The Monster Makers

I've had a bunch of requests for more Bill Everett --and a couple for joltin' Gene Colan too--, so to kill two maniacal monster makers with one scary stone, here's a double feature actually made into a triple with the inclusion of a likewise titled old 40's horror film link! Whew! You'll be makin' like a monster yourself by the time you finish today's post! Our first story is from the August 1952 issue of Uncanny Tales #2, and the silly Franken-follow-up from June 1954's Wild #4.














(CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT!!!)











Before you go, ask yourself: was 3 monster makers not enough? Maybe you need to go for 4? Or how about 5?!! Well, then CLICK HERE and HERE for *gag*choke MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MONSTER MAKERS!

Teeming with Screaming

My buddy Max was recently going through THOIA's August 2017 archive and noticed the trio of posts about swiped pre-code artwork re-used on mid century spook show posters (check the archive HERE if you missed it.) Finding it apparently "very interesting", even "amusing", he wrote to me asking my opinion on another one he believes that he's spotted: compare the werewolf head from the cover of the Jan - Feb 1952 issue of Forbidden Worlds #4, now singled-out and flipped horizontally for the "A Living Nightmare" spook show poster (see top right of the ad below:)



I suppose it could be, I mean it looks pretty close, but it definitely looks redrawn quite a bit as well. Not to mention, the original ACG werewolf is likely created from a Lon Chaney Jr. Wolf Man reference photo. What I do know for sure though is this: two of those bloody, severed lady heads in the spook show poster were absolutely lifted from the intense pulp illustration for Robert Bloch's "Head Man", originally featured in the May 1950 edition of Dime Mystery Stories!

Tales from the Creep

I thought we'd kick off September 2020 here at THOIA (and over at AEET too) with some light hearted laughs, and all totally at horror's hilarious expense. So if you're a fan of EC comics, and more precisely, the awesome 70's Amicus film classic of the same name, then you've come to the right place, as Marv Wolfman, Roy Thomas, John Costanza, and Marie Severin split your funny bones right down the middle with 8 pages of f-f-f-funny fright. From the Nov. '72 issue of Spoof #2.

















Need more silly, 70's anthology satire? Then head over to AEET by CLICKING HERE to see what the mad minds at Marvel did to Rod Serling's Night G-g-g-gallery! AIEEEEE!!!

In the Dead of Night

"...this is probably one of the worst offsets I've seen in a while." said Brian Barnes in the comments section of our previous story post. "I'll take that as a challenge." replied Mr. Karswell, who then proceeded to dig out a tale from the November 1951 issue of Suspense #11, one that he has wanted to post a million times before but always thought the overly primary bright, shabby blob coloring, and off register red just ruined what is clearly one of the better Atlas vampire tales of the precode era. "Maybe there are copies out there that look better?" he often pondered. But no. All the pondering and back issue bin digging in the world would unfortunately never unearth a better looking copy. And thus, THOIA ends out the month of August 2020 and sadly presents:













PS: I actually spent a small amount of time and cleaned up a lot of this, thusly 2, so it doesn't look quite as bad as it originally did. Enjoy! --Mr. K

Who Called?

THOIA has turned into Vampire Central here in the final stretches of August 2020, and our star artist of the month, Al Eadeh (who we featured in a few great posts last week), comes fluttering back once more from beyond the veil of darkness with another strange terror tale to drain your souls dry! From the December 1953 issue of Uncanny Tales #15, and please pardon the slightly off register coloring which somehow only seems to add to the overall weirdness factor!

And if you're looking for more toothy, blood suckin' weirdness, I recommend the new vampire horror film, Blood Vessel. Set at the end of WW2, a small group of Allied Force members find themselves unfortunately trapped on a nazi freighter at sea with a family of vampires. Fun stuff, especially if you're a fan of Weird War Tales comics --and films with bite!



CLICK HERE for the trailer!

The Vampire's Bride

Everyone seems to love those vivacious vampire girls, so let's see how many more lovelies I can dig up --literally!-- before the month screeches to a halt, as they say. It's a funny little Dick Ayers quickie written by Stan Lee, and from the super shiver-inducin' September 1952 issue of Spellbound #7.







FYI: Fans of anthology horror will be happy to know that NBC.com has added all 7 episodes from the spooky fun, early 80's Darkroom TV series to their free online streaming service. Hosted by James Coburn and featuring tales of vampires, voodoo, killer toys, and the supernatural, this was an unfortunately short-lived series that many of us fondly remember watching as kids. Highlights include stories and scripts by the likes of Robert Bloch, Brian Clemens, Cornell Woolrich, and more! Check it out by CLICKING HERE!

As Halloween Season Approaches...

A reminder from THOIA: I have a rapidly dwindling back stock of various Haunted Horror and Haunted Love back issues, signed copies of select Chilling Archives hardcovers and Classic Monsters softcovers, (sorry, Mummies is SOLD OUT), plus a few Haunted Horror Coloring Books and even Weird Love back issues. Fill up those gaps in your collections by dropping me a line at karswell@hotmail.com and I'll fill you in on prices and the HH / HL / WL back issue numbers that are still available. Many of these are out of print, so get 'em now before they're gone forever --or be doomed to pay ridiculous prices later! Spook up your Halloween season NOW!

(FYI: Discounts applied to all longtime THOIA followers!)

The Couple Next Door!

I get at least a couple of emails a month asking for more vampire stories --more than any other type of tale I post here, in fact-- and after feeling like I kind of gipped you guys with that fake vampire story earlier this month, I hit the vault and not only found a worthy entry from the April 1954 issue of  Mystic #29, but one by Vince Colleta that is as va-va-va-voom voluptuous as it is vicious! Seriously, there are so many attractive panels in this one it's insane --page 3 for example is simply a great collection of Sexy Girl on a Bed poses! I could elaborate more on the Sexy Girl in a Coffin panels, or the low-angle leg art on page 4, but let's get this superbly spicy sucker started already, shall we?

Horror Story

We've screamed along to a lot of great Atlas tales over the last few months (and years) around here, and as you've likely figured out along the way, when you really need one to knock your socks off, you can always rely on bloodcurdlin' Bill Everett to deliver the spookiest of sock knockers! A terrifically eerie entry (and cover!) from my all-time favorite artist, and from the April 1952 issue of Spellbound #2.