Ghostly Tales #165

Charlton's long-running horror anthology reaches issue #165 with a cover by Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio that sets an wonderfully eerie tone: a pale, ghoulish figure floats above a crumbling moonlit castle, wand raised and arms outstretched, while a leering fanged demon grins from the foreground — all accompanied by a speech bubble cheekily dismissing the existence of ghosts. Inside, the creative pairing of writer Joe Gill and artist/inker Steve Ditko brings "The Forbidden Crypt," promising the kind of moody, atmospheric horror storytelling that made this series a staple of 1984 spinner racks.