Moving On...

Hey fans & readers, just letting you all know I've decided to move on over to tumblr. As this blog evolves and as my time to write becomes more and more limited, it makes sense to start anew on a different platform. Hope you will join me there. Thanks! - Doug

More Random TV Guide Ads: The Halloween Treat?

When I first came across this vintage TV GUIDE ad, I thought "Bing Crosby and his Family in GOLDILOCKS...The Halloween Treat?" How weird, I never thought of the story of Goldilocks to be a seasonal story...and though it does have some minor elements of fright, it would take some stretch of the imagination to consider it horror. Only after I scanned the ad did I actually realize that it's Sun-Maid® Raisins that are actually "The Halloween Treat." Not the Crosby family, not the Three Bears and not our young fair yellow-haired maiden...but some saggy old, wrinkly ass grapes. Well, either way cannot deny the grooviness of the GOLDILOCKS logo. It's actually so cool, I'm thinking of making myself a GOLDILOCKS tee-shirt! Hey come to think of it that one Little Bear's face peeping between the "G" and the "L" - just above the "O" is pretty freakin' scary.

The Sinister House of Secret Love

The Halloween season always reminds of the great horror comic books of the 1970s. Enjoy this cover gallery of one of the most unique titles from the period.
By 1971, DC Comics was publishing many romance comics and horror titles.
Romance comics were popular with girls and their line of horror comics had a healthy male audience.
Following the lead of ABC's gothic soap opera, DC decided to merge the two genres to double the appeal of their new title: THE SINISTER HOUSE OF SECRET LOVE.
Written by acclaimed storyteller Michael Fleisher, the concept was deemed a failure and by the fifth issue the title was changed to SECRETS OF THE SINISTER HOUSE, and the romantic aspect of the stories was soon dropped.
Now relaunched as pure horror anthology in the tradition of HOUSE OF MYSTERY and HOUSE OF SECRETS, the title now had a host and her name was Eve.
Yes, Eve as in Adam & Eve - after all Cain and Abel hosted the other anthologies. DC was quite Old Testament in those days.
Many comic greats contributed to the short-lived series including artist Alfredo Alcala in issues #6, 13 and 14.
SGT. ROCK and WONDER WOMAN writer Robert Kanigher provided stories for issues #6, 9 and 11.
Silver Age great Sam Glanzman contributed art to Issue #7.
Stylish newcomer Michael Kaluta provided covers for issues #6 and 7.
All-time great superhero artist Neal Adams drew a tale in issue #10.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA scribe Mike Sekowsky wrote a story for issue #14.
And HEAVY METAL artist Alex Niño's work was feature in issues #8, 11, 12 and 13.
Around this same time, DC also launched THE DARK MANSION OF FORBIDDEN LOVE, which similarly transformed into FORBIDDEN TALES OF THE DARK MANSION.
Eve left her hostess duties after issue #16, moving over to WEIRD MYSTERY TALES.Recently DC published SHOWCASE PRESENTS: SECRETS OF SINISTER HOUSE, a trade paperback collecting the entire 18-issue series (which ran from 1971-1974) for the first time in a black-and-white value-priced 496 page collection.
Pick up a copy at your local comics shop for $17.99 - cheap!
I do hope you join me in THE SINISTER HOUSE OF SECRET LOVE!!!

Broom-Hilda

Here's a little post I ran last Halloween season on another blog, HELLO THERE CUTIE, about one of our favorite wacky witches in the world!Comic strip diva Broom-Hilda is a old hag in dire need of a makeover. With green skin, a wart on the end of her nose, and very stringy hair, she could use a bit of a Beverly Hills NIP/TUCK. She always dresses quite fashionably in a little black dress, and accessorizes with a flower on top of her hat. Hilda is rumored to be Attila the Hun's ex-wife(!) and is always unsuccessfully trying to land a new husband. Cougar. Originally Hilda smoked cigars and drank like a sailor, but she seems to have mellowed out a bit in her old age.In our world, Broom-Hilda is a classic newspaper comic strip that began on April 19, 1970. Created by Russell Myers (no relation to Russ Meyers) it is still distributed by the Chicago Tribune Syndicate. You can read the strip every day here.

Scary TV: The Horror Show

Damn - I wish I had this on VHS tape. Anthony Perkins (who I once had the pleasure of meeting) hosts at look at 60 magical years of movie monsters, madmen and creatures of the night. Imagine of the networks still had the moxie to program stuff like this?

Scary TV:Dracula vs. Frankenstein

A low-budget 1971 shocker from Poland starring Lon Chaney, Jr. (in his last role), musical-comedy star Russ Tamblyn and DALLAS patriarch Jim Davis. A crappy movie, but a great TV GUIDE ad. I love that it aired TWICE - at 11PM for the adults then the next day at 4PM for the kiddies.

Scary TV: Alice Cooper--The Nightmare

Before Michael Jackson's THRILLER, Vincent Price helped Alice Cooper realize his wildest dreams in this late-night special. Not really familiar with Mr. Cooper's music, I'm assuming this special was a "concept" piece based on one of his albums. Vincent Price was quite a common TV guest in the 1970s - showing up whenever a flamboyant and/or creepy old dude was needed. Whether it be sitcoms like THE BRADY BUNCH, variety specials like THE BRADY BUNCH VARIETY HOUR, adventure shows like THE BIONIC WOMAN, mysteries like COLUMBO or cartoons like SCOOBY-DOO, Vincent would always show up, do the work and earn a paycheck. He died in 1993 at 82...or did he?

PRETTY Season 3 Trailer

Be prepared to get PRETTY all over again.