The Return of the Werewolf

Happy Leap Year... and I hope everyone had a fantastic February. As this month winds down it's time for a very different, gorgeously illustrated kind of werewolf tale today. Notice that the signature in the opening splash panel says “Harold Williams.” GCD lists the actual pencils here came from EC legend Al Williamson using a pseudonym.

From the Feb-March 1951 issue of Out of the Night #1

To see more Al Williamson ACG horror check the Friday, February 29, 2008 post at The Golden Age Comic Book Stories Blog for Demon of Destruction! It's a tremendous story co-created with Frank Frazetta!

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Coming Next in March:

We’re kicking off the new month tomorrow with a full week of blood sucking, stake hating, garlic loathing, mirror rejecting vampire stories! So strap on your crucifixes and say your prayers people because first up comes The King of them all--- DRACULA! It’s an epic, four part, 3 day story you von’t vant to miss!

Picture of Hell

Here’s another fine example of early Joe Kubert horror. I apologize in advance for the state of these scans, this story comes from the one issue in my collection that apparently spent more time underwater than is comic bookily possible. Still, with all of the color smudges and mold stains Kubert’s art is so damn strong it literally bursts right through all the muck like it wasn’t even there. Maybe Joe sold his soul too, eh?

From the October 1952 issue of Strange Terrors #3

Drive-In Double Feature (TRAILERS)

The Velvet Vampire and Scream of the Demon Lover!

House of Death

For the reader who ordered one spurting impaling panel with their haunted house main course today, heavy on the atmosphere but with an extra side of tutti fruitti color scheme. Aaaaiiiiiii!

From the March 1953 issue of Beware Terror Tales #6

Fawcett Horror (ADS)

Here’s a small gallery of cool Fawcett horror comicbook ads, you gotta love how inspired some of the taglines are… “If the dead could be frightened back to life!” and “To pry loose the lid of musty coffins and unleash eerie and terrible beings beyond all imagination!” On a few occasions these comics actually delivered what they promised.

***Tokyo Pop Horror Winner***

Congratulations to Scott Standridge of Little Rock Arkansas, he’s the big winner of our Tokyo Pop Horror Giveaway.

Thanks again to everyone who entered. If you didn’t win don’t fret, I already have another contest / giveaway planned for early next month so come back often and keep trying!

I Have to Kill!

For those of you belly achin’ cuz’a the invisible kiddie tale today, here’s an Atlas classic that’s a little more up to our traditional snuff… uh, stuff.

From the hot July 1952 issue of Spellbound #5

A-Haunting We Will Go

After last week's assault of severed shrunken heads, bodies sewn together, and flesh eating graveyard ghouls, how about a fun little story that you can actually read with your kids? Yes, call me a wimpy kook but here’s a harmless adventure about a kid with the one power in the world people of all ages wished they too could possess--- THE POWER OF INVISIBILITY! Oh the things I could do if no one could see me. (NOTE: This power is only equal to the other awesome powers of stopping time, or x-ray vision.)
Invisible Boy one-shot, from the March '53 issue of Approved Comics #2
Cover painting by Norm Saunders

The Strange Case of the Absent Floor

Mr. Door Tree had some really nice wash covers by Jerry Grandenetti on display over at his Golden Age Comic Book Stories blog last Monday, so to compliment those posts I have one of my favorite Grandenetti creations for you today too--- From the Secret Files of Dr. Drew! Presented here in his very first appearance, Dr. Drew became an ongoing staple in Fiction House’s Rangers Comics, starting with issue #47 in 1949, where he subsequently stalked the unknown all the way to issue #60 until 1951.

Originally presented in the June 1949 issue of Ranger Comics #47

Plasma Kreaps (TOYS)

More killer new monster toys for the kid still trapped and screaming inside of you. Mega Brands has a growing variety in their “Plasmaverse” toy line featuring dinosaurs, dragons, and robots… but their newest line called Plasma Kreaps is really freakin’ awesome with a vampire, werewolf, mummy, zombie, and gargoyle. My favorite though is the Harryhausen-esque skeletal, bat-winged Ghoul (pictured below!) The figures come in their own slimy plasma sack and sealed inside an old crate (just like Fluffy from Creepshow!) They’re fun to put together, fully posable and very articulate, and the limbs are even interchangeable with the other figures. I found them at K-Mart for $4.99 each. My kid would probably love ‘em if I ever gave him a chance to play with one.

Click HERE for more info!

Ghost of the Gorgon

My 4 year old son watched Clash of the Titans for the first time a few weeks ago and was unnaturally fascinated by the scene with the gorgon. So fascinated in fact was he that he’s been walking around simply saying the word “gorgon” over and over to the point where if I hear it again I’ll surely turn to stone. Which brings me to today’s beautifully illustrated post from John Bell... the flimsy story doesn't really go anywhere but damn it sure looks nice.

From Ghost Comics #10 (1954)No GCD entry exists for this issue