From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Two On A Guillotine (1965)

Posted on April 12, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another from Horror Movie To Horror Comic” updates. This time around, we will be taking a look at a classic 60’s film that featured a crazed magician who is a master of illusions and tries to bring fear to those he has decided to torment and I am of course talking about the film Two On A Guillotine! And what a cool and strange film to get the comic book treatment, but that was the thing about Dell Comics, they made some very interesting and cool comics based on all types of horror and sci-fi films, and I for one miss them as who knows what kind of cool comic adaptations we could have gotten over the years if they would have lasted past 1974. But if you guys are ready, let’s head to the update show as the great John Harley Duquesne is performing, and I heard that tonight he is going to o one killer guillotine trick!

Let’s start by taking a look at John “Duke” Harley Duquesne who was driven mad after a performance act gone wrong. The Great Duquesne was a masterful illusionist and magician who was well loved by his fans and who made lots of money performing alongside his wife, but after an accident that killed his wife, he stepped away from it all even gave up his own daughter, and after seeing a picture of his daughter grown up his mind snapped as she looked just like his dead wife that he lied to the world about saying she ran away. The Great Duquesne is a charming looking man in appearance, but his mental break makes him very dangerous as he is unstable and will do whatever it takes to prove his guillotine act will work and his wife’s death was truly an accident. But The Great Duquesne can shock people who see him after he faked his own death as they think he is a ghost and this can chill people to the bone. He is also very skilled with his illusions and the help him pull off his grand plan of faking his death to lure his daughter back home. Because he is mentally broken, this makes him unpredictable in nature as who knows what he is capable of all to make amends with the spirit of his wife. One of his main ways of getting into the minds of his “victims” is making it seem like he will rise from the grave and leaving little spooky tricks all around making you scared and feeding into your nightmares. He is also a skilled fighter when it comes to throwing fists and can handle himself in a fight. The Great Duquesne is not a violent man as his attacks are more mental and are not coming from a vicious place but more from madness. The Great Duquesne is a living person who can be killed like any normal person so being stabbed, shot, poisoned, crushed, burnt and all other manners of death can end his life. While The Great Duquesne has claimed one life due to accident, he is still a dangerous man as his mental break and illusions make him delusional and insane.

Now that we have talked about John Harley Duquesne and his way of dealing death and fright to those who find themselves apart of his crazed plans, I think that we should now take a look at the 1965 film that he is from and that is Two On A Guillotine. I will be taking the film’s plot from our pals at IMDB and then will write about the film’s production as well as my thoughts. So if you are ready, the house show lights are dimming so that means it must be show time!

Two On A Guillotine (1965)

“The daughter of a psychotic magician must stay in his mansion for seven nights in order to inherit his fortune.”

In the 1960’s Warner Brothers decided to make movies that would have directors brought in who mostly worked on TV Shows as they worked cheaper, and they wanted to see if they could find the next big movie maker. And Two On A Guillotine was one of those films as William Conrad was brought in to direct. He had worked directing such shows as The Rifleman, The Rough Riders, Bat Masterson, Route 66 and Gunsmoke to name a few, Conrad would also produce the film. The script was written by John Kneubuhi & Henry Slesar and was given a lower budget with such actors as Cesar Romero, Connie Stevens, Dean Jones, John Hoyt, Parley Baer and Virginia Gregg making up the main cast. The film would only have a three-week shoot time and once done the legendary composer Max Steiner would score it. For those who don’t know, Max is the one who did the music for the 1933 classic King Kong as well as Son Of Kong, Gone With The Wind and Casablanca and these are just a small amount of examples of his work. The film would be released to theaters on January 13, 1965 and it is unknown how well the film did at the box office. The film was met with very mixed reviews from both critics and viewers, but it was actress Connie Stevens and composer Max Steiner who both let it be known that they thought the movie was a stinker. The film was released in 1965 along side such other Horror Films as Color Me Blood Red, Die Monster Die!, The Embalmer, Monster A Go-Go, Orgy Of The Dead, Planet Of The Vampires, The Skull, Gamera The Giant Monster and War Gods Of The Deep to name a few.

