WEIRD MYSTERIES
Vol. 1 No. 1 (One shot)
March 1959
Pastime Publications
Editor: Joe Simon?
Cover: George Tuska
Pages: 68
Cover price: 35 cents ("Blood Money")
Warren wasn't the first to put out a magazine-sized horror comic after the collapse of the industry in 1954. Pastime Publications' WEIRD MYSTERIES pre-dates CREEPY by a decade. Like its title's namesake, the content is truly "weird"; an amalgam of comic stories and short fiction, introduced by the ubiquitous horror-host, this time named Morgue'n. The stories were quite similar to those from the EC line, with one alumnus, Joe Orlando on board. The cover art is well rendered by George Tuska, and depicts a modern update of the unmasking of the Phantom of the Opera (this time wearing an African tribal mask!).
The provenance of this title remains itself a weird mystery. It has been suggested that it was produced by Myron Fass, who would go on to form the Eerie Publications line of horror comics titles.
Joe Simon has been hinted at as the editor of WM (and I would add that he might possibly be the writer as well). It seems more than a coincidence that he would have in his possession the pre-press flat copies. In addition the intro page art by Golden Age great Carl Burgos, is a direct swipe from the October/November 1947 issue of JUSTICE TRAPS THE GUILTY. The creative team? Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. The use of typeset lettering, two non-comic stories with the emphasis on the word "Sick" in the title, as well as some of the style of humor, suggests that this might also be a prototype for SICK magazine, which came in 1960. The creator? Joe Simon!
CONTENTS
"Morgue'n Your Monster of Ceremoanies!"
Story: ?
Art: Carl Burgos
"Change My Face"
Story: ?
Art: George Tuska
"From Fear to Eternity!"
Story: ?
Art: Angelo Torres
"The Ragman"
Story: ?
Art: George Tuska
"The Corpse Talks Back!"
Story: Text story
Art: Carl Burgos
"Twin Bads"
Story: ?
Art: Paul Reinman
"Easy Dies It"
Story: ?
Art: Carl Burgos
"Flip Fairy Tale"
Story: ?
Art: Paul Reinman
"Over the Wall"
Story: Text story
Art: Carl Burgos
"The Puzzle"
Story: ?
Art: Paul Reinman
"A Good Daughter"
Story: ?
Art: Joe Orlando
"Sick Greeting Cards"
Captions: ?
Art: ?
"Strange Thirst"
Story: ?
Art: Paul Reinman
"A Shriek in the Night"
Story: ?
Art: Carl Burgos
"Capital Punishment"
Story: ?
Art: George Tuska
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