A Very Grave Matter

Today's tale from the August 1953 issue of Spellbound #16 is a fun Stan Lee quickie with an absolute groaner of a plothole, but dig that Russ Heath art! And because it's so short I thought I'd pad things out with a neat, 5-page article glimpse into the making of Creepshow, from the April 1982 double issue of Cinefantastique Volume 12 #2 and 3. In the last post I gave you the link to the cool Creepshow Father's Day figure coming out this fall, in this post (and the next) we'll be digging a bit more into Stephen King and George Romero's excellent anthology film tribute to our favorite subject around here-- pre-code horror comics!

The Living Dead

Shambling along all May with a month of zombie tales, and here's one by Carmine Infantino from the June 1953 issue of Spellbound #15 (keep your eyes peeled for a Dick Briefer-esque Frankenstein Monster too!)

Beware of the Undead!

Bewaring of the undead is a superb idea, especially this month as May 22nd we'll finally see the newest release in Yoe Books Chilling Archives of Horror Comics collection-- co-edited by Creepy Craig Yoe and yours truly Scary Steve "Karswell" Banes, it's-- ZOMBIES!! (more info at the end of this post.) And to celebrate, THOIA is featuring an entire moldy month of lurid living dead gems, kicking it off with one from Norman Nodel and Vince Alascia from the December 1952 one-shot issue of Diary of Horror #1.

Click HERE for more info and to pre-order now!

The Mirror of Death!

A unusual and cool, full-page final panel highlights this weird tale from the December 1952 one-shot issue of Diary of Horror! #1 from Avon Periodicals. I hope everyone enjoyed the posts this month, and thanks again to all the great suggestions and submissions-- lots more mayhem coming in May!

Brain Food

The "chilled monkey brains" scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is played pretty much for maximum gross-out laughs. Not so is the case in this ultra grim, icky back-up tale with a revoltingly similar theme, from the April 1980 issue of Vampirella #86. (Extra thanks again to my chum Brian Barnes who sent me a box full of Warren mags to add to my collection!)

(Cover art by
Terrance Lindall)

And also another thanks to Eric Stanway for sending me a copy of his Vintage Blood Volume 1 collection. If you enjoy atmospheric, graphic adaptations of Poe, Bierce, Stoker, Dickens, and Stevenson (many of these culled from the pages of Fantaco's GORE SHRIEK magazine) then check it out by clicking HERE!

Bloody Mary

THOIA friend and pre-code cohort "Space Lord" (of the doubly excellent Fifties Horror and Ace Horror websites), was kind enough to share today's story with us, it's another Ajax Farrell classic, this time from the February - March 1954 issue of Strange Fantasy #10. A truly abominable bad seed baby, later reprinted and modified nearly a half dozen times for the Eerie Pub mags in the 60's, with one more vicious resurrection a decade later in an 80's Gredown publication called Reign of Terror.

Hair Yee-Eeee

Horror author Tim Curran writes in with a hairy story suggestion-- "Hair Yee-Eeee" from the December 1953 issue of Strange Fantasy #9. GCD says, "Hamilton states that this was one of the stories that he sold to Stanmore that they resold. Speculation on the artwork has included it being signed "S.S." or that Steve Ditko drew it, or he helped Sy Moskowitz draw it, or that he helped somebody draw it." (Special thanks to Brian Hirsch for the scans!)

Who's ghastly enough to wear a Ghastly Awards tee shirt? Order yours now while supplies last, click HERE!