EC Archives
The EC Archives are an ongoing series of American hardcover collections of full-color comic book reprints of EC Comics, published by Russ Cochran and Gemstone Publishing from 2006 to 2008, and then continued by Cochran and Grant Geissman's GC imprint (2011–2012), and finally taken over by Dark Horse in 2013.
The output of Bill Gaines' EC Comics line in the 1940s and 1950s is one of the most critically acclaimed of the pre-Comics Code comics publishers (and one of the major casualties of the Comics Code). Such EC Comics titles as Tales from the Crypt, The Vault of Horror and Weird Science are known even to people unfamiliar with the source material, due to movie and television adaptations.
Numerous reprints throughout the decades have also kept EC alive on book store shelves, starting with Nostalgia Press's EC Horror Comics Of The 1950s tome (1971), followed by publisher Cochran's six EC Portfolios (1971–1977), but primarily because of his Complete EC Library, printing all of the 'New Trend' comic titles (although missing the unique stories from the three 3-D EC Classics issues), as well as all of the 'New Direction' and 'Picto-Fiction' titles, and some of the 'Pre-Trend' title issues, in a series of 18 b&w box sets (19 if you include the fact that the Mad set was done in both color and b&w editions) containing a total of 66 hardcover books, all shot directly from the original art, mostly published from 1979 to 1996, with the Picto-Fiction box being delayed until 2006. Between 1992 and 2000, Cochran and Gemstone Publishing also produced 295 different full-color individual issue reproductions of all the "New Trend' (except Mad) and 'New Direction' EC Comics, and subsequently 63 EC Annuals which glued together titled chronological overstock copies of those individual issues in a new outer wrapper, in a nod to the original unsold-stock content of the EC Annuals of the 50s, although back in the 1950s there was no specification as to what issues may have been contained inside the covers to those various Annuals, which could vary from copy to copy.
Digital recoloring
In 2006, Gemstone began producing a more durable series of hardback reprint collections designed by Michael Kronenberg. Similar to the DC Archives and Marvel Masterworks series, the EC Archives superseded Cochran's original annotated Complete EC Library (of black-and-white stories) by reprinting sequential compilations of EC titles in a full-color, hardback archival format with new annotations. On January 11, 2011, Cochran looked back on the project, noting the differences between his earlier Complete EC Library and the later EC Archives:
- A few years ago, with the support and encouragement of Steve Geppi and with the permission of the Gaines Estate, I started on a new format: the EC Archives. These are slightly smaller hardcover books (smaller than the EC Library volumes but larger than the original ten-cent comic books), and because of increased demand and the availability of cheaper color printing in China, the EC Archives books were full color, with new color in an infinite palette now being possible with the advances in technology.[1]
Each book reprints six issues, for a total of 24 stories. The original coloring by EC's colorist Marie Severin was used as a guide for digital re-coloring by Jamison Services, a color separation company in West Plains, Missouri, the hometown of publisher Cochran. Allen Jamison and Jamison Services had previously done coloring for the DC Archives.[2] Also contributing to the project at Cochran's West Plains office were operations manager Angela Meyer and production artist Chris Rock.[3] Crediting Kronenberg as "Art Director/Designer and Color Editor" and Marie Severin for "Colors", Cochran explained the digital upgrade given to Severin's coloring; "Most of the original coloring of these stories is the work of EC colorist Marie Severin, and although all of these stories have been re-colored for this new edition, her style of coloring was followed to retain the integrity of the original EC comic books".[4] He later added:
