Save Me... The Coffin is Closing

Saturday Night Shocker time again, as THOIA presents a frighteningly fun thriller with heavy horror overtones and lots of atmosphere-- from the March 1953 issue of Suspense Detective #5, --the last issue in fact from this doomed, but still decent, short-lived Fawcett series. This is the sort of spooky story that would've made a great Hitchcock Presents or Boris Karloff's Thriller episode.

The Horror of the Hearse

What's that you scream, not enough chemical vat torture stories here at THOIA? Well, let me rectify that NOW. Fans of mysterious detective tales (like Dr. Drew for example) should enjoy this eerie expedition into macabre murder and vengeance, as Kirk of Scotland Yard faces one of his most facelessly evil adversaries! From the Dec '47 issue of Manhunt #3, with perfectly petrifying art by Paul Parker!

Satan's Suit

Remember back in February when I posted that wonderfully weird wedding dress story, (the one soaked in embalming fluid and slowly killing a woman --click HERE for it) --well, today I have the perfect pair-up for that tale, a similarly saturated, morbid match made in Hell-- or let's call it "For the Groom", if you will! From the Dec '51 issue of Black Cat Mystery #32.

The Conqueror Worm

If anybody reading this blog ever plans to double-cross an icky earthworm of its rightful, decomposing dinner, might I remind you of today's wiggly weird tale from the July 1952 issue of Worlds of Fear #5, --and with this warning-- DON'T DO IT!

Captain Triumph vs. The Werewolf

It's Werewolf Wednesday time, and in my never ending attempt to give you all something dynamically different, I found myself stalking the supernatural superhero alleyways again and unearthing an oddly exciting terror tale featuring Captain Triumph and his wonderfully unique, weird ability: to touch his wrist and conjure up the spirit of his dead brother and then-- ohhhh, just read the hairy thing already! Today's post is also me fulfilling a request from someone last month who wanted to see some more Reed Crandall. Always aimin' to please, that's my motto! And yeah, this may look rather long at 15 pages, but trust me, the "crack" in the series title clearly stands for "whip-crackin' pace" as this story moves like a freight train full of bonkers moments and alt-universe werewolf "facts." Werewolves can fly?!! Hmmm, maybe someone was ON crack back then too...

From the November 1947 issue of Crack Comics #51.

































And how about that for an ending? Haha...

SSSSHHH

THOIA is proud to kick off the new month with one of the most horrifying precode tales ever told! Originally presented in the October 1953 issue of Weird Mysteries #7, it's only 4 pages long, but the Trapani / Finocchiaro art team-up really packs a nerve wranglin' wallop! So hang on tight, and read it all the way to the very end-- don't be a baby-- just keep repeating to yourself, "it's only a story... it's only a story..."









April Fool's Day! (Those of you that purchase our Chilling Archives of Horror Comics hardcover editions might remember we presented this story as a bonus in our Haunted Horror: Pre-Code Comics So Scary, They're Good! Volume 3 collection. The original art scans come from the personal collection of one of our favorite HH contributors, deadly Dave O'Dell.)