Tomb of Dracula #4: "Death Vow"

As the doors of the collection cabinet slowly swing open on squeeking hinges, the thunder of the spring storm echoes through the sighing trees. With trembling fingers I take out the ancient publication of "The Tomb Of Dracula" #4 from its resting place, blow off the cobwebs and dust, and remove it from the protective plastic bag. The scrawled text is briefly visible as the lightning flashes through the wind-blown drapes, revealing the date it was written: the fourth month of the Year of Our Lord nineteen-hundred and eighty. The stories in it were created at a time when the memory of vampires was still terrifyingly fresh in the minds of men, and not relegated to the bedtime stories told to frighten children. Cast your gaze, if you dare, on the painting of the cover below, and feel the terror anew...

(Click on images to enlarge.)

From this issue I present the entire story titled "Death Vow." In its pages we learn that the price of evil's promises are far too costly; yet the grace of God can still triumph in the end.

It is sad, but true, that there will always be others who fall for the temporary and deceptive "solutions" offered in times of weakness by the powers of darkness... let us hope that none of my readers are among that number.

1973 "Asylum" article

"Psycho" was very similar in layout and content as the "Castle of Frankenstein" monster magazine, the main difference being that it was mainly original stories in black and white comic book form, like Warren Publishing's "Creepy." But it did include some articles on monster movies and TV shows, with the layout in the unorthodox style as in "CoF." This time I present the write-up on my favorite of the Amicus anthologies, "Asylum," from Issue #12, which came out in May of 1973.

(Click on images to enlarge.)

By the way, reviewer, thanks for spoiling the ending with the bit about Robert Powell... way to go!

"Monsters Unleashed " #4 Wolfman story

Marvel monster magazines were always high on my list of "must buys" whenever and wherever I found them, and they comprise a big part of my monster magazine collection. This time I'm bringing out of the collection cabinet issue #4 of "Monsters Unleashed," published in February, 1974. I was 15 when I bought it, and I remember reading it in the back seat of the car as my mother drove us and my Grandma over to visit a relative.

Since there is a new "Wolfman" remake in the theaters right now (which I haven't seen yet, and will probably wait to get when it comes out on DVD), I thought I'd post this werewolf story to coincide. More of a detective story than a horror tale, with an attempt at the "noir" style (even to the heroine dresing in a trenchcoat and fedora), the hairy one only appears in the end.

(Click on images to enlarge.)

And, the werewolf is killed, as usual, by one that loves him. As a followup there was a one-page article in memory of the greatest werewolf actor, Lon Chaney, Jr.