Men in Black

Rollin' into September with a racially charged tale of timely terror, taunts, and torture, from the May 1953 issue of Menace #3. Some great Romita art on this, and yeah, it's absolutely a Stan Lee script, he was quite open with his feelings concerning crumb-bum characters such as this. Okay, the Atlas Tales site says this story is 7 pages long, but it is in fact obviously only 5, --and say, if you want to see a much cuter mask that is 100% removable, head on over to AEET today HERE and see how Halloween 2022 is officially kickin' off...

Deadline / Beware of the Chair!

It's a perfect day for a double execution, as we wrap-up our Stan Lee Tribute Fest of 2018 with a double header of doom! Stan penned the first story, with art by John Romita, while our second tale is a request fulfillment for more Joe Sinnott! Always glad to oblige that request. Both stories are from the June 1953 issue of Men's Adventures #22, highlighted with a spectacularly spooky cover by Bill Everett! Hope everyone enjoyed this 2 month stretch of precode Atlas horror classics, --and don't forget to give another toast to the one who made it all possible! RIP to The Man.

The Mark of Death

Time to wrap up this July 1953 issue of Uncanny Tales #10 with the final remaining story, in this, our somewhat annual Atlas Halloween 2018 Countdown. And today it's an early John Romita chiller about an eerie exclusive men's club --for murder! If you've somehow missed the rest of the stories in this issue just check out the last 3 posts, and also dig way back into the 2011 THOIA Archive for my favorite tale-- Murder Will Out! Yes sir, chalk up another FULL ISSUE PRESENTATION... bag it, board it, and store it away, fiends!













So wow, we're half way through October already, it's seriously going by so fast, and we still have so far to go. Yep, lots more marvelous precode mayhem on the way from Joe Sinnot, Gene Colan, Bill Everett, and more! Stay tombed...

Paid in Full / Out of My Mind

Two stories from the Dec '51 issue of Astonishing #7, the first one possibly art credited to Harry Lazarus (looks like him to me), --and the second tale by John Romita! And how about that cool cover from the ever awesome Joe Maneely! My copy of this issue has definitely seen better days...

Werewolf Beware

The January 1955 issue of Mystery Tales #25 is an important issue for fans of dynamic Don Heck, because this issue (according to the great Atlas Tales site) features Heck's very first Atlas story. And nearly 20 years later this wild piece of wicked werewolfery was reprinted in Marvel's Dead of Night #4 with a cool transformation cover by John Romita (see last scan after the story.)

Cremation / Life Insurance

Two creepity, crispity-climaxity tales from the July 1954 issue of Weird Mysteries #11, the first story narrated by yet another EC style horror host clone known as "The Ghoul Teacher." And OMG, if you missed the mind-shatteringly insane "Voodoo Dolls" (same issue) that I posted way back in 2007 HERE then check it out too!