Kiss of Death!

With barely a dozen Bernie Krigstein stories nestled in the THOIA Archive, I feel like I've stumbled upon yet another back-stabbing travesty of epic proportions around here! I guess what I'm trying to say is: how can you have an All Atlas Fest August without some kooky spooky Krigstein?! His unique vision and expert sense of intense story telling really cuts to the bone-- so here we go, a whole new month of posts, and we're revvin' it right off the starting block with a couple of killer Krigstein klassiks! Wait, did I say a couple? Yep, stay tombed for him in our next post as well. But for now, enjoy this atmospherically wicked little walk in the park, from the June 1952 issue of Journey into Unknown Worlds #11.

The Perfect Mate

We're shifting our gruesome gears for a bit and diving head 'n neck first into a week or so dedicated to Atlas precode horror now, --and by many numerous requests, I might add too! And the June 1952 issue of Suspense #19 is a good place to start, with a perfectly putrid love story that is sure to leave you definitely drained in The End. And boy oh boy, Jim Mooney sure could drawn one marvelous man-eater, eh? She almost looks like a Johnny Craig cutie in that ferocious, final panel...

ZERO: The Man Nobody Loved / Mission to the Spirit World

Friday Double Feature time again, and it's the return of ZERO Ghost Detective too! (See more ZERO HERE!) This time around, our favorite golden age ghost dick really has his hands full with a variety of supernatural evil! First up: "The Man Nobody Loved" finally, and unfortunately, finds himself a gal, from the February 1943 issue of Feature Comics #65, --followed by a super spooky "Mission to the Spirit World" via the November 1940 issue of Feature Comics #38.

Demon Lover

Girls! Do you have what it takes to reform the greatest sinner of all time? If you think you do-- think again! Of all the cockamamie love stories I've ever posted here at THOIA, this is surely one of the cockamamiest! From the Sept '54 issue of Horrific #13, art by Max Elkin and cover by Don Heck.

The Marriage of Life and Death

Wrapping up the month of June 2024 with one final weird wedding ceremony from the May 1953 issue of Mister Mystery #11. This copy had some unfortunate water damage, hence why the scans don't look the greatest, but I think you'll enjoy this one all the same-- especially that charming "happy" ending! There are more jittery, jolting tales of terror on the way for July, so stay tombed with the vroom-vroomed!

Circle of Death

If you haven't heard, Heritage Auctions has a handful of original, full-story Robert Webb / Iger Shop precode horror art becoming available in the next few weeks, (CLICK HERE for more info!) --and today's post is one of them. Annnnd after re-reading the ultra-lurid "Circle of Death" tale from the November 1953 issue of Mysteries Weird and Strange #4 a couple of things occurred to me: 1.) I wish I had added this to my Haunted Love mini series a few years back-- wah! and 2.) it's left me puzzled to why I've never posted it here at THOIA! GAG! Such a wonderfully mean spirited, gruesomely grim, scuzzy story-- why, I didn't even bother to clean up the scans as extensively as I usually do, just cuz! Hahahaha, enjoy?

Lady Killer

Some of you are aware that Mr. Karswell has a vintage mannequin collection, and todays tale from the December 1970 - January 1971 issue of The Unexpected #122 is a pretty good example of how one form of that macabre level of "mannequin madness" can actually get started. Just saying...

The End of Madam Satan!

We now conclude our exciting month of Saturdays with Madam Satan (check the previous two weekend posts if you missed 'em!), and it's time for the two grand finale entries from Pep Comics #20 and #21 featuring 'ol faceless leggy at the climax of her brief Golden Age career. And yea, though she did waltz through the valleys of a variety of other later comic book series pages, it's her satanic stint in Pep that remains one of the more memorable, evil female characters from that glorious, war time capsule era. It's kind of sad to now read that final panel mentioning "America's most unique comic strip" and knowing that she would in fact not return. But you know what else time has revealed? Maybe sticking around too long and wearing out your welcome can be a bad thing-- like how a lot of comic book characters are boringly guilty of!