Sometimes you find a really awesome story in a long forgotten comic.

In the early 1970's, after selling Marvel Charles Goodman launched his own comic company Atlas which sought to compete with both Marvel and DC in the superhero arena as well compete with Warren in the horror magazine department.

Therein lay the problem. Atlas didn't try and eek out its own identity and instead looked like a pretender to the throne. This is not to say that Atlas' work was bad. (They were using the same artists and writers that DC, Marvel and Warren were employing albeit anonymously) But, it was the wrong time for a new comic line. The 1970's were a period of overall decline for the comics industry. Honestly, much of this decline was well deserved. DC Comics was producing some truly awful work that was embarrassingly behind the times. Marvel was producing excellent work in its B titles, but the main superhero books prescribed to the "same old, same old" formula. The industry needed a compelling new narrative which it would finally get in 1977 with the revamped X-Men. (Again, there was much brilliant writing in Werewolf by Night, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, etc but virtually all of these books paled in popularity to "name" heroes)

One publication Atlas released was WEIRD TALES OF THE MACABRE which was an obvious attempt to cash in on the Warren line of CREEPY and EERIE magazines. Honestly, by 1974 these Warren books had started to become rather dull. Sure, there was the occasional decent story here and there but there top of the line stories were rare. It would seem that after a decade of publication new ideas were not forthcoming. But, the books were still selling well and riding the coattails of FAMOUS MONSTERS. Atlas figured it could get into the mix and reap rewards. Considering their horror mags only lasted 1 – 2 issues the painful answer to their venture was obvious.

But, again, this does not mean there was little of note. In issue one of WTOTM, there is a really cool werewolf story that struck me as an enjoyable read. I won't go into too much because I would end up giving the ending away for those who would like to read it for themselves.

The tale involves a stuntman playing a werewolf on a B-movie film set who ends up catching rabies. He becomes delusional and thinks he is a real werewolf. The cast and crew, however, are oblivious to this and assume he is putting an a super acting performance.

Now, doesn't that sound like a hell of a premise for a horror tale or what?