No Harm Done on the Witches' Sabbat + Norman Was Right!

Like many of you this evening, THOIA is also dressin' up to paint the town orange 'n black (and red) with costumes and candy and all kinds of wicked Witches' Sabbat shenanigans. Now where did I put that sacrificial dagger, anyways? And oh, look at 'ol Norman over there, hookin' up with the absolute purrrrfect girl of his screams-- err, dreams, via the April 1952 issue of Suspense #17! She will most certainly have a bone or two to pick clean with him before the night is over! But first up, let's do what everybody loves the most on a night like this, and that's playing a spooky prank on an unsuspecting victim! Yesss, hee-hee, we've got our sights set on someone in particular-- let's just hope we can actually pull it off without a horrible hitch, --from the April '54 issue of Shocking Mystery Cases #58. Everyone have a great holiday, and Mr. Karswell hopes you all enjoyed this month of petrifyin' posts. See you in November for lots rots more-- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Dark Journey! / The Phantom Bus

POST UPDATE: I had a busy week (actually "traumatizing" might be a better word for it) and forgot that I had planned to make this a "dark journey" double feature, --so here's the other story I absent-mindedly left out: "The Phantom Bus" from the September 1952 issue of The Unseen #6. We repo'd this one in the July 2015 issue of Haunted Horror #18, but it somehow never made its way here to THOIA, despite being one of my George Roussos favorites. I also included a ghostly half-pager from the same issue, which may have already been posted here somewhere over the years, I fergit. And of course, from the July-August 1953 issue of Skeleton Hand #6, comes a creepy tale of witchcraft and time travel gone oh-so horribly wrong. And to be honest, that's exactly the way I like it. I also dig that this one feels more like an ironically humorous Atlas quickie, and less the typical ACG happy ending that we've seen around here so many times before. 

Wailing Woman in the Haunted Bed

Just a couple of one-page quickies found in various issues of Pines horror comics from the 50's for you today. And as I work on a larger story for our next post, realize that you still get La Llorna, some goofy grave stones, and a mattress of the macabre to tangle with! So hang in there, we'll be right back.

Trial by Water

I don't really post a whole lot of Gold Key stuff here at THOIA. I mean, aside from some gorgeously painted cover art, the interior content might also look nice 'n clean, but alas, the storytelling is usually a bit on the weak side. Trial by Water is no different, it's questionably paced, and our two heroes just keep bumbling around lookin' for fun despite the multiple supernatural attempts on their dim-witted lives. But this story also contains an interesting plot element that I'm not sure I've ever seen in another horror comic tale, the art of gravestone rubbing, (which is why I've included it here this month, as this fascinating hobby seems to me to be particularly Octoberish.) And for those of you that like to take a single panel out of context, might I suggest panel one on page four, as you wander out to the cemetery with your girl to get some good rubbings, haha... from the Aug '75 issue of Grimm's Ghost Stories #25.

The Fearful Night

Another terrifically illustrated, Toth-esque team-up from Sekowsky and Peppe, from Pines publications May 1954 issue of Out of the Shadows #13. Seriously, if we've told you once, we've told you 666 times-- don't mess with wicked witches! Cover art (possibly) by George Roussos.

Fountain of Fear

It's almost Thanksgiving, and here's a supernatural appetizer (with an Native American twist!) to whet your whistle from the Jan. '54 issue of Out of the Shadows #11. Looks like this one got the Eerie Pub redraw / retitle treatment in the 70's, becoming "Spirits of Doom" for Witches Tales (twice reprinted), original 50's art by George Roussos and later reworked by Walter Casadei. This issue of Out of the Shadows also features one of my favorite Standard Comics covers, (I don't know who's face is more horrific) ...GCD says it could be a Peppe / Sekowsky team-up. Have a great holiday everyone, we'll be back this weekend with more stomach churnin' catastrophe's for you to choke on!