- Technology changes. We are now able to color these comics with an infinite palette, and to reproduce the artists' linework much more clearly. If these new computer generated color techniques had been available in the 1950s, I think Bill Gaines would have used it because it makes the EC work even more beautiful. So the EC material has been printed three different ways: with the old color, as originally published back in the 1950s, without any color, as it was drawn by the EC artists (the EC Library), and with the best color we can do with modern technology (the EC Archives). It has been my experience that the most dedicated EC fans are not satisfied to have them reprinted only one, or two, ways. They want them all. Those fans will have the old comics in the EC Annuals, the black and white art in the EC Library, and the best color we can produce in the EC Archives. There's room there for everyone.[5]
Along with the original EC advertisements, editorials and letters pages, the books also feature introductions by John Carpenter, Joe Dante, Paul Levitz, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, R. L. Stine, Jerry Weist and others. The entirety of the New Trend and New Direction comics were planned for eventual release. Kronenberg suggested EC's Pre-Trend titles might also be reprinted in Archive form. However, EC's black-and-white Picto-Fiction magazines are unlikely to be reprinted as EC Archives.[6][7]
The EC Archives publishing history has been a troubled one. The original run was interrupted after 13 volumes, due to financial difficulties at Gemstone Publishing, in 2008. The line was revived for two more volumes by GC Press LLC, a boutique imprint established by Russ Cochran and Grant Geissman, in 2011 (both volumes carry 2011 copyrights, the year of their printing, though due to the vagaries of distribution, they were not released until January 2012). Most recently, the line has been taken up by Dark Horse Comics, who announced plans to resume it with the release of Tales from the Crypt Volume 4 in October 2013.[8]
EC Archives schedule
Issue numbering
In the early 1950s, comic book publishers, seeking to save money on second-class postage permits, frequently changed the titles of their comics, rather than start new ones at #1. Because of this, many comics featured in The EC Archives series do not start with #1. War Against Crime was replaced by The Vault of Horror and so numbering for The Vault of Horror begins with issue #12. Similarly, Crime Patrol was replaced with The Crypt of Terror for issue #17. By issue #20, the title changed again to the familiar Tales from the Crypt. The Crypt of Terror is not considered a separate series and is included in Tales from the Crypt Volume 1.
The Haunt of Fear, Weird Science, and Weird Fantasy began with issues #15, #12 and #13, respectively, but at the request of the Post Office, their issue numbering was reset a few issues later, beginning with The Haunt of Fear #4, Weird Science #5, and Weird Fantasy #6. Because of this, there are several comics within those series that share the same issue number. For example, The Haunt of Fear #15 was published in 1950 and was the first issue in the series, while a second comic, also titled The Haunt of Fear #15, was published in 1952 and was the 15th comic in the series.
Following The Haunt of Fear's issue numbering being reset, its previous numbering was instead used for a new title, Two-Fisted Tales. Thus, Two-Fisted Tales begins with issue #18.
The table below uses the original numbering.
EC Archives books
| Title | Volume | Reprints | Introduction | First printing | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aces High | 1 |
Aces High #1 – 5 | Howard Chaykin | October 2017 Dark Horse |
168 | 978-1-50670-308-4 |
| Choke Gasp | 1 |
Selection from Multiple EC Comics | December 2019 Dark Horse |
528 | 978-1-50671-584-1 | |
| Crime SuspenStories | 1 |
Crime SuspenStories #1 – 6 | Max Allan Collins | January 2008 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-74-5 |
2 |
Crime SuspenStories #7 – 12 | Matt Kindt | January 2017 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1506700397 | |
3 |
Crime SuspenStories #13 – 18 | David del Valle | June 2017 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1506702407 | |
4 |
Crime SuspenStories #19 – 27 | Christos Cage | August 2019 Dark Horse |
320 | 978-1-50670-924-6 | |
| Extra | 1 |
Extra #1 – 5 | John Arcudi | April 2018 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-50670-184-4 |
| Frontline Combat | 1 |