So “Two On A Guillotine” is a film that I am not sure if I had seen before watching the DVD in 2023, as it seems like something I would have watched but I remember nothing about it…so maybe watching it for this update was my first time seeing it….but I am not sure. The first thing I want to say is that Cesar Romero is fantastic as John Harley Duquesne as I truly think he is such a underrated actor, most of you readers will remember Romero from the 1966 TV show Batman where he played The Joker and a small amount of you will remember him from the horror films such as The Specture Of Edgar Allan Poe (1974), Judgment Day (1988) as well as playing Count Dracula on an episode of Night Gallery. The film is often looked at as being a low budget throwaway film but when watching it again (maybe first time) I have to say that I found the film to be pretty dang entertaining as it is a mix of haunted house terror as well as crazed killer thrills. Also I have to point out that actress Connie Stevens is absolutely beautiful and is a great actress as she does a great job as Cassie in the film. The film while a slow burn does a great job of making you bond with both Cassie and Val as they stay in this haunted mansion, fall in love and uncover her family’s dark secret. Also for fans of rabbits this film has a white rabbit that runs around the mansion and is a character all it’s self, he even has his own theme song! I am not sure why this film over the years has gotten harsh words from viewers and critics as I found it to be a very fun watch and hope that someday it builds a bigger cult following than it has now. If you enjoy 60’s style Horror and have not seen this one track down the DVD from Warner Archive as well as the Dell Comics adaptation and give them a watch and a read as who knows you might just find yourself drawn into the world of Two On A Guillotine and find the breakdown of The Great Duquesne interesting as I did.

Now that we have taken a look at the crazed magician John Harley Duquesne as well as the film he is from Two On A Guillotine I think now that we should look at the comic adaptation of the film that was done by Dell Comics a classic comic publisher that made so many amazing comics based on Horror and Sci-Fi films. And when it comes to these adaptation comics in modern time I feel that Dell is often over looked but they really shouldn’t be as they made so many great spooky reads with many of them being based on films that starred Vincent Price. I would like to thank a Ebay seller for having this comic in stock and making this update possible, I would also like to thank Warner Brothers for releasing the film on DVD as apart of there Archive collection. I would like to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, it’s entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s head to the mansion and see if we can last for the seven nights with this psycho magician.

Two On A Guillotine # 1 ***
Released in 1965 Cover Price .12 Dell Comics # 1 of 1

Magician and Illusionist John Harley Duquesne along with his wife Melinda Duquesne are a big hit as their magic show is the talk of the town, and after a show John Harley Duquesne brings his press manager Buzz into a room to show him a new trick he is working on that would involve his wife being “beheaded” by a guillotine as he thinks this will take them to the next level for their tour of Europe. Many years have passed and John Harley Duquesne has passed away and his daughter Cassie shows up to watch her fathers coffin to be locked up with chains as his final words is that he will return! At the funeral she also meets many people including Dolly, a woman who has been a helper to the family for decades, Carl Vickers her fathers lawyer and Val Henderson, a fan of her father’s work who is also a member of the press. And with Cassie’s mother missing his estate is turned over to her, but only if she stays seven nights in his old mansion as he claims he will come back and speak to her…if she fails to, all will go do Dolly and other people who have helped him through his career. Cassie heads to the mansion and Val is waiting for her and the pair walk through the spooky mansion that has been rigged with all types of tricks that are sure to scare from plastic skeletons to weird plants the two wonder around as Cassie remembers back to growing up not known either of her parents. Days pass and Cassie and Val are becoming close and keep find more spooky tricks throughout the house, Val also in private confronts Dolly and Buzz as the pair are trying to spook Cassie to leave so that they can collect the estate. But when Cassie finds out that Val is a reporter she kicks him out of the mansion and that night has bad nightmares and wakes up to find her father is alive and is crazy as his guillotine trick back in the day killed his wife and now he thinks his daughter is his wife as they look alike! Dolly returns to the mansion and tries to save Cassie but fails and calls Val to hurry back to the mansion as John Harley Duquesne is going to try his beheading trick again this time with his daughter as his assistant. Val is able to get there in time and even after the trick works, John Harley Duquesne breaks down in tears as the police enter and arrest him for the murder of his wife those many years ago.

