No Harm Done on the Witches' Sabbat + Norman Was Right!

Like many of you this evening, THOIA is also dressin' up to paint the town orange 'n black (and red) with costumes and candy and all kinds of wicked Witches' Sabbat shenanigans. Now where did I put that sacrificial dagger, anyways? And oh, look at 'ol Norman over there, hookin' up with the absolute purrrrfect girl of his screams-- err, dreams, via the April 1952 issue of Suspense #17! She will most certainly have a bone or two to pick clean with him before the night is over! But first up, let's do what everybody loves the most on a night like this, and that's playing a spooky prank on an unsuspecting victim! Yesss, hee-hee, we've got our sights set on someone in particular-- let's just hope we can actually pull it off without a horrible hitch, --from the April '54 issue of Shocking Mystery Cases #58. Everyone have a great holiday, and Mr. Karswell hopes you all enjoyed this month of petrifyin' posts. See you in November for lots rots more-- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Case of the Witch's Curse

Just like it wouldn't be Halloween without Frankenstein, monster masks, and Edgar Allan Poe (check out the previously themed posts featured here this month if you haven't already!), but it also wouldn't be Halloween without a spooky murder mystery set in a big haunted house on a hill! We've equally been looking at whack ass wicked Halloween witches throughout the month of October, and here comes one more! And okay, we've also called in Bentley of Scotland Yard a few freakin' times here already too, why, just this past summer even, (HERE) --but whoa Nelly, here he comes again already to help solve a centuries old death curse! So hang on tight to that burning, torturous flame wheel, cuz this one might leave you scratchin' your hollow noggins' while trying to name the killer before 'ol pipe puss Bentley can! From the September 1941 issue of Pep Comics #19, art by Paul Reinman, --natch!

Deathmask for the Living

We're less than a week away from the big day, and if you haven't popped on over to your local Halloween vendor yet, then you still have a little time to get yourself that perfect mask and costume! Perfect that is, unless you go here... from the May - June 1977 issue of The Unexpected #179.

Dead Man's Revenge

It just wouldn't be Halloween without a vicious visit from the greatest monster of 'em all-- Frankenstein's Mobster Monster, that is! This dynamite, Jay Disbrow crime horror updating of the Mary Shelley classic is from the September 1952 issue of Shocking Mystery Cases #50, and is seriously packed with awesome art, and tight, uniquely compact story telling as only Disbrow seemed to know how to do (and all done in a mere 6 pages, no less too!) Star Comics definitely got their money's worth out of Jay (as well as utilizing L. B. Cole on those gnarly great covers), --it's just a shame they couldn't have used a better quality printer as nearly every single thing they ever published looks rotten. Oh well, hopefully this won't hamper damper everyone's overall joy and celebration of this oddly overlooked, Golden Age, creature feature monsterpiece!

Rhymed Invitations to Death!

You know what? Let's take a look at another Hangman story (see our previous post HERE too!) And if you're temporarily thrown off by the cute Mother Goose splash page, well, you shouldn't be, --because once this story gets going, 'ol Mama G literally becomes one of the creepiest Halloween-esque wicked witches in all of pre-code comicdom! Lots of great art and atmosphere, and some wildly violent moments in this one --plus! a couple of nice good girl moments courtesy of long-legged Thelma! But is The Hangman himself any more effective here than in our previous story? You'll just have to read it and find out for yourselves! From the August 1942 issue of Pep Comics #30, and with art possibly by Harry Lucey.