Frontline Combat #1 – 6 | John Benson | October 2008 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-60360-014-9 |
2 |
Frontline Combat #7 – 12 | Ray Fawkes | October 2019 Dark Horse |
184 | 978-1-50670-847-8 | |
| The Haunt of Fear | 1 |
The Haunt of Fear #15 – 17 The Haunt of Fear #4 – 6 (with notes by Grant Geissman) |
Robert Englund | January 2012 GC Press |
212 | 978-1-60360-015-6 |
2 |
The Haunt of Fear #7 – 12 | Tim Sullivan | October 2015 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-773-7 | |
3 |
The Haunt of Fear #13 – 18 | Cullen Bunn | May 2016 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-958-8 | |
4 |
The Haunt of Fear #19 – 24 | Rob Zombie | April 2017 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-5067-0280-3 | |
5 |
The Haunt of Fear #25 – 28 | Tom Holland | October 2018 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-50670-650-4 | |
| Impact | 1 |
Impact #1 – 5 | Steve Ringgenberg | April 2020 Dark Horse |
168 | 978-1-50671-192-8 |
| Incredible Science Fiction | 1 |
Weird Science-Fantasy #27 – 29 Incredible Science Fiction #30 – 33 |
Mark Evanier | August 2017 Dark Horse |
232 | 978-1-50670-309-1 |
| Modern Love | 1 |
Modern Love #1 – 8 | Jacque Nodell | December 2019 Dark Horse |
272 | 978-1-50670-848-5 |
| Panic | 1 |
Panic #1 – 6 | Bob Fingerman | January 2016 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-883-3 |
2 |
Panic #7 – 12 | Sergio Aragones | December 2017 Dark Horse |
200 | 978-1-50670-271-1 | |
| Piracy | 1 |
Piracy #1 – 7 | Greg Nicotero | February 2019 Dark Horse |
240 | 978-1-50670-700-6 |
| Psychoanalysis | 1 |
Psychoanalysis #1 – 4 | Bob Burden | February 2020 Dark Horse |
136 | 978-1-50671-193-5 |
| Shock Illustrated | 1 |
Shock Illustrated #1 – 4 | August 2020 Dark Horse |
248 | 978-1506711959 | |
| Shock SuspenStories | 1 |
Shock SuspenStories #1 – 6 (with notes by Russ Cochran) |
Steven Spielberg | December 2006 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-57-8 |
2 |
Shock SuspenStories #7 – 12 | Dean Kamen | June 2007 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-70-7 | |
3 |
Shock SuspenStories #13 – 18 | Brian Michael Bendis | May 2015 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-635-8 | |
| Tales from the Crypt | 1 |
The Crypt of Terror #17 – 19 Tales from the Crypt #20 – 22 |
John Carpenter | February 2007 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-55-4 |
2 |
Tales from the Crypt #23 – 28 | Joe Dante | July 2007 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-71-4 | |
3 |
Tales from the Crypt #29 – 34 | Robert Overstreet | September 2008 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-60360-011-8 | |
4 |
Tales from the Crypt #35 – 40 | Russ Cochran | October 2013 Dark Horse |
212 | 978-1-60360-104-7 | |
5 |
Tales from the Crypt #41 – 46 | Bruce Campbell | October 2014 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-486-6 | |
| Two-Fisted Tales | 1 |
Two-Fisted Tales #18 – 23 | Steve Geppi | March 2007 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-56-1 |
2 |
Two-Fisted Tales #24 – 29 | Professor Rocco Versaci | August 2007 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-72-1 | |
3 |
Two-Fisted Tales #30 – 35 | Joe Kubert | July 2014 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-60360-017-0 | |
4 |
Two-Fisted Tales #36 – 41 | Colleen Coover | April 2019 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-50670-849-2 | |
| Valor | 1 |
Valor #1 – 5 | February 2017 Dark Horse |
168 | 978-1-50670-159-2 | |
| The Vault of Horror | 1 |
The Vault of Horror #12 – 17 (with notes by Roger Hill) |
R. L. Stine | October 2007 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-73-8 |
2 |
The Vault of Horror #18 – 23 (with notes by Bhob Stewart) |
John Landis | January 2012 GC Press |
212 | 978-1-60360-103-0 | |
3 |
The Vault of Horror #24 – 29 | Mike Richardson | February 2014 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-292-3 | |
4 |
The Vault of Horror #30 – 35 | Jonathan Maberry | January 2015 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-519-1 | |
5 |
The Vault of Horror #36 – 40 | December 2018 Dark Horse |
184 | 978-1-50670-651-1 | ||
| War Against Crime | 1 |
War Against Crime #1 – 6 | August 2018 Dark Horse |
208 | 978-1-50670-502-6 | |
2 |
War Against Crime #7 – 11 | June 2020 Dark Horse |
176 | 978-1-50671-196-6 | ||
| Weird Fantasy | 1 |