This is such a fun read that does justice to the film it is based on as the moments of the haunted mansion works as does the suspense of John Harley Duquesne being alive and well…not to bring up the fact that the shocking truth about John Harley Duquesne comes to light with perfection on these panels. The plot is very simple and has a daughter coming to town for her fathers funeral as she grew up not knowing her parents and now must stay in the families old haunted mansion in order to receive her fathers money and estate…but there is a trick as her father claims he will come back from the grave in seven days! Our main character in this story is Cassie Duquesne a young woman who was raised by her aunt after her mother went missing and her father became a recluse and leaving his illusionist act behind. You have to feel for her as the press is harassing her, her father fakes his own death and thinks she is his dead wife and she grew up with a strict aunt…plus she is almost killed by her father who is trying to pull off his guillotine act. Val Henderson is also kind of a hero here as while he first starts off as a pressman looking for a story, soon finds himself in love with Cassie and wants to protect her from anyone or thing he thinks is out to get her. Plus I feel in the comic he is more likable of a guy than he is in the film. Plus he does try his best to save Cassie even if he is the one who bumps into the guillotine and causes the blade to fall. Buzz and Molly are good people and while it looks like they are trying to scare off Cassie they are really just trying to watch out for her. John “Duke” Harley Duquesne was a master of magic and illusions who set the world on fire with his act, but after by accident killing his wife and hiding her body he was become a crazed person who wants to fake his own death, lure his daughter back to him as he thinks she is his wife returned in order to pull off his trick to prove it would work…he is a broken man. The comic’s horror comes from the suspense of the haunted mansion and if John Harley Duquesne would truly return from the grave and for those wondering the comic is bloodless. I really like how it has a classic horror feel to it and it really is a fast read that does have a few spooky moments. The cover is great and features John Harley Duquesne grabbing Cassie who is over taken with fear. The interior artwork is done by Unknown Artist and its really good as you have to love that classic Dell Comics style where the characters kind of look like the actors who play them and while the style is simple its prefect. Over all if you enjoy the film and or like classic style horror stories, make sure to check this one out. Check out the art below to see the style that is used by Unknown Artist for this comic adaptation of a classic 60’s horror film.

Two On A Guillotine is a spooky film and comic, and once more I have to give credit to Dell Comics for making some of the 60’s best horror comic adaptations made for comic readers to chill their blood to. While both the film and comic are not for everyone, if you like classic style horror from the 60’s that is a mix of haunted house, mystery, crime and even a possible deranged killer make sure to check it out. But as you can see The Great Duquesne’s show has ended and that leaves us having to leave the theater and as we make our way out I would like to take a moment to let you know that our next update will about that 1973 cult classic film Don’t Look In The Basement and the Blood Scream Comics adaptation of it! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local horror host. See you next update for a crazy good time with the patients at the Stephen’s Sanitarium.

DC’s Hero Master Of The Elements Metamorpho!

Posted on June 3, 2025 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. As you can see, we find ourselves once more back in the world of DC Comics as we take a look at yet another superhero that they seem to overlook. I am talking about Metamorpho this time around, a hero who can turn himself into every type of element and is another overlooked character in the DC Comic Universe. When thinking about the updates for 2025, I wanted to at least cover two superheroes from DC. I knew that Plastic Man was a must, and I covered him back in May; and when choosing the second hero to cover I was torn between several as Catwoman, Black Canary, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Green Arrow were all considered but in the end I wanted to go for a hero who was not as mainstream as the above mentioned and that is why Metamorpho was chosen to get the Rotten Ink treatment. So with that, sit back and relax as we take a fun and brief look at Metamorpho, a DC Hero that is on the verge of being forgotten.

Rex Mason was a very famous archaeologist who found some of the world’s most priceless treasures. He was mostly on the payroll of Simon Stagg, the owner of Stagg Enterprises who needed him to go to Egypt and find The Orb Of Ra, and during this time Rex would even fall in love with Sapphire Stagg, the daughter of Simon. But once in the pyramid that held the orb he was attacked by Java, the bodyguard of Simon, and exposed to a meteor that disfigures and turns him into Metamorpho The Element Man as he got the power of turning himself into every type of element! He would also soon find that Simon could use the Orb against him to keep him for getting revenge for this betrayal. And while a good guy, Metamorpho can never turn his appearance back to normal and has spent most of his life trying to find a cure even at one point getting the help of Green Lantern whose Power Ring even fails to get turn him back normal. Over the years he has worked alongside such teams as The Outsiders, Justice League Europe, Doom Patrol and even had a crime fighter partner named Element Girl. He also has a son Joseph Mason who has the powers of turning object into other elements. And like every DC Comic character, Metamorpho of course has many different versions from all the different Earths with each having different paths and adventures. Metamorpho was created by Bob Haney and Romona Fradon in 1965 and first appeared in The Brave And The Bold # 57 and is a classic character that has also appeared in cartoons and animated films over the years. This is just a quick crash course lesson on Metamorpho and who he is and what he can do.

Metamorpho is one of those classic DC Comic characters that I remember seeing in issues of Brave And The Bold when I was a kid and while I liked his look, I never truly connected to him as I was way more into Plastic Man who had a similar ability and was created many years before him. But for some reason this weirdly colored hero always did get my attention as I can remember asking my brother all the time how you pronounce the character’s name as well as what his deal was because to me he looked like a super villain and not a super hero. Over the years as I was getting more and more comics thanks to comic shops and garage sales, I was able to read comics with Metamorpho in them as a hero and I found myself enjoying them as well as finding his powers cooler than I originally thought, as how cool it is that he can turn his whole body or even parts of his body into elements like gold, silver, helium and tin to name a few! Plus such things cannot hurt him as bullets and knives and only an ancient Egyptian orb can truly hurt him. And while he is not a topnotch hero in DC, I do find that they seem to overlook him when it comes to appearing in more comics as well as live action films as I think it’s time he gets to shine on the silver screen. I also have to say that back in 1975, as part of a vinyl record called “Songs And Stories Of The Justice League,” Metamorpho has his own song done by Arthur Korb and you must listen to it as its super catchy and can be found on YouTube. Also after reading this update, head to your local comic shop and grab yourself some comics featuring Metamorpho and give him a chance.

