Step into the Mirror of Madness!

One final Marvel Tale for you today, and then we'll get back to the usual mix of other publishers (hope everyone enjoyed this brief journey into early Atlas horrorland) --and this is a really good entry about a hypnotically evil mirror portal straight to Hell. Thirty-eight years after this story from the August 1949 issue of Marvel Tales #93 was published, John Carpenter would direct his brilliant film, Prince of Darkness (1987) which also contains the same [SPOILER ALERT] axe shattering mirror thus trapping loved one for all eternity in other world limbo climax. Hope you enjoy another THOIA unhappy ending!

The Flat Man / Crazy Glass

A couple of flatso fright tales for you today, both from the May 1952 issue of Spellbound #3 --and if you check the Atlas Tales link a few words back with the THOIA Archive, you'll discover that like our last post, this is also another FULL ISSUE PRESENTATION! Okay, some of you might remember the other much more hilariously violent "Flat Man" story I posted way back in 2007 (CLICK HERE), but I believe you will find this one smashing too-- just pay close attention to what he says in the 5th panel on page 3 so you're not dwelling on what seems like a giant stupid plot hole-- PLUS, rounding everything out with the confusingly kooky "Crazy Glass" quickie.









SLIMMER! NOT FLATTER!!

Carnival of Death

Just yesterday, Brian Barnes was asking me if I was aware of the great Laff In the Dark website (and yes, it's one of my favorite website ever, of course!), and that in turn reminded me of this freaky funhouse tale from the March 1954 issue of Journey into Fear #18. I do find it odd how very little precode content there is when it comes to stories about amusement park haunted attractions, ie: dark rides, spook houses, hall of mirrors etc (I've attempted to put together a book about it for years since it's clearly the perfect setting), but no can do, unfortunately. But the Iger Shop really outdoes themselves this time around with an insanely creepy creature design though, and like our last post, we also get another off hand comment about the lovely aroma of death. Enjoy! Hahahahahahahahaha...

Death in Reflection

Haven't posted anything around here by the great Dick Briefer in awhile, and digging through the Frankenstein files we find a good 'n spooky back-up tale from the February - March 1954 issue of Frankenstein #29, efficiently written and illustrated as only the dynamic Dick could do 'em! I really love stories like this where an unwitting sap just keeps talking to himself and doing things that are slowly but surely sealing his fate, while we the reader just sit back and watch his awesomely predictable demise coming from a mile away...

The Other Side of the Macabre Mirror

A fellow horror fiend sent over some small, but still certainly scary scans to a very cool Lou Cameron (penciled) story from the May 1952 issue of The Beyond #11-- an issue from this series that has always eluded me! There are definitely not enough evil mirror stories archived here at THOIA!

"Mirror, Mirror, On My Wall"

Finally getting things going here in May, and we're picking up where we left off last month with another tale from the June 1952 issue of Charlton's The Thing #3. This one just happens to be the kooky cover story too about a fluff ball cloud demon with a Gene Simmons tongue, and features art by Albert Tyler who not only worked on a lot of St. John's precode horror titles like Weird Horrors and Strange Terrors, but also many crime caper comics as well like Lawbreakers, Crime and Justice, Racket Squad, and Super Spy.

The Murder Mirror! / Freddy's Friend!

A weird 'n wild Atlas double header to wrap-up November 2012-- Morris Weiss illustrates the first story, and the great Bill Everett helms the second-- Russ Heath on cover duty!

From the December 1951 issue of Marvel Tales #104.