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. And those of you who are really observant may recognize a familiar killer kitty slinking around this tale too!

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.

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TCM’s 48 Hours of Horror!

30 Films. 48 Hours of Horror. What more could you possibly want? Oh yeah, the list:

The Thing from Another World (’51)
Mad Love (’35)
The Beast with Five Fingers (’46)
I Walked with a Zombie (’43)
Curse of the Demon (’58) Karswell’s Favorite!
The Gorgon (’64)
Mr. Sardonicus (’61)
The Tomb of Ligeia (’64)
The Tingler (’59)
House of Usher (’60)
Dead of Night (’45) Highly Recommended!
Torture Garden (’67)
Twice Told Tales (’63)
Kwaiden (’64)
Spirits of the Dead (68)
Cat People (’42)
Freaks (’32)
The Devil Doll (’36)
Mark of the Devil (’35)
The Devil Bat (’40)
White Zombie (’32)
The Body Snatcher (’45)
Bedlam (’46)
The Ghoul (’33)
The Haunted Palace (’63)
Die, Monster, Die! (’65)
The Shuttered Room (’66)
The Dunwich Horror (’70)
Blood Feast (’63)
Two Thousand Maniacs (’64)

That’s quite a clawful of Castle, Corman, Lewton, Browning, H.G. Lewis, Karloff and Lovecraft… and of special interest: the big block of pre-code-esque horror anthology films on Thursday evening.

For all info and show times in your area check TCM now!

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!

The Raven Sisters

Today we lead off with another wild ACG tale, where (damn it!) typical blonde headed goodness once again triumphs over sexy, raven haired witchery. I can’t wait for the day when I finally get to see things resolved the other way around... f’realz.

From the June-July 1952 issue of Out of the Night #3

*Excerpt from COME BACK by the MISFITS

(listen)

Somewhere Waits the Vampire

From the May 1954 issue of Journey into Unknown Worlds #27 comes a horrifically romantic, atmospheric vampire tale with a twist, from the great Paul Reinman.

TOMORROW: A "3-for-1" Fake Dracula Fest?!

The Vampires Strike

And so begins THOIA’s Halloween 2008 Vampire & Witch Assault (if you missed the memo please check yesterday’s post for the details.) And we kick off the final week of October with a blood suckin’ George Wilhelm classic from the July 1952 issue of Forbidden Worlds #7 (the print job here rather sucks too, but messy spills of red somehow strangely improve a horror story, especially one about vampires!)

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Two somewhat underrated 70’s horror films find their way to DVD tomorrow in spiffy new “SPECIAL EDITION” versions from Synapse Films. I actually like THIRST quite a bit, PATRICK I need to see again but I remember it being pretty decent too.

(Click images below for more info!)

They Called Her a Witch!

It's my opinion that Atlas was definitely The Kings of the short and sweet “filler” terror tale. Need proof? Here’s the first one of the week, and plenty more to come… but it can hardly be called “filler” (or sweet) with such great Russ Heath art and an ending like this!

From the July 1952 issue of Mystic #10

TOMORROW: More wampires and vitches!

Devilish Dolls of Death

Today we finish up our week-long look at ACE Comics with one last Deadly Killer Dolls tale from the November 1952 issue of Hand of Fate #14. I hope everyone enjoyed the horrors this week, and tomorrow marks the start of the OFFICIAL THOIA HALLOWEEN 2008 ASSAULT. (More details after today’s story.)

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Authentic Zuni Fetish Doll

Long before Chucky was just a gleam in the Devil’s jeans, there was Trilogy of Terror '75, starring Karen Black vs. a vicious, razor-fanged zuni fetish doll bent on her destruction. Now immortalized, presumably for your own destruction, this 13-inch, faithful replication is just like the one in the movie and available to own!

Click HERE for more info and to order / die now...

