Weird Mystery Tales

Weird Mystery Tales was a mystery horror comics anthology published by DC Comics from July–August 1972 to November 1975.

Weird Mystery Tales
Weird Mystery Tales #1 (July–August 1972).
Art by Michael Kaluta.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleBimonthly
FormatOngoing series
Genre
Publication dateJuly–August 1972 – November 1975
No. of issues24
Main character(s)Dr. E. Leopold Maas
Destiny
Eve
Creative team
Written by
Penciller(s)
Inker(s)
Editor(s)

Publication history

100 Page Super Spectacular

The title Weird Mystery Tales was first used for DC 100 Page Super Spectacular #4 in 1971.[1] It reprinted stories from My Greatest Adventure #8, 12, 14, 15, and 20; Sensation Mystery #110 and 116; House of Secrets #2; The Phantom Stranger #1; Tales of the Unexpected #15 and 24; and House of Mystery #49.[2]

Ongoing series

The Weird Mystery Tales ongoing series was launched in July–August 1972[3][4] and was originally hosted by Destiny.[5] The hosting role was gradually taken over by Eve, who fully assumed the title with issue #15 (December 1974–January 1975).[1] The title's name was partially inspired by the sales success of Weird War Tales and Weird Western Tales.[6] Early issues printed material by Jack Kirby that had been intended for his black-and-white, magazine-size DC comic series, Spirit World, which lasted only one issue.[7] These stories featured Dr. E. Leopold Maas as host, sometimes with an appended hosting segment by Destiny.

Weird Mystery Tales contributors, in addition to Kirby, included Alfredo Alcala, Tony DeZuniga, Michael Kaluta, Alex Niño, Howard Purcell, Nestor Redondo, Jack Sparling, and Bernie Wrightson.[1] Howard Purcell's last known work in the comics industry was a story each in Weird Mystery Tales #1–3 (Aug.–Dec. 1972), plus the cover of #2.[8]

Ashcan edition

In 1996, DC published a free ashcan edition titled Weird Mystery Tales, with the tagline, "Welcome to the Dark Side of DC". It was written by Adam Philips and drawn by Anthony Williams.[9]

Collected editions
  • Spirit World includes "Horoscope Phenomenon or Witch Queen of Ancient Sumeria?" from Weird Mystery Tales #1; "Toxl the World Killer!" from Weird Mystery Tales #2; and "The Burners!" from Weird Mystery Tales #3, 108 pages, May 2012, ISBN 1401234186[10]

References
  1. Thompson, Steven (February 2015). "Those Were Weird Times: Weird Mystery Tales". Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (78): 23–30.
  2. "DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #4". Grand Comics Database.
  3. Weird Mystery Tales at the Grand Comics Database
  4. Overstreet, Robert M. (2019). Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide (49th ed.). Timonium, Maryland: Gemstone Publishing. p. 1147. ISBN 978-1603602334.
  5. McAvennie, Michael; Dolan, Hannah, ed. (2010). "1970s". DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p. 152. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. The host that was first presented in a framing sequence by scribe Marv Wolfman and artist Bernie Wrightson would provide endless creative material for Neil Gaiman's The Sandman series decades later.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  6. Daniels, Les (1995). DC Comics: Sixty Years of the World's Favorite Comic Book Heroes. New York, New York: Bulfinch Press. p. 153. ISBN 0821220764. 'Carmine Infantino and I found out that the word weird sold well.' [editor Joe] Orlando recalls. 'So DC created Weird War and Weird Western.'
  7. Cooke, Jon B. (December 1996). "Spirit World & Other Weird Mysteries". Jack Kirby Collector. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (13). Retrieved October 21, 2012.
  8. Howard Purcell at the Grand Comics Database
  9. Weird Mystery Tales (ashcan) at the Grand Comics Database
  10. "Spirit World". DC Comics. May 2, 2012. Archived from the original on June 5, 2014.
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