Rendezvous with Death!

Time once again to turn up the heat of our fiendish February love fest with another precode tale of vicious Valentinery! Okay, I really like ACG stories sometimes, especially when they set-up two ding-dong knuckleheads in a scenario where they just can't manage to do anything correctly. Every single decision made is a bad one, and in the case of these two lovebirds, simply taking a trip to the old haunted family estate to search for a hidden fortune is only the start of their bad streak beginning. Love that wonderfully bleak ending as well... from the Oct - Nov. 1954 issue of Forbidden Worlds #34.

My Fanged and Fiendish Darling

Werewolf Wednesday delivers a hot 'n heavy level of wild weirdness this week when a bored housewife's masturbatory murder monster fantasies take literal form. Wertham would've had a field day with this one, likely diagnosing it as just being "all in her head" while being left alone too long with her own fetishistic horror devices, --but we know differently, don't we? Or do we? From the October - November 1954 issue of Forbidden Worlds #34.

The Tomb of Terror

Most of us typically associate Lou Cameron with his amazing output of precode horror for Ace Magazines. But here he is at American Comics Group, churning out the same top-notch terrors, even though it's all wrapped up in the usual ACG "lover's in peril" plot. Lou really gives it the 110% treatment too with his weird monsters, great eye for cinematic framing, and highly detailed backgrounds. It's a fun, fast-paced romp from the March - April 1952 issue of Forbidden Worlds #5.

Lure of the Snake Goddess

Back in July, we had ourselvesss a ssslitheringly sssexy sssnake girl fessst of storiesss, and longtime THOIA chum, Brian Barnessss --ok, I'm gonna stop doing that now-- was super bummed to see it end, he even requested more. And it doesn't get much more weird and adventurous than this wild tale about Brian's own relatives, one that starts out in the deepest jungles of India, and takes the action all the way to the big city Broadway stage! This would've made for a fun 1940's RKO creature feature, with its increasing body count, mysterious museum moment, and yes, the Medusa-like monster that'll stop at nothing to achieve her gorgeously gruesome goal! And since we haven't had ourselves a casting call around here in a while, I'm going with Dana Andrews as Dan, Joi Lansing as Pat, and magnificent Mara Corday as Mahrana. From the April 1953 issue of Forbidden Worlds #16.

Teeming with Screaming

My buddy Max was recently going through THOIA's August 2017 archive and noticed the trio of posts about swiped pre-code artwork re-used on mid century spook show posters (check the archive HERE if you missed it.) Finding it apparently "very interesting", even "amusing", he wrote to me asking my opinion on another one he believes that he's spotted: compare the werewolf head from the cover of the Jan - Feb 1952 issue of Forbidden Worlds #4, now singled-out and flipped horizontally for the "A Living Nightmare" spook show poster (see top right of the ad below:)



I suppose it could be, I mean it looks pretty close, but it definitely looks redrawn quite a bit as well. Not to mention, the original ACG werewolf is likely created from a Lon Chaney Jr. Wolf Man reference photo. What I do know for sure though is this: two of those bloody, severed lady heads in the spook show poster were absolutely lifted from the intense pulp illustration for Robert Bloch's "Head Man", originally featured in the May 1950 edition of Dime Mystery Stories!

Witch's Curse / Annals of the Occult

Kickin' off June with an ACG double header, the first illustrated by joltin' Jon Blummer, as we find our wolfy Wednesday now devoted to weird witchcraft and gloomy glimpses into the future. The first story though, from the December 1952 issue of Forbidden Worlds #12 does contain a really great animalistic transformation, and if you like chicken demons-- well get set! I've also rounded out the post with a penetrating look into the annals of the occult (thanks for the quickie scans, T!), illustrated by the great Al Williamson and from the May 1958 issue of Adventure into the Unknown #96.















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The Old and the New!

I very rarely, if ever, upload post-code ACG stories to this blog because... well... typically they're not that great. But today's story from the November 1957 issue of Forbidden Worlds #60, is actually a bit spooky at times thanks to Ogden Whitney's chilling winter touches, plus some nice writing that propels this somewhat predictable premonition story along in the same fun manner as an old Twilight Zone or Tales of Tomorrow tv episode. And the added bonus-- a New Years Eve setting!



















Here's hoping that everyone has a wonderful evening, stay safe, and we'll see you all on the other side, as we kick off the new Roaring 20's with lots, lots more!

Happy New Year!