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THOIA HALLOWEEN 2008 ASSAULT

Those of you that were with me last year through the final week of October / Halloween '07 might remember the gaggle o'great All Hallow’s Eve inspired pre-code stories I posted (check the back archives if you missed it.) But having seriously blown my orange and black themed wad with everything I had in my collection at the time, the big question was what to do this year to top it? And realizing I couldn’t possibly just "top it", I came to the conclusion to just "out do it" with quantity, and that means MORE stories PER day. So for the next five days, every single day this week (up to Halloween night), you’ll get TWO stories. Yep. EVERY DAY, Mon - Fri.

The other thing I asked myself was this: what defines Halloween to me? It was a tough question, and after much thought and process of extermination, I came up with--- Vampires and Witches! So for the next five days, every day, THOIA will play host to the greatest collection of vampire and witch stories you ever did see. You guys like vampires and witches right? Who doesn’t… plus! the usual assortment of other bonus goodies and horror stuffin’s you’ve come to expect. Don’t miss a single day... because the REAL Halloween Countdown has just begun!

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!

The Monster Maker

Feeling like yesterday’s post didn’t quite meet the Monster Overload Quota that I was hoping for, I present to you "The Monster Maker" from the January 1954 issue of Baffling Mysteries #19. Its a hot little story to wrap up our dreary work week... and don’t forget, our Ace Fest is far from over.

THIS SATURDAY & SUNDAY DON’T MISS---

DEADLY KILLER DOLLS WEEKEND!

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TCM Horror Weekend

Lots of thrill chill classics on TCM this weekend: Saturday its The Picture of Dorian Gray (’45), Psycho (’60), Peeping Tom (’60), Kiss Me Deadly (’55), Straight-Jacket (’64), The Honeymoon Killers (’70), and Homicidal (’61.) Then, on Sunday it’s The Birds (’63), The Unknown (’27), Vampyr (’32), and closing the show with two early Karloff creakers: The Black Room (’35), and Before I Hang (’40.)

As usual, check TCM for more info and show times in your area.

Vengeance of the Undead

From the August 1951 issue of Web of Mystery #4 creeps this morbid monster mash of murder and mayhem. I guess after the last few days of intelligent Ace originals, this one comes off as merely a crypt kicker o’brainless fun. (Kind of like comparing a classy Hammer film with a balls to the wall El Santo production.) Enjoy!

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Kitbuilder’s Magazine Monstrous Weekend

So, unless you’ve been living under a tombstone shaped rock for the last few months, this weekend, October 24th, 25th, and 26th is the first ever horror convention to invade St Louis Missouri. Kitbuilder’s Magazine Monstrous Weekend, featuring George Romero and most of the cast from the original Night of the Living Dead, reuniting here to celebrate the film’s 40th Anniversary. Also on hand: Tom Savini, Adrianne Barbeau, Dee Wallace, Tura Satana, and more! Lots of dealers selling horror collectables, plus live music, movie screenings, model kit and costume contests, artists, etc… it’s gonna be a scream! Click HERE for all the details!

FYI: Karswell and fellow THOIAsters Dr. Phibes, DeSadie Blaze, and Junker 138 will be there schmoozin’ on Saturday. Hope to meet ‘n greet (and eat) some of you too, so drop me a line if you’re going!

The Terror of Dread Isle

The Terror of Dread Isle might be the most original ACE story I post here all week, and saying this, it is also possible this tale borrows a bit from John W. Campbell’s Who Goes There? And though some of you are likely to disagree (as usual), today’s classic to me seems a bit more surreal and efficiently sophisticated than most pre-code stories published in the 50’s; it could definitely make a great movie today… though Hollywood would no doubt F-up the doom ending with something more happily safe and mundane.

From the November 1952 issue of The Beyond #17

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ALSO: Dr. Phibes writes in to remind everyone about the Halloween Horror DVD sale at Amazon: “They have many buy one get one free deals, and many for $6.99 or less…”

That’s right, click HERE to see all the titles available--- start beefing up your collection NOW!

