Sunday 25 June 2017

Nightmare Annual #1 (Skywald/1972)



The seventies were a great era for black & white horror magazine publishing. Skywald joined the fray with three titles of which Nightmare was the first later being joined by Psycho and Scream. Launched in 1970 Nightmare was given it's first (and only) Annual in 1972.

This edition contained eight stories of gore and terror to entertain the reader in the dark hours of the night. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde kicks off the annual and is a passable adaptation of the well known story. Better fare appears in Beauty is Only Blood Deep as a noble discovers when she bathes in and drinks the blood of a poisoned virgin.

A revolting story of partial cannibalism is up next in Limb from Limb from Death. Stranded in a desert with no food and little water the only way to survive is to chop bits off you fellows and make a pact on rescue.

Alone is a  tale of revenge and hypnotism that goes terribly wrong..for one of those involved. A rather daft tale follows next in And If a Fiend Comes Calling which seems to have no rhyme nor reason but at least the final tale The Day The Earth Will Die makes sense after a couple of beers anyway.....

Nightmare went on to last just 23 issues, with Skywald pushed off the stands by Marvel and Warren. Other issues of the magazine simply became "Summer Specials" or "Winter Specials".

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