Sometimes these older precode horror tales feel extra mean spirited and grimy, as well as unintentionally hilarious. Take for example this "Tales of Terror" entry from the June 1946 issue of Yellowjacket Comics #10. Alan Mandel's artistic action blend of amaturish awkwardness in the character posing adds a sort of surreal edge to everything, whether it's slapping, kicking, bashing, or doing whatever. And that goofy lookin' horror host hag is a truly horrible hoot too!
We ended last month with a Tale of Terror, so lets keep it rollin' into December with a deadly double feature from the Golden Age of Charlton comics! And like our last entry, both of these are also illustrated by the wonderfully low-fi hand of Alan Mandel (god, even his signature feels childish, haha...) and we get yet another weirdly wishful variation of the 'ol tragic Monkey's Paw tale, from the February 1946 issue of Yellowjacket Comics #8. And after that, it's time to endure the selfish shenanigans of a thievin' group of brutal bastards, via the April 1946 issue of Yellowjacket Comics #9. Yes, my fellow fiends, --"The Old Witch" strikes again!
Goin' waaaay back to the January 1946 issue of Yellowjacket Comics #7, to find this goofball Golden Age superhero series actually contains a few fright-filled / filler spook yarns under a "Famous Tales of Terror" title. Not only that, it features a truly horrible horror host called "The Ancient Witch." The artwork here by Alan Mandel is so hilariously amateurish that the whole Z grade production (like the avenging hand itself) practically takes on an entirely new awesome life of its own-- like lovably bad underground indie art of the 70's and 80's, —and the tough guy gangster talk highlighted with some splashes of blood give it all a little extra poverty row punch. Enjoy!
