Death's Beggar

Ever encountered a precode horror story that actually hurts to read? I'm not talking about overly bright, sloppy off-register coloring assaulting your eyeballs, I'm talkin' scenes where a character is put in one hell of an unpleasant situation that just couldn't possibly get any worse. Until it does. I'm also not sure how this tale of witchcraft and ultimate pain has evaded a proper post here at THOIA in all these years, though I did put it in Haunted Horror #8 way back in 2013. Those of you new to this classic are in for a ride, as once again, Sheldon Moldoff's art is really something to behold. From the August 1952 issue of Strange Stories from Another World #2.

Doorway to Horror

Earlier this month we took a stairway to madness, now it's time to open an epic doorway to horror! From the November 1951 one-shot issue of World's Beyond #1, and featuring loads of atmospheric Sheldon Moldoff artwork, --this one's lengthy, but frightfully fun. We have a few more horror doors to still open before the big night comes down on the 31st, so what's everyone got planned this year? Something terrifying, I hope!

Man Who Sold His Soul to the Devil

It's Walpurgisnacht, and time for the final 13th post of April 2024! This date also means we are halfway to Halloween Eve, so be sure to click the image at the end of this post for more festive, bitchin' witchery over at AEET HERE! And since we missed Hero Horror Monday yesterday, let's set it all ablaze one more time with our final defender of evil-- the great Ibis the Invincible! It's a scorcher of a tale from the June 1943 issue of Whiz Comics #43, and one loosely based on the literary classic, "The Devil and Daniel Webster" by Stephen Vincent Benet. Hope everyone enjoyed the themes featured here this month, I have a few ideas for May, so stay tombed for tons more, --now, light the midnight fires this evening!

The Ghost of Bob James

A good friend of mine was paying me a really nice compliment last week about my GHOSTS book (still available HERE if you don't already own it), and while talking about it, I was reminded of a Dave Berg scream dream story that I had wanted to use in the book, but unfortunately, just didn't make the final edit in time. Yes, THAT Dave Berg. And dagnabbit, I totally thought I had it here in the THOIA Archive as well, but turns out it's yet another oddball spooky crime creeper that just sort of slipped through the cracks of the crumbling old crypt, --so now here it is! And speaking of spooks, you can read another great Dave Berg spook-o-rama from a few years back over at AEET right HERE after today's Bulletman filler freak-out, because yep, you read that right-- this was originally featured in the Nov. '42 issue of Bulletman #9.

Showcase for Horror!

Continuing now with another monsterously macabre look at mannequin madness, and as a collector of said related subject matter myself, I'll go ahead and tell you this: DO NOT ABUSE YOUR MANNEQUINS! Because it's all true I tell ya, --TRUE!! From the August 1952 issue of This Magazine is Haunted #6, featuring some interestingly weird art by Leonard Frank.

Tomorrow is Today

I've been posting stories here at THOIA since 2007, and aside from one text page entry from 2009 HERE, I believe this is actually the very first Ouija board related comic tale I've ever featured (someone please correct me if I'm wrong.) It's weird though, right? Ouija, or "spirit" boards have been popular since the late 1800's, so you'd think there'd be a bunch of related comic tales. Can anyone think of any others to recommend for future posts here? This also concludes our frightfully fun Fawcett precode series fest of B!TTs... from the July 1953 issue of Beware! Terror Tales #8, with art possibly by Sheldon Moldoff (again), and / or maybe Ed Moline. Now, does anyone know who created that sinsational witch cover?