Tales of the Unexpected (comics)
Encyclopedia
Tales of the Unexpected was a science fiction comic book published by DC Comics
from 1956
to 1968
for 104 issues. It was later renamed The Unexpected
although the numbering continued and it ended at issue 222, in 1982
. The series was brought back in 2006
.
, Gil Kane
, and many others, with stories by John Broome
, Gardner Fox
, and others. It was an anthology comic for many years, publishing a variety of science fiction stories. Its only claim to fame was it was the home of Space Ranger
after his tryout in Showcase
.
Continued features included:
, focusing on the Crispus Allen
incarnation of the Spectre
, along with a back-up series featuring Doctor Thirteen
.
The back-up starred a team made up of Thirteen and his daughter Traci, I...Vampire, Genius Jones
, Captain Fear, Infectious Lass, Anthro
, the Primate Patrol, and the Haunted Tank. It was written by Brian Azzarello
, with art by Cliff Chiang
.
form in September 2007 as Doctor 13: Architecture & Mortality, from DC (ISBN 1-401215-521) and Titan Books
(ISBN 1845766679).
The Spectre series was reprinted in November 2007 as Spectre: Tales of the Unexpected (ISBN 1-4012-1506-8).
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
from 1956
1956 in comics
- Year overall :* Fredric Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent and the United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency hearings continue to negatively affect the comics marketplace...
to 1968
1968 in comics
See also:1968 in comics,other events of 1968,1969 in comics,1960s in comics and thelist of years in comics- Year overall :* With Kinney National Company's acquisition of Warner Bros., DC Comics becomes part of what eventually will be known as Warner Communications.* DC Comics art director Carmine...
for 104 issues. It was later renamed The Unexpected
The Unexpected
The Unexpected was a DC Comics horror comic book, a continuation of Tales of the Unexpected. It ran 117 issues, #105-222, from 1968 to 1982.-Publication history:...
although the numbering continued and it ended at issue 222, in 1982
1982 in comics
-Year overall:* San Diego-based independent publisher Pacific Comics makes a strong push in the marketplace, following Jack Kirby's Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers with four new ongoing titles, Starslayer, Ms...
. The series was brought back in 2006
2006 in comics
-January:*January 1, 2006: Newsweek offer a look back at 2005 through editorial cartoons. *January 2, 2006: The Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist Jim Borgman starts a blog to detail his creative process...
.
Original series
It featured artwork by Murphy AndersonMurphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson is an American comic book artist, known as one of the premier inkers of his era, who has worked for companies such as DC Comics for over fifty years, starting in the 1930s-'40s Golden Age of Comic Books...
, Gil Kane
Gil Kane
Eli Katz who worked under the name Gil Kane and in one instance Scott Edward, was a comic book artist whose career spanned the 1940s to 1990s and every major comics company and character.Kane co-created the modern-day versions of the superheroes Green Lantern and the Atom for DC Comics, and...
, and many others, with stories by John Broome
John Broome (writer)
John Broome , who additionally used the pseudonyms John Osgood and Edgar Ray Meritt, was an American comic book writer for DC Comics.-Early life and career:...
, Gardner Fox
Gardner Fox
Gardner Francis Cooper Fox was an American writer best known for creating numerous comic book characters for DC Comics. Comic-book historians estimate that he wrote over 4,000 comics stories....
, and others. It was an anthology comic for many years, publishing a variety of science fiction stories. Its only claim to fame was it was the home of Space Ranger
Space Ranger
Space Ranger is a science fiction hero who was published by DC Comics in several of their 1950s and 1960s anthology titles. He first appeared in Showcase #15 , and was created by writers Edmond Hamilton and Gardner Fox, and artist Bob Brown...
after his tryout in Showcase
Showcase (comics)
Showcase has been the title of several comic anthology series published by DC Comics. The general theme of these series has been to feature new and minor characters as a way to gauge reader interest in them, without the difficulty and risk of featuring "untested" characters in their own ongoing...
.
Continued features included:
- Space RangerSpace RangerSpace Ranger is a science fiction hero who was published by DC Comics in several of their 1950s and 1960s anthology titles. He first appeared in Showcase #15 , and was created by writers Edmond Hamilton and Gardner Fox, and artist Bob Brown...
(issues #40-82, cover feature on most) (moved to Mystery in SpaceMystery in SpaceMystery in Space is the name of two science fiction comic book series published in the United States by DC Comics, then known as National Comics. The first series ran for 110 issues from 1951 - 1966, with a further 7 issues continuing the numbering during a 1980s revival of the title...
) - "Green Glob" (issues #85-98, 100, 102, 103)
- "Automan" (issues #91, 94, 97)
2006 revival
DC revived the title for an eight-issue miniseries in 20062006 in comics
-January:*January 1, 2006: Newsweek offer a look back at 2005 through editorial cartoons. *January 2, 2006: The Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist Jim Borgman starts a blog to detail his creative process...
, focusing on the Crispus Allen
Crispus Allen
Crispus Allen is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough created the character in Detective Comics #742 . Allen later went on to be one of the main characters in Gotham Central...
incarnation of the Spectre
Spectre (comics)
The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
, along with a back-up series featuring Doctor Thirteen
Doctor Thirteen
Dr. Terrence Thirteen, known simply as Doctor Thirteen or Dr. 13, is a fictional character in comic books set in the DC Universe. The character's first published appearance is in Star Spangled Comics #122, ....
.
The back-up starred a team made up of Thirteen and his daughter Traci, I...Vampire, Genius Jones
Genius Jones
Genius Jones is a comic book character from the Golden Age of Comic Books who first appeared in the DC Comics published, Adventure Comics #77...
, Captain Fear, Infectious Lass, Anthro
Anthro (comics)
Anthro is a fictional character published by DC Comics. Anthro was created by cartoonist Howard Post; he first appeared in Showcase #74, .-Publication history:...
, the Primate Patrol, and the Haunted Tank. It was written by Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello
Brian Azzarello is an American comic book writer. He came to prominence with the hardboiled crime series 100 Bullets, published by DC Comics' mature-audience imprint Vertigo.-Career:...
, with art by Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang
Cliff Chiang is an American comic book artist. Formerly an assistant editor at DC Comics, he is now an illustrator, best known for his work on Human Target, Beware the Creeper and Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre. A recent project has been the Dr...
.
Collected editions
The backup series was reprinted in trade paperbackTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
form in September 2007 as Doctor 13: Architecture & Mortality, from DC (ISBN 1-401215-521) and Titan Books
Titan Books
Titan Publishing Group is an independently owned publishing company, established in 1981. It is based at offices in London, England's Bankside area. The Books Division has two main areas of publishing: film & TV tie-ins/cinema reference books; and graphic novels and comics reference/art titles. The...
(ISBN 1845766679).
The Spectre series was reprinted in November 2007 as Spectre: Tales of the Unexpected (ISBN 1-4012-1506-8).