Tales of Horror #5
In "The Man Who Lost His Shadow," a legendary chess master faces a chilling challenge from a mysterious opponent who plays with real human lives as pieces. Written and drawn with eerie precision by Frank Giacoia and Mac L. Pakula, this haunting tale from Tales of Horror #5 (1953) unfolds as a ghostly rematch from beyond the grave. The cover, by Moe Marcus and Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio, captures the dread of a game where the stakes are far more than victory.
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
The worlds greatest chess player is challenged and defeated by a supernatural being who uses real humans as chess pieces. It turns out the being is the great Talchev (the previous worlds greatest chess player), who came back from the dead as a ghoul. Because he used supernatural powers to cheat, Satan appears to take Talchev back to Hell with him.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).