The Zombie!

Nope, the masked man in the top hat that you see below is not the return of horror host, "Mister Mystery" again already (as seen in our previous post HERE!) That right there is Richard Curtis Van Loan, aka The Phantom Detective, and as you can also see-- he's got himself a little zombie problem! This is one of the better, "fast-moving" Phantom Dick adventures via Pines' popular 1940's Thrilling Comics series. And while surviving a healthy, 170 issue / 20 year run in the pulps from 1933 to 1953, PD made the jump into comics in the April 1946 issue of Thrilling Comics #53, where it lasted just shy of 20 issues until 1949. With that being said, today's terrifically terrifiyin' THOIA story presentation comes from the October 1947 issue of Thrilling Comics #62, and features Edmond Good pencils, and some super chunky great George Tuska inks. (Get more PD origin info HERE!)

All, or Nothing at All!

Medical Murder Mondays are back! And this tragic tale of love gone oh-so wrong from the November 1953 issue of Mister Mystery #14 is such a heartbreaker! Yep, I absolutely, 100% guarantee that you won't not see the ending coming from 4 pages away! Still, we liked this one so much that (be still our bleeding, beating hearts) we added it to Haunted Horror #29 back in August 2017, --and just like the artist, Tom Feelings, is finally makes its big THOIA debut now!

The Cosmic Brain

"Die! Kill! Murder!" screams the brain-washed mob, in yet another "Wholesome reading for the entire family" classic via Ziff-Davis, and this time from the May - June 1951 issue of Amazing Adventures #3. It's been over a decade since we've seen an evil brain tale at THOIA, --so here comes one now --and it's a big'un too! Featuring some real neato work by legendary, Leonard Starr, an artist who appears to have worked for nearly every single great comic book publishing house ever. Boy, and just when we thought the U.S. was no longer under attack by a big fat warped brain, *sigh...

The Beautiful Robot

Ziff-Davis occasionally advertised their Golden Age comic books as, "Wholesome reading for the entire family." But I'm sure some of you will agree, "The Beautiful Robot", from the July - August 1951 issue of Weird Adventures #10, takes a rather unwholesome, and viciously dark turn in opposition to that claim as it nears an intensely terrific climax. This is a beautifully rendered sci-fi horror "love story", with some exceptional art by an unfortunately, uncredited artist. Anyone have any thoughts or clues about it? I'm fairly certain the ad at the very bottom was done by Bernie Krigstein though...

The Grisly Ghost of Ghastly Grange!

October was packed with so many grisly, ghastly story posts, I figured the least we could do is keep that same shivery spirit alive here in November as well! And with that, we enter the December - Jan. 1966 issue of Unknown Worlds #52, to find a trio of aged supernatural sleuths encountering some-thing they hadn't quite bargained for! This is a very funny post-code tale via ACG, and might even remind some of you of the old back-up cinema spookers from the 1930's and 40's. Artist, Edd Ashe has a unique visual style, and checking THOIA's Archive I see only one other credited post HERE. I'll have to see what else I can dig up by him, his stuff is a scream...

Tricks & Treats!

Time for a trio of terrifyin' tricks 'n treats, (also don't forget to check out AEET today too!), and we're kicking things off here with a nightmarish Dickens-esque twist by Sanho Kim-- a spooky Samhain holiday horror hit from the September 1969 issue of Ghost Manor #8. And it just wouldn't be Halloween without a visit from 'ol ever reliable, Edgar Allan Poe, with not one, but two legendary classics courtesy of The Master: "Telltale Heart" via the February 1955 debut issue of Charlton's Win A Prize #1, (sorry, no artist info available at the moment), plus, "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" from the April 1945 debut issue of Debbie Dean Comics #1, art by Chad Grothkopf. My ultimate plan has always been to archive all comic adaptations of Poe here at THOIA, and it's amazing to stumble upon older illustrated variations such as these that I was previously unaware of. Hope everyone has a hellacious Halloween, and we'll see you again very soon in the coming month with lots rots more. Stay tombed...

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