The Mystery of the Glowing Ghost!

If you're looking for some silly, supernatural, Saturday matinee style shenanigans, then you came to the right place! So let's follow one of Atlas comics' most underrated crime-reporting teams as they head out to the creepy countryside in search of a spooky story. This was a fun series that only lasted 4 issues total unfortunately, but good 'ol reliable artist, Vernon Henkel, made the most of these adventurous escapades, especially when things took a turn for the eerie, --as in todays haunted mansion mystery from the December 1949 issue of Casey - Crime Reporter #3. 

Portable Pretties for Playboys

If you've ever flipped through the back pages of any sort of vintage "men's magazine", you likely saw ads for those hilariously pathetic, unrealistic, inflatable sex dolls, (which are basically rubber pool toys with a couple of holes already punched in, and how anyone could have any actual real fun with any of it is beyond me!) But there was always one mail-away ad in the girlie mag mix where the doll pictured seemed to be infinitely better made, higher quality like a mannequin, and apparently still made of sturdy, vinyl-like soft-skin flesh, --and this one was called The Instant Party Doll. Much more realistic looking, and designed in a very stylized, very cute cartoon girl way, TIPD had real hair, an hour glass figure, lots of other curves and adults only detail, plus a rather attractive, eyes closed face (minus the typically ridiculous "O" mouth so common with these types of dolls.) According to the ad, she had a variety of practical, everyday uses as well: in the office, club, conventions, etc, and yes, even as a mannequin, complete with a stand for displays. She was also $70, and to me, seemed a bit too good to be true, I mean, surely this was just another false advertising mail-away scam, right? But then I dug up a copy of the January 1967 issue of VUE Magazine, and lo and behold there was a 5-page, photo loaded feature article all about it...

DIS-GO Near Beer

I recently found this groovy can of DIS-GO Near Beer, which looks psychedelic 60's but is actually from 1976. 12 FL OZ of go-go juice power, to really get you bangin' 'n shangin' your lime green lang-a-thangs! Googlin' around for more info, I noticed there were other variations of the can that mention "non-alcoholic" under the logo, which explains what the "near beer" is all about. Made by Eastern Brewing Corporation based in Hammonton, NJ. Anyone remember this stuff?

Talking Comic Shows Coin-Op Machine

Buried in the back aisle of a midwest Ozark antique shop I spotted a great old Talking Comic Shows coin-op machine. Sad looking, silent, and in very poor condition, this child-size contraption harkened back to a time when cartoons weren't so readily available as they are these days any 'ol time you want (ie: on DVD, a dozen different pay channels, or the internet.) Yep, as we see here, your 5 cents delivered full color, animated entertainment featuring funny animals like Tom and Jerry, or maybe even a Daniel Boone adventure! Just plunk in your nickel and place your peepers up to the viewer for some awesomely antiquated, flicker box fun! Of course "adult" versions of these also existed, --a quick search on the www will also provide you quite the tanlizin' show!

Trouble Mug

Found a funny 60's kitsch drinkin' mug a while back featuring a curvy blonde beach babe running into some trouble with a precocious pooch! A nicely painted 3D effect wraps around about 3/4ths of the entire ceramic container, but alas, the spoils of all this classic Coppertone-esque trouble is not to be revealed. CLICK HERE for more frisky beach fun on a mug that I posted about last month!

VAMPIRES Blood-shot One-Shot

It's a few months late, but better late than never! In stores everywhere next week on November 23rd comes the foul-fanged follow-up to Mr. Karswell's bloodsuckin' debut at Asylum Press-- the Vampires Blood-Shot One-Shot! Over 30 pages of ghastly, gruesome, Golden era terror classics, plus a titillatingly terrific, *ADULTS ONLY* clothed and non-clothed variant cover from dynamic Drazen Kozjan! If this one doesn't spoil your Thanksgiving appetites-- nothing will!

The Brides of Barlow

This day in November 1979 marked the CBS broadcast debut airing of part one of Stephen King's, made-for-tv horror film, Salem's Lot. Directed by Tobe Hooper and starring David Soul, James Mason, Bonnie Bedelia, Lew Ayers, Reggie Nalder, and my childhood hero, Lance Kerwin, this great adaptation of my favorite King novel about a writer returning to his boyhood hometown only to discover that a vampire invasion has begun, is a bonafide nightmare classic. So for Halloween this year I wanted to do something different and created a Salem's Lot themed display, highlighted by my newly constructed, life-sized Mr. Barlow action figure, (see PARTS ONE and TWO HERE if you missed them), along with a few lovely ladies from my vintage mannequin collection, (heck, even Vampira makes a appearance!), PLUS, some well placed web netting and LED colored lights in my attic rafters. I was also hopefully determined to deliver an answer to the question that I've heard so many people ask over the years about the film: "Where exactly is Mr. Barlow throughout most of the film?" And yes, while it's true that most of Barlow's terrifying combined screen time could probably be clocked in minutes comparable to the total length of a typical 70's commercial break (less is definitely more though, you know!), we now learn that while the vampirically transformed townsfolk were busy infecting their neighborhood friends and family, Mr. Barlow actually kept himself quite busy with his trio of lovely brides. What's going on behind that light burning in the upper story of the haunted old Marsten mansion up on the hill, you ponder? Well, let me show you...