The Witches of Walpurgisnacht

Calendarly speaking, April 30th / May 1st means that it's not only Walpurgisnacht, but we're halfway to Halloween! This also means that it's Mr. Karswell's birthday (tomorrow) as well! And can you believe it? Friday Frights just happens to fall on this wonderfully witchy celebration date too! And a big day like this deserves a literal goddamned double feature, so here we go with a couple of kookball tales about witches and the supernatural. And flutes. Oh, but it's an evil flute--- AIEEEE! From the March 1954 issue of Beware #8, it's an early John Forte tale with an M.R. James-esque sort of sinister set-up, not to mention one of the absolute worst hand drawn story title treatments I've ever seen. It's all a load of fun though! But first up-- wait, did someone say "Curse the Banes?!" Aye-yi-yi, I'm taking this first story from the Voodoo Annual #1 (1952 one-shot) personally, and good lord *choke! --that ending would surely put a smile on even 'ol Ed Wood's face, no doubt about it. Also a quick apology about the quality of these scans, as I didn't really have a whole lot of time to clean them up as good as I usually like, but maybe leaving them in this grimier, yellowish state makes today's post somehow even better? Anyway, burn the midnight fires this evening, dance until you drop, and we'll see you all in May for lots more... 

Foo Shampoo

It's not very PC to admit these days, but we're big fans of the classic Charlie Chan films around here. And whatta'ya know, today is even Sidney Toler's birthday, --why, he's the man who portrayed everyone's favorite Honolulu detective in no less than 22 of those marvelous old movies! Now if you wanna read a fun old Chan comic mystery, just CLICK HERE to find one stored away way way back in the THOIA Archives. But if you wanna read something not Chan, though clearly inspired by said character, then stay right where you are, and take a humble gander at this cute little two-page, silly filler story from the August 1947 issue of The Saint #1. Unfortunately, artist unknown. And happy 174th birthday, Sidney! R.I.P. 

King Kong's Komeback

Thanks to the new Godzilla vs. Kong movie, everyone is seriously getting all fired up over the 'ol boy once again. But a lot of people don't realize that Kong attempted quite a few comeback's in his day, one particularly interesting story even found its way into the debut pages of International Insanity #1, from July 1976. And oh how I love The Demon shouting "STELLA!" hahaha...

Clamp Lamp

Summer is so close, yet still seems oh so far away, when in the midst of one Missouri (misery) week, the April temperature goes koo-koo for Karswell puffs from mid 80 degree's on Monday, to snow and freezing rain on Wednesday, and then slowly creeps back up to the mid 50's by the weekend. Lord, what's a guy got'ta do in these parts to get a little consistency?!! As you may have noticed, I'm not a fan of cold weather. I've lived in southern Cali and even Hawaii for half a year, but somehow I wound up right back here in the 'ol unreliable midwest. But one thing that will never fail me, is the amazing Clamp Lamp I inherited from someone down the line. It might be from the 60's, (definitely no later than the 70's), and the brilliantly groovy insert card art design below will surely tell you all you need to know. So go ahead and be brutal all yee want, Mr. Old Man Winter Spring, cuz I'm enjoying sun and heat lamp benefits right in my own home! I'd show you the actual lamp, but it's very anti-climatic compared to these booklet gems:

Planet of the Bats

Have we ventured into the cold, hollow depths of ominous outer space yet for a Friday Frights? If not, I guess there's no better dead-stination than the petrifyin' "Planet of the Bats", from the October 1975 issue of Mystery Comics Digest #26. Don Glut and Dan Spiegle seemed like a pretty good pair-up for these creepy Western Publishing Company Inc. tales of terror. Countdown... 3... 2... 1... bats off!

Liddle Riddles

Time to dig out another fun old 60's joke book from another old box of Cracker Jacks full of wonderfully old, corny balorney gags and superb illustrations. I've posted a few of these teeny tiny prize gems before, so use the handy search engine after you finish today's post for lots more. There's actually quite a few clever zingers in this batch, so remember them for Halloween 2021-- because the way this year is zippin' by--  it will be here before you know it!