Well as you can see, Metamorpho is a classic superhero from DC Comics that has been around sin d the 60’s and has made his way into being a member of the Justice League as well as appeared in some animated shows and films and in the 90’s even got his own mini series again to showcase this hero to the comic reading masses. I would first like to thank Bell, Book And Comic for having this comic in stock and making this update possible. I would also like to remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s see what Metamorpho has in store for us as this mini series will be a first time read for me and I am excited to see what kind of action awaits in these pages.

Metamorpho # 1 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.50 DC Comics # 1 of 4

Rex Mason is an archaeologist on an adventure to get the Himalayan Ice Crystal and has to escape a pack of Yetis to get away. Years have passed and Rex is now the superhero Metamorpho and visiting the museum looking back at some of the items he had uncovered and talks with his friend Haney who runs it all. They chat about the past and why Metamorpho no longer gets these items, they speak of Joey who is the son of Metamorpho who is also cursed with powers due to his dad…and the possibility of a cure. Enter Jillian Conway, a fellow archaeologist who thinks a cure can be found inside a pyramid in Egypt due to some wall carvings she found and it is The Orb Of Ra that can reverse the super powered curse. Jillian also shows Metamorpho and Haney that she as well was exposed to the meteor that transformed Rex and his son as her face is hidden behind a mask, and she blames Simon Stagg who is the ex-father in law of Metamorpho and who is rich and abuses his power…he was also the last owner of The Orb Of Ra and claims it has been stolen and could be in Ireland. Metamorpho agrees to help Jillian to get the orb and tells her to get an extra seat for the plane ride as he heads to Stagg’s mansion and gets his infant son away from all the armed guards, as he wants the item that can cure him of his curse once and for all.

This is a pretty interesting first issue in a mini series that features Metamorpho, a hero who can transform himself into every type of element, and this series skips going through his origin story and takes it that you already know who he is and what he can do. The plot has Metamorpho teaming up with another archaeologist by the name of Jillian as they both have been effected by a meteor that was found in a tomb in Egypt and this has caused them to gain superpowers as well as be very badly disfigured and now they think that they might have found a cure and this is important to Metamorpho as this also has infected his infant son and he will do whatever he can to cure his son. Metamorpho is a hero who misses his old life of collecting artifacts and while he uses his new superpowers for good, he does feel guilty that his powers also has passed onto his infant son, and will do whatever he can to help his son and that even includes taking orders from his sleazy ex-father in law who only truly cares about money. Simon Stagg is that scumbag who runs his own company that collects artifacts and use to be the man behind paying for Rex’s quests to get the artifacts. He also is trying his best to ruin the relationship between Metamorpho and his ex-wife and baby’s mom Sapphire when he hides the note left for his daughter written by Metamorpho as to why he took Joseph from the Stagg mansion. And while the issue is not super action packed, the moments of Metamorpho fighting the Stagg Security Force and robotic Nanny are pretty cool as he kicks their butts and showcases his powers well. I also like that we get a look at some Yetis and that for some reason the flashback to getting the Himalayan Ice Crystal reminds me of Indiana Jones! The cover for this issue is pretty cool as it features Metamorpho looking all smug, and the interior art is very well done and was done by artist Graham Nolan. And if you are like me, I am sure you want to see if this orb can truly cure Metamorpho and his son Joseph and if they can trust Jillian Conway who I am starting to think might not be telling the full truth to our hero as I got a vibe from her that made me not trust her.

Metamorpho # 2 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.50 DC Comics # 2 of 4

While on the plane heading to Ireland, Metamorpho remembers back to the time he was attacked in the pyramid by Java and left for dead, but instead found himself changed and infected by a powerful meteor. Jillian snaps him out of his day dream and talks up her theory that the Orb Of Ra will be the key to their cure. While back at Stagg Mansion Sapphire is besides herself as her son Joseph is missing and her father Simon is still acting clueless on why Metamorpho attacked and took the child, and when Java is raged and wants to go after Metamorpho to get Joseph back he is shot and killed by Simon who claims to Sapphire that her new husband went insane and that he had to kill him in self defense…he then makes some very creepy remarks to his daughter. While in Ireland Metamorpho and Jillian do some tracking and call in a few favors and find that a man named Peter O’Grady might have or know who does the Orb Of Ra…but once at the bar Peter hangs out in, a big brawl breaks out and lots of guns are fired and even a flamethrower used with Metamorpho standing tall as many goons are knocked out on the bar room floor. But while he beat up lots of goons he finds that his son Joseph is in the hands of Peter O’Grady who has a gun to the child’s head and is threatening to end his life!

