It's a Friday night. I pour butter into a pan and then some popcorn?(I didn't have a microwave yet). I shiver in anticipation as I hear the host of my favorite weekly show called Creature Feature, which showcases horror movies from the classics in the 1930s up to B-type thrillers in the 1970s.
My fascination with horror and mystery origins can be found in some of these late night movie romps. This interest led from movies into magazines about horror movies (Warren comes to mind) and eventually comic books. Even my superhero books had mystery themes, especially in the 1970s, such as one of Batman's nemesis, The Spook.
My main interest during my younger years primarily consisted of DC Bronze Age horror?which included Ghosts, Secrets of Haunted House, Unexpected, House of Mystery, and Weird War Tales. These tales of macabre and mystery kept me reading into the long hours of the night. I especially liked Luis Dominguez covers, as they were dominant during this time frame.
By the time my collecting focus waned in 1984, I quietly tucked away my books, where they would travel with me for over 20 years, waiting for their time to be rediscovered. One spring day in 2001, my son Nathan asked to see the comics I had stashed away in the closet. I fell in love with comics again, and this time, things were different.
During my childhood, finding back issues was challenging. Now, it has become child's play with the boon of the Internet and online comic stores that can make purchasing a mere click away. eBay has made it very easy to locate and find issues, but I was more or less disappointed with the grades I would receive. Enter CGC.
I created a plan to start collecting DC Bronze Age horror of all of my favorites, with my key focus being House of Mystery. This title was my absolute favorite due to the great artists and stories and for its consistent quality.
Most of my early issues from the series were purchased from Pacific Coast comics. The PC copies are truly remarkable, and showcase these books in a light I've rarely seen with vivid colors and perfect registration. Among my favorite PC copies include the Neal Adams cover on #177 (but to be honest, I love them all). Some of these early copies are still relatively difficult to find in 9.4 or higher, although copies graded 9.0 or lower are usually not too hard to find.
In terms of the best story and art, I would have to vote for #186. With a Neal Adams cover cover and interior art by both Wrightson and Adams, it's easily one of the classic issues in the series.
Another highlight of the series for me is the 100-pagers, which consists of #224-#229. Although these stories contained many reprints from the earlier House of Mystery issues, finding these in high grade can be challenging and fun. I love the Cain cover on #226, illustrated by Dominguez. In addition to the 100 pagers, I find the Dollar Comics in the series #251-#259 difficult to find in high grade due to the bindery defects on the spine of these bulky books.
Bernie Wrightson produced many great covers in the series. Issue #236 stands out as my personal favorite. Thanks to Greg Loey (CGC boards/ebay: greggy), I've been able to acquire this book in high grade.
Although late in the title, the "I, Vampire" series provided a monthly dose of vampire drama that proved to be very interesting. Unfortunately, the death of the series also marked the death of the title. I miss it so.
A thread on the CGC boards was started so fellow collectors can discuss Bronze Age horror. Go to the CGC boards and go to the Bronze section "Infinite Bronze Horror Thread".
Thanks to everyone on the boards who has helped to complete my collection and most of all to my wife Rebecca who has remained patient during my second childhood.
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