One Awful Night with a Fiend

There's another random, isolated comic book panel making the Tumblr meme rounds (see the middle image at the top of page 5 below.) A few people wrote in asking what it's from, so here we go with a Mike Sekowsky illustrated tale about a struggling actress trapped in an unholy Hollywood nightmare. For a story packed with grave robbing, black magic, and the resurrection of an evil snuff film maker, you'd think this would all be a bit more unnerving instead of just spooky silly, but it still has its moments. GCD notes that Vince Alascia contributed the inks here as well. From the April 1952 issue of Hand of Fate #10.

The Vengeance Vat

Sekowsky and Celardo team up for a supernatural witcheroo featuring lots of terrific Tothy visuals, via the vicious January 1953 issue of The Unseen #8 from Pines.

Don't Shake Hands with the Devil!

We had some phony fun devils via the old west earlier this month HERE, now it's time to get down with the really hot REAL demonic dealio! From the June 1950 issue of Marvel Tales #96, and featuring some masterful art by Mike Sekowsky that almost seems to predict a satanic Silver Age illustrative sensibility decades before it ever happened!

The Resurrected Head

It's been a bit since we shambled down the moronic horror halls of brainiacal mad science, --and oooo mama, here's an epic golden age decap classic that'll definitely make your head spin! From the May 1952 issue of Worlds of Fear #4, with art possibly by Sekowsky and Alascia.

A Witch is Among Us

Time to finish up this month of witchcraft madness, as well as burn the 'ol midnight fires this Walpurgisnacht evening, and with what is, in my opinion, probably the best witch story I've posted this week-- heck, it may even be the overall best story I've posted around here in years! Don't believe me? Then read on, dear THOIA follower, and then state thy defense in yon comments below... way, way, way down below. From the August 1951 issue of Marvel Tales #102.

Don't Let Me Kill

Pines pretended like their 1953 one-shot, "Who Is Next?" was a comic book series, labeling the sole issue as #5 (a sly fast one that quite a few publishers actually practiced), and-- assuming no one bought it-- umm, nobody was next! It's a real shame too because it's a thrilling issue of intense crime tales, featuring beautiful work from the likes of Ross Andru, Nick Cardy, and especially the Alex Toth classic "The Crushed Gardnia" which has resurfaced half a zillion times in countless collections since the 80's reprint boom. To me though, the overlooked stand-out tale here is the disturbingly brutal cover story by Mike Sekowsky about a remorseful psycho killer.

Love Affair

A pretty girl bent over a typewriter. A longing that swells up inside him. These are the ingredients that equal one big dreamy disaster, as bad things continue to happen to good people during our month long Atlas Fest here at THOIA. From the murderous May 1953 issue of Mystery Tales #11, art by Mike Sekowsky.