THOIA'S 2025 Holiday Horror Special

If you enjoyed our horrible holiday double feature over at AEET HERE yesterday, it's now time for another right here at THOIA! And this year we're looking at the age old Ghost Stories for Christmas, and with nobody telling a spookier tale than Charles Dickens himself! Well actually, let's have golden age fan favorite, Lee Elias tell it-- the way it could've happened, or did it?! --via the March / April 1976 issue of Ghosts #46. But first up, it's another doomed-out variation on the Dicken's lit classic drama-rama, from the March 1953 issue of Marvel Tales #112, and highlighted by some spectacularly illustrated Larry Woromay specters! I guess you can't really celebrate anything anymore either unless we get a nice Bill Everett cover as well! Yes, this post has everything-- including a well wish for everyone to have a wonderful, happy holiday!

Slave of the Pharaoh

Let's quickly detour back to the House of Mystery for a macabre Mummy Monday rampagin' murderama, via the November 1980 issue of HoM #286. It's 5 packed pages of creepy crumblin' chaos, plus a joltin' Cain quickie-- not to mention a really great cover from 'ol King Kubert too!

"Sheer Fear!"

I remember reading this story when I was a kid and thinking it was really cool, very clever, and super creepy-- see what you guys think! And for obvious reasons, I'm always reminded of it every time I watch Creepshow (1982.) From the April-May 1974 issue of House of Mystery #224, with ghastly art by Gerry Talaoc, and a good script by Sheldon Mayer.

The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall

Last Monday's "True Ghosts of History" bonus at the end of our doomed post HERE was indeed (as Brian Barnes pointed out), based on a a very well documented haunting that took place in the 1830's, though the actual origins of The Brown Lady, aka The Grim Lady story itself goes as far back as the sixteen and seventeen hundreds. (CLICK HERE for more information from the eerie Wikipedia entry.) And alas, the great King Ward version you saw last week was just one of three filler comic book adaptations uniquely rendered over the years and telling the terrifyin' tale of poor Dorothy Walpole's wandering apparition. Our first version below is from DC's "Tales of the Haunted and the Damned!"  a then new series of true stories (concerning cursed castles, haunted houses, and macabre mansions) and originally appeared, in this case, in the Feb. 1974 issue of Ghosts #23. Also included below-- the infamous "real" photo of damned Dorothy descending the 'ol staircase of Raynham Hall, --and finally, another illustrated version, this time as a one-page quickie from the April 1953 issue of Adventures into Darkness #9, though this scan was actually already posted at THOIA way back in 2010 HERE!

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.

My Son, the Mortician

We visited a casket company in our previous post HERE, so how about today we stroll down to the 'ol mortuary, and head straight back into the embalming chamber where an even fussier issue has potential to end the family business-- or does it? From the May - June 1977 issue of The Unexpected #179.