Terror Tales
Encyclopedia
Terror Tales was a long-running American
pulp magazine
of the horror comics
and weird menace
genres. It was originally published by Popular Publications
. The first issue was published in September 1934. Though hit hard by the Senate comic book hearings and the Comics Code Authority
, Terror Tales would recover and continue to be published decades later, after several relaunches by other publishers like Eerie Publications
, in the 1970s.
One of the seminal horror comics, it was joined shortly afterwards (1935) with its sister horror comic, Horror Stories
, also from the same publisher.
Terror Tales followed many of the conventions of the horror comic genres, such as the use of scantily-clad damsel in distress
covers.
Some of the writers and artists whose work appeared in Terror Tales included Rudolph Belarski and E. Hoffmann Price.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pulp magazine
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
of the horror comics
Horror comics
Horror comics are comic books, graphic novels, black-and-white comics magazines, and manga focusing on horror fiction. Horror comic books reached a peak in the late 1940s through the mid-1950s, when concern over content and the imposition of the self-censorship Comics Code Authority contributed to...
and weird menace
Weird menace
Weird menace is the name given to a sub-genre of horror fiction that was popular in the pulp magazines of the 1930s and early 1940s. The weird menace pulps, also known as "shudder pulps", generally featured stories in which the hero was pitted against sadistic villains, with graphic scenes of...
genres. It was originally published by Popular Publications
Popular Publications
Popular Publications was one of the largest publishers of pulp magazines during its existence, at one point publishing 42 different titles per month. Company titles included detective, adventure, romance, and Western fiction. They were also known for the several 'weird menace' titles...
. The first issue was published in September 1934. Though hit hard by the Senate comic book hearings and the Comics Code Authority
Comics Code Authority
The Comics Code Authority was a body created as part of the Comics Magazine Association of America, as a tool for the comics-publishing industry to self-regulate the content of comic books in the United States. Member publishers submitted comic books to the CCA, which screened them for adherence to...
, Terror Tales would recover and continue to be published decades later, after several relaunches by other publishers like Eerie Publications
Eerie Publications
Eerie Publications was a publisher of black-and-white horror-anthology comics magazines. Less well-known and more downscale than the field's leader, Warren Publishing , the New York City-based company was one of several related publishing ventures run by comic-book artist and 1970s magazine...
, in the 1970s.
One of the seminal horror comics, it was joined shortly afterwards (1935) with its sister horror comic, Horror Stories
Horror Stories (magazine)
Horror Stories was an American pulp magazine that published tales of the supernatural, horror, and macabre. The first issue was published in January 1935, three years after the weird menace genre had begun with Dime Mystery Magazine. Horror Stories was a sister magazine to Terror Tales, whose first...
, also from the same publisher.
Terror Tales followed many of the conventions of the horror comic genres, such as the use of scantily-clad damsel in distress
Damsel in distress
The subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
covers.
Some of the writers and artists whose work appeared in Terror Tales included Rudolph Belarski and E. Hoffmann Price.