Weird Fantasy #13 – 17 Weird Fantasy #6 |
Walt Simonson | April 2014 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-293-0 |
2 |
Weird Fantasy #7 – 12 | Gene Simmons | October 2016 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-50670-014-4 | |
3 |
Weird Fantasy #13 – 18 | June 2018 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-50670-501-9 | ||
4 |
Weird Fantasy #19 – 22 Weird Science-Fantasy #25 – 26 |
June 2019 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-50670-923-9 | ||
| Weird Science | 1 |
Weird Science #12 – 15 Weird Science #5 – 6 |
George Lucas | December 2006 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-58-5 |
2 |
Weird Science #7 – 12 | Paul Levitz | May 2007 Gemstone |
212 | 978-1-888472-69-1 | |
3 |
Weird Science #13 – 18 | Jerry Weist / Ray Bradbury | August 2008 Gemstone[9] |
212 | 978-1-60360-010-1 | |
4 |
Weird Science #19 – 22 Weird Science-Fantasy #23 – 24 |
Harlan Ellison | July 2015 Dark Horse |
216 | 978-1-61655-658-7 |
Chronological release of EC Archives
- Weird Science Volume 1 (6 December 2006)
- Shock SuspenStories Volume 1 (6 December 2006)
- Tales from the Crypt Volume 1 (14 February 2007)
- Two-Fisted Tales Volume 1 (28 February 2007)
- Weird Science Volume 2 (18 April 2007)
- Shock SuspenStories Volume 2 (30 May 2007)
- Tales from the Crypt Volume 2 (20 June 2007)
- Two-Fisted Tales Volume 2 (8 August 2007)
- The Vault of Horror Volume 1 (20 October 2007)
- Crime SuspenStories Volume 1 (16 January 2008)
- Weird Science Volume 3 (30 July 2008)
- Tales from the Crypt Volume 3 (10 September 2008)
- Frontline Combat Volume 1 (14 October 2008)
- The Haunt of Fear Volume 1 (4 January 2012)
- The Vault of Horror Volume 2 (4 January 2012)
- Tales From The Crypt Volume 4 (30 October 2013)
- Vault Of Horror Volume 3 (5 February 2014)
- Weird Fantasy Volume 1 (30 April 2014)
- Two-Fisted Tales Volume 3 (30 July 2014)
- Tales From The Crypt Volume 5 (29 October 2014)
- Vault Of Horror Volume 4 (28 January 2015)
- Shock SuspenStories Volume 3 (6 May 2015)
- Weird Science Volume 4 (29 July 2015)
- Haunt Of Fear Volume 2 (28 October 2015)
- Panic Volume 1 (9 February 2016)
- The Haunt of Fear Volume 3 (7 June 2016)
- Weird Fantasy Volume 2 (11 October 2016)
- Crime Suspenstories Volume 2 (3 January 2017)
- Valor (7 March 2017)
- The Haunt of Fear Volume 4 (25 April 2017)
- Crime Suspenstories Volume 3 (27 June 2017)
- Incredible Science Fiction (22 August 2017)
- Aces High (31 October 2017)
- Panic Volume 2 (26 December 2017)
- Extra (24 April 2018)
- Weird Fantasy Volume 3 (26 June 2018)
- War Against Crime Volume 1 (21 August 2018)
- The Haunt of Fear Volume 5 (23 October 2018)
- Vault Of Horror Volume 5 (25 December 2018)
- Piracy (26 February 2019)
- Two-Fisted Tales Volume 4 (23 April 2019)
- Weird Fantasy Volume 4 (9 July 2019)
- Crime SuspenStories Volume 4 (27 August 2019)
- Frontline Combat Volume 2 (22 October 2019)
- Modern Love (24 December 2019)
- Psychoanalysis (18 February 2020)
- Impact (14 April 2020)
- War Against Crime Volume 2 (16 June 2020)
- Shock Illustrated (18 August 2020)
Leather-bound signed and numbered boxed editions
- The EC Archives: Weird Science Volume 1 (February 2008) signed by Al Feldstein, edition of 300
- The EC Archives: Weird Science Volume 2 (August 2008) signed by Al Williamson, edition of 300
- The EC Archives: Shock SuspenStories Volume 1 (October 2009) signed by Al Feldstein, edition of 300
- The EC Archives: Shock SuspenStories Volume 2 (October 2009) signed by Jack Kamen, edition of 300
These four limited editions each came packaged inside a custom clamshell box. with a pair of white gloves for handling of the expensive volumes.
See also
References
- Russ Cochran Newsletter 19, January 15, 2011.
- Comic Book Database: Allen Jamison
- "Gemstone Corporate History". Archived from the original on 2011-10-01. Retrieved 2011-08-13.
- EC Archives, 2007.
- Digital Comic Museum
- Michael Kronenberg posting at MarvelMasterworksFansite.Yuku.com, July 26, 2008. Accessed September 1, 2008
- Michael Kronenberg posting at MarvelMasterworksFansite.Yuku.com, July 26, 2008. Accessed September 1, 2008
- Dark Horse to Publish EC Library. Accessed July 28, 2013.
- A printing defect saw most copies withheld by the publisher for an erroneously missing cover illustration to be inserted.