| Weird Mystery Tales | |
|---|---|
 Weird Mystery Tales #1 (July–August 1972), art byMichael Kaluta. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | Bimonthly |
| Format | Ongoing series |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | July–August 1972 – November 1975 |
| No. of issues | 24 |
| Main characters | Dr. E. Leopold Maas Destiny Eve |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | |
| Penciller | |
| Inker | |
| Editor | List
|
Weird Mystery Tales is amysteryhorrorcomics anthology published byDC Comics from July–August 1972 to November 1975.
The titleWeird Mystery Tales was first used forDC 100 Page Super Spectacular #4 in 1971.[1] It reprinted stories fromMy Greatest Adventure #8, 12, 14, 15, and 20;Sensation Mystery #110 and 116;House of Secrets #2;ThePhantom Stranger #1;Tales of the Unexpected #15 and 24; andHouse of Mystery #49.[2]
TheWeird Mystery Tales ongoing series was launched in July–August 1972[3][4] and was originally hosted byDestiny.[5] The hosting role was gradually taken over byEve, who fully assumed the title with issue #15 (December 1974–January 1975).[1] The title's name was partially inspired by the sales success ofWeird War Tales andWeird Western Tales.[6] Early issues printed material byJack Kirby that had been intended for his black-and-white, magazine-size DC comic series,Spirit World, which lasted only one issue.[7] These stories featured Dr. E. Leopold Maas as host, sometimes with an appended hosting segment by Destiny.
Weird Mystery Tales contributors, in addition to Kirby, includedAlfredo Alcala,Tony DeZuniga,Michael Kaluta,Alex Niño,Howard Purcell,Nestor Redondo,Jack Sparling, andBernie Wrightson.[1] Howard Purcell's last known work in the comics industry was a story each inWeird Mystery Tales #1–3 (Aug.–Dec. 1972), plus the cover of #2.[8]
In 1996, DC published a freeashcan edition titledWeird Mystery Tales, with the tagline, "Welcome to the Dark Side of DC". It was written by Adam Philips and drawn byAnthony Williams.[9]
The host that was first presented in a framing sequence by scribe Marv Wolfman and artist Bernie Wrightson would provide endless creative material for Neil Gaiman'sThe Sandman series decades later.
Carmine Infantino and I found out that the wordweird sold well. So DC createdWeird War andWeird Western, [editor Joe] Orlando recalls.
