The Manikins of Death!

I'm always surprised to find a precode horror story that hasn't already made its way into the THOIA Archive at this point. Especially considering I collect vintage department store mannequins, and why looky here-- a good one on that exact subject, no less! From the August 1951 issue of Mysterious Adventures #3, and from the glorious 'ol Golden age era of when people apparently had no idea how to even spell the word "mannequin!" I'm sure some of you will find a wee bit of pleasure knowing that Mr. Karswell is seated here at the computer and indeed surrounded by multiple mannequins, blankly staring at me, errr him, as these scans are eerily edited and meticulously put together for todays post... piece by piece... limb by limb... ohh, careful not to slip now!

Hunger

We're only a few posts beyond Thanksgiving 2022 and still you're ravenous for more horror, and of course THOIA is happy to continue serving up terrifyingly tasty morsels from the cool long box --and I'm not talking about a refrigerator! Also in honor of Mr. Karswell's recent VAMPIRES Blood Shot One-Shot release of gruesome golden era gems (in stores NOW via Asylum Press!), we have another blood suckin' classic from the November 1973 issue of Secrets of Sinister House #15. And if you're STILL hungry after that, then hurry up and grab yourself a copy of VAMPIRES BSO-S, it comes in a variety of vicious variant cover flavors, most notably Drazen Kozjan's deliciously sexy take on a macabre midnight smorgasbord --see the image at the end of the post! And FYI this cover also comes in a much more revealing "ADULT" version as well! Inquire with the better comic stores in your area, or send Mr. Karswell an email at karswell@hotmail.com for details!

VAMPIRES #1 (Asylum Press)

 VAMPIRES #1 is in stores everywhere today! Mr. Karswell (editor) returns to print with 30+ pages of blood draining tales of Golden Age, vintage vampire terror! Available with multiple cover variants too! Get your copy --before it gets you!

CLICK HERE for more info!

As Halloween Season Approaches...

A reminder from THOIA: I have a rapidly dwindling back stock of various Haunted Horror and Haunted Love back issues, signed copies of select Chilling Archives hardcovers and Classic Monsters softcovers, (sorry, Mummies is SOLD OUT), plus a few Haunted Horror Coloring Books and even Weird Love back issues. Fill up those gaps in your collections by dropping me a line at karswell@hotmail.com and I'll fill you in on prices and the HH / HL / WL back issue numbers that are still available. Many of these are out of print, so get 'em now before they're gone forever --or be doomed to pay ridiculous prices later! Spook up your Halloween season NOW!

(FYI: Discounts applied to all longtime THOIA followers!)

GHOSTS! IN STORES NOW!

From the terror team that curdled your blood with Haunted Horror, Zombies, Return of the Zombies, Haunted Love, Swamp Monsters, and Mummies, Ghosts is the latest and ghastly greatest in the Classic Monsters of Pre-Code Horror comics collections. Edited by Mr. Karswell, aka Steve Banes, plus an eerie introduction by comic writer / fan favorite, jolting John Rozum! Over 128 pages of appalling apparitions, formidable phantoms, shuddery seances, shivery spooks 'n specters, and evil wraiths with much more than just revenge on their murdered minds! Just in time for Halloween too!  



CLICK HERE for more information, and go to Amazon to order your copy NOW! And here's a FULL STORY PREVIEW from the collection to get your goosebumps a'jumpin'!













And CLICK HERE to see a story that didn't make the GHOSTS collection, but is still a load of spooky fun none the less!

HAUNTED HORROR #34 IN STORES NOW!

HAUNTED HORROR #34 is in stores now! Full of cannibals, murderers, vampires, and more! If you need a couple of creeped-out story examples from this great new issue then please click HERE or HERE or even HERE!



And FYI: THOIA (and AEET) will return shortly, I'll also be posting that long awaited follow-up Dick Ayer's Ghost Rider story we promised here a few months back. Apologies for the delay, but a much needed vacation combined with endless technical difficulties has put blogging a bit low on the priority pole lately. But never fear, we're still here... stay... tombed...

Trick or Treat

Whenever it's Mr. Karswell's birthday, you can safely scream "May Day! May Day!" while also knowing deep down in your evil little black hearts that we're at the half-way point in the year to Halloween! And if you're not too exhausted from unsafely Walpurgising your brains out last night, let us now further celebrate all ominous occasions mentioned (because every day is Halloween around here) with an overlooked Sterling Comics gem by Mike Sekowsky, from the May 1955 issue of Surprise Adventures #4.

I... Want... My... Cupcake?!"

Those of you that have been following this blog from the beginning are, by now, fully aware of my undying love and restless obsession with the Stephen King film classic, Creepshow (1981) directed by George Romero. Having watched this incredible ode to precode comic book horror countless times, (and read the spectacular Wrightson graphic novel adaptation just as many too), I felt this was the year to finally have my cake-- and eat it too! Thank you Trick or Treat Studios for officially licensing the "Father's Day" Nathan Grantham (and The Crate's Fluffy) masks for CS fiends like myself, and thank you to the Goodwill for hooking me up with a totally affordable ($17) full funeral suit to properly destroy (with the help of a relative.) A big no thanks to Mattel though who now make Barbie Styling Heads so small that they are no longer appropriate for cake-size horror props, but Hell, I'll come back from the grave any day for a tiny tasty cupcake too, so eh, make due with whatcha got being my current Halloween 2017 motto.





































Enjoy the pix, we hope everyone had a creeptacular Halloween as well! THOIA will be right back with more golden moldies from the vault in just a few so stay tombed... and hey, get yourself a second helping of that cake-- it's awfully delicious!