Gold Key Select: Boris Karloff Thriller – Volume 01 Issue 01

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My Rating

“Gleam Of Evil”

Strange things have been happening ever since Bud Marvel, the star trapeze artist of the big top circus, proposed marriage to lion tamer Kay Spencer. Random animals have been turning up dead, and now the bad luck has affected the performers. There is no rhyme or reason to the incidents, except Ophelia, Kay’s Siamese cat, always seems to be in the picture. What does Ophelia want?

“The Crystal Ball”

Friendship. Is it worth the price of betrayal? For Houdon, a master lock picker and thief, even friends can be traded for cold, hard loot. Over the next 24 hours, Cambert the mystic will discover something more dangerous than the Nazi Gestapo.

“Blind Man’s Bluff”

The cars roared down the track as race fans erupted in the stands. This year, veteran driver, Jim Blake, took the lead with his new car and sponsor. But upstart, and daredevil, Buzz Murphy has shown that he will do anything to win the cup. The question is, just how far was he willing to go…

“The Dreamer”

Dr. Korvo counted backward from ten, waiting for his patient to drift into unconsciousness. Earlier that evening, a young man had burst into Korvo’s office demanding to be analyzed for acute nightmare disorder, nonetheless. Typically, nightmares affect everyone, no matter how mentally stable. However, most people do not lose their name and identity.

For this John Doe, his dreams were always the same. A woman on a ship, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Then the iceberg. What happens after the iceberg? No…!

Review

During March 2025, Gold Key Entertainment, in partnership with Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc., released the anthology comic book titled Gold Key Select Boris Karloff Thriller. I purchased a copy of this book thinking this was an exact reproduction of Boris Karloff Thriller #01 (1962), which would continue on as Boris Karloff’s Tales of Mystery on issue #03. Oddly, the new owners of Gold Key decided to combine four stories from issues #01 and #02 of the original series.

That’s not a bad thing. My only question is the target demo. Who is this comic book produced for? A handful of Boomers and Gen-X’ers who are looking to reminisce? I certainly don’t see younger readers being hooked on outdated horror themes meant as throwaway entertainment.

The interior pages are literal scans of the original pages. Those collecting the artwork will be disappointed. For me, I give Boris Karloff Thriller #01 a meager three out of five stars.