And a big CONGRATS and THANKS to Laser who came in as THOIA "Follower" #100! Thanks to her and everyone (before and after) for adding on to our kooky lil clan. I'm truly honored to have you all aboard, and if you haven't added yourself yet please do so, it's free and easy with only a quick Google sign-up required.

Matango (TRAILER)

Or; Attack of the Mushroom People as it is more commonly known on our side of the planet. I’m posting this trailer to compliment today’s pre-code horror tale which is also about a group of people trapped on an isle of terror. Many blogs have been reviewing Matango lately with varying opinions, but despite the silly sounding premise I personally think it’s one of the best Japanese horror films ever made. See for yourself…

Treasure of the Dead & Mr. Spooky

Here’s another great example of Gene Colan’s work for Ace, from the same issue as yesterday’s story… I really like the sad, downbeat ending to this one.

From the November 1952 issue of The Beyond #17

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Mr. Spooky (BONUS STORY)

And speaking of ghost pirates, let’s take a look at this “unusually different, rib tickler.” It’s a kooky little tale from the Spooky Mysteries #1 one-shot released in 1946 by Lev Gleason and Your Guide Publications. Laugh along as you discover a whole new definition for “Seduction of the Innocent.”

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Spooky Mysteries #1 cover

I Walked at Midnight

Thus begins another All Ace Week. And kicking it off is a story that is visually unlike anything I’ve ever seen from this publisher (anyone know that artist?) …there are a couple panel grotesqueries in particular that would make even 'Ghastly' Graham Ingels shudder!

From the November 1952 issue of The Beyond #17

TOMORROW: Gene Colan--- and Mr. Spooky!

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Jerry Beck’s Animated Spooktacular

For those of you in Southern CA, tomorrow night, October 21st, animation historian Jerry Beck returns to The Cinefamily with a special show of the horrific characters, monstrous motifs and the creepiest concepts in classic animated cartoons from the 1930s to the 1960s. Frankenstein's Cat, Casper the Friendly Ghost and Milton the Monster join forces with the groovy ghoulies, screaming skulls and bloody best of animations past. Beck will also present several brand new "monsterrific" cartoons and special guest animators to discuss their ghastly influences. Rare 16mm and 35mm prints will be screamed -- err, screened.

For more info visit The Cinefamily by clicking HERE.

Marvin’s Monster

Pre-code lovers know the name Hy Fleishman for a very good reason; his top notch 50's horror work for infamous titles such as Dark Mysteries and Mysterious Adventures contain some of the absolute best, most visually gruesome stories ever. But what if Hy took a stab at horror parody, you ask? Look no further than right here… the man is an obvious genius in the MAD-esque vein as well.

From the March 1954 issue of Nuts #1

And for another great parody from this issue of Nuts #1, head over to Chuck’s Comic Book Catacombs today and see how A.C. Hollingsworth skewers Dick Tracy!

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"Pardon Me… Is My Ectoplasm Showing?"

Tomorrow, Monday the 20th, TCM is still spoopin’ the pook out of you with a great line-up of freaks ‘n creeps: The Ghost Ship (’43), The Seventh Victim (’43), Return of Doctor X (’39), The Mysterious Doctor (’43), The Woman in White (’48), The Haunting (’63), Topper (’37), and Topper Returns (’41.)

Check TCM for more info and show times in your area.

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And finally, THOIA reader Kyle Sims reports in with a review of this year's Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween HAUNT!

Knott’s Scary Farms: it’s crowded but it sure is scary! Seeing the traffic and the sign that said it was sold out on every previous night, I knew it was going to be a long and scary night. As soon as you check into the park at 7 PM, which is a long wait to get in (the second line to wait in if you stay at the Knott’s Berry Hotel), you have a number of malevolent characters that greet you once you check in, which is a great sign of things to come and really sets the mood by having screams coming from those who just checked into the park and are waiting for others (victims) as well. In fact, my wife was so busy looking for this pack of ghouls behind us that she did not see the next one dressed in like a ghost all in white who crept up in front of us, and scared her.

