We continue now with an eerily embracing mystery of awful wedded darkness, as legendary Lou Cameron puts another pretty little murderess through the wringer --and then really turns up the heat! And are we actually hiding inside a coffin to escape justice again?! Good lord, haven't we learned anything around here over the years? From the deadly, disease riddled debut issue of Dark Mysteries #1, via June - July 1951... with another wild one from this issue up next!
Like our previous post, "Joseph Medley, Lady Killer" is based on a true crime case, and this time about a psychopath who targeted women with red hair. The comic book adaptation, also like our previous post, started out in one comic book series, --the May 1948 issue of Murder Incorporated #3 (Fox) --and then later got the reprint / retitle Star Publications treatment in the September 1952 issue of Shock Detective Cases #20. I created an image at the end of the post to avoid additional "Barnes Confusion" (as we also saw here strangely / previously), and it's important to note the cool addition of those gnarly "strangler" hands in the later, updated splash. Is Rudy Palais responsible for those new monster mitts as well? No idea, but he created the rest of the asphyxiatingly awesome art presented here-- so hang on to your windpipes, ya'll, cuz this one's a real *CHOKE!* killer of a tale!
As long as we're digging around in the creepy Charlton creature feature back issues, how about another wild one from the December 1975 issue of Monster Hunters #3, with cover and story art by terrifyin' Tom Sutton! The color register goes a little wild in a few places here too, but it's an interesting Swamp Thing / Man-Thing style tale of mad science gone viciously veggie-- not to mention we have a rockin' redhead caught up in the middle of it all too! Also have to admit, as much as I love that eerie Sutton cover painting, I kind of like Gredown's early 80's one-shot re-issue (and uncredited) re-do cover of Monstrosities just a bit better. So let's lead off this post with that one instead... oh hey, your shoe!!
Fans of "Sunday Bloody Sundays" (see the previous post), will undoubtably be head over heels with "Smash 'em Bash 'em Tuesdays", which is also a thing that I totally just made up. Yes, if you were beginning to believe that THOIA wasn't deliverin' the goods when it comes to splittin' open heads with monkey wrenches, --or if you thought we've been skimpin' on the rockin' redhead showgirls in skimpy clothing, --well then you've definitely come to the right place for both unholy plot points! From the October - November 1951 issue of Eerie #3.
Who's ready for one of the weirdest vampire stories ever posted around here? From the February 1954 issue of Dark Mysteries #16, and illustrated by none other than fearsome THOIA fan fave, Hy Fleishman! Okay, these ain't the greatest scans though, and I apologize, (they look as if they were also colored by a 4 year old with crayons!) Still, this is a wild one that will likely drive a few of you totally ape!
