A Study in Terror

We made a bunch of macabre monsters in our previous Landor post HERE, and now --with the help of Boris Karloff-- it's time to make another! But be warned, if you choose to play a monster, be extra careful that you don't actually become one, too! I love a good stormy night of horror inside an atmospheric, seaside cliff mansion! From the June 1972 issue of Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery #41, with story art by Hy Eisman, and cover painting by the great George Wilson.

Haircut!

Got myself a terrifying trim the other day, which reminded me of this hair-raising little story from the July 1953 issue of Chamber of Chills #18. Super duper, Jack Davis-esque art by Howard Nostrand as usual, and a truly creepy cover by lurid 'ol Lee Elias... yep, you've definitely come to the right place this eerie evening for a grave and a scare-cut!

Hair I Go Again!

Annnnd hair we go again with another year of classic horror comic madness! It's hard to believe that THOIA is now in its 16th year of petrifyin' posts, and we seriously couldn't have done it without the handful of you that still continue lurking around and commenting, not to mention the occasional wonderful donations of super scans and other assorted scary suggestions. So to those of you out there reading this (and you know who you are) 2024 is deadicated to you for your continued fiendish fellowship and endless, eerie interest! Okay, let's pick things up where we left it all off last year with MORE ATLAS! From the July 1953 issue of Adventures into Terror #21, and fearturing art by the great, Gil Kane!

The Hand of Glory

Time once again for Weird War Wednesday (umm, have we ever actually done a Weird War Wednesday before?), --well no matter, -- cuz here it is in all of its high flyin' glory, from the April 1983 issue of Weird War Tales #122! And don't let the title fool any of you long time THOIA freaks who think you know what a "hand of glory" is, I doubt you'll see this ending coming, errr, until you get to maybe page 5, and / or if you clue-in on a certain character's name. And don't cheat and go running to look at the last page either, ya party poopers!! 

Love from a Gorgon

From one hairy monstrosity tale of lurid love, and right into another-- and this time it's a surprisingly well written Star Publications tale of truly despicable, driveling oral organs from the beyond! Yeah, you read that right, *gag!* --and you'll read all about it again in a few moments. Also note, Disbrow is using the word "gorgon" here as merely a means to accentuate how ugly this creature is, as there is no actual snake-headed, turner to stone in this story. From the Dec. '52 issue of Startling Terror Tales #13, with another super cool, blacklight poster inspiring cover design by L.B. Cole.

The Gorilla

Time to get swingin' on THOIA's Valentines Massacre 2020 this year-- yes sir, it's an entire month devoted to love gone wonderfully whack-oh, and weirdly wrong! And one of the most non-subtle, fright-filled moments of *CENSORED* to leap outta the fifties funny pages comes from the July 1954 issue of Weird Chills #1. Good lord, you barely even need to read the lines (or between 'em) to know what's going on in this white man, fever dream, freak-out. And my, how times have certainly not changed... not even a little bit.













SING: "You drive me ape, you big gorilla..."

The Fatal Strands

Wait, did you guys think we were done with the hair horror this month?! Well, lock your mops up tight-- cuz this terror tuft shock'r of coiffeured creepiness might just leave your split-ends frazzled forever! From the February 1953 issue of Adventures into Darkness #8, with art by Charles Sultan.

The Wig-Maker

Time to venture back into the odd old west for a tale that's half spooky / half silly, and 100% howlin' Harvey at this late precode horror / humor vein stage of the 50's game. Yeah, everybody could see Wertham's hammer of doom a'fallen', so many of these terror titles began to take the hint and turn up the funny volume. Things went from gory to corny fast, but not all was lost, like this hairy scary (*tag! *gag!) from the Feb '54 issue of Witches Tales #23. And FYI: There's even more wig weirdness in the archive if you've got a hankerin' to dig 'em out-- just don't ever say that Mr. Karswell didn't go to great lengths to root out that 'ol black humor for ya's!