Unusual Tales #38

A dark and stormy night sets the stage for this March 1963 Charlton chiller, with cover art by Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio depicting a ship battered by crashing waves against a rocky shore above and, below, a mysterious raincoat-clad figure bursting through a doorway toward a startled blonde woman — the bold "KRASSHHH!" sound effect making the tension almost physical. The banner warns readers to "Beware of 'Stranger in the Storm,'" while the turbulent seascape above hints at the ghostly nautical menace promised by the interior tale "The Ghost Galleon," written by Joe Gill with art by Charles Nicholas and Vince Alascia. For fans of early-'60s anthology horror and suspense, this 12-cent gem delivers exactly the kind of brooding, atmospheric dread that made Unusual Tales a reliable thrill.