Witch of Death (+CONTEST!)

Happy Hallowe’en everyone--- our day has finally arrived! I hope each and every one of you has a seriously safe, yet horrifyingly bloody good time tonight. I also hope the two stories I post today help get you even further into the spooky spirit of things. And we kick it off with a witchy tale from the May 1954 issue of Web of Evil #14. If this one doesn’t set your All Hallow’s mood and mind frame to HORROR OVERLOAD then the Lou Cameron story that follows most definitely will. Enjoy!

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***THOIA HALLOWEEN 2008 CONTEST!***Kind of a last minute concept I threw together here, but what the Hell… it’s Hallerin! And as long as you all have on your costumes today/tonight, how’s about you and a friend snap a pic of yourself all dolled-up together and send it to me? But there is a twist. And the reason I mention a friend is because of this:

See the THOIA banner up there at the top of my blog with the skeleton choking the lady? Yeah?

YOU MUST RECREATE THAT SCENE IN YOUR COSTUMES.
And FYI: You don’t have to be a skeleton. Or a lady. You don’t even have to be choking someone. But you do have to be doing something horrific in your costume to the other person. So come on everybody, just do it. Kill your friend and send me the pic. You know you’re going to be in your costume anyway, just have fun and do it--- kill--- Kill--- KILL!! Extra consideration awarded to: Any degree of serious bloodshed, decapitations and mutilations, Satanism, nudity, or basically anything that would be deemed as “Seducing the Innocent.” The winner and victim both get a THOIA shirt and some additional extra surprises (still to be determined.) And as a bonus the winners will also be the guest star of my banner all next week!

Contest starts anytime on Halloween, and ends on Sunday night, November 2nd, so basically you have all weekend to put something together and email it to me at karswell@hotmail.com

One final detail: Who wants to play judge?

UPDATE: Mike Howlett, author of the forthcoming WEIRD WORLD OF EERIE PUBLICATIONS book, has graciously offered his judgemental services for our Halloween 2008 Costume Murderathon. All photos you send to me will be forwarded to him where he will make his final choice by midnight November 2nd. Winner will be announced the following day, and my banner will be updated with your most splendid atrocity act. I also want to extend a permanent invitation to everyone who can't get a photo in by Sunday night (like if you're doing an old school style photo developement drop off at Walgreens or something) that you can send a Halloween photo to me anytime, as I too will be forever judging and offering special runner up prizes until Doomsday.

Good luck, have fun, and kill with style!

---Karswell

Out of the Black Night

So you escaped the Witch from the Web of Evil, only to find that you have now fallen into the September 1953 issue of Web of Mystery #20! AIEEEE! Lou Cameron adds some truly worthy vampire chills to the final hours of the most awesomest of mother f’n awesome holidays. See you all tonight at midnight in the graveyard… and don't forget about the THOIA Halloween Contest too!

TOMORROW: Halloween isn't over! Come with us for a spine chilling, 2-Day, weekend getaway to--- SLEEPY HOLLOW! AIEEEE again!

The Thing That Lived Again!

Oh how I have neglected my King! How is it possible that I have not posted a King Ward story since last May?! If you’re not familiar with this one of a kind artist then today you are in for a real tricky treat. One of my absolute favorite ACG artists of them all, his unique line style, odd cinematic angles, and brooding, moody atmosphere combine to make something truly otherworldly and freakishly frightening. 

From the Sept. ‘51 issue of Adventures into the Unknown #23

FYI: I have four more horrifically terrific King Ward classics in my archives too! Click HERE for all of them--- if you haven't already done so!

The Witch in the Woods

Stan Lee and Joe Sinnot were the perfect "Team-Up" for this dark and twisted variation on the classic Hansel and Gretel tale, from the September 1953 issue of Menace #7.

COMING NEXT ON HALLOWEEN: Take a guess? Yeah, more vampires and witches. But this time it’s vampyrs and witcheez from Lou Cameron and Al Hartley! Bet that woke you up from your ancient slumber… tis finally the Season of the Witch after all.

Pages of Death

With Hallowe’en just a few days away, the wide world o’blog is undoubtedly offering you lots and lots of Dracula this week. But not us. Simply put--- THOIA can’t afford him. Hell, we can’t even afford Blacula, let alone Count Duckula, Chocula, Smokula, Bunnicula, or Rockula. So, all apologies, today instead we offer you Count Tracula, from the July 1952 issue of Journey into Fear #8. He’s bald. But also let it be known that he is actually the least ridiculous aspect of this truly obnoxious story.

Okay, you’ve read the story now, show of hands: Who thought Alvin was more of a crackpot than Tracula?

Also! Don't miss a thing over at Pappy's house, he's running Hallowe'en horrors all week. And lots of creepy stuff (old and new) over at The Fortress as well.

Drag-Ula! & Count Varicose

And finally today, here are a couple humorous vampire tales to wet your crimson whistle and tickle your funny veins. The first tale is from the January 1954 issue of Crazy #2, illustrated by my hero Bill Everett… it’s really really funny (if you can actually read it.) I believe Pappy posted this one over at his blog a while back but here it is again for anyone who missed it.

Plus a silly 70’s Silver Age Drac spoof from Marvel called Count Varicose, from the September 1975 issue of ARRGH #5.

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Plus more fun over at Magic Carpet Burn with Gold Key's The Little Monsters, HERE! TOMORROW: Witch Overkill!