RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Comic Books best anthology series in comics

I realized at some point that anthology series in comics are the ones I go back to and re-read more than just about anything else. Single-issue stories, compared to where a writer or artist can do 6 or 12 issues of a series like BATMAN or X-MEN or AVENGERS or PHANTOM STRANGER (much as I love them too), but can often show a far greater range of their talent in the same number of issues of an anthology book.
It was the range of Walt Simonson's talent displayed in just 4 random backup stories and pin-ups in STAR SPANGLED WAR STORIES (issues 170, 172, 174 and 180) that led editor/writer Archie Goodwin to pick Simonson to do the "Manhunter" series in DETECTIVE COMICS 437-443, that gained both of them instant acclaim and industry awards. I agree with Goodwin that this earlier Simonson material is pretty damn spectacular too.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Star-Spangled-War-Stories-1952/Issue-170?id=155136#23
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Detective-Comics-1937/Issue-437?id=5679

I like anthology work, both by new artists and by more established and acclaimed ones, because it often reveals a whole new side of a well-known artist, taking their talent down another previously unseen path. And there are other artists who only briefly appeared in comics, but made wonderful contributions in just a few brief stories.
And others (like say, Frank Miller, Jerry Bingham, Bissette/Tottleben, Michael Golden, Keith Giffen, etc.) who did enjoyable anthology stories, and then went on to stardom doing better-known series work.



I think I'll start off mentioning HOUSE OF MYSTERY as one of my all-time favorites, that presented a fantastic range of stories, introducing some of the earliest work by artists like Berni Wrightson (his first published work!), Neal Adams, Nestor Redondo, Ernesto Patricio, and Alex Nino, and great work by long established talents like Alex Toth, Jerry Grandenetti, Bill Draut, Gray Morrow, Wallace Wood, Sam Glanzman, Jim Aparo and others.
And then roughly a decade later HOUSE OF MYSTERY also became an early outlet for the greatness of Marshall Rogers, Michael Golden, Jerry Bingham, Arthur Suydam, Bob Layton, Don Newton and other great artists.

"The Devil's Doorway" by Toth, and "The Hound of Night" by Grandenetti, in 182 :
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/House-of-Mystery-1951/Issue-182?id=70707#1
"Turner's Treasure" by Toth in 184 :
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/House-of-Mystery-1951/Issue-184?id=70711#1
"Hunt for the Red Fox" in 187, another great Toth offering:
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/House-of-Mystery-1951/Issue-187?id=70717#1


"The Beautiful Beast" by Al Williamson in 185 (after a long absence from comics. Williamson was one of Neal Adams' greatest influences getting into comics, it must have been a treat for him to draw the cover for Williamson's story. )
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/House-of-Mystery-1951/Issue-185?id=70713#1

"Nightmare" by Adams, and "Secret of the Egyptian Cat" by Wrightson in issue 186.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/House-of-Mystery-1951/Issue-186?id=70716

One flash in the pan talent I love who only did about 20 stories in comics over more than a decade is an artist named William Payne, who did two outstanding stories in HOUSE OF MYSTERY 206 and 207, in 1972.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/House-of-Mystery-1951/Issue-206?id=70739
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/House-of-Mystery-1951/Issue-207?id=70740

With other stories I enjoy as much by other writers and artists. The cover and intro splash page in 207 by Wrightson are gorgeous, and suitable for framing.



The HOUSE OF MYSTERY run from 174-321 (1968-1983) offers a consistent parade of talent, pretty much to the end of its run. Somewhat diminished by the lower page count in the 1975-1980 period. But even in that period presented work by many of the talents I listed above, and either Kaluta or Kubert covers on the second half of its run, right up to the last issue.

So what are some of your favorite stories in HOUSE OF MYSTERY?
Or what other anthology series would you recommend?

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Another that's high on my list, that I go back and re-read frequently is EPIC ILLUSTRATED, that ran for 34 issues from Spring 1980 till Feb 1986.
https://viewcomiconline.com/epic-illustrated-issue-1/


From the very first issue, I was just blown away by the assembly of talent, From "Metamorphosis Odyssey" by Starlin, to "Almuric" by Tim Conrad, to "Elric" by Craig Russell, "Dr. Watchstop" by Ken Macklin, to Wakelin, Steacy, Chaykin, Gulacy, Jusko, Saenz, Moreno, and so many others.
I've said many times that this is one of the best representations of the field of comic book art, and that is equally true 40 years later.



I liked material in HEAVY METAL, but I was always put off by the cynical attitude of that magazine, it never spoke to me as much as EPIC did.

