they were on sale in SAFEWAYS — yes yes the first safeways in the UK THAT ONE yes — and for a v long while when small i REFUSED TO PASS DOWN THAT AISLE bcz the covers were so all creepy! HERBERT VAN THAL!
at the time this wasn’t even the worst (which was a HAND with an EYE in the PALM! tho when i googlimaged the hand just now it had not stood the test of time er its hauntological index was in the blissbog zone it seemed a bit meh)
in related news: CLIVE BARKER IS RUBBISH
UPDATE: thinking about this more, i conclude that aged 7 i found SKULLS and EYEBALLS more frightening than SPIDERS and CREEPYDOLLS — whereas now this has sort of reversed… i am backed up a bit with SF for KIDS but have just now started thinking a bit about what kept me awake after i read it aged 7-12.
Exhibit one = THE UPPER BERTH, which i got so scared by (on holiday in France) that i got a telling off for being silly!
Exhibit two = this fellow as pictured in the guiness book of records (tho not this actual picture)