The Carpenter's Cursed Creature

The final freak-out story from the August 1952 issue of Web of Mystery #12, (and yep, another FULL ISSUE presentation here at THOIA, check the last 3 posts, as well as The Silver Bell of Doom already in the archive from way back 2008!) And OMG-- did I save the bat shittin' best yarn for last?! Let's take a vote on this crazy ass collection of Ace classics, shall we?

The Footlight Furies

Another gem from the August 1952 issue of Web of Mystery #12, highlighted by sexy female blood sucker art by Chic Stone. An interesting, underlying theme behind this tale too, in regards to naive people reaching for fame and fortune...

The Arm of Tatra Magis

Spooky zombie art by Ken Rice highlights this horror adventure yarn about an undead mongol army rising again-- plus an evil severed arm containing supernatural powers to boot! Hang onto your own limbs, this one is a frighteningly fun ride into darkness! From the August 1952 issue of Web of Mystery #12.

"Hack, Hack, Sweet Has-Been" or "What Ever Happened To Good Taste?"

Annnnnd here we go-- I promised you guys something different, and while I have delivered a few MAD Magazine posts in the past, I've yet to submit this kooky spoof that spearheads the Hollywood trend (at the time) of casting glamorous 1920's, 30's and 40's Golden Age actresses into B-horror film roles of the 50's and 60's. Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwick, the list goes on, and as film history has shown, while they aged gracefully and reached their own "golden years" in life, the youth obsessed film industry either turned their backs on them completely, or cast them in campy trash classics like Trog. Or, in the case of today's post, "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte" meets "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?" Some actresses actually prospered in this new age of horror cinema, while unfortunately, others did not. And while I'm not super fond of the stale arsenal of age jokes here that make fun of some of my all-time favorite leading ladies, I certainly do love the magnificent Mort Drucker artwork, as well as the very idea of all these wonderful women coming together for a murderous axe party in a dreary old house! Originally featured in the January 1966 issue of MAD #100, script by Larry Siegel. Enjoy, and we'll see you next month-- IN COLOR!

Stand-In For Death

As promised, here's the final story in L. Miller's black and white, lo-fi Mystic #30 reprint from 1963, which is actually a complete reprint of This Magazine is Haunted #1 from October 1951. So come on creeps, hop aboard this hellish ferry of the dead for a ride into the unknown! Art by George Evans.

HAUNTED HORROR #27 DOUBLE FEATURE

The final installment of Mr. Karswell's 3-issue "HORRORS OF IT ALL" thrillogy, aka HAUNTED HORROR #27 is finally in stores NOW, and Mr. K has a deadly double feature sampling of depraved sickness from said dead issue to gouge you right in your sockets! The Eyes of Horror first appeared in the June 1952 issue of Mysterious Adventures #8, while Modern Design originally made its debut in the March-April 1953 issue of Mister Mystery #10. I've included the original cover of Crime Mysteries #3 below as well so you can see and compare the type of editorial choices we occasionally make for the better of our own HH cover designs, we hope no one minds the changes. And apologies for the delay as I was in NYC for a few days and not able to update THOIA on the actual release date. So get it now-- get it while it's rotten!!





























And I know, I still owe you guys one final story from that Mystic reprint-- it's coming up NEXT!