Friday, April 30, 2021

ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTER


The lore of Cryptozoology has a long and colorful history, and with the advent of video more evidence is revealed regularly. Whether or not these critters are real or just a figment of an imaginative filmmaker's mind is open to debate.

The latest example is this report from Coast 2 Coast AM's newsletter that shows a video of an alleged human-like crab scuttling about on a road in Costa Rica. Adding realism is a dog barking at the strange animal. Real, or just another hoax? You be the judge!

From Coast 2 Coast AM:

A bizarre piece of footage circulating online purportedly shows a humanoid entity scurrying down a road in a crab-like fashion. The very weird video was reportedly captured by a home security system in Costa Rica and was shared on Reddit by a resident of the country earlier this month. Alas, beyond that bit of background information, little is known concerning the circumstances by which the scene unfolded. Be that as it may, the footage is rather compelling by way of its sheer strangeness.

In the video, a dog lurking on a dimly lit road is being taken aback by something approaching it from off-screen. When the oddity comes into view, it appears to be a human-sized creature walking on all fours in a manner akin to a crab. The bizarre beast (or being) simply scrambles down the road and vanishes into the night. In the original footage that was posted to Reddit, several dogs can be heard reacting in an agitated fashion to the curious interloper.

As for what it could have been, some have speculated that it could be a legendary Latin American entity known as 'La Mona.' This being is said to be a witch that can transform into an animal and stalks unsuspecting and unfortunate individuals at night. Another theory offered by some viewers is that the 'crab humanoid' is merely an eccentric or possibly intoxicated individual having a bit of fun. And, of course, one cannot rule out the possibility that the footage is a well-crafted hoax.


Thursday, April 29, 2021

LOTS OF DRACULA


Up for bid until Sunday at Heritage Auctions are these two lots of Dracula toys and books. Descriptions are from the auction house.



Dracula Toy Lot (Universal/Mattel/Bela Lugosi/Greenbrier International, 1990/1997/1998/2006). Very Fine. Figurines in Original Packaging (7" X 10", 8" X 12.5", & 3.5" X 6"), Figurine (Approx. 2" X 3"), Playing Cards (Approx. 2.75" X 3.75"), & Toy Vehicle (Approx. 2.5" X 5.5). Horror.
Offered in this lot are various toys and figurines of Count Dracula, one of the earliest characters of the modern vampire fantasy. Included are figurines of the Count, including Bela Lugosi's character from his 1931 film Dracula, playing cards, and a Haunted Haulers vehicle launcher, vehicle, and skeleton figures. Unrestored items with bright color and clean overall appearances. They may have general signs of use, such as minor scuffs, minimal surface paper loss on one of the packages, light edge wear, or faint stains and smudges.




Dracula Book Lot (Various, 1972-1992). Very Fine. Books (4) (Multiple Pages, 5.5" X 9", 7.25" X 9.5", 7.25" X 10.25" & 8.25" X 11.75"). Horror.
Offered in this lot are various books about the legendary vampire Dracula, and Bram Stoker, the author of the book Dracula. The books included in this lot are The Man Who Wrote Dracula: A Biography of Bram Stoker by Daniel Farson (St. Martin's Press, 1975), The Dracula Scrapbook by Peter Haining (Chancellor Press, 1992), In Search of Dracula: A True History of Dracula and Vampire Legends by Raymond T. McNally and Radu Florescu (New York Graphic Society, 1972), and The Annotated Dracula (Crown Publishers, 1975). Unrestored books with bright color and clean overall appearances. They may have general signs of use, such as light edge and spine wear, faint and minimal toning, small tears on the dust jackets, or minor stains, smudges, and surface scuffs. A couple of the books have a small amount of ink or graphite writing inside the cover and/or on the first page.

Monday, April 26, 2021

PSYCHO NO. 1 (PART 1)


A little over 50 years ago (that's half a century, folks!), the monster world was introduced to a new horror comic magazine, PSYCHO. Published by Sol Brodsky and Israel Walman, who combined their names to make Skywald Publishing Company, the magazine was at first a cross between Warren's CREEPY and EERIE and the line of Eerie and Stanley Publications (you know, the ones with the lurid covers). But as time went by it went on to evolve into its own "personality"; that would come later under the editorship of Al Hewetson. In the meantime, PSYCHO and it's companion publication, NIGHTMARE would slowly grow into what would become a cult group of 'zines, not as popular as Warren's, but nevertheless leaving its bloody claw marks on the legend of horror comics.

NOTE: This first issue contains mostly reprints from 1950's horror comics from Avon, but it would soon abandon these for all-new stories and art.

PSYCHO
Vol. 1 No. 1
January 1971
Skywald Publishing Company
Editor: Sol Brodsky
Associate editor: Israel Waldman
Cover artist: Brendan Lynch
Pages: 68
Cover price: 50 cents

CONTENTS
"The Skin and Bones Syndrome!"
Script: Roger Elwood?
Art: Gray Morrow

"The Glistening Death" (reprinted from Avon CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD, 1952)
Script: Gardner Fox?
Art: Norman Nodel; Vince Alascia

"I Paint Only Terror!" (reprinted from Avon EERIE No. 5, Feb.-March 1952)
Script: Norman Nodel?
Art: Vince Alascia

"Psycho's Gruesome Gallery No. 1: The Mirror"
Art: Steven Hickman

"The Thing in the Mirror" (reprinted from Avon PHANTOM WITCH DOCTOR No. 1, 1952)
Script: ?
Art: Everett Raymond Kinstler

"The Steps in the Cellar!" (text story reprinted from Avon EERIE No. 11, April 1953)
Story: Art Stampler
Art: Alan Weiss?

"...And Then There's Cicero!"
Script: Gardner Fox
Art: Paul Reinman

"Anatomical Monster" (reprinted from Avon EERIE No. 11, April 1953)
Script: ?
Art: Alvin Hollingsworth

"The Hands of Death!" (reprinted from Avon EERIE No. 9, Oct.-Nov. 1952)
Script: ?
Art: Norman Nodel; Vince Alascia

"The Gruesome Faces of Mr. Cliff!"
Script: Len Wein?
Art: Mario Acquaviva ?