Not used as much as other subject matter in pre-Code horror comics were puppets . . . the evil and murderous kind, of course. This tale, "Puppet Peril" is from WEIRD ADVENTURES #2 (July-August 1951), published by P.L. Publishing. Some claim the company was located in Canada because of the "Printed in Canada" notice on the indicia, but they were actually out of Rockefeller Plaza in New York, where other American comics publishers were based.
Nevertheless, P.L. was one of the most obscure of publishers, preferring non-super hero titles, such as Westerns and romance, and were all published in the last quarter of 1951. WEIRD ADVENTURES began as a crime book, and then for the next (and last) two issues switched to horror, likely in reaction to horror titles gaining popularity.
As far as art credit goes, comics historian Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr. identifies it as being a collaboration between possibly Lou Morales (because of the initials "LM" hidden on the store sign of the splash page) and Harry Harrison. The Fantagraphics anthology of reprints, "Four Color Fear: Forgotten Horror Comics of the 1950s" (September 2010) credits Ernie Bache and and Harry Harrison.
And for all you SOTI fans, included in this story are a couple of hypodermic needle panels.
Sorry to "string you along" -- here's "Puppet Peril" for your weekend dose of illustrated horror!
