Fifty-Fifty! / Hate!

You can't deny that when we have an Atlas Fest here at THOIA, it's always a damn good time! And because a few of you axed for it, we'll close out the month with another double header (or is that a beheader?!) Bill LaCava proves that hate is stronger than blood, with a very cleaver, errr, a very clever classic from the August 1952 issue of Marvel Tales #108. But first up, a rather dividing tale of divorce and doom from the May 1953 issue of Marvel Tales #114. The Atlas Tales site thinks this is a team-up art attack from Jack Hearne and Bill Savage, and that sounds savagely good to me too-- either way that you slice it! Hope everyone enjoyed this month of Atlas, you can look forward to another mix of macabre stories from some of the other finer precode publishers, and maybe even a surprise or two as we slide into super September already (?!!), inching closer and closer to Halloween!! Stay tombed...

Going - Going - Real Gone!

Okay now, we've been doing "April Fools" around here since 2007, so at this point in the blahhguh game there's really no point anymore in me, errrr, I mean Mr. Karswell, trying to pull a fast one over you guys! Instead, we'll just take a look at another fun MAD magazine wannabe yarn featuring some silly supernatural spirits (including a funky Frankenstein's Monster, boney 'ol Death, a headless Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Horseman, and a super stoned Casper clone midget), doing their absolute worst at scarin' a buncha haunted house invadin', hip cat college kids and their fast yappin', jump ' n jive nonsense. It's kooks 'n spooks a'plenty, and it's from the Fall 1954 issue of Madhouse #4, with art likely by those krazy be-boppin' Iger Shop kool kats. Ya dig?

Haunted House

Have we had enough stories this month already about haunted houses? Oh, I assure, we most definitely have not-- and especially when we haven't entered one so superbly illustrated as by the masterfully cinematic hand of Karswell favorite, King Ward. Now, how this terrific tale from the Fall 1948 debut issue of Adventures into the Unknown #1 is only just now finally getting posted here at THOIA is an even bigger mystery! From a script by Weird Tales pulp pro legend, Frank Belknap Long --and what a great Ed Moritz cover design too!

The Devil's House

On this day in 2007, THOIA was born! And I'd say we've had a pretty goddamn good run when you look at how much fantastic stuff is curated and collected here in the archive over these many 17 years. Of course I owe it all to the continued few of you out there that never stopped coming to my web house and leaving constructive, clever comments, and basically just become a perfect part of the Karswell Chum Squad. I once again also give a big shout-out thank you to those who suggested stories, donated scans, and basically just helped this blog expand and grow to the monster that it has become. My motto has always been "NEVER STOP" but realistically, how many more years can this go on? Only time will tell. So for now I think it's equally time to give the bigger boss His due, by paying a visit to another house where the horror... never... stops... from the February 1976 issue of Beyond the Grave #4.

The Marriage of Life and Death

Wrapping up the month of June 2024 with one final weird wedding ceremony from the May 1953 issue of Mister Mystery #11. This copy had some unfortunate water damage, hence why the scans don't look the greatest, but I think you'll enjoy this one all the same-- especially that charming "happy" ending! There are more jittery, jolting tales of terror on the way for July, so stay tombed with the vroom-vroomed!

"The Dread of Night"

One more from the October 1973 issue of The Witching Hour #35 (see our previous post), and this time it's a spooky weird, lurid AF love triangle of terror, where the games people play most definitely come back to pay! Awesome Luis Dominguez art, especially that award winning splash of atmosphere...

The Horn of Palzner

Here's a bizarre one for you, from the March 1953 issue of Strange Terrors #7. It reaches for a Quatermass and the Pit type level of ancient legend and superstition mixed with a sudden shocking science fiction alien invasion swerve. It almost works too-- until it doesn't-- becoming disappointingly muddled just as it starts getting good, (and that rushed ending doesn't really help either.) But those bonkers, Mardi Gras-headed, Matt Fox-esque beings from outer space added to the otherwise realistic approach to all of the other highly detailed art, just makes for a super surreal story on par with some of the best 1950's sci-fi monster films. Who's the artist here?