The Klan Killers

THOIA's "War with the Vampires" theme this month finally winds down, but we still have one more batty battle left to wage! And while the nazi bat-winged jerks of today's tale aren't exactly "vampires", they sure do a great job of suckin' at everything anyway! This is a super fun dose of the 'ol weird war tale, via the pummelin' fists of Commander Steel (of the International Police Service) and the April 1946 issue of Grand Slam Comics #52. Featuring some really awesome, though unfortunately uncredited artwork, and similar to our previous entry, it's a lengthy one, but still super fast paced... not to mention, these green robed klan kooks filling the sky with their sinister silhouettes make for some magically macabre moments. And make sure you check out that hilarious contest ad at the bottom, where to enter, all you have to do is destroy your comic book collection, haha... see you all in October for you know what.

The Real McCoy! / Death at the Carnival! / The Trainer!

We ended August with a burial scheme money grab failure fiasco, so let's kick off September with another phony baloney buffoon trying his damnedest to rake in some serious blood bucks! Long-time THOIA followers might remember "The Real McCoy!" when we first presented it HERE back in 2009, but it was the black 'n white repo version. Well, here it comes again, only this time we can finally view it in all of its pleading, limb hacked gory glory! From the July - August 1954 one-shot debut issue of The Clutching Hand #1 via ACG, and featuring some outstanding artwork by the ever underrated Paul Gustavson. And not to be outdone there, I've also included two hysterical Harry Lazarus one page fillers featuring even more "smart" guys getting their brutal, just desserts. (NOTE: If anyone feels the need to point out the obvious plot hole in "The Trainer!" though, please don't. We all see it. We all know it. Don't be that guy. Please.)

The Skull Men

I've been trying to get some requests filled going back into the previous year, but unfortunately haven't been too successful (though I was able to finally answer Bill's question in the comments of last month's Rudy Palais post HERE.) Anyway, Brian asked nicely about the Captain Battle vs. Herr Skull story from the Sept. 1941 issue of Silver Streak Comics #14, and that, (like a Cap sock to a nazi jaw) I can absolutely deliver! And here it is --SMACK!!! These boney goons are a real riot though, I mean, it's not enough to wear skull masks, but they've added a German pickelhaube (spike) to the tops of their noggin's, making them look like demented, undead unicorns! This is an action packed, frenetic follow-up to our previous mummy story HERE, and as long as we have the Silver Streaks out, we may as well see a few more later this week too. We'll just make it a Captain Battle vs. the Super Stupidnatural Fest, how's that sound? So grab hold tight to your luceflyer's, --it's gonna be a wild week!

The Mummy Master

I've designated March as "Mummy Madness Month", so every Monday we'll get ourselves wrapped up in some mummified related macabery! And let's march it into action right now with a creepy Captain Battle WW2 classic from the ominous October 1941 issue of Silver Streak Comics #15. Original Daredevil creator / artist, Jack Binder clearly had a blast with this one, --and I'm super duper sure you will too!

The Flying Dutchman

Time to end the month with one more weird war tale from the pulse-pounding pages of Fiction House's Wings Comics, our spotlight series for March 2025 (check the archive if you missed any.) And though I typically tend to fly clear of stories created in a sort of historically factual, narrative style as this one, I do find the highly efficient story-telling and surprisingly chilling final panel to be very worthy of a THOIA post. Hope everyone enjoyed this month of high-flyin', hair raisin' hits from above, stay tombed in April for more hits coming up from below! From the November 1941 issue of Wings Comics #15.