had to go with the crypt kreeper for the other ones seemed to want to be more comedic in their telling of the frights where the crypt kepper had that mabre love of scaring some one and took great glee in revealing the fates of the victims in the stories not to mention the live action version of him was really creepy in a tame chucky way

It’s such a damn shame that nowadays all they can think of to do with Vampirella is make her a terrible, terrible superhero.

Old Witch

Abstain – Abel is the only I’ve actually read as a comic-host, although yes, I know who Vampirella is. Gotta love the name Uncle Creepy, though.

Excellent work on the poll this month. Once again it shows how much hard work, thought, and fun you put into your columns.

It’s a virtual tie for me between Cain and the Crypt Keeper, so I gave it to CK since he’s a bit more important from an historical standpoint.

What?! No Charlton hosts? No Dr. Graves, Mr. Dedd, no impy, no Wendy the Witch? Is there a hint of favoratism here?

TV exposure is likely to help the Crypt Keeper, but I’m voting for the Old Witch.

Sarcastic comments regarding some poor soul’s ghastly demise sounds creepier coming from an old hag.

This is also the first I’ve heard of Eve and Lucien.

The first horror comic I read when I was a kid was Witching Hour, so I’m going with the three witches.

I hadn’t realized Lucien from Sandman was, like Cain and Abel, the host of a DC mystery/horror comic. Wow.

What, no Green Glob!?

I don’t care for horror stories, so I voted for Vampi. At least she’s sexy! Not that I would date her, she bites. *rimshot*

Cain – dig that 70s hipster-talk, daddio.

What about the hosts from Charlton’s mystery titles???

I voted for Abel because he deserves a break the poor guy.

The Green Glob wasn’t a horror host, though, was it? It was more of a gimmick in the stories, a wish-granting entity of some kind.

Phil Foglio used it in his Angel and the Ape mini in from 1991 or so, by the way, and explained what it was and where it came from entertainingly enough.

How to pick between Cain and Abel? I went for the former, cause, you know…murder. And, through the magical randomness of the late 70s/early 80s newstand spinner rack, one of my first comics was a House of Mystery that scared the crap out of me. In a good way. I also remember being enthused that they showed up in Swamp Thing and Blue Devil (and then some other comic that I think some people liked back in el dia) at a time when the shared universe idea was really important to me.

What, no Digger? He fought the West Coast Avengers!

I wanted to go with Cain, Abel, AND Eve because of Plop!, but since I can only pick one– Cain.

I probably would have gone for a Charlton host if the option was there, so instead I picked good old Cain. He was a great character, who on a the odd delightful occasion exceeded his role as host.

Why wouldn’t Phantom Stranger be considered? Were his stories not horror enough? Or because he did participate?

Or because he did participate?

Yep.

No way anybody can win this except Crypt Keeper. He’s just too well known compared to any of the rest. He is one spooky puppet.

I’ve only really followed the Charlton books regularly – So the Midnight Philosopher and Arachne.

In lieu of the Phantom Stranger, I had to go with Destiny. I like ‘em grim and mysterious.

I’ve only read a handfull of horror books, so I’m really not equipped to judge. Of the ones I’ve seen, Destiny seems the most unique, so that’s a point in his favour.

But if I could I would vote for the Genesis trio of Cain, Abel, and Eve together because of Plop! That was one great series. I had hoped to be the first one to bring it up, but Kerry Callen beat me to it.

Vampirella, natch!

I remember getting House of Mystery back in the 70s, Cain has always been entertaining.

Had to go with Cain here. The Cryptkeeper was the first, but I actually bought House of Mystery specifically because of Cain. The stories weren’t always the best, but Cain never failed to entertain. Can’t say that for anyone else on the list.

Wow, I used to have that issue of Secrets of Sinister House when I was a kid! Haven’t thought about that in years or even remember the stories inside, but that cover is forever! Is that the one with some dudes from the middle ages using a magic circle to travel to a modern hospital? Or the criminal on the run who goes to a doctor to get his face changed, only to find he’s been horribly mutilated because the doctor was an alien or something? Aaah, good times!

I wanted to vote Lucien, but I couldn’t justify it because I never read him as a horror host. In fact, I didn’t know that was the case until right now. Loved Lucien in Sandman, but I have to go with Crypt Keeper for the best horror host.

The only one of those I’ve read in any great quantity is House Of Mystery (thank you, Showcase editions) so I had to go with Cain…

@Ruler Bulon: Digger was my first thought, too!

Would have voted for the Phantom Stranger… There were a few tales that he merely introduced and didn’t participate in…

No Elvira, Mistress of The Dark???

Yeah, I’ll go with Destiny too…. Sinister and mysterious…

Hilariously, Destiny was just a Spectre recolor as far as anyone knows. (Yes, that Spectre, who’d ended up demoted to horror host at some point.)

Had to go with The Three Witches. Cynthia is way hotter than Vampirella. And Cain did participate in some HOM stories in the early days. I would have voted for Impy from Charlton’s “Haunted” if that was an option. Hard to beat a ghost narrator…