Wednesday, May 27, 2020

The Bloody Fangs of Fear!

It's Werewolf Western Wednesday here at THOIA, and today we have another one of these cool "Tales of the Ghost Rider" back-up stories as featured in GR's own Golden Age comic book series --check the archive for more! In these yarns, Ghost Rider is merely the host to the horrors that await, so gather 'round the campfire for a lurid tale of lycanthropy on the loose-- if'n that's what ya got hankering' fer! From Ghost Rider #7, (1954), and artwork as always by the great Dick Ayers!















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Sunday, May 24, 2020

PBA Galleries Auction

PBA Galleries is having an auction of Pre-Code Horror comics on Thursday, June 4th, starting at 11am PST. The sale includes horror comics from a variety of publishers, including EC, Harvey, Atlas, Gilmor, Superior, Ajax-Farrell and others, as well as a handful of unique items from the Harvey Kurtzman estate, including rare EC production materials. The foremost horror lot in the sale is a 7.5 copy of Weird Mysteries #3, one of the best copies known to exist. 200 softcover catalogs were produced, as well as 20 hardcover copies in jackets.  To register to bid, buy a catalog or inquire about consigning, contact Ivan Briggs: ivan@pbagalleries.com. 

CLICK HERE to view the online catalog!



The Freaks of Fear!

Everyone seemed to enjoy the old west weirdness of Gunspook in our last post, so let's head back out on the high range of strange for another creepy precode cowboy tale-- and my oh my, it has indeed been awhile since we've seen the gallopin' Ghost Rider around these petrifyin' parts! From the July - August 1952 issue of Bobby Benson's B-Bar-B Riders #15, and arrestin' art by dead-eye Dick Ayers, of course-- he sure does draw a sizzlin' cute little snake gal, dont'cha think?













Friday, May 22, 2020

Mike Monster Private Eye / Gunspook

Like the zany guy that he is, Brian Barnes requested some "comedy stuff", so here we go with a couple of kooky creature featured chucklers, one by Dick Briefer and the other by Don Orehek. From the daffy December 1958 issue of Zany #2, and the madcap March 1959 issue of Zany #3.















Wednesday, May 20, 2020

The Unexpected! / Immortality!

Two more from the maddenly macabre March - April 1953 issue of Mister Mystery #10, and first up we invite you along for a shuddery seance, followed by a terror-filled trip out to the spooky old science lab / greenhouse! Yep, it's another double dose of dreary fears as only startlin' Stanley Morse and Mister Mystery could deliver 'em!



















Monday, May 18, 2020

Capsule! / The Devil's Workshop!

Some of you may remember we used Bernard Baily's cover of Mister Mystery #10  (March - April 1953) for our own issue of Haunted Horror #26! With its hook-handed grave robber realizing much too late of his evil ways-- via swirling demon heads from Hell-- it is definitely one of the finest examples ever of spooky precode cover art. A few of the stories inside the issue ain't too shabby either, like this traumatizing tale of sinister side affects from simply swallowing a capsule...













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And speaking of the bad ass Bernard Baily cover for Mister Mystery #10, check out these gnarly new limited edition masks from The Devil's Workshop!



For more info about these, CLICK HERE!

Saturday, May 16, 2020

The Devil's Store

Satanic Saturday Shopping is back at THOIA, uhh, and despite the rather uninspired splash, this is still probably one of my all time favorite Superior Pub devil stories ever. It's fast paced, very funny, and has a super clever hook to achieve a high body count-- all the way up to the very last panel, in fact! From the March 1954 issue of Journey into Fear #18.

















Speaking of novelty store items, I wonder if The Devil's Store carries the Raquel Welch Pillow, as seen in the ad below? And I wonder what happens when you use it?



I'm definitely not ordering the 7 Foot Monster or Skin Head Wig from them! Werewolf Horror Mask? Absolutely.