There is an eerie feel as you continue on and walk through the Frontiertown, which feels like a ghost town with the Western-looking facades, fog, creepy music, and ominous shadows awaiting you. My wife clutched onto me as I guided us through this area. Once this is passed through there is a regularly playing live action show that imitates Indiana Jones, but with more course language, gore, and laughs than its Disney-based counterpart. The Army of Darkness-esque ghouls even chase the Indiana look-alike to the Benny Hill theme song. The lines are long for the attractions, except for the water-themed Bigfoot Rapids ride, which can get you drenched (I told my wife the opposite, so she would go on it though—her shoes got soaked!). Unlike my family, I recommend going on this one towards the end of your visit so you can get wet without having to stay in the cold. Before and after we got on, there were different people getting sick in the same trash can near a roller coaster, so eat and drink lightly if you plan on riding the coasters.

There was also a long line for the Doll’s House haunted house attraction. I told my wife that this was a ride that she could opt out of at the last second, but she wasn’t buying my explanation after letting her get scared and then wet, so she jumped out of line at the last moment before the line moves right into the haunted house, with the entrance reminiscent of a scene right out of the Saw films, with a giant swinging porcelain baby’s head and ominous techno-music, reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails, playing in the background. This ride is very much like the best haunted mazes that set up in your town. My wife and her friend were accosted by a chainsaw-wielding maniac while waiting for us, so they had to jump back into the haunted house’s line! Given that they had to either be scared waiting for us or ride scary rides, my wife and her friend opted to go with the latter choice by entering on the free-feet hanging roller coaster the Silver Bullet. If you like being completely disoriented and sickened while on so many of the park’s rides, then this will prove to be your main motivator for riding the rides.

There were so many other rides like the roller coaster Boomerang, the “haunted” log ride, children’s rides modified into scary themes, and others, that we unfortunately missed. This was because we didn’t know what our pumpkin would turn into after midnight, so we had to go (we actually had to pick up out 2 year old son who was tucked in by Snoopy and then viewed a horror flick that he wanted to watch that was playing on the tube—luckily my cousin didn’t know that I didn’t care). However, the park stays open until 2 AM, so you have plenty of time to get scared and ride the attractions. Also, I would imagine that the park thins out the closer you get to closing, so it’s probably better to ride the rides later in the evening, but far cooler to watch people get scared by the monsters that roam the streets of Knott’s Scary Farm. Also, I believe that one can purchase a fast pass that will get you on the rides even faster—if you dare.

Personally, we got the “Bare Bones” package which included one night’s stay (starting at 4 PM with check-out at noon the next day) for about $180. This allows you to stay until closing with plenty of time to rest and get ready if traveling. You also get Knott’s Scary T-Shirts for everybody who stays! Well worth every penny!

Thanks for your time & post your questions to me,
Kyle Sims

For more info on Knott’s Scary Farm in Southern CA click HERE!

The Evil Terror?

Thought you logged onto the wrong blog today, didn’t ya? I am of course not one to delve too deeply into superhero territory around here, though some of you that have been with me for a while now may remember that I posted a wild Bill Everett Submariner story back in May (HERE.) Anyway, this Plastic Man story is essential here at THOIA today precisely for the fact that Plas and Woozy come face to face with a venomous vampire. It’s loads of fun, mildly spooky, real nice art (by Al Luster?) and hey, maybe some of you Hero Haters might be shocked to discover that you’re not so hateful after all… but I bet some of you will still gripe and complain anyway.

From the November 1953 issue of Plastic Man #43

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And tomorrow, Sunday the 19th, catch more great horror classics on TCM including: Village of the Damned (’60), House of Usher (’60), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (’23), Eyes without a Face (’60), and The Mystery of the Wax Museum (’33.)

