Send Away for Scary Stuff Month, Night 6: Their house is a museum

Oh man, who wouldn't want an authentic replica of the Addams Family House?

Communists. That's who.


Aurora Plastics Corp. advertisment from Eerie (1966 series) #4 (Warren, July 1966)
Itsy-bitsy teeny-tiny crashing model railway set not included.

Today in Comics History, October 5, 1957: Standing tough under stars and stripes

from "Solar Rise, Part Two: Scared to Death" in Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom (2010 series) #6 (Dark Horse, April 2011); script by Jim Shooter; pencils, inks, and colors by Agustin Alessio; letters by Blambot

Today in Comics History, October 5, 1967: Aliens somehow force an astronaut to back over a cliff

from "Who Is Murdering Our Astronauts?" in UFO Flying Saucers #3 (Western/Gold Key, November 1972), pencils and inks by Luis Dominguez

Today in Comics History, October 5: Happy birthday, Edmund William Starling!

Born on this day in 1875: Sergeant Edmund William Starling, personal Presidential bodyguard and Jokester to the Commander-in-Chief!


"Crack Shot" from Big Town #3 (DC/National, March 1951), by Stookie Allen

Today in Comics History, October 5, 1949: Yankee Stadium simultaneously praises the Yankees and fish eggs

from Don Newcombe one-shot (Fawcett, 1950), script by Charles Dexter

Today in Comics History, October 5: Happy birthday, Chris Carlson!

Born on this date: comic book inker Chris Carlson (Alpha Flight, Cable, X-Men, Avengelyne Armageddon, Masters of the Universe, and more)!


from New Talent Showcase (1984 series) #5 (DC, May 1984)
Happy birthday, Chris!

Send Away for Scary Stuff Month, Night 5: And I recognize the face behind the mask / It's a devil's disguise

Masks! Cool! How could you ever get through Halloween season without them! Fool you friends! Frighten your family! Bewilder your boss! Perplex the postman! Confuse a cat! Belabor a bull!


Captain Company Mystery Masks advertisement from Monster World #10 (Warren, September 1966)

Today in Comics History, October 4, 1967: Flying submarine crash kills all four Beatles

from "The UFOs Invade Our Seas!" in UFO Flying Saucers #2 (Western/Gold Key, November 1970), pencils and inks by John Celardo

Today in Comics History, October 4: Happy birthday, Marcus McLaurin!

Born on this date: comic book writer, artist and editor Marcus McLaurin, who's worked on Cage, Marvel Comics Presents, The Punisher, What The--?, and, as editor on Alpha Flight, What If...?, the Epic and Razorline imprints, and developing and editing the 1994 painted series Marvels.


from Marvel Age #94 and 106 (Marvel, November 1990 and November 1991), text by Chris Eliopoulis and Barry Dutter (#94) and Mike Lackey (#106); pencils and inks by Ron Zalme, colors by Renee Witterstaetter

Today in Comics History, October 4, 1948: We're going to need a montage

from Larry Doby, Baseball Hero one-shot (Fawcett, 1950), script by Charles Dexter

Today in Comics History, October 4: Super birthday, Melissa Benoist!

Born on this day in Argo City, Krypton Houston Texas: actor, singer, and producer Melissa Benoist of Glee, Homeland, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Clerks III, Billy Boy, Patriots Day, and of course as the title role of Supergirl!


cover of Supergirl Special Edition #1 one-shot (DC, December 2015), pencils and inks by Mahmud Asrar, colors by Dave McCaig, banner photograph of Melissa Benoist
Happy birthday, Melissa! And don’t ever lift a Mini Cooper by the bumper — comes right off in your hand.

Today in Comics History, October 4: Happy birthday, Giovanni Battista Piranesi!

Born on this date in 1720 in Venice (Italy, not that beach in California): Giovanni Battista Piranesi, Italian artist, architect, and archaeologist. So proficient was he in the arts that began with the letter "A" that he would have been called a Renaissance Man except that he was born about 400 years too late, on this very date. He's famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric "prisons" (like Blackgate or Iron Heights?), and he's infamous in the DC/Proto-Vertigo Universe for his Painting That Ate Paris.


from Doom Patrol (1987 series) #27 (DC, November 1989), script by Grant Morrison, pencils by Richard Case, inks by John Nyberg, colors by Daniel Vozzo, letters by John Workman

Today in Comics History, October 4, 1952: The Beginning of The End

from "The End!" in Weird Fantasy (1951 series) #13 (EC, May 1952), script by Al Feldstein, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, colors by Marie Severin, letters by Jim Wroten
Hey, you'll see this page again on October 19! Who sez comics are your worst entertainment value?

Send Away for Scary Stuff Month, Night 4: Vincent Price and Jeff Goldblum look on nervously

advertisement from DC Comics cover-dated June 1992

Today in Comics History, October 3, 1896: Diana Prince wrote this text story so she could claim her new bike purchase was tax deductible

from Sensation Comics #85 (DC/National, January 1949), text by Lee Goldsmith

Today in Comics History, October 3: Happy birthday, Fred Guardineer!

