Before we had VHS, we had storybook records if we wanted to “hear” comic books. In the 1970s, the king of those 33 1/3 audiobooks was Power Records, because they had top licenses like Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and several DC comics. (The Plastic Man theme song will never be forgotten.) And then there’s one special Halloween gem: “A Story of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman,” which came with a read along comic book by Neal Adams. Now it’s back under a more gripping title.
House of Terror. Only fair to rebrand, because before the company was Power Records, it was Peter Pan Records. That ain’t no place for a vampire.
And it’s a long-playing record. (Another phrase that sticks with me from listening to those records.) Thanks to Studio Chikara, Power Records’ archives are being re-released, starting with this ghoulish delight making its debut at New York Comic-Con.
Check it out from Studio Chikara:
The 1970s classic, scary Halloween album, HOUSE OF TERROR, is back on limited-edition vinyl, after over 40 years inside the Power Records archive! Through an exclusive license with the imprint’s parent company, Inspired Studios, Inc., Studio Chikara released its first-ever album on 180gsm vinyl just in time for Halloween!
“This exciting opportunity to reissue an album I loved as a child was too good to pass by,” says Studio Chikara founder, Robert V. Conte. “One of the best spoken-word with sound effects records ever made is back for an all-new generation to enjoy.”
First released in 1975 as “A Story of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman,” House of Terror was last issued on vinyl in 1982 on 12-inch, 33-1/3 RPM vinyl. On those issues, the story took both sides of the album. This time, Studio Chikara’s Anniversary Edition is made on 180gsm vinyl with bonus content including an entire B-side of “Ghostly Sounds,” an all-new gatefold jacket, liner notes, photos, and a recolored version of the original 16-page booklet now extended to a 48-page graphic novel!
Neal Adams, the pre-eminent creator of classic stories featuring Batman, The Avengers, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, X-Men, and his own creation Armor, wrote and drew this story through his own company, Continuity Studios. Adams passed in 2022 at the age of 80, but his family has maintained the company’s legacy.
The first 100 copies of House of Terror 40th Anniversary Edition, featuring “Vampyre-red, Blood-splatter” vinyl with an additional surprise, debuts at New York Comic-Con (NYCC), Booth #3935 located at the Jacob Javits Convention Center this Thursday, October 12 through Sunday, October 15, 2023.
The total print run of House of Terror 40th Anniversary Edition is strictly limited to 1,000 copies, with the remaining 900 units being released nationwide starting on Tuesday, October 17. Two variants exist: 400 additional units of the edition premiering at NYCC, and the remaining 500 copies on traditional black vinyl.
Both editions are available directly at http://www.studiochikara.com, eBay, and participating retailers for $49.99 each. UPC# 711574944910
“House of Terror 40th Anniversary Edition is the first of several planned vinyl reissues,” concludes Conte. “The resurgence of this genre opens several opportunities to relive history, and that’s one of Studio Chikara’s top goals.”
That’s a promising last sentence — though a few new rights-holders might need to sign off, could we be getting to go ape once more? Might we relived the adventures of the G.I. Joe Adventure Team? Might a new generation sing the praises of Plastic Man? House of Terror may be a Halloween release, but it feels like Christmas came early.