Check TCM for more info and show times in your area.

The Ghost of Castle Karloff

Here’s a different kind of ghost tale, starring a spunky, Bettie Page look-alike trapped in a pulpy, supernatural nightmare of evil ‘n bondage. Hmmm… Karloff Castle, eh? Wonder how they came up with that? And I may be looking too much into the art here but does anyone else detect a few Bill Everett swipes? Classic front cover typo on this issue too--- zombie is spelled with two O’s?!

From the June 1952 issue of Strange Terrors #1

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TOMORROW: Paper or Plastic?

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Another night of great terror classics on TCM: The Stepford Wives (’75), Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (’76), Wicked Wicked (’73), and my favorite Hitchcock film Frenzy (’72.) Also, Saturday morning Joan Crawford in Berserk! (’67.)

Check TCM for more info and show times in your area.

Haunted House

Pre-code fans of Howard Nostrand are most familiar with his horror work for Harvey Comics, but today we have a great example of his awesome Jack Davis-esque style art, taken from one of just a handful of Atlas issues he worked on. It’s short, but it’s definitely sweet, and loads of spooky fun. And maybe it's not even Howard Nostrand, who knows...

From the Feb ’55 issue of Journey into Mystery #22

TOMORROW: A trip to Castle Karloff!

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The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard

October 28th from Del Rey, comes a hair raising collection of Robert E. Howard’s greatest horror tales, all in their original, definitive versions. Some of REH’s best-known characters roam the forbidding locales of the author’s fevered imagination, from the swamps and bayous of the Deep South to the fiend-haunted woods outside Paris, to remote jungles in Africa. This collection includes Pigeons from Hell, Black Canaan, Worms of the Earth, The Cairn on the Headland, and more!

Click HERE for more info and to pre-order now!

(Release Date Oct. 28th)

How to be a Gracious Ghost!

Originally printed in the June 1957 issue of Strange #2 (Ajax; Farrell), this is a fun little post-code horror parody of Charles Addams' Morticia character (and also Vampira), re-named “Emily Ghost” starring in her one and only comic book appearance ever. It’s too bad too, this is really really good stuff. Anyone know the artist?

Sign of the Smiling Spectre

We’ve reached the halfway point in our Ghost Stories Marathon this week; hope you’re enjoying the grim ghastliness… here’s a really creepy one from the August 1951 issue of Web of Mystery #4.

TOMORROW: Howard Nostrand--- and Emily Ghost!

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Bonus Quickie (same issue)

The Ghost’s Curse

In the pre-code 1950’s, Avon Publications put out a number of interesting “One-Shot” comics. Among the horror genre included: City of the Living Dead #1 (’52), Phantom Witch Doctor #1 (’52), Night of Mystery #1 (’53), Secret Diary of Eerie Adventures (’53), and of course Eerie Comics #1 (’47) which later became a 17 issue series beginning in 1951.

But today’s ghostly terror tale comes from the Dec. ‘52 issue of Diary of Horror #1, and features a truly nifty bit of cover art. It's a fun issue, I'll be posting another tale from it later this month.

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And just in case you’re wondering about those scantily clad, buxom young lasses on A. C. Hollingsworth’s classic bondage cover, I’ve also included the text story that tells what happened!

TOMORROW: More Ghosts!!

The Man Who Talked to Ghosts!

Here’s another spooker from the January 1953 issue of Strange Tales #14. This is a damn good issue all around, keep checking back for more stories from this one in the months to come. And today marks the start of a 5-day THOIA Ghost Stories Marathon too!

They’re Herrrrrre!

The Uninvited ‘44 (TRAILER)

“…a ghostly chill fills the air, and the living are clutched by the icy horror of the restless dead!”

The Grinning Skulls!

More shrieking severed head fun in the jungle as we round out our weekend of delightful decapitations... hope you enjoyed it.

