DON'T OPEN THAT BOX!

I missed including this early Poe adaptation in my on-going series of articles for NIGHTMARE ABBEY magazine titled, "Fear in Four Colors: The Hideous History of American Horror Comics". The story appeared in CROWN COMICS #1 (1945) and is believed to be drawn by Alex Blum. Beginning in 1949, Blum drew numerous adaptations for Gilberton's CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED and it's possible they hired him knowing of his skill with this story. The very cool cover is presumably the work of the very talented Matt Baker.

CROWN COMICS was published by McCombs under the imprint, Golfing Inc. McCombs was owned by William A. McCombs. McCombs also operated under Home Guide Publications, associated with Harry "A" Chesler. 

WEIRD ROMANCE: PRINCESS OF THE SEA

The late-lamented Eclipse Comics published a one-shot, WEIRD ROMANCE with a cover date of February 1988. The issue consisted of pre-Code horror comics touched up and reprinted in black and white. This is the original story, "Princess of the Sea", a romance between a man and a mermaid, first appeared in WEIRD THRILLERS (Ziff-Davis, Spring 1952) with art by Dan and Sy Barry. The painted cover is by Allen Anderson.

MAD MONEY!

Here's a short and bittersweet tale of money, greed and murder; one of the trifectas of pre-Code horror comics. "Mad Money!" is from Stanley Morse's WEIRD MYSTERIES #5 (June 1953), illustrated by Ed Smalle.