Unusual Tales - The wrap

"Unusual Tales" was a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

I posted the last of the 206 stories that fall into this category earlier today, and updated the various lists. The stories are listed in chronological order here with reprints listed, and in alphabetical order here (including the 1953-1955 stories) and this list is of all the stories that were unreprinted when I began posting. There is a final Cover Gallery post to come eventually, but the dozen covers not in Part One or Part Two are included in still available THE COVER SERIES, along with many later Ditko covers.

Eventually I'll add a list of my favourite dozen or so of the stories, feel free to use the comments here to recommend stories you think are among the best.

Unusual Tales - The Man Below

"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

And finally, for now...

"The Man Below" is a 5-page story from TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #5 [1957]. One of a few Ditko stories from the era to use deep-sea diving images, which he does very well. Another Traveler narrated story, this time he's showing a bit of a sense of humour in the one, really happy with the twist ending which actually is a pretty clever reversal. A very effective story.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Wide variety of new material and classic reprints available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Creeper, Hawk&Dove, Shade and many more DC stories reprinted in three hardcovers
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

    

Unusual Tales - The Imperial Double

"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Imperial Double" is a 4-page story from Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #9 [1958]. Unusually for the title, the Traveler doesn't stick his giant head into the story, and it has a much lighter fantasy element than most of the Traveler stories, so I wonder if it was intended for one of the other titles and put in here for some reason. Anyway, it's the story of a late-19th century monarch in the fictional Balkan nation of Cretonia who meets an innkeeper who is his exact double. Pretty decent, especially the attention to the clothing of the era.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
New publication #16: SIXTEEN now available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
THUNDER AGENTS from various publishers available from DC
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

  

Unusual Tales - The Man Who Forgot

"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Man Who Forgot" is a 5-page story from Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #9 [1958], about a patient with amnesia and a remarkably irresponsible orderly who decides that a double dose of electroshock in the dead of night is the appropriate treatment. Not a great story, but I do want to draw some attention to the five panel silent sequence on pages 3-4, which are well done among the usual text-heavy 1950s style.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
New publication #16: SIXTEEN now available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Over 100 publications since 2005 listed
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

   

Unusual Tales - The End Of Edward

"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The End Of Edward" is a 5-page story from Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #9 [1958]. In contrast to the Traveler's constant presence weaved into this story in this one he only appears in the two panels, almost as an afterthought, hardly fitting with the rest of the art. Anyway, this story features a stage performer who wants to work without his partner. The twist is pretty predictable. Overall not one of the better Ditko stories of the era.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
New publication #16: SIXTEEN now available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
THUNDER AGENTS from various publishers available from DC
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

   

Unusual Tales - Above The Topmost Peak

"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"Above The Topmost Peak" is a 4-page story from Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #5 [1957], this time about a man attempting to be the first to ascend the world's tallest mountain, which on this world apparently isn't Everest, which had been scaled a few years before this story, and has a very different geography. Anyway, a lot of great visuals in this one, with appropriately vertigo-inducing angles, which are helped by the Traveler appearing in every single panel of the story (I'll have to go back and check, but I think it's the only Ditko story with this much Traveler).

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
New publication #16: SIXTEEN now available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
Nearly complete Ditko at DC available in three matching hardcovers
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

  

Unusual Tales - The Sultan

"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Sultan" is a 5-page story from Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #5 [1957]. where the Traveler regales us with a tale of the leader of a nation is driven by his greed and paranoia out to the desert.  Ditko does a great job with the exotic setting and clothing here, and there's a lot of atmosphere in the artwork.  As usual, the highlights are the giant floating heads of the Traveler in the backgrounds.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
New publication #16: SIXTEEN now available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
THUNDER AGENTS from various publishers available from DC
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

   

Unusual Tales - The Old Fool

"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Old Fool" is a 5-page story from Charlton's TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER #6 [1957]. This is one of my favourite Ditko shorts, about an old man in a village in Greece and the secret he keeps. Surprisingly poetic script, which Ditko really brings to life, especially that sequence on page four.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
New publication #16: SIXTEEN now available
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
THUNDER AGENTS from various publishers available from DC
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

As this story appears in Tales Of The Mysterious Traveler #27 [2018] from Snyder/Ditko, only the first page is included here.

Unusual Tales - The Shadow

Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Shadow" is a 3-page story from Charlton's STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES #36 [1958], a quick little story about two hoods who plan a robbery. I'm not sure I quite get this one.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Classic covers from throughout Ditko's career in THE COVER SERIES
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
CREEPER hardcover available from DC
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen

  

Unusual Tales - The Son Of Black Fury

"Unusual Tales", a series presenting Steve Ditko's comics from 1957 to 1959 that are in the public domain.

"The Son Of Black Fury" is a 5-page story from Charlton's BLACK FURY #16 [1958], this one featuring the story of the injury and strange healing of one of the children of the title horse.  Mildly entertaining western.

But before the story, some links:

Buy Ditko's creator-owned work
Classic Killjoy and more in DITKO PACKAGE
Find out about the fanzine DITKOMANIA
Back issues and subscriptions available
Check out new and upcoming Ditko publications
CREEPER hardcover available from DC
Download public domain comics, likely including the one this story is from
Scans in this series generally adapted to my personal tastes from those copies

Click to embiggen