The Eerie Delights of DC’s Weird Mystery Tales

Hey there, comic fiends and horror hounds! Today, the Longbox of Darkness is leading you deep into one of DC’s most deliciously disturbing anthology series from the 1970s – the infamous Weird Mystery Tales.

As a lifelong lover of all things spooky in the world of comics, I spent countless hours of my youth poring over dusty back issues and debating the finer points of horror with my comic book-collecting peers. There was one series we all loved unconditionally back in the day, and that was Weird Mystery Tales. So it holds a special place in my cold, black heart, and that’s why I want to share it’s horrifying wonders with you.

The Birth of a Beautiful Nightmare

Picture it: The early 1970s. Bell-bottoms were in, Nixon was president, and the comic book industry was in flux. Marvel was ascendant, giving DC a run for its money with edgier fare. What’s a venerable comics publisher to do?

For DC, the answer was clear – lean into the weird and wild world of horror and mystery. But there was a catch. The draconian Comics Code Authority still held sway, banning outright horror content. So DC got crafty, skirting the rules by branding their spooky series as “mystery” titles.

Enter Weird Mystery Tales, launched in 1972 under the steady hand of editor extraordinaire Joe Orlando. A veteran of EC Comics’ legendary horror titles, Orlando knew how to deliver chills while staying just this side of the censors’ wrath.

The series kicked off as part of DC’s 100-Page Super Spectacular line in 1971, whetting readers’ appetites with a mix of new stories and classic reprints from the 1950s. But it was when Weird Mystery Tales became its own ongoing series that the real magic began.

Artistic Alchemy: The Visual Feast

One of the first things that grabs you about Weird Mystery Tales is the absolutely killer artwork. We’re talking a murderer’s row of comic legends here, folks.

The covers alone are worth the price of admission. Michael Kaluta, Jim Aparo, Nick Cardy, Jack Sparling, Bernie Wrightson, Ernie Chan – it’s like a who’s who of 70s comic art gods. And that’s before you even crack open an issue!

Inside, the visual feast continues. You’ve got Bernie Wrightson bringing his signature gothic flair to framing sequences. Alfredo Alcala and Nestor Redondo delivering lush, detailed penwork that transports you to eerie other worlds. And how about Alex Niño’s mind-bending, psychedelic nightmares?

But for my money, the real standout is the great Jack Kirby. The King himself contributed several stories originally intended for his black-and-white magazine Spirit World. Seeing Kirby let loose in the horror realm is a treat that never gets old. His stories “Toxl the World-Killer” from issue #2, where he espouses ‘cataclysm theory’, or his story “Horoscope Phenomenon” in issue #1, where the horoscope literally brings forth monsters to plague humanity, are must-reads.

Tales to Keep You Up at Night

The signature art of Jack Kirby was all well and good, but it’s the contributions of all the other creators that really made this horror anthology stand out. Weird Mystery Tales deliver the goods with some darn good writers and artists that strutted their stuff in its pages. So let’s talk about some stories, shall we?

One of my personal favorites is “To Live Forever” from issue #4. Penned by Steve Skeates with art by Romy Gamboa and Rico Rival, it’s a surprisingly adult tale of a man’s quest for immortality. Let’s just say it doesn’t end well for anyone involved. The story pushes some boundaries with its themes and even some tasteful nudity that somehow slipped past the Comics Code. Scandalous!

Then there’s the tale “The Widow of Doctor Kaiogi” from issue #7. This is a ghost story that is sure to excite you O. Henry fans with its twist ending. It also features stunning art by Tony DeZuniga, and stellar scripting by John Albano.

Another standout is “The Sunken Pearls of Captain Hatch” from issue #10. Michael Fleisher’s script paired with Jess Jodlomon’s moody artwork creates a gripping tale of greed and ghostly vengeance on the high seas. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

For a change of pace, check out “Flight Into Fright” in issue #14. George Kashdan and Ernie Chan team up for a tongue-in-cheek romp starring none other than Count Dracula and his faithful assistant Quasimodo as they try to expand their Transylvanian tourism business. It’s a hoot!

Then there’s “The Curse of the Fool Moon” from issue #16. David Michelinie and Frank Robbins spin a yarn about a bullied teen who uses dark magic to become a werewolf. But as with all dealings with the supernatural, there’s a twist – and this one’s a doozy.

And finally, another childhood favorite: “Deadly Stalkers of the North” from issue #21 by Steve Skeates with pencils by Ricardo Villamonte. This sinister tale offers a scientific explanation for lycanthropy that’s make your blood curdle.

The Masterminds Behind the Mayhem

Weird Mystery Tales brought together an impressive roster of writing talent to craft its eerie tales. Jack Oleck, a veteran of EC’s horror heyday, was one of the most prolific contributors. His experience shows in tightly plotted stories with nasty twist endings that would make O. Henry proud.