Oh man what a cliffhanger to end this issue as poor young Joseph Mason is in the dangerous hands of the scumbag named Peter O’Grady who is known for being a thief and killer. Makes me wonder just how Metamorpho is going to save his son’s life…or I wonder if the son’s own powers will save the day is he touches O’Grady. The plot of this second issue can be summed up like this Metamorpho with his small group land in Ireland and find big trouble with criminal Peter O’Grady while at the Stagg Mansion Simon continues his sneak plan as he keeps his daughter in the dark and also kills her new husband for not listening to his orders. Metamorpho in this issue shows that he cares about his son as well as ex-wife and will do whatever it takes to get the orb if it’s a key to heal them of this terrible super powered curse. And with his powers he is able to beat the heck out of a bunch of goons as well as show off his amazing ability to shake off attacks. Peter O’Grady seems to have been waiting for Metamorpho to come for him and thought that he and his men could take the hero down, but soon found that he was wrong and comes to the final plan of trying to take the heroes son hostage. Jillian Conway is clearly new to having these powers and almost seems afraid to use them, but does so in the bar brawl to help Metamorpho out, maybe I was wrong about not trusting her. Simon Stagg is pure scum as he is a cold blooded killer, has to be in control at all times and almost seems to like to see his daughter Sapphire suffer…and I think he was also hitting on her…gross. Java was the new husband of Sapphire and the bodyguard who attacked Rex in the pyramid. He was also a caveman that was melted out of a block of ice who finds himself dead when he questions the orders of Simon who made the murder look like self defense. The cover for this issue is just ok and not as cool nor eye catching as the first issues, and like before Graham Nolan is the artist who did the interior artwork and it is solid good stuff. Over all another great issue in this mini series and thickens the plot a little more as Metamorpho seems to be finding himself more and more enemies on his search for the cure.

Metamorpho # 3 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.50 DC Comics # 3 of 4

Peter O’Grady gets the shock of his life when Joseph touches the gun and it melts away, as Peter drops Joseph it’s Jillian that catches him and Metamorpho goes on the attack and gets the information out of O’Grady that he needs as the orb has been sold to Emir Abd-Al-Aziz from Egypt and that is were our hero heads next. Meanwhile Simon has his security force remove the body of Java as Sapphire heads to her room knowing now what kind of master her father really is as he still talks about the killing being self-defense. But once back in Egypt Emir finds his palace under attack by invaders and Metamorpho and Jillian save the day and are given the Orb as a reward…but this is a fake and Metamorpho figures out that a conman named Delacroix is the one who must have it now. This leads them now to Casablanca and to a little bar where Delacroix hangs out and learns that the Orb has been returned to the pyramid it came from, and while there Metamorpho also finds is able to read some of the papers of Jillian who has headed to the hotel to put Joseph to bed. Metamorpho learns that the orb can only cure one person and that Jillian was going to use it on herself and the two end up having an element fight with Metamorpho making a mistake and getting hurt just as Jillian revels that she has been working with Simon Stagg the whole time who is as well in Casablanca now, but unknown to them all is that Sapphire is also there.

I knew it Jillian Conway should not be trusted and while she tricked me into thinking that maybe she was not a baddie her true colors come out in this issues as she is really into hurting people, watching people be hurt, is enjoying her powers now and was just using Metamorpho in order to track down the orb so that she could use if on herself as the cure is a one and done. Plus it tells you want kind of person she is when her business partner is Simon Stagg, the rich scumbag who seems to really get his jollies in making life terrible for Metamorpho who is his ex-son in law. And while this issue is a cat and mouse game of Metamorpho trying to track down the orb from location to location it very much is a very fun issue as you as a reader feel like you are apart of this adventure to find this cure. Metamorpho also proves that he will do whatever he has to do in order to cure his son and that includes fighting baddies and uncovering every clue he can. Also it is great to see in this issue that Sapphire is starting to truly see the monster that his her father and with her now hearing his plan as well as the lack of care to have her son be cured will I hope make he help her ex-husband get to the orb first. Having a part of the comic take place in Casablanca was very cool as one panel has a person at the bar look like Humphrey Bogart and his character Rick Blaine from the 1942 film Casablanca…nice touch guys. The action is lots of fun as Metamorpho, Joseph and Jillian all use their powers to fight off baddies and in the case of the two adults against each other in a showdown on who will get the orb first to get the cure. The cover for this issue is cool and has Metamorpho’s hands as blades and he is looking very angry and like the past issues the interior art is done by Graham Nolan and is really cool stuff. With issue three being another great issue I am looking forward to the fourth and final issue to see how this story ends.

