Greyble to the Grave / Haunted One

THOIA delivers our Valentine's Massacre post one day early because hey-- it's also Friday the 13th! And like we do on most holidays, it's a double fab fear-ture. Let's start off the festivities with a grave tale by Angelo Torres from the November 1959 issue of Eerie Tales #1, and featuring a really gorgeous cover painting from good 'ol George Tuska, too! Then we crack open another rare debut #1 issue, the May 1952 issue of Voodoo #1, in fact! It's a leggy crime horror reworking of a Bomber Comic's Grimm Ghost Detective story-- they simply changed Grimm's name to "Trimm!" Ha, hope everyone gets a little trim as well on Valentine's Day-- and stay tombed, cuz this February freak-out is far from over!

High Priestess of the Snake People

Those darn Dames of Doom keep slithering out of the woodwork around here, as our month of Vicious Valentine Vamps continues! And just like the previous post, this story also comes from the September 1950 issue of Challenge of the Unknown #6 (which was in fact, the one and only issue of this title.) It is also fantastically illustrated by Frank Giusto who, I believe, is finally making his THOIA debut here! I may have to do a deep dive and see what else we can find by him for a future artist spotlight. Collectors of our Chilling Archives of Horror Comics hardcover collections may remember this gem from Mike Howlett's super awesome, and weirdly underrated Snake Tales book from 2016...

The Pale Light of... Death!

Valentine's Day is finally upon us, but we're far from the bitter end of our doomed love stories fest for the morbid month of February. And it doesn't get much more doomy than a whirlwind romance that suddenly turns murderous and suicidal in the simple span of 5 comic book pages, but here ya go none the less. From the December 1951 issue of Chamber of Chills #4, PLUS! a real gem from the Karswell Kard Kollection-- aka the saddest sunken lunk Valentine of all time! And if you're still hangin' around after that, an appropriate, though not very Valentiney, one-page bonus "True Tale of the Supernatural" from the Sept. 1950 issue of Challenge of the Unknown #6.

It Happened on Valentine's Eve (Again)

An encore presentation of an appropriately themed ACE tale I posted back in 2010, from the May 1951 issue of The Beyond #4. Hope everyone has a lovely holiday... I'll have more new posts on the way, as soon as I catch a breather from my grueling new work schedule >:(

Dear Valentine! / It Happened on Valentine's Eve

Welcome lovebirds, to THOIA's Valentine Weekend Double Header Massacre! It's Atlas vs. Ace in two terrifying tales totally not endorsed by Hallmark. And first up-- "Dear Valentine!" from the very last issue of Adventures into Terror #31 (May 1954), with slick art by Al Hartley (or should that be Heartly?) Here's hoping that everyone has a wonderful holiday... *vomits*

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It Happened on Valentine's Eve

(The Beyond #4, May 1951)

We're not done with our sweethearts theme this week, with plenty more pathetic attempts at wooin' and cooin' and whatever else rhymes with murder, ghosts, and general mean spirited mayhem on the way!

Halfway to Hades

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Are you still in the mood for love? Well then you definitely came to the wrong place. In fact, today’s quaint little Valentine (from me to you) has absolutely no love interest plot or boy meets girl interaction whatsoever. So why post it today then you ask? Read on…

From Ghost Comics #10, 1954
Gallery link HERE
(NOTE: there is currently no GCD info available for this issue)