Who's Dead?

One more ghastly ghost story for your haunted holiday pleasure, and one unpleasantly unearthed from the claustrophobic, coffiny confines of the October 1954 issue of Journey into Unknown Worlds #31. Paul Reinman definitely knew a thing or two about great lighting in a story, and how to put you, the reader, right into the rotten thick of things. So grab a shovel and get diggin' --ya dig? CREEEAK!

Case of the Witch's Curse

Just like it wouldn't be Halloween without Frankenstein, monster masks, and Edgar Allan Poe (check out the previously themed posts featured here this month if you haven't already!), but it also wouldn't be Halloween without a spooky murder mystery set in a big haunted house on a hill! We've equally been looking at whack ass wicked Halloween witches throughout the month of October, and here comes one more! And okay, we've also called in Bentley of Scotland Yard a few freakin' times here already too, why, just this past summer even, (HERE) --but whoa Nelly, here he comes again already to help solve a centuries old death curse! So hang on tight to that burning, torturous flame wheel, cuz this one might leave you scratchin' your hollow noggins' while trying to name the killer before 'ol pipe puss Bentley can! From the September 1941 issue of Pep Comics #19, art by Paul Reinman, --natch!

The Old Woman

If you remember at the start of this month, we took a look at the superb, early 1940's work that Paul Reinman supplied for the Pep Comics' "Bentley of Scotland Yard" mysteries. And here comes Reinman again, 10 years later and still plugging away as strong as ever for Atlas, with a very unusual, wonderfully written, wildly drawn story via the Dec. 1951 issue of Suspense #12. And despite the somewhat aggravating, off-register printing here, I still freakin' love that odd, final page close-up of the old woman, not to mention that beautifully bleak ending...

The Case of Devil's Rock

We're spending the first week of July 2025 going through the awesome evil archives of Scotland Yard's greatest horror hit maker, the ever brave Bentley, --and here's another hot lil number from the January 1943 issue of Pep Comics #35! And no, he isn't taking on 80's heavy metal, or the PMRC, but *gasp!* blazin' 'ol Beelzebub himself in his unholy, bloody birthday suit-- or is it!? Can you solve the mystery in time, or will you Barnes it up in utter failure, and die trying?!! Go!

The Church Steeple Murders / The Case of the Crucified Policeman

A new month of macabre posts now begins, and we pick up where we left off back in June-- with more bloody 'n brutal Bentley of Scotland Yard cases directly from the crumbly 'ol crypt of crime! And this is a great 1942 double feature via Pep Comics #29 and #31 featuring some creepy cop crucifixion, -PLUS- a truly horrific church steeple impaling! Oooo that's gotta hurt! Can you solve both mysteries before Bentley himself reveals the terrifyin' truths? See for yourself! And each story features some of my absolute favorite Paul Reinman art ever, especially both of those jaw-dropping splash pages!

The Head on Traitor's Gate!

The last post of June 2025 delivers a splashy severed head stuck high upon a gory gate! Yes, it's a gorgeously gruesome glimpse into a crime horror theme we'll see much more of in July, meaning a bounty of Bentley of Scotland Yard / "Can You Guess Who The Killer Is?" tales! From the October 1942 issue of Pep Comics #32, and featuring early art work from THOIA fan favorite, Paul Reinman! Hold onto your h-h-h-ats, and everything inside of 'em, --Mr. Karswell promises a weirder, wilder, and a way more violent month of posts as this sinister summer sadistically scorches on...

I Was Trapped in Horror House!

Again with a first person titled post-code freak-out tale this week, --because it's all about YOU, dear doomed reader, muhhh-hahah, --featuring awesome art by yet another pre-code horror legend, and this time it's petrifyin' Paul Reinman leading the journey into jolting terror! We'll definitely be visiting a few more haunted houses before the month is out, so get ready for some serious spook overload! From the July 1960 issue of Journey into Mystery #59.

The Werewolf Takes a Wife / Her Other Face

Double Header Day again, and get ready for two of my all-time favorite loony tune Atlas tales, both of which can be found in the April 1954 issue of Astonishing #32. It's a duelin' dose of monster maiden mayhem featuring hilarious horror twists on two creeps the likes of which I'm not sure any of us have seen around here in a while, --if ever! And yes, Werewolf Wednesday is a day early because I'll be busy for the next few, but also because I want to give everyone a chance to read these before posting again. And one more thing: even though it's still technically incorrect, please read BOTH tales before screamin' "cover blurb mix-up!" haha, wtf...