Metamorpho # 4 ***
Released in 1993 Cover Price $1.50 DC Comics # 4 of 4

Metamorpho wakes up to see Sapphire and the two make up when he tells her about the note and she tells him how her father killed Java and now together they are heading to Egypt to get their son and the Orb to try and cure him. While at the pyramid Jillian holding Jonathan and Simon start their search for the Orb and are discussing the cure it could hold, and Simon lets her know that he wants to use it to cure Metamorpho so that he will return back to Rex so that he can kill him! Meanwhile Jillian knows she cannot trust Simon and has kept the fact it can only cure one person to herself figuring out a way to get the Orb in her hands to do so. As Simon and Jillian find the Orb Metamorpho and Sapphire arrive and are ready for a fight in order to get and cure their son, and as Sapphire attacks her father Jillian is able to sneak away with the Orb as Metamorpho gives chase. The Orb was no cure and when Jillian uses it on herself she turns to dust and dies as Metamorpho rushes to get his son and ex-wife to safety. In the end Simon Stagg is beaten up, Sapphire finds her inner power, Joseph is cured when he touches the meteor and Metamorpho gets his family back together and is happy once more.

The final issue has a happy ending for our hero as he gets his family back and his son is cured of his super powers by the meteor that had started this nightmare from the start! Metamorpho does what he can to bring his family back as it is clear that he has never truly gotten over Sapphire and loves her just as much as he does his son. And when the two find that common bond again its clear that she feels the same way about him. Metamorpho also while not sure caring towards others that he feels have done him wrong does try and save Jillian from her fate of turning to sand and dying, but she would not listen to his warnings and just wanted to be pretty again no matter the coast. And that is the thing about Jillian is that she used so many people to try and cure herself and would kill anyone that crosses her path and even is mean to a child in her attempt to make herself normal again. It is also great to see Simon Stagg get what is coming to him as he is beaten up by his daughter and even out smarted by Jillian when it came to getting and using the Orb and by the end of the issue he is a very broken man. Sapphire also finds her inner fighter and is sick and tired of being bullied by her father and fights back and because a stronger person by the end of this adventure. You also have to be happy that Joseph is cured of his powers, as that youngster would have had a super hard life if he had to live with them. And I am kind of shocked on how much I really did enjoy this mini series and how it really did remind me of a super powered version of an Indiana Jones adventure and Metamorpho was a pretty cool hero as while he is strong and powerful he also finds himself getting beat up and hurt throughout the series and that helps add to the drama and cliffhanger style endings. The cover for the final issue is pretty cool and is super eye catching if you are a fan of the character and like before the interior artwork by Graham Nolan is very good and his work is solid throughout the mini series. If you like Metamorpho as a character or just enjoy superhero comics that have a classic cliffhanger adventure feel make sure to give this mini series a read. Checkout the artwork below to see the art style of Graham Nolan used in this series.

Well that was a fun comic series to read and I truly miss the days of DC Comics like this as I feel that the modern stuff just doesn’t have the magic touch like these classic issues due. And I myself find myself being a bigger fan of Metamorpho now after reading this as he really is more of an interesting character than I gave him credit for. But with that, our time in the DC Comics Universe has come to an end for now as out next update will take us back to the Rotten Ink Arena as we will be talking about the masked heel known as The Dark Patriot! So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a film or two and as always support your local Horror Host! The Dark Patriot was a wrestler I grew up watching and his R.I.W Legend Update Event should be a fun one!

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Die, Monster, Die! (1965)

Posted on April 27, 2018 by bloodlinematt

In the 1960’s Dell Comics was a major comic publisher who made lots of great comics based on cartoon characters, TV shows and movies. And among these titles, of course, many Horror Films got the comic treatment with many being the Edgar Allen Poe films of Roger Corman as well as a handful of others. One of the Horror films that got the Dell Comics treatment was the 1965 film Die, Monster, Die! This film stars Boris Karloff and has inspired many creative minds even in the world of music like The Misfits who based a song around this movie. This Horror Film is based off the story “The Colour Out Of Space” by H.P. Lovecraft and did its part to shock movie goers with its thrilling, mystery style of horror. So it’s my pleasure to bring you this very classic horror version of one of my “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” updates as we take a look at this creepy horror film and the comic based on it.

