EC COMICS ARE BACK!

I thought I'd never see this, but the announcement has just been made that comics publisher Oni Press will be bringing back the EC line this summer.

While I have my reservations, it could be promising. Who knows, it might be fun! Here's the 4-1-1 on this surprising news:

Legendary Publisher EC Comics Rises From the Grave

The infamous horror comics giant returns in Summer 2024.

By Jesse Schedeen | February 19, 2024 | ign.com

EC Comics was once a major force in the comic book industry, selling enough books to rival giants like Marvel, DC and Archie. Now, nearly 70 years after EC Comics met its premature end, the company is returning as an imprint of Oni Press.

Oni has become the official home of the EC Comics brand, via a partnership with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. The new line will be overseen by Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson and Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn in partnership with Cathy Gaines Mifsud and Corey Mifsud, the administrators of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.

The first two EC Comics titles will be Epitaphs From the Abyss (launching in July 2024) and Cruel Universe (launching in August 2024). IGN can exclusively reveal artist Greg Smallwood's cover to Cruel Universe #1.

EC Comics was originally formed by M.C. Gaines in 1944. Originally billed as "Educational Comics" and later re-imagined as "Entertainment Comics" by Gaines' son William, EC Comics rose to prominence in a time when superhero comics had largely fallen out of favor. EC focused on genres like horror, science fiction and fantasy, resulting in hugely influential titles like Weird Science, Tales From the Crypt and Mad Magazine.

Unfortunately, EC Comics proved to be a casualty of the anti-comics backlash of the 1950's. Faced with a widespread moral panic over comic book content and the creation of the Comics Code Authority, EC finally folded in 1956. Only now in 2024 is the company making its official return to the stands.

Beginning with the release of Epitaphs From the Abyss and Cruel Universe, Oni will publish at least two EC Comics titles monthly. These books will feature a rotating cast of creators that includes:

• Jason Aaron (Thor, Southern Bastards)
• Brian Azzarello (Batman: Damned, 100 Bullets)
• Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia)
• Corinna Bechko (Invisible Republic)
• Cullen Bunn (The Sixth Gun)
• Christopher Cantwell (Briar)
• Cecil Castellucci (Shade the Changing Girl)
• Chris Condon (That Texas Blood)
• Joshua Hale Fialkov (The Bunker)
• J. Holtham (AMC’s The Handmaid’s Tale)
• Jeff Jensen (HBO’s Watchmen, Green River Killer)
• Matt Kindt (BRZRKR, Mind MGMT)
• Sean Lewis (King Spawn)
• Stephanie Phillips (Grim)
• Jay Stephens (Dwellings)
• Zac Thompson (Cemetery Kids Don’t Die)
• Ben H. Winters (CBS’ Tracker)
• Kano (Gotham Central, Immortal Iron Fist)
• Peter Krause (Irredeemable)
• Leomacs (Rogues)
• Malachi Ward (Black Hammer: The End)
• Dustin Weaver (Avengers, Paklis)

“As my father said, ‘Only in the bounds of good taste!’ and I’m so excited to exhibit EC's good taste with Oni Press, who have distinguished themselves with both an award-winning library of comics and graphic novels and a passionate understanding of EC’s singular role in shaping comics history,” said Cathy Gaines Mifsud in a statement.

“Seventy years ago, EC Comics redefined what comics could be with shocking, confrontational and brilliantly crafted stories that challenged the existential issues at the center of American life – censorship, racism, sexism, nuclear proliferation, and more. Today, those battles continue in alarming and pernicious new ways,” said Hahn. “What better time to resurrect the undying spirit of EC Comics – one of the most entertaining, subversive, and influential publishers of all time – with an all-star cast of storytellers to examine today’s society through the lens that William Gaines and his legendary collaborators have left us.”