Always fighting for more market share against Marvel, their biggest rival, DC re-booted one of its more successful mystery/horror titles, HOUSE OF MYSTERY. The new look began with issue #176 (May-June 1968) when Carmine Infantino handed over the editorial reins to EC Comics alumnus, Joe Orlando. Orlando gathered a group of veteran artists from the Pre-Code era including Lee Elias, Mort Meskin, Doug Wildey and Bernard Baily. Oddly comprised of reprints from earlier issues of its sister title, HOUSE OF SECRETS, the timing must have been right because sales started picking up and HoM lasted for another 145 issues until October 1983. Shown today is the first in its run of "100-page Spectaculars".
NOTE: Third-party ads removed.
HOUSE OF MYSTERY
Vol. 23 No. 224
April-May 1974
On-sale date: January 10, 1974
National Periodicals Publications Inc. (DC Comics)
Editors: Joe Orlando (editor); Paul Levitz (assistant editor)
Cover: Gerry Talaoc; Bill Draut; Alfredo Alcala (Montage cover)
Pages: 100
Cover price: 60 cents
CONTENTS
"Night Stalker in Slim City" (Cain the Caretaker)
Script: David Michelinie
Art: Frank Robbins
"The House of Endless Years" (reprinted from House of Secrets #83, December 1969-January 1970, with art modifications)
Script: Gerry Conway
Art: Bill Draut
"The Dead Man's Lucky Scarf"
Script: David Izzo (plot); Michael Fleisher (script)
Art: Alfredo Alcala
"The Reluctant Sorceror" (reprinted from House of Secrets #49, October 1961)
Script: Howard Purcell
Art: Howard Pucell
"Abraca-Doom!" (The Spectre, reprinted from The Spectre #9, March-April 1969)
Script: Denny O'Neil
Art: Bernie Wrightson
"The One and Only, Fully Guaranteed, Super-Permanent, 100%?" (reprinted from House of Secrets #82, October-November 1969)
Script: Marv Wolfman
Art: Dick Dillin; Neal Adams
"The Gift That Wiped Out Time" (reprinted from House of Mystery #120, March 1962)
Script: ?
Art: Mort Meskin; George Roussos
"Sheer Fear!"
Script: Sheldon Mayer
Art: Gerry Talaoc
"The Claws of Death!"
Script: George Kashdan
Art: Alex Niño
"Mystery in Miniature!" (The Phantom Stranger reprinted from The Phantom Stranger #6, June-July 1953)
Script: John Broome
Art: Jerry Grandinetti?
"Photo Finish!"
Script: Steve Skeates
Art: Mike Sekowsky
I used to read HOUSE OF MYSTERY, HOUSE OF SECRETS and THE WITCHING HOUR regularly when they first started, but I can't remember if I actually got this 100 PAGE SUPER-SPECTACULAR (1974 might've been a little late in the run) or just saw some of the stories when they were first printed.
ReplyDeleteThe Frank Robbins piece was definitely new to me, so I'm guessing I didn't get this issue. The concept of the passive exercise machine reminded me of the real-life "Slenderella" salons that I mentioned in comments on your posting of an issue of THIMK! a while back. That "bad-guy-gets-his-comeuppance" last panel had true "EC" levels of gruesomeness.
I also don't recall the Bill Draut piece, even from an earlier printing. I wonder in what way the art was modified? I know reprints at DC were sometimes retouched to contemporize hairstyles and clothing, but would there really have been much change in kids' clothes and hair between 1969 and 1974?
The Berni Wrightson piece seems familiar, but I don't think I was still reading SPECTRE at that point. It may feel like I've seen it because in 1969, his art still looked like his fanzine work and early pro work like WEB OF HORROR.
I'm relatively certain I saw the Dick Dillin-Neal Adams teamup in its first printing in HOUSE OF SECRETS. The weird bugging eyes on the wife and her comment about "your kitchy-poo got up and went" really rang a bell. Adams' work on this also looks a lot like his pieces for NATIONAL LAMPOON that started just a little after this first appeared in 1969.
Thanks for posting this, John!
-- hsc
The changes to Draut's art were a couple of panels to change HoS's Abel to HoM's Cain. Judging from the number of books you read from these titles, I can understand why you can't remember 'em all!
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