Born on this day in 1913: Golden Age comic book writer and artist Fred Guardineer! He wrote and drew stories for Action Comics, National Comics, Detective Comics, Military Comics, Police Comics, Crack Comics, Adventure Comics, Big Shot Comics...whew, the guy practically created books with the word "Comics" in the title! Not to mention artwork on The Spirit, The Durango Kid, Speed Saunders, Blue Tracer, for Black Diamond Western, Crime Does Not Pay and others. He's also the creator of Zatanna's daddy, the magician/hero Zatara in a little book you may have heard of Action Comics #1! Boy, I bet it's hard to beat Zatara for the debut of a fantastic character within that issue.


cover of Syndicate Features v.1 #3 (Chesler/Dynamic, November 15, 1937), pencils and inks by Fred Guardineer
Happy birthday, Fred!


from "Vin Sullivan, Pioneer Comic Book Publisher, Dies...But His Legacy Lives On!" om Best of the West #4 (AC, July 1999), text by Bill Black, photograph by David Siegel

Today in Comics History, October 3, 1951: World Series promo "Spooky Witch Night" deemed disappointing

from Richie Rich, Casper and Wendy — National League #1 one-shot (Harvey, June 1976); script, pencils and inks by Warren Kremer

Today in Comics History, October 3, 1950: He blew his casket

from "If the Coffin Fits..Get In!" in Mysterious Adventures #4 (Story Comics, October 1951), pencils and inks by "Palette"
I think you're already dead, John...you don't cast a shadow on the coffin. And in the third panel OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD

This post was suggested by faithful reader and frequent commenter Blam, who's provided a lot of date references in comics that I'll spotlight throughout 2023 in this series. Thanks, Blam!

Today in Comics History, October 3, 1972: The Devil of Monte Frisco

A few things I've noted about today's headline from 1972, which was brought to my attention on Twitter by pal Gracious Greg A (thanks, Greg!):



from Daredevil (1964 series) #95 (Marvel, January 1973), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Gene Colan, inks (and colors?) by Tom Palmer, Tom Palmer, letters by John Costanza

1. October 3 was a Tuesday in 1972, too! If only there had been a Mighty Marvel Calendar 1972 I could have featured it on Sunday along with this one!
2. Wait a minute, since when did J. Jonah Jameson gain control over the Daily News?!? There oughta be a Bugle in there somewhere.
3. No self-respecting newspaper, not even one on the liberal left coast, is going to refer to San Francisco as "Frisco."
4. On the other hand, it looks like a real newspaper, thus avoiding the Comics Oughta Be Fun! trope of "newspapers don't look like that!"
5. I always applaud use of the Man-Bull, but I think Marvel's tryin' to get away with a sound effect here that I, a seven-year-old stuffed naimal, shouldn't be reading.

Send Away for Scary Stuff Month, Night 3: You spin me 'round like a record

Bewitch, bother, and bewilder your friends, family, and household help* (*applies to Richie Rich and Bertie Wooster only) with this fear-filled forty-five of spooky sounds and nocturnal noises! The really scary bit is that, as a New York State resident, I'm gettin' cheated outta an extra 6¢ for tax!


The Gayle House advertisement from DC Comics cover-dated September 1971
Don't let that guy in the ad handle your record! He'll be sure to scratch it.

Today in Comics History, October 2, 1955: Mrs. Hitchcock wanted to watch Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour, but Alfred is boss of the TV viewing in this house

from Alfred Hitchcock: Master of Suspense (NBM, March 2022), script by by Noël Simsolo, translation by Monatan Kane, art by Dominique Hé, lettering by Ortho

Today in Comics History, October 2: 7:42 PM: "But I took too long to write this down in my special private investigator notebook and I lost her."

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2: 7:30 PM: Private detective really beginning to reconsider his Halloween costume of John Constantine

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2: 7:00 PM: Vending machine cola desired, but all he's got is paper money

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2: 6:30 PM: Rather than continue to listen to private eye's inner monologue, leaf commits suicide

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2: 5:46 PM: The television series Bewitched immediately sues for plagiarism

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2, 1872: Phileas Fogg immediately regrets suggesting this

from The History of Science Fiction (Humanoids, November 2021), script by Xavier Dollo, art by Djibril Morissette-Phan

Today in Comics History, October 2: 11:20 AM: The motion pictures Singles and High Fidelity simultaneously sue for plagiarism

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2: 10:58 AM: Every single band of the 1990s advertises for a new member

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2: 10:40 AM: Overtired private investigator writes the wrong date in his diary

Okay, here's where teh comic book makes an error or typo, and it took me along time to figger it out from the chrnology: despite what it says in the first panel, this is not October 3. It's still October 2, based on the narrative progression. Later on teh date does switch to Octoebr 3, and it's indicated correctly there.

