The Terror of Akbar

Every Monday in March is Mummy Madness Day here at THOIA --and this week it's also happenin' at AEET too! Annnnd okay now, a few of you might be familiar with this grisly golden age gem from the February - March 1954 issue of Strange Fantasy #10, --I mean, it was reprinted nearly a half dozen times in the Eerie Pubs, but it also found a new, return-to-color home in Haunted Horror #17 back in 2015! And that's why it was a such a surprise to Mr. Karswell recently when he discovered that it had somehow never been featured here at THOIA-- until NOW, that is!

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Nightmare Merchant

Sunday Bloody Sundays are back, and it's time to wake up for another terrifyin' THOIA delivery of precode horror goodness-- right to your doomed doorstep! Yes, this is a fun tale with a great ending, and from the same August 1953 issue of Strange Fantasy #7 as our previous post HERE. And please don't forget to tip the delivery boy, --he works REALLY hard for the money!

Grave Rehearsal

Many of you know that THOIA's archival crypt is overflowing with stories about people going through a whole heckuva lotta trouble just to kill someone. Take "Grave Rehearsal" from the August 1953 issue of Strange Fantasy #7 for example-- whew, now this is a truly dedicated, exhausting amount of evil and planning! And in the end, --is it even worth it?! I have another gruesome one from this same issue up next as well, so stay tantalizingly tombed --even in that stiff cement overcoat!

Cry from the Coffin

If the cry from under the carpet in our previous post wasn't eerie enough for ya, how about one now from the coffin? Okay, this has got to be one of the most depressing precode horror stories ever published, with a day that starts off in a completely pleasant manner, quickly turning into a terrifying trip to the morgue for an autopsy, --and don’t be late for your own funeral! Better bring the tissues, this poor sap has a super sad tale to tell, and one that he'll be telling forever, and ever, and ever. From the Oct. 1953 issue of Strange Fantasy #8.

Love Trap

My buddy Richard sent over this fun Iger Shop illustrated tale from the June 1953 issue of Strange Fantasy #6.  He also profusely apologizes for the blurriness on page 4! No worries though, this scary space story is still a blast, and somehow fits nicely within our month of posts-- I mean, it certainly feels like Farrell trying their hand at an Atlas style sci-fi horror 5-pager, doesn't it? Annnnd if anybody is singing "Love Trap" to the tune of "Love Shack", I beg you stop it now. I mean it...

The Dancing Ghost

The putrid past collides with a perplexed present in this oddball tango with terror in a haunted house, via the December 1952 issue of Strange Fantasy #3. Being a Farrell story, the art feels distinctly non-Iger Shopish in a few places, (and GCD lists no credit), so this may have actually been illustrated by a combination of artists. Now the wonderfully clunky story telling / unintentional humor on the other hand...

Dream of Horror

The big 13th post, THOIA finale of 2024 is a deliriously gory decapitation nightmare presentation from the December 1953 issue of Strange Fantasy #9! And what a way to end out the fear, err, year-- and hello, this entire issue is now finally archived here btw, just check the two previous posts, as well as "Hair Yee-Eeee" originally posted way back in April 2012! Hope everyone enjoyed the last 12 months of curated horror comic fun-- and my plan for 2025 is to take a few new twists 'n turns to really spice things up! So as usual (or unusual!) --stay tombed for tons more-- and HAPPY NEW YEAR, 'natch!

Portrait of Doom

Here's another whack-a-doodle story from the December 1953 issue of Strange Fantasy #9 (see previous post), concerning a very mad artist who-- to be honest-- doesn't seem that much different than most of the actual mad artists that I know in real life! As noted in the comments of the last post, every tale from this issue was reprinted, and a few even reworked a few decades later for the Eerie Pubs... I'll try to dig those out and we'll take a look at them sometime in the coming new year. Also of note: before becoming a doomed studio model for Tony in today's yarn, beautiful blonde Susan also appeared in various advertisements featured in Golden Age comics. I've included a few below after the story...