Esme'

 One more Chilling Alcazar Adventure into Sorcery for you this month, and it's a gorgeous tale containing verified proof that monsters walk among us! Don't believe me? Just put on these glasses and you will indeed see that --THEY LIVE! From issue #5, via Februrary 1974, and this story also holds an extra special place in my heart because not only did it introduce me to the amazing work of Alcazar, but beautifully groovy blonde babe Esme' in the big round glasses here always reminded me of my very first neighborhood babysitter, who also became Kid Karwell's very first 70's krush! This one goes out to you, Janet --where ever you may be! Stay tombed for something cinematic and different, coming up next...

One Extra Head He Makes Me Kill!

Time to kick off 2026 with a bang-- or two! Dan Loprino's "One Extra Head" is from the March 1954 issue of Journey into Unknown Worlds #25, and followed by Gil Evans' "He Makes Me Kill!" via the May 1953 issue of Men's Adventure #21. Okay, we're gonna be doing things a little differently around here this new year, just hang tight and all will be revealed over the coming weeks... stay tombed!

The Church Steeple Murders / The Case of the Crucified Policeman

A new month of macabre posts now begins, and we pick up where we left off back in June-- with more bloody 'n brutal Bentley of Scotland Yard cases directly from the crumbly 'ol crypt of crime! And this is a great 1942 double feature via Pep Comics #29 and #31 featuring some creepy cop crucifixion, -PLUS- a truly horrific church steeple impaling! Oooo that's gotta hurt! Can you solve both mysteries before Bentley himself reveals the terrifyin' truths? See for yourself! And each story features some of my absolute favorite Paul Reinman art ever, especially both of those jaw-dropping splash pages!

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...

The Pale Light of... Death!

Valentine's Day is finally upon us, but we're far from the bitter end of our doomed love stories fest for the morbid month of February. And it doesn't get much more doomy than a whirlwind romance that suddenly turns murderous and suicidal in the simple span of 5 comic book pages, but here ya go none the less. From the December 1951 issue of Chamber of Chills #4, PLUS! a real gem from the Karswell Kard Kollection-- aka the saddest sunken lunk Valentine of all time! And if you're still hangin' around after that, an appropriate, though not very Valentiney, one-page bonus "True Tale of the Supernatural" from the Sept. 1950 issue of Challenge of the Unknown #6.

A Fate Worse Than Death

We've got love taking the 'ol plunge over at AEET today (click the last image below in today's post for it.) Meanwhile, here at THOIA we're shooting for the scary 'ol stars! So yeah, speaking of a "match made in heaven" --eeek! From the May 1954 issue of Menace #11, (final issue), with art by Sy Moskowitz.

Still Life

The October 1962 one-shot issue of Tales from the Tomb #1 (published by Dell) is 84 freaky pages of varied anthology horror about ghosts, monsters, and all manner of eerie bumps 'n boos in the night. It's a fun, though somewhat mixed bag, with the real stand-out story for me being this engagingly casual 8-pager about an artist and his friendly female neighbor discussing the man's recent return from the cursed countryside. Their breezy cool, flirty conversation in a big city loft feels nothing short of a spooky stage play, slowly turning more and more ominous with each chilly page turn, until that single... final... panel...