Saturday, October 25, 2008

They Strangle By Night

The ACE Fest continues into the evil hours of the weekend, and now with a theme--- DEADLY KILLER DOLLS! They’re cute, they’re tiny, THEY MURDER! For the next few days you’ll be peeking at your dolls (and action figures) out of the corners of your eyes--- guaranteed! Today’s tale in particular has one of my favorite final panels of all time, striking that fine balance between chilling and chuckle. "AAAARGH!"
From the January 1954 issue of Baffling Mysteries #19








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Another fabulous THOIA shirt photo rises from the eerie realm of the blogosphere, this time from noted author Michael Price, the man behind the Forgotten Horrors book series, as well as Human Monsters, Mantan the Funnyman, and more! It’s an honor to include Michael here at THOIA… and if you own a shirt and have not yet sent in your photo then don’t delay! Show the world how "Pre-Code" you are, and own a THOIA shirt today!


To find out more about Michael Price and his books click HERE!

18 comments:

blackwalnut2001 said...

Blackwalnut confesses a weakness for stories about killer dolls. Not even the wanton overuse of "AIEEEE" and "AAAARGH" can dull the edge of this fine yarn. You have MORE of these, you say? Be still my heart.

HALLOWEEN APPROACHETH!

AIEEEE! AAAARGH!

Tim Tylor said...

I dream of starting a Museum of Evil Dolls. I should probably quit the cheese suppers.

No season of evil dolls is complete without me posting a link to Mikael Oskarsson's skewiff horror-comic sendup The Doll.

Mr. Cavin said...

I was unfamiliar with the verb "to silver". Apparently, the moon acts in this way, silvering stuff. If "silvering" is anything like "bronzing", and the dictionary says it is, I guess this is really good news. We'll all be rich! Well, at least we'll all be really shiny!

Thanks, Karswell. I, too, like killer doll stories. They're the kitsch of horror!

Unknown said...

The doll is a better writer than actress.

Tim Tylor said...

The doll is a better writer than actress.
She's a bit wooden.

Mr. Cavin said...

"She's a bit wooden."

Maybe she's just board?

Anonymous said...

Ahh yes - more killer dolls! I have a weakness for them myself. This one with the creepy non-traditional grotesque dolls reminded me a lot of the puppet master movies - maybe the writer as a young boy read this very same comic??

DrSpecter said...

Alternate title: The Devil Wore lederhosen. In this case I believe "Aieee" is being used to indicate yodeling.

Anonymous said...

In a split-second, that man was cold sober!

In another split-second, he was dead!

That's some good stuff right there.

I must say, these Ace comics are really awesome! I've enjoyed every single story this week which doesn't happen all too often.

John Rozum said...

I think the killer doll is do for a huge comeback, just as zombies received a few years back. When I was in college, my roommate made me handcuff my Pee-Wee Herman ventriloquist doll to a pipe, becasue she knew one night she'd find it standing over her with a knife in its hand. I told her that handcuffing him was just going to be instigation. Pee-Wee's never forgiven me.

Prof. Grewbeard said...

i have to say these Ace stories have been some of the most entertaining i've read on THOIA. that last panel is awesome! and i think i've finally decided on my epitaph- "AAAARGH!"

Mr. Karswell said...

More KILLER DOLLS tomorrow my friends... in fact, they're DEVILISH DOLLS OF DEATH!!

Don't miss it.

Anonymous said...

TERRIFIC STORY AND I AGREE WITH YOU AND THE PROFESSOR, THAT'S ONE GREAT CREEPY CLOSING PANEL.......

THE MICHAEL PRICE BOOKS LOOK INTERESTING, THERES ALOT OF STUFF ON THE SITE THAT I'D LOVE TO CHECK OUT ACTUALLY. THANKS!

Mr. Karswell said...

>THE MICHAEL PRICE BOOKS LOOK INTERESTING

Totally forgot to mention too (for those of you interested in pre code horror) that Michael Price is also working on an Iger Studios book, that, in his words "is shaping up as half-scholarship and half-parody."

More from Michael: "The individual (Iger Studios) stories have fascinated me all along on grounds of their erratic artistry, overwrought and redundant writing, and doomy nihilism – perhaps a more concise microcosm than even E.C. Comics or the Biro books of the provocations that, uh, provoked the Comics Code Authority into being. I’m working on these pieces via huge TIFF scans of the pulpwood pages, primarily to correct the off-register color printing and pulp-stock deterioration without sacrificing the prevailing leprous coloration. Preservation of the authentic writing is another matter – more inclined at this point to play “What’s Up, Tiger Lily” with the dialogue. No telling where this exercise is heading, but the experience has proved sufficiently engaging to persist."

Looking forward to it Michael, and good luck with it. Keep checking THOIA for more updates on this project!

Anonymous said...

I only have one thing to say: That little strangling doll's laughing is waaaay to big for her tiny body.

Anonymous said...

This was a fantastic story! I've never taken much notice of the ACE pre-code horror books but am going to start collecting them!

Marc Burkhardt said...

I'm late to this party ... but I have to say that story was awesome. Love the idea of a little dolly stalking people once a month until eternity ...

Mr. Karswell said...

>I've never taken much notice of the ACE pre-code horror books but am going to start collecting them!

And thus the point of my blog converts another! Good luck hunting back issues Hugomarink, but I better not find you outbidding me on ebay--- or else!