80-Page Thursday: the House of Mystery #256!

We haven't seen an 80-pager since February's also-Halloween themed installment, but just in time for this week! From 1978, House of Mystery #256, featuring stories by Michael Fleisher, Paul Kupperberg, Jack C. Harris, and more; and art by Ernie Chan, Rubeny, Arthur Suydam, and more.

It feels like it's always Halloween at the House of Mystery, but it actually is tonight, and it's party time! Cain has a couple nice burns on his brother and hippie reporter Harvey H. Harvey--that sounds familiar somehow--but then has to tell stories to entertain his guests.

"Blood of the Vampire!" is a little gaslighting number, with a last-page twist that doesn't make any sense. "Perfect Poison" is a little better, as a dissatisfied wife plots to use voodoo poison on her herpetologist hubby. "Satan's Child" is both grotesque and minimalist, as a brutal swamp-dwelling miser abuses his wife for a son at all costs.

"Treats or Tricks" is more cheery, with Abel trying to guess the identity of some Halloween guests, featuring a cameo from editor Murray Boltinoff! In "Raise the Devil," two confidence men make their marks believe they've sold their souls to the devil, then clean out their material goods as they try to buy back their souls. Their comeuppance isn't from a dissatisfied customer, more like the better business bureau.

"Museum of Murder" starts with a wax museum, then swerves to a painter and his murderous works. Finally, "The Worm Turns!" tries to set up some EC-style revenge, as a grifter murders his bait-shop owning brother, but falls short. Little sparse this time around--I never expect the world from DC's horror books, but sometimes they still let you down.