Other Monsters That Fished for Men!

I hope everyone brought their water wings, because things are gonna get seriously wet 'n wild today! And FYI, this double creature feature concept post all started when Mr. Cavin mentioned that back in November of last year his hometown comic book illustrator / hero legend, Murphy Anderson, was being honored with a plaque installed at the Greensboro Cultural Arts Center in North Carolina. You can read more about it HERE! And to celebrate 'ol Murph (RIP), THOIA is also honored to present one of his more dynamite DC monster doozies (story and cover art) from the June 1952 issue of Strange Adventures #21. (NOTE: We'll be taking an additional look at Murphy Anderson over at AEET later this month as well, so don' miss it!) But first up, we're staying in the Silver Age for another scaly screamer from the deep, via Charlton and the June 1962 issue of Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds #30. Highlighted by a lagoonie-esque cover Creech monster by Nicholas and Alascia, though Bill Molno's interpretation for the story itself is quite different. And if that ain't enough "wet ' wild" for ya today, head over to AEET HERE for the absolute cutest sea monster ya ever did see...

No Noose is Good Noose

After presenting "The Choker" post (HERE!) the other day, we at THOIA have re-evaulated our gallows stance and decided there actually just wasn't enough hanging around these parts lately to satisfy our terrible tastes! Enter our next story from the June 1954 issue of Mysterious Adventures #20. Charles Nicholas delivers some real swingin' artwork on this (*choke!) classic about a hangman who justifiably, gets no respect... though oddly enough, he does get the last laugh!

One Night of Terror

Let's keep the scary science fiction horror shivers a'comin' with a specimen gatherin' metal man menace from the stars, via the December 1954 issue of Web of Evil #21. Cheapo C-3PO creep-ohs from outer space are just the way I like my deadly drive-in droids of doom-- YAAAAA!!!

Phantom of the Disco

THINGS THAT GO AND DO THE BUMP IN THE NIGHT DEPT: Yes, it's Saturday, and if tonight you find that you have the fever for the flavor of something frightening, --then you've hustled on over to the right place! Okay, maybe this post isn't that frightening, but this fun 'n funky attempt by DC at cashing in on a particularly popular, nightclub cultural movement of the time, and in an eerie sort of three-page quickie (aka the July 1980 issue of Ghosts #90), really doesn't seem completely lost, or at all out of place for this comic book / music lover, --and I always appreciate a good polyester pair-up, haha. So come on everybody, --get down tonight!

Return of the Sick Ghost Stories

 Is it true? Is Blogger actually working correctly and allowing clicked-on images to enlarge again? It only took a freakin' year and 3 months to fix it... anyway, HURRAH! A huge thank you to Mr. Cavin for pointing it out to me too, as I probably would've never noticed because it's apparently been working right since last Thursday over at AEET.

THOIA rises from the dead! More posts coming up shortly...

Blood Vengeance!

Like our last post, today's bloody ghost tale is also nicely illustrated by Charles Nicholas, and while it feels like the usual, colorful sort of 7-page ACG or Ace Magazines story, it's actually from the October 1951 issue of Weird Adventures #3 (see the Dr. Psycha tale posted last month from the same issue HERE!) Oh yeah, one other thing setting Blood Vengeance apart from the auspicious ACG or Ace tropes is the horrifically holy moly brutal climax which you just have to see to believe. THUD!

The Oozing Horror

If you're like me, you probably also use the words "bark-encircled hideout" multiple times daily, so here's a spooky science freak-out that we can all eerily identify (and merge) with, from March 1954 issue of Web of Mystery #23. Ace artwork by the ever reliable, Charles Nicholas.















And speaking of mummy covers...

Curse of the Horrible Hangman

Some horror chums and I were talking about the good 'ol Ace WoM horror series in a Facebook group earlier today, and I thought I'd pull out some issues to share, as well as deliver a swingin' cover story from the Dec '52 issue of Web of Mystery #16, featuring art by Charles Nicholas. And please don't judge me by the condition of this cover, it's as water damaged and brittle as ancient hangman's bones as you can get-- I seriously will take whatever I can find on these old 50's books!