80-Page Thursdays: House of Mystery #253!

It's spooky season, and we should have a couple of these: from 1977, House of Mystery #253. Cover by Neal Adams.

In the framing sequence, Cain just wants a quiet evening in with the family photo album, but is interrupted by the arrival of his brother Abel and the witch Eve. Then, "Grave Labor!" is a fun opener, as Koslov from the Eastern Bloc visits Haiti and isn't impressed with the tourist voodoo show, he wants the real deal. Finding a bocor, Koslov pays well to observe the process to create a zombie, learning the formula and recording the ritual drumbeats; but leaves without bothering to learn the antidote; since why would he want to cure them? He wanted them to work, but this isn't an anti-capitalism number but anti-communist: lamenting the waste of simply killing enemies of the state, Koslov wanted to put them back on the job. He creates several, in a test run, to work in a mine; and they do fine...for a while, before turning on Koslov: in Haiti, the bocor muses Koslov should've listened to his warning. The slightest taste of salt would free the zombies from their master's control; so maybe Koslov shouldn't have put them to work in a salt mine. (Story by E. Nelson Bridwell, art by Bill Draut.)

"Images of the Dead" has a Twilight Zone feel: a scientist has finally perfected his process, to make a perfect duplicate of even a dead man. Unfortunately, his 'benefactor' took her revived husband and skipped the country; leaving him broke. But, an opportunity knocks, as his landlord asks for a replacement for his son; who was still alive but wanted for murder. They wanted a dupe to serve his sentence, and for a mere ten thousand the scientist obliges. But, the landlord worries about leaving him as a loose end, and sends a hitter to take the scientist out, which he does...or does he? (Story by John Albano, art by Tony DeZuniga.)

The cover story, "Demon Child," finds a babysitter thrilled with the opportunity: not to take care of a baby, but to get out of her house so she could read the Necronomicon. She summons a demon, which possesses the baby...or does it? (Story by Doug Moench, art by Alex Niño.) Then, "Photo Finish" ties into the framing sequence, as Abel tries to get some photography tips from DC VP Jack Adler, so he can get a nice pic of his brother. Yeah, that goes well.

"The Face of a God!" is a shaggy-dog western story, from Denny O'Neil and Gil Kane. (Inks by Bill Draut.) After a bank robbery goes south, the robber rides a horse hard to get away, but after finding a weird tribe of Aztecs he gets his. "More than Human" begins seemingly at the end, as an expedition to the north has captured a wolfman-creature, that is said to never die. The expedition's financier then begins his experiments on the creature, namely hacking bits off of it, to see if it heals up; since he was only interested in curing his own cancer. While his scientists disapprove, they are able to create a serum, but the financier is badly hurt when the creature escapes: with little alternative, the scientists inject him with the serum. It doesn't have much effect on a crushed skull...or does it? (Written by Jack Oleck, art by Romeo Tanghal and Bob Smith.)

"A House is for Haunting" is a variation of the old dared-to-spend-the-night-in-the-haunted-house story, as young Lacey is dared into it by Porter, who then stays behind to make sure Lacey is scared to death. It doesn't quite work! I feel like I've watched several haunting movies this year already; like those, this one seems to go fake-scare, fake-scare, real scare. (Written by Jack Oleck, pencils by Sandy Plunkett, inks by the great Klaus Janson!) 

Finally, Destiny arrives with a tale of his own, "The Actor," wherein a hack Victorian actor turns to crime, before meeting a little girl with magic powers. He promises to adopt her, if she makes him famous, but doesn't come through, and receives the traditional ironic punishment. (Script by Michael Fleisher, 'script continuity' by Russell Carley, art by Frank Redondo.)

For good measure, have an ad for some Batman stuff! Thirty-nine cents for postage and handling, if you can believe it.