Saturday, July 4, 2009

Molu's Secret / Keeper of the Skulls

While you and your friends are blowing off body parts and digits today with Black Cats and M-80’s, here’s a couple tales about the removal of another body part—the head! A gruesome Atlas entry from Carmine Infantino kicks off THOIA'S July 4th festivities from the Oct ’52 issue of Suspense #23 , followed by a very similar tale from the August 1952 issue of Strange Terrors #2.

REMINDER: Stay safe and have fun today, and by all means--- don’t lose your head!








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Vintage Fireworks ADS





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Keeper of the Skulls






15 comments:

Horror pariah said...

Ah, now this story really captures the American Dream, an impoverished man goes to another countryu and, through trial and error is able to get a head in life. Truly inspirational.

-Horror patriot.

Unknown said...

Thanks, Karswell!

Was Keeper of the Skulls ever reprinted? It looks really familiar. Anyway, I like it: not the most cohesive story, but it has that great fever-dream quality and moreover looks more like 1942 than 1952. Nothing rings in Independence Day quite like two separate sets of shrunken heads.

ZantiMissKnit said...

Nice double header today! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

So what is Molu's secret?

Prof. Grewbeard said...

bizarre and unique art on both. shrunken heads always make for interesting conversation pieces & look great hanging from your rear view mirror. shrink some today!

Anonymous said...

RATS!! I WAS GONNA SAY NICE DOUBLEHEADER BUT ZANTI BEAT ME TO IT! AND I'M DIGGING THE CONTINUED ATLAS STORIES MIXED WITH OTHER PUBLISHERS! COOL STUFF.

HAPPY 4TH KARS!!!

Trevor M said...

Fun stories -- I really liked Infantino's art on 'Molu's Secret!' Funky and expressionist in parts.

I wondered why those shrunken heads in the pawn shop down the hill were worth so much. Now I know.

Cindy M said...

The shapes of the characters' heads in "Keeper of the Skulls" makes me wonder how painful childbirth was for their mothers. ;-)

"No noise" fireworks. Suuuure. Fortunately we're getting RAIN here. That dampens the noisy enthusiasm.

Anonymous said...

With a nose that size, how'd he end up with a nickname like "Squinty?"

Mr. Karswell said...

I know it tends to be quiet around here on holidays (even loud-ass 4th of July!) but I do appreciate everyone who stopped by and commented. And I truly mean it when I say be careful out there tonight, whether contending with dangerous explosives or big bad drunk Uncle Louie in a pair of Speedos that he should've retired 20 years ago, stay safe and have a blast!

We'll see ya next week with some Satanic shenanigans from both Atlas and Ace--- HAIL!

Mike H said...

I just noticed that I posted as my wife (Zanti) up there!

Anonymous said...

after reading these two stories my head-ache suddenly went away. matter of fact i can't seem to find my head at all!

James M said...

Infantino's artwork on the first story is stunning - really gives something to a farily standard story. Liked the slightly off kilter edge to the art in the second one, too.

Anonymous said...

Great stories Karswell!

For Molu's Secret

-"Molu take gold!"

-"Oh no! Wait a minute! First you gatta do somethin' for me!"

Real smart there Squinty, bossing around the chief of a tribewho could order his men to attack you, men who happen to have weapons while you are unarmed, I guess Squinty was so eager to learn the secret it made him lose his head in more ways than one.

"White man speaks big words!"

Did The Lone Ranger's companion, Tonto, come out with his own line of "learn to speak English" books and casettes for native tribes around the world?

Don't mind me, I'm just laughin' my head off.

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In the story "Keeper of the Skulls" is it just me, or does the character Paul look like Peter Lorrie a little?
See for yourself-
Page 1 top right panel and bottom right panel
Page 2 first panel
Page 3 bottom panel

movie scary said...

You just have to love it!!!!