vampire Martin Cunningham -- who had caused Jason to fall as part of his plan to adopt the youth to become his inheritor -- then approached and attended to the already recovering Jason. Cunningham noted that the boy was uninjured (he almost certainly had a concussion from being knocked unconscious from an impact). Jason was back on his feet and dressed by the time Gus and Kit returned with Mr. Peterson and Nurse Stanton. As the nurse checked him over, Jason tried to explain how Mr. Cunningham had taken care of him. --Vampire Tales#8/3 |
  (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Gus was a student at Churchill Prep.(Vampire
Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Gus dared his friend Jason Thornehill to jump off the giant oak tree Ol' Bailey into Churchill Prep's private pond/swimming hole at night, calling him a coward if he
would not do it. Unwilling to turn down a dare, Jason brought Gus and
their friend Kit with him when he left their dorm after dark (at some point after
8pm) on the first really warm spring night. Note: Gus may be his full first name, or a shortened form of August, Augustin, Augustus, Angus, Gustave, or Gustavus. Gus is the blond youth, although after Kit commented that the place seemed to be haunted, Jason specifically asked Gus what a ghost had ever done to him. Perhaps he was just targeting Gus because Gus was the one who had challenged Jason to the dare. |
  (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Kit was a student at Churchill Prep.(Vampire
Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - After Kit's friend Gus dared their friend Jason Thornehill to jump off the giant oak tree Ol' Bailey into Churchill Prep's private pond/swimming hole at night, Jason brought Gus and Kit with him when he left their dorm after dark (at some point after
8pm) on the first really warm spring night. (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - The next day, Kit -- informed and accompanied by Mr. Peterson -- awakened Jason and told him of his parents' death, although the details were omitted, and Jason assumed they had died without any wrongdoing. --Vampire Tales#8/3Note: Kit may be his full first name, or it may be a nickname for Christopher. Kit is the dark-haired, bespecled youth, although after Kit commented that the place seemed to be haunted, Jason specifically asked Gus what a ghost had ever done to him. Perhaps he was just targeting Gus because Gus was the one who had challenged Jason to the dare. |
  The mall at Churchill prep was a pedestrian walkway between buildings and set off with many trees.(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - After sunset, Martin flew onto campus as a bat, descending to Earth and returning to human form unseen before greeting Jason as he wandered the school mall. (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Martin and Jason had a long talk, although something in Martin's manner disturbed Jason. --Vampire Tales#8/3 |
  A stately giant oak tree, it stood sentry over the deep end of Churchill Prep's
private pond/swimming hole for over a century (as of 1964). It was a
tradition for students to jump off of "the diving board" in its upper
branches into the pond.(Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - At some point, Jason Thornehill had jumped off of Ol' Bailey into Churchill Prep's private/swimming hole during daylight. (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb) - BTS) - Jason's friend Gus dared him to jump into the watering hole from Ol' Bailey at night, calling him a coward if he would not do it. Unwilling to turn down a dare. Jason brought Gus and Kit with him when he left their dorm after dark (at some point after 8pm) on the first really warm spring night. (Vampire Tales#8/3 (fb)) - The boys reached Ol' Bailey and stripped down to their underwear. Looking up at the giant oak, even Jason felt that it loomed over them like a threat, leering as a giant might leer amid a congregation of dwarves. Gus stated that the tree was really high and asked if it was safe. Replying that he had done the dive in daylight before and that it was "a snap," Jason climbed high up into the tree until reaching the "diving board" branch. As he gingerly stepped onto the branch, it slowly dipped under his weight. However, as Jason readied himself to jump, the bat (Jason didn't see what it was) form of the vampire Martin Cunningham -- who plotted to adopt Jason -- flew past him, startling him and causing him to fall backwards to the ground. Jason was knocked unconscious, and Gus and Kit decided to go get the principal to help. --Vampire Tales#8/3 |
images: (without ads)
Vampire Tales#8/3, pg. 1, panel 1 (Jason, Gus, & Kit running through grounds at night);
panel 2 (Cunningham bat flying over grounds);
panel 4 (Jason, Gus, & Kit full)
pg. 2, panel 1 (Jason, Gus, & Kit faces);
panel 4 (Ol' Bailey full);
pg. 3, panel 4 (Jason climbing O' Bailey);
pg. 4, panel 5 (Mr. Peterson and nurse Stanton, upper profile);
pg. 5, panel 1 (nurse Stanton examining Jason);
panel 2 (Peterson, face in slight shadow);
panel 4 (Peterson, surprised face);
pg. 6, panel 1 (Jason in mall);
panel 3 (Jason and Cunningham in mall);
panel 5 (Peterson; frontal, hips up; Kit giving news to Jason);
Appearances:
Vampire Tales#8/3: "The Inheritance" (December, 1974) - Carla & Gerry Conway (writers), Alfredo Alcala (artist), Marv Wolfman (editor), Tony Isabella (consulting editor)
First posted: 07/31/2022
Last updated: 07/31/2022
Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.
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