House of Secrets (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1973.
Synopsis for "Vampire"
A stepfather takes his child actor son to a "vampire cave" in order to dispose of him so that he can claim a two million dollar trust fund, but an actual vampire gets him before he can do so.
Appearing in "Vampire"
Narrator:
Featured Characters:
- Willy Wonderful (Single appearance) (Apparent Death)
Supporting Characters:
- An old man (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Mr. Wonderful, Willy's father (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Tom (Single appearance)
- Frank (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Nevada
- Vampire Cave
- Vampire Cave
Synopsis for "Coming Together!"
A poet reads a poem which contains an incantation in a coffee house which brings three demons together to possess a sculpture. The sculpture menaces a waitress and a big bruiser type who is sweet on her manages to destroy it, but unfortunately for him, she is more interested in the college professor who was tracking the demons and destroys the poet's poem to prevent more carnage.
Appearing in "Coming Together!"
Narrator:
Featured Characters:
- Hank (Single appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Sharon (Single appearance)
- John (Single appearance)
- A Professor (Unnamed) (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Bernard (Single appearance)
- Mrs. Savin (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Bushnell's Basin
- The Workshop coffee house
- The Workshop coffee house
Synopsis for "An Axe to Grind"
A half-wit chops up his brother with an ax after he sees him talking to a girl he fancies. He doesn't believe that his brother was just asking her to be more polite to him, and so buries the pieces of the body out in the field. He hears his brother laughing at him and sees the head around the house. His conscience torments him until he flails around with the ax doing damage to the water pipes and getting himself stuck in a hole he has chopped through the floor. As the water in the basement rises to his mouth, the head bounces down the stairs and floats next to him, grinning.
Appearing in "An Axe to Grind"
Narrator:
Featured Characters:
- Howard Bates (Single appearance; dies)
Supporting Characters:
- Molly (Single appearance)
Antagonists:
- Jasper Bates (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
- Bates Farm
Items:
- Axe
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Showcase Presents: The House of Secrets Vol. 2.
Trivia
The second story, "Coming Together", begins with an excerpt from W.B. Yeats' poem, The Second Coming.
See Also