Terror of the Hotrod

Pound that putrid pedal to the metal, it's time now for some hot rod horror from the March - April 1953 issue of Dark Mysteries #11! Okay, I'm not exactly sure if Hollingsworth was the best choice for the art duties here, but he still deliver's a pretty solid, fast paced, rip roarin' creeper-- and that wonderfully witchy splash is pretty fantastic too! One more story to go from this wild issue, stay vroooomed...

Bewitched!

I have to admit, I'm not the biggest fan of post-code 50's Atlas stories. I mean, yeah, they may contain some nice artwork from bullpen legends, --unfortunately, most of it tends to feel a bit lightweight, pandering, and unbearably bland / repetitive when it comes to the storytelling (especially when compared to the precode stuff!) But give good 'ol bad ass Bob Powell a script to bewitch the reader with, and suddenly now you're talkin' a horse of a whole different, creeptacular color! Take for example this eerie excellent entry via the August 1957 issue of Strange Stories of Suspense #16 (the final issue in this series.) Powell fleshes-out four perfect pages into one heckuva thrilling supernatural quickie-- even reminding me a little bit of Charles Beaumont's masterfully freaky, funeral planet episode, "Elegy", from the first season of the OG Twilight Zone television series. I have an equally good Golden Age Powell tale coming up next too, stay tombed...

Mirror Macabre

It's February and wedding bells are a'ringin'! And what's a good present to give to the lovely couple after all is said, dead, and completely, utterly done for? Nice art throughout from Louis Zansky, and an equally cool cover here by Dick Beck. From the April 1953 issue of Hand of Fate #17, oh, and we'll be seeing more Ace atrocities all next month as well, --that's your head's off, errr, UP I mean, to always remember to stay eternally tombed and terrified...

Each Night I Drown in the Pool

Something evil is bubblin' down below-- and I'm not talking about your stomach after chowin' on too many White Castle burgers last night! It's a double dose of watery weird doom for you to dive right into today, and Frank Springer again returns to THOIA with a terrific spin on an 'ol resurfacing ancient curse, from the March 1966 issue of Ghost Stories lucky #13. But first up, Karswell fave, Vernon Henkel delivers a deadly deep discovery with every breath youuu take, via the September 1952 issue of Suspense #22. Better call The Police! And just to make things even more fun, I've included a one page tale about another young lady who wants to drown, via the I Forget Where I Found This Thing #-0. Sorry.... anyway, I'm pretty certain that the saucy artwork is by the always great Bill Wenzel, at least!

One Extra Head He Makes Me Kill!

Time to kick off 2026 with a bang-- or two! Dan Loprino's "One Extra Head" is from the March 1954 issue of Journey into Unknown Worlds #25, and followed by Gil Evans' "He Makes Me Kill!" via the May 1953 issue of Men's Adventure #21. Okay, we're gonna be doing things a little differently around here this new year, just hang tight and all will be revealed over the coming weeks... stay tombed!

The Convert

I typically like to deliver a little Shaitanic evil during December, aka the holiest of months. So let's kick it off with a devilishly diabolical entry from the October 1978 issue of Charlton's Monster Hunters #16. Interestingly loose illustrations and lay-outs from Enrique Puchades (making his THOIA debut), an artist who felt the need to sign his name on nearly every page --and sometimes even more than once on a single page too?! I also get the feeling we're seeing quite a number of Vampirella swipes every time demonic dame Regina pops into a panel. Okay, initially I thought this was cantankerous old monster huntin' horror host, Colonel Whiteshroud's first appearance on the blog too, but he actually told us a macabre little mermaid tale back in 2014 HERE! Lots more monsters, mummies, maniacs, and merry holiday spirits on the way all this month-- so staay tommbed!