The first thing we need to look at is the film’s evil villain that is the wheelchair bound Nahum Witley and his radiated meteorite that he uses on planets and humans. Nahum is a man who likes to be in control and hide what he is doing as he is just following in the weird footsteps of his late father. Nahum has in his green house his mutated maid as well as planets and animals that are not under his control with his maid Helga hating him, and even his wife and daughter seem to have a dislike for him and his demanding cold ways. After an accident Nahum himself is mutated into a glowing green monster who is filled with rage as well as has the will to choke and kill his target victim! As a man he is not a threat as he is a weakened old man whose mind is being poisoned by the meteorite and cannot cause any damage. But as mutated Nahum, he is more powerful and has the power to kill with his bare hands as well as use his glowing green skin appearance to strike fear into the hearts of his victims. He also is radioactive and gives off a loud humming noise that is distracting to his human prey. The thing about Nahum is that he did not intend to be a bad person, it’s his vanity of wanting his estate to be beautiful that has driven him to be the keeper of the radiated meteorite, and when trying to rid himself of it, he soon pays the price of owning it as it takes him over. He does have a weakness that can lead to his destruction and that’s being radiated leaves his body very combustible and with a good fall or if hit hard enough, he will break apart and catch fire! While Nahum might not be the most powerful or spooky monster we have covered in one of these updates, he still is a deadly one if given the chance.

So now that we have learned about Nahum Witley and his meteorite that causes mutations, its time for us to take a look at the movie. As always we will take the films right up from our pals at IMDB and after I will write a little about the production of the film as well as some memories of watching it for the first time and my thoughts about it. So if you’re ready lets get to the film aspect of Die, Monster, Die!

Die, Monster, Die! (1965)

“A young man visits his fiancée’s estate to discover that her wheelchair-bound scientist father has discovered a meteorite that emits mutating radiation rays that have turned the plants in his greenhouse to giants. When his own wife falls victim to this mysterious power, the old man takes it upon himself to destroy the glowing object with disastrous results.”

Die Monster Die! was released in theaters on October 27, 1965 and was an American and British co-production that was produced by Samuel Z. Arkoff and released by American International Pictures. Jerry Sohl, who also wrote novels as well as episodes of The Twilight Zone and Star Trek, wrote the script, and he based it on a story by H.P. Lovecraft, and the directing duties went to Daniel Haller who also directed the horror film The Dunwich Horror. The film brought on a solid and great cast with names like Boris Karloff, Patrick Magee, Suzan Farmer, Nick Adams and Freda Jackson all who delivered top notch performances. When released originally, it was shown as a double feature with the film Planet Of The Vampires and was met with mixed reviews from critics and movie goers. The film later found a fan base when it finally was shown on TV and later on home media like VHS and DVD. While not held as an all time classic horror movie Die, Monster, Die! has gained a cult following over its release.

The first time I saw this film was on cable when growing up. I can remember it was a weekend when it came on and I found it to be an entertaining and was always drawn to films that starred Boris Karloff. The thing that I have always liked about this film is the atmosphere of the old mansion and its over grown land that has think fog rolling around, the creepy silence of the massive home not to even mention the creepy mutated people, animals and plants! The other great thing about this film is that it mostly takes place at the Witley mansion and its grounds that is so far away from the town or any neighbors giving the viewers a sense of isolation and dread. The cast is fantastic with Boris Karloff as Nahum Witley who gives a fantastic performance as does Nick Adams as Stephen Reinhart. The way they play off each other with distain and distrust is classic horror movie stuff. As a life long horror fan growing up watching everything from silent films to slashers films, I have always enjoyed this film and think that it’s a sometimes over looked horror thriller that blends both haunted house movie and alien unknown creature sub genres together and delivers a spooky film that relies on chills and not blood spills. If you have never seen this film and enjoy the works of Boris Karloff and even H.P. Lovecraft then make sure to check this film out, as it’s a good old school horror film with some great characters and a paperback novel like story.

Die, Monster, Die! Is an interesting film to make into a Horror Comic, as it will be very hard for DELL Comics to capture the eerie mood and atmosphere that made this film work and be so scary for viewers in the 60’s and beyond. I also want to point out that up to this point, I think this is the oldest film and comic adaptation that I have covered on one of my From Horror Movie To Horror Comic updates! So while we make our way through this fog, I want to remind you all that I grade these on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comic stays to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. I want to thank Bell, Book And Comic for having this issue in stock and making this update possible. So we are now at the Witley Mansion, and I think it’s time to relax for a moment and take a look at the comic adaptation of this 60’s horror fright flick! Oh yes and I must say that this comic was a part of DELL’s “Movie Classics” comic line.

Die, Monster, Die! # 1 **1/2
Released in 1966 Cover Price .12 DELL #603 of ?