From the January 1953 issue of Strange Tales #14

The Shrunken Head vs. Devil Drums

Two-For-One Day here at THOIA, with a big, grisly, 24 hour, Double (Severed) Header! Its Atlas voodoo vs. Harvey jungle witchcraft as Mac Pakula takes on Warren Kremer in this no holds barred fight to the death! Who will win? And whose shrunken head winds up on the dusty mantle for display between the stuffed Tijuana Toads and the Precious Moments?

From the January 1954 issue of Men’s Adventures #25

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DEVIL DRUMS

From the April 1953 issue of Black Cat Mystery #43

He Who Robs the Dead

Lou Cameron returns to THOIA today with a brilliant pre-code zombie shocker. Nice use of bones for panel borders on a few of the pages here, typically clever of Lou… artistic touches like this is what put Cameron miles above most of the other contributors working at Ace. Also, I apologize for the rat chews on the top corners of each page; you’ll have to fill in a couple narrative blanks here and there yourself, but overall you shouldn’t have any real trouble following the story. And if you do I'll give you a full goddamn refund.

From the June 1954 issue of Hand of Fate #23

SATURDAY & SUNDAY it's--- Shrunken Head Weekend!

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Tomorrow on TCM

A handful of classic chills ‘n thrills airing throughout the day on Saturday October 14th, including: The Haunting (’63), Targets (’68), 13 Ghosts (’60), Hitchcock’s Spellbound and Rebecca, and more!

Check TCM for more info and show times in your area.

Death from the Depths

Welcome to our 4th and final tale from the March 1954 issue of Adventures into the Unknown #53. It’s a fun, action packed tale of terror, chocked full of idiotic researchers doing idiotic things, all in the name of sheer idiocy.

Hope you enjoyed this full issue presentation… if you want to see more "TrueVisision 3D" classics from ACG in the future just drop me a line and let me know.

TOMORROW: He Who Robs the Dead

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Tales of the Callamo Mountains

Larry Blamire, writer-director behind the cult favorite THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA gets serious with this creepy collection of western horror stories. Atmospheric, suspenseful, grotesque and occasionally amusing, these thirteen trips to the unknown Old West range from pulp mystery-thriller to ghost story to sci-fi horror, all set around a mysterious mountain range where folks just seem to have trouble settling.

For more info click HERE!

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UNCLE FREDDY by Tobin Fields

Check out more art from Tobin by clicking right HERE!

The Haunted Hunchback

Tale #3 from the March 1954 issue of Adventures into the Unknown #53 is a wonderfully woeful, tragically romantic tear-jerker from beyond the grave, and for those of you with a fetish for hunchbacks (or yellow vests), this just might make your week.

One more story from this issue to go, see it tomorrow!

TOMORROW: Death from the Depths!

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TrueVision Ads

Even the ads in this issue were given the “3D” black border treatment... and if something pops out at you from the DRAW! ad example below, please do not blame me.

The Head Man

Story #2 in our look at the March 1954 issue of Adventures into the Unknown #53. Soooo, who’s going to be the first one to crack the most obvious joke possible about the title of today’s story?

TOMORROW: The Haunted Hunchback!

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Good Stuff on DVD Today:

The Picture of Dorian Gray (’45)

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (50th Anniversary Edition)

The Wolpire

As mentioned yesterday, we’ll be looking at the March 1954 issue of Adventures Into the Unknown #53 this week. All 4 stories in this issue are illustrated by Harry Lazarus and feature ACG’s gimmicky, though none the less highly attractive “3D effect” process labeled “TrueVision” which began in issue #51. The tagline “Life & Color – Without Glasses” can be defined simply by the fact that they blackened all the page borders and occasionally had a character’s limb or some random object break out of a panel. This is 3D. And this my friends is the day of--- The Wolpire!

TOMORROW: The Head Man!

