The She-Beast

We're heading back into the teeming, screaming jungle for another eerie, horror adventure encounter, and this time with the monstrously macabre maiden "REPTA" via the slithery, September 1953 issue of Horrific #7. And of course Marty Elkins art is always a welcome addition to the THOIA Archive, but just to further spice things up around here with something different, Mr. Karswell also welcomes the wild and wonderful work of master illustrator, Ruth Marten --see her incredible Alligator Girl painting at the end of this post! I also highly recommend her superb monograph collection, Ruth Marten: All About Eve, edited by Ina Dinter.

F-F-FROGS!

We were watching the 1972 drive-in film classic, FROGS the other night (click the title for a trailer), and about halfway through I remembered this silly send-up of it in the January 1973 issue of SPOOF #3. Lots of laugh out loud moments and highlighted with a Severin, Schwartzberg, and Trimpe three-way of awesome art --rivaling even the best era of MAD Magazine. This is one of the better examples of swampy 70's Silver Age Marvel madcappery, do enjoy! *ribbit!

High Priestess of the Snake People

Those darn Dames of Doom keep slithering out of the woodwork around here, as our month of Vicious Valentine Vamps continues! And just like the previous post, this story also comes from the September 1950 issue of Challenge of the Unknown #6 (which was in fact, the one and only issue of this title.) It is also fantastically illustrated by Frank Giusto who, I believe, is finally making his THOIA debut here! I may have to do a deep dive and see what else we can find by him for a future artist spotlight. Collectors of our Chilling Archives of Horror Comics hardcover collections may remember this gem from Mike Howlett's super awesome, and weirdly underrated Snake Tales book from 2016...

Doorway to Horror

Earlier this month we took a stairway to madness, now it's time to open an epic doorway to horror! From the November 1951 one-shot issue of World's Beyond #1, and featuring loads of atmospheric Sheldon Moldoff artwork, --this one's lengthy, but frightfully fun. We have a few more horror doors to still open before the big night comes down on the 31st, so what's everyone got planned this year? Something terrifying, I hope!

The Serpent Strikes

While most of us weren't familiar with the magical exploits of Yarko in our previous post (HERE), I do believe a few of you are quite aware of the macabre, mystical powers of Dr. Jonathan Weir, aka The Purple Claw! We've hosted a clawful of PC horror adventures here over the years, so if you're unfamiliar somehow, just check the THOIA Archive for more! And what'a ya know, this story also sneakily qualifies as a Werewolf Wednesday post too! And no, I don't mean a Dr. Weir-wolf tale, just read 'em and were-weep, fiends, all will be made clear to you very soon. From the March 1953 issue of The Purple Claw #2.

Mannequin of Murder!

Manny Stallman takes us out on a wild manny-quin murder spree with a truly madcap Harvey Horror classic from the February 1953 issue of Witches Tales #17. And for more mannequin madcappery, head over to AEET HERE for a sillier, saucier side of our still life subject matter this month! Hope everyone enjoyed this brief look at the darker side of department store doomies!