Scientist Stephen Reinhart has received a letter to come visit the home of the woman he loves, Susan, who lives in the small town of Arkham. But Stephen soon finds that no one wants to drive him to the Wintley Mansion, and once he walks there, he finds that her father Nahum does not want him there, but seeing Susan makes him not listen to her father’s words. Susan shows Stephen around the mansion and introduces him to her sick bedridden mother Letitia who speaks to Stephen alone and begs him to take her daughter far away from the mansion! Stephen starts to notice strange things and finds books on the occult as well as the family butler faints for no reason. All the while Nahum is mad over the young man being there and argues with his wife about it and his secret work that he thinks will bring the family riches. While wandering the grounds of the mansion is a strange hooded figure with long fingernails who seems to spy on Susan, causing Stephen to really want them to leave as soon as possible. And later that night the Butler dies and Stephen watches in the shadows as Nahum buries him in an unmarked grave in the green house. Stephen needs to speak to someone about the weirdness of the family and goes to town and talks to the mostly retired doctor, who shares info about how some of the past Wintley members died. Once back at the mansion Stephen and Susan sneak into the locked greenhouse and find that animals and planets have grown to large size and are very dangerous! The couple soon go back to the mansion where Stephen goes to the cellar and finds the massive rock that is causing all the sickness and death as well as is confronted by Nahum who finally sees the errors of his ways, but before anything can be done, Letitia who is now transformed rushes outside into the rain and has the water drops kill her as those infected cannot get wet! After the burial of Letitia, the family makes plans to split ways as Susan is to leave with Stephen and Nahum goes back to the mansion to destroy the rock that, when hit, spawns a living energy that enters Nahum who attacks Stephen, as the possessed energy Nahum leaps at Stephen he falls to the ground dying on impact and catching on fire his remains and the mansion. In the end Stephen and Susan escape the burning mansion, and so ends the legacy of the Wintley family.

I want to start off by saying this while this comic adaptation is really entertaining and a good classic spooky horror comic read, it does however seem to be lacking all the great atmosphere from the movie and speeds up the plot taking away the suspense. The plot is very simple and has a young man visiting his girlfriend’s family at the request of the sick mother and soon finds that the family has a very dark secret that revolves around a rock that fell from space and the father’s quest to make the family’s name mean something again. Our stories hero is Stephen Reinhart, a man who is smart and in love with his lady who rushes to her hometown in order to visit and has been chosen by her mother to take the young woman away from their mansion home. Stephen also really heroes up when needed and saves the day numerous times including fighting off killer planets and even going toe to toe with a radioactive killer. Susan is a normal young woman who is trapped in a home that is surrounded by mystery and does not want to leave her sick mother behind. She is also clueless as things around her are clearly odd and she does not question nor seek the truth until Stephen forces her to see the stuff going on. Letitia Wintley is a sickly old woman who is slowly losing her mind due to the radiation off the stone. She loves her daughter very much and is starting to question her husband and his attentions as she slowly gets sicker and sicker until she turns into a ghoul that is killed by water. Nahum Wintley is a man who is proud of his family heritage, and even after it was run through the mud, he craves to make the name mean something again and thinks that a rock he found that fell from space and makes things grow fast is the key to become the star he thinks he should be. Sadly this consumes him and forces him to make bad decisions that even leaves people he cares about dead. While he’s not a bad person, he is a very self absorbed person who by the time he snaps out of it is possessed and taken over by the rock that turns him into a walking radioactive unstable firebomb. The comic does have some classic spooky moments, and while it does have deaths, none of them are bloody and gory. The cover for this comic is a photo of Boris Karloff as Nahum Wintley with an ax and is pretty eye catching for fans of the film and classic horror actor. The art was done by an Un-Credited Artist and is pretty good stuff and has that Dell Comics charm to it, as strangely enough the character art looks oddly like the actors who played them. Over all this is a pretty cool comic adaptation that does an okay job of bringing the film to pages, only down side is plot had to be crammed down and the atmosphere of the film is missing. Check out the art below to see the art style used in this comic, and really is worth a read and owning for fans of the film.

It makes you wonder if DELL Comics would have lasted past 1974, what other Horror and Science Fiction films would have gotten the comic adaptation treatment? Then it also makes me wonder why no one has brought Dell back to the world of Independent Comics. Imagine some of the other Karloff titles they could have made that would have gone along with the likes of Die, Monster, Die! For our next update, we will be staying in the world of Horror Comics but will not be looking at one based on a movie but one from a indie company that much like Dell makes you wonder what could have come from them. The company is B-Movie Comics, and the title is Vault Of Doomnation. So until then, read a Horror Comic or three, watch a Horror Movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host! See you next update for some spooky good times.