It just wouldn't be October without at least one weird stroll down the old treacherous path of lycanthropy, and this month's entry from the April 1978 issue of Scary Tales #13, illustrated by Alfredo De Elias, certainly fills the hairy scary bill nicely! Not to mention, that ominous orange and black, Mignola-esque cover design (also by Alfredo), absolutely defines Halloween... so hold onto your fangs, this is a wild one!
We made a bunch of macabre monsters in our previous Landor post HERE, and now --with the help of Boris Karloff-- it's time to make another! But be warned, if you choose to play a monster, be extra careful that you don't actually become one, too! I love a good stormy night of horror inside an atmospheric, seaside cliff mansion! From the June 1972 issue of Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery #41, with story art by Hy Eisman, and cover painting by the great George Wilson.
I have a thing for female freaks, and nobody did it better than Bob Powell back in the earliest issues of Speed Comics with his classic, Landor "Maker of Monsters" quickies. Actually, many people have done it better, (before and since), but did they do it with as much fun as this? Also yes. But maybe they weren't drawn as good? Well, sure they were... I guess what I'm trying to sell you here today is a Triple Feature of Mad Scientist Terror. So now you ask, "But did anyone else ever do it this terrifying?" Oh yeah, waaaay more people have. This stuff isn't even that scary, tbh. But did they do it with as much originality? Of course they did, and have, and will continue to do. Anyway, what I'm really trying to say is that I love stories about creepy crawlin' cat women, and evil swoopin' bat babes, and dead dames revived to do dastardly deeds, all in the name of world conquering, wack-a-doodle science! So there, that's what I've been trying to say. Now prepare yourself for Sina, Creeta, Carda, and a two foot tall killer kitten, --plus a ding dong couple who just can't seem to stay away from the world's most ineffective, but undeniably inspired super-loser villain. From Speed Comics #2, #6, and #7 (1939 - 1940.)
Time to get October all lit up with a good 'ol witch burning from the November 1954 issue of Journey into Mystery #19. Ed Winiarski pulls out a couple of obvious Jack Davis facial swipes here and there, but still manages to conjure up a bit of odd originality as well. And like I even need to say it, but stay tombed here and at AEET for lots rots more all month...
And as the final day of September 2025 winds down, so does THOIA's lurid 'n lovin' look at superhero horror this month. And we're closing it out right where we started it all at the beginning of September-- with another Lash Lighting and Lightning Girl adventure! This one's a whopper at 16 pages, but it's fast paced and full of great dialog and action (though if you're tired of young men with firearms in our daily news, we've unfortunately got that covered as well.) And it's all credited to Harvey Kurtzman-- yep, you read that right-- story and art! Dig that splash, (and the cute cobra!), and then keep with it because the last half of this story goes underground and really picks up speed! And because I had some other hero horror stuff already pulled, (but not enough time to post it all), we might see a few more caped tales in October during our Halloween 2025 Horrorthon. I have some extra creepy cool stuff lined up, so please stay tombed as ever! From the December 1942 issue of Four Favorites #8.
