Vault of Horror #27
"Silver Threads Among the Mold!" is a chilling tale from Vault of Horror #27 (1952), a standout story written by Al Feldstein and Bill Gaines and illustrated with masterful dread by Jack Davis, whose inks bring every shadow to life. The story follows the unsettling presence of Lionel, a man whose eerie hearse and silent demeanor spark fear in the townsfolk—especially the children who wonder what lies behind the curtain in the back. Cover by Johnny Craig captures the story’s creeping unease with a haunting, minimalist image that perfectly sets the tone.
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 children ran up to the hearse as Mr. Byrd drove by, yelling things at him as he made his way to the general store. They couldn't understand why a man, who was NOT an undertaker, would drive such a contraption. The townsfolk were scared of the man, who lived in a rented, deserted house. Whenever Lionel would come to town, the kids would look in the back of the hearse and only see a curtain partition, wondering what was behind it. The answer began when Lionel first moved to town....before he ever owned the hearse, and a couple of fugitives came by his house, looking to hide out from the law. When Lionel told them to leave, they shot him dead, and dug a grave to bury him behind the cabin. When they re-entered the cabin, there he was, holding a shotgun on them, and telling them they had killed his siamese twin! As he stepped forward, they could see the dead corpse still attached to Lionel, who tied the pair up and threw them in the grave they had prepared for him. Now we know why Lionel had that curtain in the back of his hearse!
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).