The Real McCoy! / Death at the Carnival! / The Trainer!

We ended August with a burial scheme money grab failure fiasco, so let's kick off September with another phony baloney buffoon trying his damnedest to rake in some serious blood bucks! Long-time THOIA followers might remember "The Real McCoy!" when we first presented it HERE back in 2009, but it was the black 'n white repo version. Well, here it comes again, only this time we can finally view it in all of its pleading, limb hacked gory glory! From the July - August 1954 one-shot debut issue of The Clutching Hand #1 via ACG, and featuring some outstanding artwork by the ever underrated Paul Gustavson. And not to be outdone there, I've also included two hysterical Harry Lazarus one page fillers featuring even more "smart" guys getting their brutal, just desserts. (NOTE: If anyone feels the need to point out the obvious plot hole in "The Trainer!" though, please don't. We all see it. We all know it. Don't be that guy. Please.)

Rack of Terror!

Well, we racked up another monstrously macabre month of comic horror classics, and with one final tale to go it surely doesn't come more horrific than this! Hy Fleischman seriously knocks it way out of the park here with 7 taut 'n tense pages of perfect pacing and atmosphere, --and that iconic cover design is absolutely one of precode's finest moments ever. From the August 1954 issue of Dark Mysteries #19. We'll be back in August for lots rots more, so stay tombed as always!

Terror of the Hungry Rats

I think we'll stick with the March - April 1953 issue of Dark Mysteries #11 for a bit. It's absolutely infested with icky precode gems, like this horrific Hy Fleishman favorite about some very hungry, very violent vermin. You're gonna love it.

Borrowed Blood

Sunday, bloody, Sundays are back, and it's time to borrow a little bit of the 'ol red stuff ourselves from the same icky issue as our previous post, the November 1953 issue of Beware #6! Classics Illustrated legend, Henry Kiefer overfills your creepy little cursed cups with a terrifying tale of crimson retribution, --where even the blood of the innocent can still face terrible consequences! AAG-GHH!

The Man Who Warmed the Bones of the Dead! / The Idea!

In just a few short weeks we'll be halfway to Halloween! But as everyone here already knows, everyday is Halloween at THOIA, so let's unleash a couple of ghastly old g-g-ghosts to further p-p-prove my p-p-point! Bob Powell, (as promised in our previous post) returns to warm up this haunted house of horrors with 10 atmospheric pages of pure nightmare fuel! From the June 1952 debut issue of Strange Suspense Stories #1 --and check out that bone-chilling cover by Sheldon Moldoff! Also, if it's just too scary for some of you, how about a cute Droopy Dog bonus page via Laffy-Daffy Comics #1 (1945.) We can't let Yogi have all the fun, now can we? And okay, this isn't quite the same Droopy that some of you are likely already familiar with, but it's still a nice little chiller ghost filler! BAARRF! ARF! Give that dog a warm bone!

The Laughing Skull

Okay, one more hero horror story before you guys start screaming scarlet murder at me (unless anyone actually wants to see more?) And yes sirs, it's a Mr. Scarlet screamer again, along with the usual spookily dressed-up crime kook and his hysterical, tough talkin' hench goons. Did I save the best story for last? I kind of think so, aside from the arresting action, eerie art atmosphere, very funny dialog, and skulls skulls skulls, there's a really clever gravestone gimmick utilized here that would make both The Joker and The Riddler green with envy. The main perp also has a rather unusual alt angle this time around that I haven't seen in an old supe comic like this before as well. From the same great issue as our last post too, CLICK HERE! It also feels like Binder put a little more oomph into the art than he did with The Mummy Ray.