In the meanwhile, here on October Second:
from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2, 3:12 AM: And this is why you take back-ups on stakeouts

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History, October 2, 2:53 AM: Coming and going and highing and lowing / Baby I'm trying to tell you I love you

from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History: October 2, 2:38 AM: Down these vertiginous streets a man must go

Hey, a private eye investigating the protagonists (you can't call 'em heroes) of the Vertigo version of House of Secrets! P.I. Nick Calderone's minute-by-minute note-taking of the bizarre activities of Rain Harper, Ben Volk, and Traci and the titular big spooky manse surely will make exhiilarating and thrilling posts for the next three days, right? (Say right.)


from House of Secrets (1996 series) #19 (DC/Vertigo, May 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein
First up: hangin' around outside the House o' Secrets in the middle of the night! Hope you got coffee and donuts in your car, Nick. By the way, can I have a donut? the one filled with jelly, please. Mmmm, jelly donut.


from House of Secrets (1996 series) #18 (DC/Vertigo, April 1998), script by Steven T. Seagle, pencils and inks by Teddy Kristiansen, colors by Bjarne Hansen, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Todd Klein
You won't escape the Notebooks of Nick Calderone for the next handful of days! I can hear you sighing in resignation from here.

Send Away for Scary Stuff Month, Night 2: Well-hung monsters

Night Two brings us an ad to send away for SEVEN FOOT MONSTERS! I dunno, both those look like they only have two feet. You've seen these all the time in your comicky books: you can risk a stamp to send away for Frankenstein's Monster] or Boney M. the Skeleton or (gasp, choke) both! Frighten small children and the dog! Terrify your kid sister and babysitter! Convince your parents you may need to go to a psychotherapist! Hang them up carefully because they're made of micro-thin cellophane and not Mylar, the new miracle plastic!


Honor House advertisement from DC Comics cover-dated January 1972
Tomorrow night: more devilish delights delivered (C.O.D.).

Send Away for Scary Stuff Month, Night 1: For all your Dr. Phosphorus cosplay needs

Hey ghouls 'n' goblins, this month, all month: thirty-one (count 'em!) frightenin' and enlightenin' advertisements full o' clippable coupons to let you Send Away for Scary Stuff! That's right, start hoarding your nickels and dimes (and "borrow" a stamp offa Mom), send it in through the USPS, get ready to wait six to eight weeks for delivery, and prepare for excitement, thrills, and probably disappointment when it arrives and you find out it's a miniature cardboard replica, a shoddy print on tearable cellophane, or an actual severed head but from one of your pals, not an enemy.

This advertising (and the ones for Hostess Snack Cakes) kept the comic book industry in business for decades, so it's your moral obligation to send away for some of this crap! Go ahead! Risk a stamp! Cut up your valuable comic book! Steal your shaky nerves for Send Away for Scary Stuff Month!

First up: haven't you always wanted a skull? Sure! We all do!


Johnson Smith advertisement from Lev Gleason comics cover-dated November 1950
And remember: You can smoke with it on!


More Macabre Mail-Order Merch tomorrow and all through October! Who sez a cute little stuffed bull can't present objets d'horreur?!?

The 1989 2023 Love and Rockets Calendar: [Outta my bathroom, you guys!] October

"October" from Love and Rockets 1989 Calendar (Fantagraphics, 1988), main artwork by Jaime Hernandez, calendar block artwork by Gilbert Hernandez
(Click picture to Zestfully clean-size)

Today in Comics History, October 1: Happy birthday, John Ridley!

Let's wish a very happy birthday today to John Ridley, movie screenwriter, novelist, and TV director (12 Years a Slave, Undercover Brother, Red Tails, Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982–1992, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The John Larroquette Show, Static Shock, Justice League, etc.) and comic book writer (The Other History of the DC Universe, I Am Batman, Black Panther, The Authority, The American Way, GCPD: The Blue Wall, Batman: One Bad Day: Penguin and more)!


from DC/Black Label Comics cover-dated January 2021
Happy birthday, John!


from batman: Black and White (2021 series) #3 (DC, April 2021)

Today in Comics History, October 1: Government shutdown cancels Fat Bears Week forever

from Yogi Bear (1977 series) #9 (Marvel, March 1979), script by Mark Evanier, pencils by Dick Bichenbach, inks by Lee Hooper, colors by Garrett Gafford

Today in Comics History, October 1: Happy birthday, Everett Sloane!

Born on this day in 1909: character actor Everett Sloane, who's been in Citizen Kane, The Lady from Shanghai, Somebody Up There Likes Me, Lust for Life, The Desert Fox and other movies, plus television episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gunsmoke, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, Route 66 and lots more. On radio, he was a regular player on Orson Welles's The Mercury Theatre on the Air and played on s Inner Sanctum and The Shadow (as the Shadow's personal cabbie Shrevie). He was also the voice of Dick Tracy in the problematic 1961 cartoon version of The Dick Tracy Show:


from Dick Tracy (August 12, 1990), text by Max Allan Collins, art by Dick Locher. Special thanks to pal Greg A. who posted this strip on Twitter.
Sloane also co-starred in Marlon Brando's 1950 film debut The Men, a great faorite of Harvey Pekar's:


from "Harvey Pekar's Lost and Found: The Men" in Entertainment Weekly; reprinted in American Splendor: Our Movie Year (random House, December 2004); script by Harvey Pekar; pencils, inks, and letters by Gary Dumm
Happy birthday, Everett!