"Vampire Flies" & "Witch's Revenge"

If some person were to place a smoking gun to my head, or perhaps subject me to hours and hours of torture far too imaginative and sordid to enumerate here, I would say that Larry Woromay is my favorite Eerie Pub artist. Certainly, Dick Ayers' work for the House of Fass - all cleaved heads, neatly sectioned limbs, and spurting eyeballs - was blazed into my brain pan at an early age; and for that Mr. Ayers has my undying gratitude and love. And, yes, the ebony blacks of the mysterious Antonio Reynoso suggest dark, unsung genius.

Yet, in my gray years, the work of Woromay moves forward. No one in the Eerie Pub stable could make a page fester like Woromay. His mortal world forever teetered on fleshly corruption - his vision one of decay and an unstoppable return to the wet filth of the earth. This first story, "Vampire Flies," from Witch's Tales Vol. 3 No. 1, serves as perfect example. This story is a Woromay reworking of "Demon Flies" from Harvey's Witch's Tales (1952).

"Witch's Revenge" is a straight-up swipe of a Haunted Thrills story, "Witch's Horror," which first appeared in 1953.

Leaving? Well, if you must. But don't miss the next foray into the pulpy beauty of "Grave Rehearsal" and "Terror Below" as we finish our ravaging of this issue of Witch's Tales. Happy, bloody trails.

"The Zombie Manikins" & "The Strange Corpse"

Gather near, wretched defilers - it's time for another sacrifice as we begin our exploration of the remains of Witches' Tales Vol. 3 No. 1, February 1971. But first, as is our habit with new issues, let's obsess for a moment on this cool, painted cover. I love the green-hued, alien doctor performing the experiment (soul transference? a simple duel, private execution?). That volcano shaped head on the doctor keeps him from wearing his headphones properly. And why, exactly, is he wearing headphones anyway? Perhaps they are just hearing protection to block out the screams.

Our first story, "The Zombie Manikins," is another take on re-animation of the dead and, as per usual, the dead don't take things lying down. The art is by the artist known as Oswal.

Our second morsel is a real treat! "The Strange Corpse," if you'll notice, is signed "AA." According to the authority of all things Eerie Pub., Mike Howlett (see his book in sidebar); "AA" indicates a combined effort with the great Dan Ayers on pencils and equally great Dan Atkins handling the inks. "The Strange Corpse" is one of only two Eerie Pub. stories handled by the team.

Nothing quite says Eerie Pub. love like a few panels of Ayers' splattered eye-sockets, what? Next post: "Voodoo Horror" and "Web of Terror." Until then, don't forget to put on your leg shackles during the next full moon.