Horror Holds the Reins

Stink of Death Weekend continues (and ends) with one final, fetid, noxious offering from the March 1954 issue of Strange Mysteries #16.

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TOMORROW: We take a 4 day look at ACG’s cool but totally phony “TrueVision” 3-D. “Life & Color – Without Glasses!” It’s Adventures into the Unknown #53, in its entirety!

The Amulet of Terror

Welcome to THOIA’s Stink of Death Weekend. Why’s it stink, you ponder? Well, because today and tomorrow you shall bare witness to two of the most foul smelling creatures in pre-code comic history. Don’t believe me? Read on then brave soul, and just try not to hold your nose!

From the March 1951 issue of The Beyond #3

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Eerie Archives Vol. 1

Slithering upon the heels of Dark Horse's archive collections of the seminal horror comics magazine Creepy comes its terror-filled cousin publication Eerie! 240 pages of terror, includes the work of Gray Morrow, Frank Frazetta, Alex Toth, Neal Adams, Joe Orlando, and others! In stores this December! $49.95

Click HERE for more info

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THOIA CONTEST WINNER RESULTS!

Direct from the faux mouth of guest Judge Dr. Phibes, here are the results of our “Haunt from the Sea” contest:

Phibes says: I would first like to point out that my judging reasons are too complex for you mere mortals to comprehend, but I will try:

First place goes to Absinthe of Gloomy Sunday. She used the term "unholy grotto". Bravo! I like the open ending too. Plus it had a woman's touch, which makes me think of my poor Victoria......

And the Second place Runner Up prize goes to Michael Price. I liked the visual presentation, including the comic book font. He mentioned the creature was trying to re-conquer the human race, so you know there is some great back story here. Plus, Michael's last name is Price. Price is a special name to Dr. Phibes.

I also have to give special mention to Mr. Cavin. This guy put a lot of work into his submission and did have the most complicated story. Now if Karswell is done making demands on my time, I can get back to the building of my Death Ray Machine. I shall see all of you who have crossed me soon! –Dr. Phibes

The Doc has spoken! Winner’s please email me your shirt sizes and mailing address and I’ll get your prizes to you pronto. Thanks again to everyone who played. I personally would like to give an extra special mention to these fabulous contributors as well: Silvano, Tim Tylor, Fred, The Fortress Keeper, Todd Franklin, Roger Howell, Jonathan Crimmins, John Kaminski, Jamie Wilson, Tony, Philip Fox, and Sharox.

And now, the winning submission / conclusion from Absinthe:

The pale, lifeless body floated to the depths like a petal torn from a white rose. The ugly sea creature, ancient yet wise rose to gather his choosen one to his breast. Down, down, down he dragged his goddess to his unholy grotto far beneath the waves. Past darkened corridors and strange chambers he swam, past strange hieroglyphics on the wall and pools of noxious light thrown by trapped luminous fish to the altar. He had lived alone all these eons waiting for the right one to come and be his bride, guarding the body of his past mate - the vessel of her soul. There amongst glowing corral, ensconced in foul gelatine lay the lifeless body of another sea creature, his soul mate, his beloved. He lay the dead human on top of her and began his preparations. Strange concoctions were scattered upon her and invocations chanted in a guttural watery voice. For many days he continued the ancient rites until finally he was finished and collapsed from exhaustion and lack of food. When finally he came to again he looked into the eyes of the girl, but they were different, more primal, more passionate - a mirror to the soul, the soul of his beloved now housed in a new modern body. He turned her head gently from side to side and saw the gills were easily camouflaged under the long red locks. Now all that remained was for him to find a new body for himself . . .

And Michael Price's rad runner up submission too:

Horror Comix

Tim Beard writes in: “…don't know if you follow the comic strip Lio or not but I thought that you would enjoy today's installment. I figured if anyone else could appreciate this that it would be you.”