The downfall of EPIC ILLUSTRATED was when they began the Epic Comics line, and other publishers of creator-owned new series such as Pacific Comics, Eclipse, First, Comico and others, that made it harder to find the exceptional material that made EPIC stand out in the earlier part of its run. As the years progressed, Marvel's graphic novel line also drained some good material away from EPIC. It began to be more of a struggle in the later issues to fill EPIC magazine with material that was truly "epic", at least with the same high ratio of great material as earlier issues. Although Tim Conrad's "Toadswart" series, and Macklin's "Dr. Watchstop", to name two, gave the magazine a few regular solid art triumphs right up till almost the last issue. But other material in the book became more hit-and-miss.

But man... those early first 12 or so issues, I just couldn't set the magazine down after I finished reading each issue.
I'd just keep re-reading it over again, there was so much gorgeous work.

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https://viewcomiconline.com/epic-illustrated-issue-7/

Issue 7 was one of my favorites, with "Holocaust", a rare story in that era by Neal Adams. "Epus" by Pepe Moreno, some particularly engaging chapters of Starlin's "Metamorphosis Odyssey", a Barry Windsor-Smith interview and great collection of his art prints and portfolio pages.
Plus shorter works by Michael Saenz and Tim Conrad.

But month after month, it was just an incredible collection of art, by so many talents. Much of this stuff was published again in separate collected editions, but for me the sum total was so much more than its individual parts. Jon Muth and his "Mythology of an Abandoned City" is another unique and beautiful series, and the multiple "Marada the She Wolf" stories by Claremont and Bolton. Plus several other artists, that to my knowledge only did work in EPIC and not anywhere else in comics.

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Another of my favorite anthology series is the black and white magazine MARVEL PREVIEW (issues 1-24, from 1975-1980).

And then BIZARRE ADVENTURES (issues 25-34, from 1981-1983), presenting an incredible range of great material over the 9 years it was published, issues I often go back to and re-read.




Some highlights include issue 1 (featuring MAN-GODS), with a Neal Adams painted cover, a 37-page "Man-Gods" story by Doug Moench and Alex Nino, with a lengthy article on the "Chariots of the Gods" books by Erich Von Daniken.
And concluding with an EC-tribute story, "Good Lord!" by Marv Wolfman, with art by Dave Cockrum and Neal Adams/Crusty Bunkers.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Marvel-Preview/Issue-1?id=74611





Issue 11 (featuring STAR-LORD), gave us the first Claremont/Byrne/Austin collaboration. The success of which soon after resulted in them being assigned as the acclaimed writer/penciller/inker team on X-MEN 108-109, and 111-143.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Marvel-Preview/Issue-11?id=74613

And issues 4, 7, 11, 14, 15, and 18 continuing with more Star-Lord stories, issue 18 having one by Bill Seinkiewicz and Bob McLeod.
Issues that suddenly began selling at very high prices after the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie drew attention to the character.






Issue 20 was the first issue featuring BIZARRE ADVENTURES, with two Howard Chaykin "Dominic Fortune" stories (reprinted), "Toy Story" by Isabella and Perez (reprinted from UNKNOWN WORDS issue 2), and "Good Lord" (reprinted from MARVEL PREVIEW 1). Reprints, yes, but also a great collection, and with more visibility in this issue than they had in their former less noticed initial appearances.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Marvel-Preview/Issue-20?id=74628

The Dominic Fortune series continued as a backup by O'Neil and Chaykin in HULK magazine 21-25 in 1980-1981.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Hulk-1978/Issue-21?id=65701




Issue 23, the second BIZARRE ADVENTURES issue, is noteworthy for a beautifully illustrated dystopian "Final Warning" story by Frank Miller.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Marvel-Preview/Issue-23?id=74631



Issue 25, the LETHAL LADIES issue, has 3 outstandingly great stories using female characters, "Black Widow" by Ralph Macchio and Paul Gulacy, "Lady Daemon" by Claremont, and Golden/Austin, and "Daughters of the Dragon" by Claremont and Rogers/McLeod.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Bizarre-Adventures/Issue-25?id=105098






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Issue 26 gave us KULL : "Demon In a Silvered Glass" by Moench and John Boltton, Bolton's first U.S. work, and what a spectacular introduction to his work. I think arguably his best work, paired with a beautifully written story by Moench.
Editor Ralph Macchio in his introduction describes Botton's art at this time as "work on a par wtih Frazetta or Wrightson in peak form".
There can be no doubt of that.
https://readcomiconline.li/Comic/Bizarre-Adventures/Issue-26?id=105099

Plus many more great issues, by many artists and writers doing work that was labored over and beautiful, but gorgeous in a way different than the work they were known for in other series. Such as in stories by Byrne/Austin, Miller, Sienkiewicz, Hama, Simonson, Bissette/Tottleben, Paul Smith, Gene Day, Gulacy and Golden. And even artists who aren' t usually on my "A-list", such as Gene Colan and Val Mayerik, did some really exceptional and ornately detailed work.on many issues of this series.