HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN: 1 DAY

"Th...there's something... in the house!"

Do you have the courage to go inside?

Amazing cover from EC's unpublished

Picto-Fiction TERROR ILLUSTRATED #3 (1956)

Click on this image to see it in it's full splendor. Art by Reed Crandall.

Halloween Spectacular - WEREWOLF TRIPLE FEATURE! HOOOWWLL!!

In honor of Halloween tomorrow, and for that extra dose of horror and sugar we all crave this time of year, I have plucked not 1, not 2, but 3 fantastic, fur-covered fright fables out of my goodie bag for you!! Hooowwwwllll you like that??!!

The first tale is from Atlas/Marvel, and features the first appearance of their most famous werewolf, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT! The second chiller is also from Marvel and shows the Werewolf character revived and in his own title. And for the finale I have saved the best for last. Also from Marvel, this is my all-time favorite werewolf story, drawn with cinematic perfection by Reed Crandall. You are in for a treat!

It was 1953. That month MARVEL TALES # 116 sported an amazing transformation cover by Joe Maneely, and the caption beneath said "WEREWOLF BY NIGHT!". Inside was a 5 page story drawn by Jack Abel that featured the cover character and the obligatory twist ending. But this was only the beginning.

_____________________________________________

Almost 20 years later Marvel resurrected the cleverly named character in Marvel Spotlight, and with a few tweaks here and there, the reborn WEREWOLF BY NIGHT had his own comic title by September, 1972. Initially drawn by Mike Ploog, soon after Atlas veteran Don Perlin would become the regular penciller until the series folded in 1977. This story is from WEREWOLF BY NIGHT #3 and includes such horrific treats as burning at the stake, flesh melting off of bones, a sword-swinging demonic dragon, and a mad Karloff-ian monk, to name a few. Art by Mike Ploog.

___________________________________________

In 1971 a young lad went to the local drugstore and took a comic book off the rack. He then walked over to the counter, and layed down his fifteen cents for Marvel's CREATURES ON THE LOOSE #13. Within the hour his mind would be blown forever after reading a story entitled WHERE WALKS THE WEREWOLF. Reed Crandall was the artist, and what an artist! The image of Crandall's werewolf has remained burned into my psyche. I hope you're ready to be horribly delighted to death! Snaarrrll!!

I told you that was GOOD STUFF, man! Well, that's all for now, fiends!

Right now I have to go get my flea collar let out! Go bob for apples, remove the razor blades, and I'll meet you back here in a few hours! HOOOOOWWWWWWLL!!!

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN: 2 DAYS

(This was/is Thursday's post...just pretend it says Thursday.)

I do NOT recommend Trick-Or-Treating out in the swamp.
 I never get any good candy out there.

Image from EC's Picto-Fiction, TERROR Illustrated #1, 1955.
 Art by Reed Crandall.

HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN: 8 DAYS

Original image taken from OUT OF THE SHADOWS #9, Standard Comics, 1953 - artist unknown