In the early 1950s, EC Comics was
known as the rebellious publisher in the comic industry. Titles like Tales From
the Crypt, Weird Science, and Two-Fisted Tales were incredibly popular, selling
millions of copies in mid-century America.
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| Cruel Universe and Shock Stories Comincs COURTESY OF ONI PRESS; ONI PRESS/WILLIAM M. GAINES AGENT, INC |
However, the stories in these comics, which could be shocking, horrifying, and even progressive, also attracted criticism and backlash. This scrutiny led to the company becoming a target of censorship and regulation during the McCarthy era. EC Comics eventually closed its doors, with its last comic hitting newsstands and drug stores in 1956.
Now, seventy years after the Comics
Code Authority was established as a self-regulatory body, EC Comics is making a
comeback. The infamous comics company is returning with a brand new line of
comics, emerging from its crypt once again.
Oni Press, best known for the indie
hit Scott Pilgrim, has partnered with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc., the rights
holders of the EC line, to launch all-new stories with top comics creators
starting this summer.
"EC Comics is one of the most artistically important and culturally significant publishers of all time," said Oni's publisher Hunter Gorinson in an email to The Hollywood Reporter. "In ways both artful and shocking, EC confronted the darkness lurking behind the thin facade of American society — a throughline of radically confrontational storytelling that we intend to both uphold and escalate with the first new EC tales in decades."
The first book from the new line
will be Epitaphs From the Abyss, a horror title debuting in July, followed by
the sci-fi comic Cruel Universe in August. The new comics will maintain the
anthology format, with creative teams rotating in and out.
The new EC Comics line boasts a
lineup of renowned writers including Jason Aaron (Thor), Brian Azzarello (100
Bullets), Rodney Barnes (Killadelphia), Christopher Cantwell (Briar), Chris
Condon (That Texas Blood), and Matt Kindt (BRZRKR), among others. The artistic
talent includes Kano (Immortal Iron Fist), Peter Krause (Irredeemable), Leomacs
(Rogues), Malachi Ward (Black Hammer: The End), and Dustin Weaver (Avengers).
Supporting the creative team is designer Rian Hughes (The Multiversity), and cover artists Lee Bermejo (Batman: Damned), Greg Smallwood (The Human Target), and J.H. Williams III (Sandman: Overture). More artists are expected to be announced in the coming months under the oversight of Oni's newly-installed editor-in-chief Sierra Hahn.
"This is not an exercise in nostalgia. These are comics meant to get
people talking and to keep them up at night," said Corey Mifsud,
executive director of William M. Gaines Agent.
William Gaines, son of comic book
pioneer Max Gaines, took over Educational Comics after his father's death in
1947. He transformed the company, filling its racks with tales of horror,
science fiction, Westerns, crime, and war, all featuring twist endings. These
comics were also known for being anti-war, anti-racism, and pro-environment,
which appealed to kids and teens but revolted some American adults in the
1950s.
Due to pressure from book burnings, Senate hearings, and the Comics Code Authority, Gaines shifted his focus to humor, turning the parody comic Mad into a magazine to avoid regulation. Although EC's reign was short-lived, its impact was significant. The artistry of EC comics left a lasting impression, with reprints from fringe publishers in the 1970s and 1980s leading readers to seek them out in comic collector shops.
EC comics influenced filmmakers
such as John Carpenter, Joe Dante, Guillermo del Toro, and Steven Spielberg.
Stephen King and George Romero created their own EC-inspired horror stories
with the 1982 movie Creepshow. Richard Donner and Robert Zemeckis revived the
Cryptkeeper for a Tales of the Crypt TV series in the 1990s.
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| Cruel Universe Comic COURTESY OF ONI PRESS |
Oni Press aims to make the new comics as relevant and influential as the original stories from 70 years ago.
"We're challenging ourselves to evolve EC's relentless energy and
fearless sensibilities in ways never before attempted," said Gorinson.
"These are intense comics for our
intense times."
Check out the cover by J.H.
Williams III below.
