Werewolf Wednesdays return! And I'm guessing a few of you may have picked up on my hint about a "super September" in the previous post intro last month, and that's 100% spot on, because we will be looking at Super Hero Horror occasionally this month, just as we've done a few times in the past. Yep, you may hate supes now, but just wait until Mr. Karswell gets done with you! Annnd another few of you may start reading today's post and have a massive wave of deja vu hit ya over the noggin'. That's because this Lash Lightning and Lightning Girl tale from the November 1945 issue of Four Favorites #20 is an almost direct story swipe of the Gail Porter "Werewolf of Woonsocket" yarn that I posted HERE back in January. Don't believe me? Compare 'em! The Gail Porter story may have been published first (and maybe even have a more uniquely illustrated werwolf), but she's definitely no lovely Lightning Girl, who just so happens to also be illustrated by the ever impeccable, THOIA fan fave, Nina Albright. And for another great Lightning duo story located in our archive-- CLICK HERE!
Considering all of the Atlas posts I've shared over the last month or so, this one might be my favorite. It starts off a bit like a run of the mill Marvel crime caper, with the added bonus of a man suddenly achieving a "super" powered ability through a rather careless accident. Everything chugs along at a brisk, predictable pace, (and the Louis Ravielli art is as fabulous as ever), when all of sudden, halfway through the final page everything steers sharply into a stunningly eerie terror-scape of unstoppable horror from beyond the grave. Yep, just as the story is ending everything goes from really good, to full tilt OMG awesome. Seriously. Please please, someone out there, give us another half dozen pages of story continuation! From the May 1954 issue of Marvel Tales #123, --and what's even weirder is that this appears to be the first Atlas story illustrated by Ravielli that I've posted here at THOIA over all these years. But be sure to check out a bunch of his incredible work for Quality Comics (most notably from the wild Web of Evil series) in our archive right HERE!
Well, the Heath story I originally wanted to post today didn't quite work out, (no amount of clean-up attempt in the world was gonna make that one presentable here-- sorry!) So instead, let's take a look at another sizzlin' Joe Maneely quickie from the October 1951 issue of Journey into Unknown Worlds #7. I kind of felt like Satan was getting a little ignored during our Atlas Festivities lately anyways...
As mentioned in the previous posts, we're experiencing another creepy case of Atlas over-analyzation this month, and more specifically for the next week or so with an in-death-- errr-- in-depth look at the wild work of bad ass Bernie Krigstein! And this golden era gem from the November 1950 issue of Suspense #5 may be short, but it certainly ain't sweet. That is, unless you're a fan of kissing wrinkled mummy lips, or perfect lines of narrative such as, "...the living hand jerked convulsively, like a giant spider on the grave's surface..." ::shiver! Great writing, and even greater artwork.
I promised you more Bernie Krigstein, and here he comes like a terrifyin' tidal wave of weirdness, via the August 1952 issue of Journey into Unknown Worlds #12. Okay, the coloring here might be a bit off and washed out (I did my best to clean it up), but it's really such a wild and wonderfully written tale with a super clever and very funny double twist ending-- I believe it to be one of the very best Atlas crime horror posts on this blog now! So sit back and relax, kick up your heels and pour yourself a lil drinky for 'ol Kriggy, as All Atlas Month continues to pull you in, and drag you under...
Let us now open one last case file from the luridly lively, pulp-fisted, Bentley of Scotland Yard series from Pep Comics. And up to this point, all of the stories we've seen so far have been from the later Paul Reinman illustrated era... well now we're rollin' the clock way back for an even early entry, via the September 1940 issue of Pep Comics #8, where we find that the great Sam Cooper has taken over the art duties. Everyone seems to have enjoyed these posts, so don't be surprised if Bentley pays us another visit sometime before the summer's end. Stay tombed, lots more on the way!
We're spending the first week of July 2025 going through the awesome evil archives of Scotland Yard's greatest horror hit maker, the ever brave Bentley, --and here's another hot lil number from the January 1943 issue of Pep Comics #35! And no, he isn't taking on 80's heavy metal, or the PMRC, but *gasp!* blazin' 'ol Beelzebub himself in his unholy, bloody birthday suit-- or is it!? Can you solve the mystery in time, or will you Barnes it up in utter failure, and die trying?!! Go!
