Horrific

Horrific (1952–1954) was a short-lived but memorable horror comic from Comic Media, running thirteen issues through the pre-Code era. The series is best known for its lurid, atmospheric artwork by the prolific Iger Shop, Marty Elkin, and a young Don Heck, whose early career here showcased his flair for the macabre. Notably, the series featured recurring appearances by a fictionalized Charles Atlas, the real-life bodybuilding icon, as a muscle-bound hero in bizarre supernatural tales—a uniquely odd crossover that gives Horrific its cult appeal. It stands as a vivid artifact of the early 1950s horror boom, before the Comics Code Authority reshaped the industry.