Head of Horror

The other day we saw the Head of the Medusa--- today it’s the Head of Horror! From the July 1952 issue of Strange Mysteries #6, it’s a spooky tale about an evil severed head! I bet the guy who wrote the movie The Thing That Couldn’t Die (’58) totally worshipped this yarn. Superior Comics cranked out a lot of wild stuff like this but I have noticed from the few I do own that they are usually printed rather piss poorly with colors bleeding everywhere, blacks dropping out, smudges, etc… (as displayed here in my passable scans), but please don't let that detract you from all the decapitated fun!

Last Man On Earth (TRAILER)

Werewolves

Ahhhh, werewolves... who doesn't love them? This is a mean spirited yet fun little story with great art that feels and reads a bit like an early EC story, (courtesy of the ever weak-willed pushover forced to do something he doesn't want to do by his evil, impatient, money grubbin' old lady.) I can forgive the somewhat predictable ending because our happy couple look so wonderfully at peace together in their final panel.

From the April 1954 issue of Mysterious Adventures #19

Head of the Medusa

Rudy Palais had a unique style as displayed here in one of his better stories. I mean it, his stuff literally squirms and creeps right across the page... I can remember re-reading one of his stories over and over when I was a kid and it just totally freaked me out everytime. I also think that if there was one guy on the entire planet who should've been illustrating H. P. Lovecraft adaptions full-time it should be Palais!

From the October 1952 issue of Tomb of Terror 5

Junk Man's Treasure

Here's a quick little 3-page tale that wastes no time cutting through the fat and getting right to the gruesome business at hand. From the August 1954 issue of Out of the Shadows #14, this was the final issue from this great Standard Comics series, and though the cover art is so ridiculously close to the cover art from Adventures into Weird Worlds #27 (compare for yourself), it remains one of my favorite comics in my collection. I hope to post a few more stories from this one in the coming weeks.

Horror Hotel (TRAILER)

In case you haven't noticed I've added a new feature to my blog (on the right hand side of the page) with "RECCOMENDED" stuff that's non-pre-code related. To me movies and music are as vital as comics so I hope you take the time to view these trailers that I will be posting in hopes that you'll then click the link to the right and view the movie at your leisure. Hell it's FREE and streaming, and if you've never seen it before then what've you got to lose? Plus, Horror Hotel is awesome...

Close Shave

A re-occcuring and identifiable theme in pre-code horror comics was the hen-pecked spouse being constantly abused by their monstrous significant other, who then thankfully turns the tables in the end with their own brand of ironic, twisted vengeance. Our latest post here is no exception to the theme, with clean, consistant art from Atlas favorite Fred Kida, the somewhat comical tone of the early pages helps give the final panel implications a much more grisly impact than usual.

From the April 1953 issue of Spellbound 14

Cast of Characters

Here's a story that's not only entertaining but educational as it shows you the reader how Atlas pre-code writers came up with all their great and "foreboding" ideas! If that's not enough there's also a Stan Lee cameo on the last page (don't blink or you might miss him.)

From the December 1954 issue of Mystery Tales #24

Spook Show Revival (VIDEO)

More spookshow trailer fun from beyond the grave, and from a time in history when theatre owners actually cared about their audience and gave you something different--- real LIVE thrills and chills instead of just the same old boring Hollywood cookie-cutter crap we’re force fed these days. Who wants to see decapitated heads in Hostel 3 when you can have an actual decaptitated head thrown right into your lap instead?

For more info visit www.spookshowrevival.com

Ghouls in the Graveyard

Here’s another shivery fun Atlas horror classic that I love (featuring more sinister purple cloaks!), but truth be told I have no clue who created this or what golden age series it originally appeared in as these scans are from my Crypt of Shadows #11 silver age reprint issue which contains no info to be found anywhere on any of the pages or even online. If anyone has any details PLEASE pass it on to me, thanks!

***UPDATE!*** An anonymous commentor has informed me that this story came from Adventures into Terror #12 and was illustrated by none other than Bernie Krigstein! Thanks Mr. A!
[It was titled "Horror in the Graveyard" in its original printing. -- Nequam]

One Head Too Many

Today I’ve got a perfect example of successfully mixing horror and sci-fi together, and naturally this works because of the pairing-up of Stan Lee and Bill Everett. Featuring the weirdest, creepiest, zombiest looking aliens of all time (their spacecraft even looks like it’s from the grave), this excellent story launched the Atlas Menace series off to a great start.

From the March 1953 issue of Menace #1

Lover Beware

From the comments received on the Joe Sinnott post from a few days ago I decided to toss one of his moody monster tales at you too, this one also containing a similar color scheme like the other (and apparently evil runs rampant in purple cloaks everywhere in the Atlas realm!) I’ll see what else I have from ‘ol Joe for the coming weeks, months etc… but this story here is one of my favorites.

From the June 1953 issue of Spellbound #15

The Cozy Coffin

Here’s another eerie Joe Maneely ghost story about a man who loves to just chill out in the solitary comfort of his own casket--- that is, until he starts looking for some company! The teen numbered run of Suspense issues really chugged along with consistantly great stories and awesome art, the Atlas team at their full-on creative peak during this era. It’s amazing they were able to put out so much quality work while featuring “52 Suspense-Packed Pages” each month ( that number includes unsuspenseful ad pages though.)

From the May 1952 issue of Suspense #18