George Kashdan, another old hand from DC’s mystery days, lent his expertise to scripts that perfectly captured that classic horror comic feel. And even Sheldon Mayer, best known for lighter fare like Sugar and Spike, got in on the action with some surprisingly dark tales.

But it wasn’t all old pros. A young up-and-comer named Paul Levitz cut his teeth on Weird Mystery Tales, selling some of his first scripts to the series. Levitz would go on to become president of DC Comics, but he never forgot his spooky roots.

Eve: The Witch Who Stole Our Hearts

No discussion of Weird Mystery Tales would be complete without mentioning its most memorable character – Eve, the cackling crone who took over the series from it’s original horror host Destiny. Eve, more prone to tongue-in-cheek humor, became the series’ most popular host.

Originally created by Michael Kaluta and Gardner Fox for another DC horror title, Secrets of Sinister House, Eve proved so popular that she migrated over to Weird Mystery Tales. Portrayed as an ancient witch and the mother of fellow horror hosts Cain and Abel, Eve brought a wicked sense of humor and mischievous energy to the proceedings.

Over time, Eve’s personality really came to shine as she took over the letters column and hosting duties from the comparatively stuffy Destiny. Her quips and putdowns aimed at readers became a highlight of each issue. In many ways, Eve was the successor to horror hosts like the The Old Witch from EC Comics, combining gallows humor with genuine menace.

A Legacy Written in Blood

While Weird Mystery Tales may not have reached the heights of fame of some other comics of its era, its influence can still be felt today. The series ran for 24 issues until 1975, but in that short time it cemented a legacy in the horror comics landscape.

For one thing, it helped bolster DC’s reputation as a home for quality mystery and horror anthologies. Alongside titles like House of Mystery and House of Secrets, Weird Mystery Tales showed that there was still an appetite for twist-ending terror tales in the vein of EC Comics.

The series also served as a proving ground for both established talent and up-and-comers. Artists and writers alike were given free rein to explore dark themes and push boundaries in ways that weren’t always possible in mainstream superhero books.

Perhaps most importantly, Weird Mystery Tales kept the flame of horror comics burning during a time when the genre was under attack from moral guardians and restrictive content codes. By finding clever ways to tell scary stories without running afoul of censors, the creators of Weird Mystery Tales helped ensure that comic book horror would live to frighten another day.

Unearthing Lost Treasures

For modern readers looking to experience the thrills of Weird Mystery Tales, tracking down original issues can be a challenge (and potentially expensive). Luckily, DC has made efforts to keep these creepy classics in circulation.

In 1996, DC released a free ashcan edition of Weird Mystery Tales as a promotional item. While slim, it offered a tantalizing taste of the series’ unique flavor. More substantially, select stories from Weird Mystery Tales have been included in various horror-themed collected editions over the years.

There’s also been a renewed interest in the series among comic historians and horror aficionados. Several in-depth retrospectives and analyses have popped up online and in print, shedding new light on this oft-overlooked corner of DC’s publishing history.

The Everlasting Appeal of the Weird and Mysterious

So why does Weird Mystery Tales continue to captivate readers nearly 50 years after its debut? I’d argue it comes down to a few key factors:

1. Timeless Themes: The stories in Weird Mystery Tales tap into primal fears and universal human experiences. Greed, revenge, the quest for immortality – these are topics that resonate just as strongly today as they did in the 1970s.
2. Artistic Excellence: The murderer’s row of artistic talent assembled for the series ensures that even the weaker stories are a feast for the eyes. And when you get a true classic pairing a great script with pitch-perfect visuals? Magic.
3. Nostalgia Factor: For those of us who grew up reading horror comics (or wishing we could), Weird Mystery Tales scratches a very particular itch. It harkens back to a time when comics could be genuinely unsettling without relying on graphic violence or gore.
4. Bite-Sized Scares: In our current era of decompressed storytelling and multi-issue arcs, there’s something refreshing about these tightly-plotted tales with clear beginnings, middles, and twist endings.
5. Historical Significance: Weird Mystery Tales serves as a fascinating time capsule of a transitional period in comics history. It bridges the gap between the classic horror comics of the 1950s and the more mature, boundary-pushing work that would emerge in the 1980s and beyond.

Embracing the Weird

At the end of the day, what I love most about Weird Mystery Tales is right there in the title – it’s weird. In an industry that often plays it safe, this series dared to be different. It gave us stories that didn’t fit neatly into boxes, that zigged when you expected them to zag.

So the next time you’re in the mood for something a little off-kilter, a little eerie, a little… weird… do yourself a favor and dive into the pages of Weird Mystery Tales. Just don’t blame me if you find yourself checking under the bed before you go to sleep.

Sweet dreams, fellow fear fanatics. And remember – in the immortal words of Eve herself – “The only thing to fear is fear itself… and me!”

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