The Case of the Missing Tombstones!

Well, Tombstone Tuesday just moved to Monday, all apologies folks! My pre-planned schedule has been thrown off since the big 'ol storm that blew through the midwest a few days ago and knocked out our power for a spell. But everything's slowly back to (ab)normal around here, and since nothing else could possibly go wrong (could it?), how about something a bit more fun yet still equally abnormal with a kooky spooky Inspector Klooz case from the Oct. - Nov. '46 issue of Young King Cole V2#2. Fans of silly slapsticky horror, as well as Terrytoon's Heckle & Jeckle will surely enjoy the distinct illustrative stylings of Connie Rasinski / JAC / Jason Comic Art.

The Blue Zombie

Who's ready for another eerie entry in the super fun, Golden Age "Fantastic Feature Films" series illustrated by the always terrific, June Tarpé Mills? (See the previous two posts HERE and one over at AEET HERE!) This time it's a chilly weird war creeper actioner, meshing mad science w/ the living dead, and shambling forth via the July '40 issue of Target Comics V1#6.

Maskless Axeman

Not to be confused with "Assless Chaps Man" (the alter ego of Brian Barnes), Maskless Axeman was the very first entry in the super cool, but brief "Fantastic Feature Films" anthology back-up filler tales from the earliest days of Novelty's hero-driven, Target Comics. It's a clever concept, as if we just walked into the the theater as a film is starting, --we can even see the backs of the heads from the people seated in front of us. We also get the title card and cast listing highlighting a handful of the same reoccurring actors and actresses, most notably "Orson Black" swiping Lon Chaney's moniker as "The Man of a Thousand Faces." There was around a dozen or so of these created, mostly self-contained, crime driven adventures, with a few based on literary classics like Treasure Island and Gulliver's Travels, and of course a few with some downright gruesome great horror overtones like the one in today's post, via the February 1940 issue of Target Comics V1#1 (and listed on GCD as the 666th comic entry, no less!) June Tarpé Mills, one of the first major female comic artists of the Golden era, provided the art for all but two entries, and she does a superb job with the heroes, heavies, and especially the Hollywood-esque hotties, as equally evident in the other story I have featured over at AEET HERE today as well-- check it out after today's blood soaked THOIA story! 

The Secret of the Moaning Ghosts

I posted this Sergeant Spook tale waaaay back in 2008 HERE in its strangely less exciting, recolored / 1963 reprint version-- so here it is again in all of its original superdupernatural, fists a'flyin' fun (aka a much better encore presentation) from the far superior, October 1942 issue of Blue Bolt Vol. 3 #5. Plus, we finally get to see that amazing John Jordan cover art! For an extra good laugh, read the whiny comments on the original post, it's truly amazing that I'm even still maintaining this blog. I mean, the script was written by Mickey Spillane!

Gorillas, Ghosts, and Gangsters (Do You Dig?)

I received a somewhat mixed reaction back in 2008 on the first time I ever posted a Sergeant Spook story (see HERE) --seems a few commenters would prefer THOIA steer clear of the more "kid friendly" type pre-code stories such as this. Well, today I have another one originally from the August 1942 issue of Blue Bolt Vol. 3 #3 (27), and this one is just as kid friendly and exploding with silly, playful fun-- and scripted by Mickey Spillane no less! Apologies to any haters... if this ain't your cup o'tea, come back in a few days for something scarier. (And a big thanks to Drazen "Happy Undertaker" Kozjan for the funny one page gag at the end of this post, from his Abbott & Costello comic collection.)

BONUS!

Ghoul of the North / Return of the Ghoul

Everyone seemed to enjoy the Jay Disbrow madness of our last post, so here's more-- a ghoulishly hairy two-parter from Blue Bolt Weird Tales #113 and #115 (incidently, "Return of the Ghoul" was originally posted HERE at THOIA waaay back in 2008, so here's how it all started!) --plus, a mysterious bonus filler page also illustrated by Jay, as well as a typically great Star Comic cover conjured up by L. B. Cole. Also, did everybody get a copy of Haunted Horror #1?