HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, MY LOVE!

Fred is the unfaithful fiancé to Charlotte who just adores him. When she catches him necking with the floozie Betty Merriweather, he's got to drop her or lose his meal ticket with the wealthy Charlotte. The new bride finds a way to keep her husband from straying and she celebrates the morbid occasion on their 10th anniversary.

"Happy Anniversary" was the cover story for Harvey's CHAMBER OF CHILLS #19 (September 1953) illustrated by Bob Powell with possible assistance from Howard Nostrand. As for the cover itself, the art is generally attributed to Lee Elias, but he may have collaborated with Warren Kremer who might have drawn the cover rough.

UPDATE: In his book, LIGHT AND DARK: THE ART OF LEE ELIAS (Moonage Books, 2025) author Nick Neocleous gives Elias full attribution for the cover art.

Follow the link on the sidebar to purchase the book.

WALL OF FLESH!

This is probably the most repulsive story produced by a Fawcett pre-Code horror comic. The pulsating living wall of flesh that devours human beings lurks in THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED #12 from August 1953 with art by Bob Powell. Yuk!

MONSTERS FROM THE SEWER!

Monsters from outer space or under the sea are one thing -- but from the sewer? Ugh!

In Paris, a man named Jean is miraculously saved from hanging and escapes into the sewers, breaking his neck in the process (!). In the lower depths and corridors he comes upon a group of underground fungus-covered denizens whom he manages to befriend. He convinces them to follow him to the surface and wreak a murderous havoc on the townspeople (sound familiar?). But, the air is too pure for their fetid lungs (!) and the creatures begin to perish, one by one. Jean is recaptured and this time the execution is served.

"The Sewer Monsters" appeared in Harvey's WITCHES TALES #4 (July 1951) with art by Bob Powell.

SERVANTS OF THE TOMB!

This story could almost be called heroic horror or a fear-flung fairy tale as a "The White Giant of Peace" comes from the sky to save the townspeople from a raging, murderous mummy. Only in pre-Code horror comics! "Servants of the Tomb" appeared in WITCHES TALES #6 (Harvey, November 1951), with art by Bob Powell and Howard Nostrand.

DEATH BY JELLY (PEANUT BUTTER NOT INCLUDED)

This one's about as weird as they get. A (yes) mad scientist concocts a serum that he injects into a blob of protoplasm and the thing morphs into a humanoid monster that -- what else? -- goes on a killing rampage.

Nice artwork by the team of Bob Powell (pencils) and Howard Nostrand and Marty Epp (inks).

"Jelly Death" from CHAMBER OF CHILLS #6 (March 1952).

JACK OF HORROR!

One of the better team-ups during the pre-Code era were Bob Powell and Howard Nostrand. On their own, both were good artists, but I think together they complemented each other.

"Jack of Horror" from BLACK CAT MYSTERY #34 (Harvey, April 1952) is so crazy, I consider it an almost psychedelic story. It was reprinted in BLACK CAT MYSTERY #52 (October 1954) during the last gasp of horror comics brought on by the Comics Code Authority.

NOTE: Some of the panels in this story may look familiar; I used them in a previous post.