Thank you Tim! Oh this is good, and strangely enough, Lio artist Mark Tatulli pegged my eyes and hair perfectly (FYI: I’m the one in the bushes!) For more Lio click HERE. And I command you to also see Tim Beard’s incredible works of art HERE too.

Help Us to Die!

The search for eternal life (in liquid form) takes a typically macabre turn towards the horrific in this nicely illustrated terror tale from the October 1953 issue of Eerie #13. You totally gotta love that mummy! Can anyone name the artist here?

Also: This is the last day to get your scenario in for the THOIA “Haunt from the Sea” Contest. All entries must be in by midnight tonight so that Dr. Phibes has time to decide your fate. Will you win, or will you perish as horribly as did the doctors that carelessly murdered his wife? Ooops, I promised Phibes I wouldn’t keep bringing that up... sorry Doc!

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Teen-Age Dope Slaves (AUCTION) UPDATE: Sold for $786.50

Any time a copy of the 1952 issue of Teen-Age Dope Slaves #1 (aka Harvey Comics Library #1) shows up on eBay it’s always a cause for excitement. Some of you might not consider it worthy for inclusion here at THOIA, but this is still a superbly notorious “SOTI” pre-code comic, and as you can see from the outrageous price that it’s currently fetching on eBay, it is one incredibly desirable 50’s collectible. I love watching auctions like this…

(click image for auction)

Also, if anyone has a copy of this comic that they’d care to share with us for a future post please contact me. Thank you!

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Help Us Get High!

Sky-rocketing price of Teen-Age Dope Slaves got you down? Tonight, TCM has something special for that slobbery slave inside all of us. (Kids, don’t do drugs ---Ed.) It’s a late night triple feature of pre-code drug scare classics... yes, 3 hours of insanely overblown glimpses into shattered innocence and the dangers of deadly, umm, pot addiction, 30's style: Reefer Madness (1936), Marihuana (1936), and The Cocaine Fields (1938.)

So if you’re not too stoned (and you know who I'm talking to Bong Dylan Breath), check TCM for more info and show times in your area.

Pool of the Skeletons

From the December 1953 issue of Tales of Horror #8, (the same issue that brought us yesterday’s Big Snake classic), comes a tale so sweet, so cuddly, it’s sure to warm the cockles of your heart with overflowing waves of joy and…

REMINDER: You've got two days to get in on the THOIA "Haunt from the Sea" Contest. Check last Tuesday's post for all the details!

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The Mask ‘61 (DVD NEWS)

One of my all-time favorite 60’s psych-horror classics finally hits DVD this week! SYNOPSIS: A psychiatrist is plunged into a nightmarish world of terror after receiving a strange mask that causes much more than just horrific hallucinations. And here’s some interesting, timely trivia: The Mask (’61) was Canada's first film in the horror genre, as well as the first Canadian film to be widely distributed in the United States. Plus, it’s apparently the only Canadian 3-D feature.

Click HERE for more info and to order now, and click HERE for the original awesome trailer.

And for even more on The Mask '61, check out this amazing article and gallery of scans over at Magic Carpet Burn, from Charleton's Horror Monsters #3--- wow!

The Big Snake

Friends, welcome to October, this is the month when the Creep Factor around THOIA gets set to Mother F'in Over-Drive! So hang onto your spines as we kick it all off with a 50’s B-Movie-esque blast of giant monster madness!

From the December 1953 issue of Tales of Horror #8

And don’t forget to enter the latest THOIA “Haunt from the Sea” Contest, check yesterday’s post for all the details! Have some fun, win some stuff… it’s all good.

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Cinefamily October Horrorfest

Cinefamily in LA turns a year old this Halloween, and to celebrate this (and Halloween of course) they’re presenting an entire month of horror Horror HORROR!!! Click the calendar image below to see the entire amazing schedule… goddamn; this is the sort of thing that seriously makes me miss LA sometimes.

And click HERE for even more info!