World Famous Comics: Showcase Presents: House of Mystery, Vol. 1
Showcase Presents: House of Mystery, Vol. 1
By: Len Wein Publisher: DC Comics Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: DC Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 552 Publication Date: February 01, 2006 Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: February 01, 2006
Product Description: Do you dare to enter.... the House of Mystery? This 552-page black-and-white value-priced trade paperback collects 22 classic issues anda wealth of early art from macabre masters Bernie Wrightson, Neal Adams, Gil Kane and Alex Toth, as well as the grim gags of Sergio Aragons and the storytelling talents of Len Wein, Robert Kanigher and Gerry Conway, among many others!
Stories typical of the era, but beautifully rendered I just received the book a few days back and scanned and speed read a few stories. Compared to the stories published today , they seem very bland and childish. Still a worthy record of the era the books were published in and the circumstances and restrictions placed on the publishers.
Marvellous artwork, a redeeming feature.A must own, not for the stories per se but as a nostalgic reminder of comic history.
Suggest owning both volumes just to delve into our comic past.A boon for all comic lovers.
Horror in the Comic Code era Those familiar with the history of comic books know that a major turning point occurred in the mid-1950s when Frederic Wertham came out with The Seduction of the Innocent which alleged (with rather flimsy evidence) that comic books were a big reason for the plague of juvenile delinquency. In particular, Wertham pointed the finger at horror comics such as the original Tales from the Crypt. The result of Wertham's crusade was the institution of the Comics Code, which watered down the comic book industry even more extensively than the Production Code had done with movies.
House of Mystery is one of DC's horror comics from the era when the Comics Code was in full force and it suffers as a result. An anthology series narrated by the keeper of the House, Cain (whose brother, Abel, maintained the House of Secrets, a separate magazine), House of Mystery tells various stories that fit loosely in the horror genre. The essential element of most of the stories are a plot twist, such as an early story in which the monsters turn out to be merely people in costumes (wasn't this the plot of every Scooby Doo story?).
As with most anthology series, both the writing and the art are erratic, but we do get some big names doing some of the work: Bernie Wrightson, Jack Kirby, Neal Adams, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein and Wally Wood. While there are some exceptions, the stories are generally unimpressive. Most horror elements are too toned down and the twists are often seen a mile away. Cain himself is an inconsistent character, sometimes all-knowing and sometimes a flawed human; despite his seemingly malevolent grin, however, he is not-that sinister.
Interestingly, probably the best part of the issues come from Sergio Aragones, more well known for his gag cartoons in the margins of Mad Magazine. Although done with a comic twist, his creatures are actually the creepiest in the book. Despite this, I would probably rate this book only two stars; since I know, however, that I am not the target audience (this would have more for pre-teens), I will give it one more star. If you enjoy comic books from this era (the late `60s and early `70s), you're better off looking elsewhere, especially with Marvel's books, which were generally superior at that time. This one is only for die-hard fans.
Essential, unmissable, 5 stars
Essential purchase if you were into these comics as a kid !
This collection will transport you right back to your wondrous childhood years, bringing back all the sense of mystery and dreamlike possibilities of those naïve years. Reading this collection took me straight back to my pre teen years -- riding to small stores , off the beaten track, with my best friend -- we'd collect together all our small change and buy these highly treasured comics, which always had a sense of the forbidden, a sense of danger about them.
Of course, they are pretty naive stories now I read them as an adult, and they have little of the real sense of the grotesque that the banned EC comics had, but to a child of ten, they seemed pretty far out, subversive, and even threatening.
I'd rush home on my bicycle and relish these forbidden texts in the privacy of my home, hiding under the bed covers, enjoying the sense of danger these stories had. To enhance the mood and atmosphere of the comics , I`d borrow my big sister`s Black Sabbath records. Playing those crackly old Black Sabbath records with their dog eared sleeves and reading these comics at the same time proved to be heady brew to a ten year old boy!.
All the great artists are here too -- Berni Wrightson, Redondo, Nino, Alcala and others , most of whom besides Wrightson of course were from The Philippines.
The stories aren't half as dark as one remembers of course -- but some of the artwork is really out there, even when looked at through "adult eyes."
If you love horror comics... you owe it to yourself to read this book. This along with the EC collections are some of the best horror comics ever written and the artwork is fantastic. If only these reprints could be in color.
Many stories, styles and authors If you love EC comics, horror stories and/or finding different painting/writing styles, this is something you must have. And it is so cheap!!!
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