Going - Going - Real Gone!

Okay now, we've been doing "April Fools" around here since 2007, so at this point in the blahhguh game there's really no point anymore in me, errrr, I mean Mr. Karswell, trying to pull a fast one over you guys! Instead, we'll just take a look at another fun MAD magazine wannabe yarn featuring some silly supernatural spirits (including a funky Frankenstein's Monster, boney 'ol Death, a headless Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Horseman, and a super stoned Casper clone midget), doing their absolute worst at scarin' a buncha haunted house invadin', hip cat college kids and their fast yappin', jump ' n jive nonsense. It's kooks 'n spooks a'plenty, and it's from the Fall 1954 issue of Madhouse #4, with art likely by those krazy be-boppin' Iger Shop kool kats. Ya dig?

The Happy Dead / The Terrible Trident!

Continuing with our look at Red Circle Comic Group's very short lived 70's MADHOUSE horror series, here are two from the Sept '74 issue of Madhouse #95. Starting off with "The Happy Dead" (no nods to The Grateful Dead necessary), this is a hilarious story that Doug Wildey may or may not have used Barbara Steele photos for as reference in a few panels-- but it's most certain that German "El Vampiro" Robles pops in for whatever reason in the middle of page 5! And then, "The Terrible Trident!" picks up where we left off in our last post with yet another devil story, and one very familiar, almost monotonous punchline ending! I was saving this one for Halloween, but here ya go anyway, typically cool art from Vicente Alcazar-- and how about that creepy Gray Morrow cover!

German Robles 

Demon Kiss / The Devil's Matchmaker

Having survived the madhouse that is San Diego Comic Con 2013, I return with a demonic Double Feature, both tales from the November 1974 issue of Red Circle Comics Group MADHOUSE #96, the first story written and illustrated by the great Bruce Jones, (it certainly doesn't  get much better than bikinis and blasphemy for this blogger!), and the second atmospheric story illustrated by Sal Amendola. I'll have more from this scary, short-lived silver age horror series in the next few posts too.

(cover art by
Gray Morrow)