Ghostly Tales was a horror -suspense anthology comic book series published by Charlton Comics from 1966 to 1984 (though it was primarily reprinted title from 1978 onward). The book was “hosted” by Mr. L. Dedd (later changed to IM Dedd ), a middle-aged gentleman with purplish skin and horns who dressed like a vampire . Mr. Dedd spun his “ghostly tales” from the haunted house.
Ghostly Tales was published by Charlton during this period. His sister titles, with many of the same creators, were the Charlton anthologies The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves (with host Dr. MT Graves), Haunted (with Impy and then Baron Weirwulf), Ghost Manor (with host Mr. Bones), and Ghostly Haunts (with Winnie the Witch).
Publication history
Ghostly Tales debuted with issue # 55, taking over the numbering of Blue Beetle vol. 3 (which has had the numbering of Unusual Tales ). Ghostly Tales was predominantly bimonthly during its run; It was primarily a reprint title with issue # 127 (Jan. 1978), republishing material from its own archives and its title titles. and some Golden Age Untitled Tales and Fawcett’s This Magazine is Haunted – whose rights are Charlton owned.) Altogether, Ghostly Tales published 115 issues.
Regular contributors to the book included Pat Boyette , Steve Ditko , Wayne Howard , Russ Jones & Bhob Stewart , and Rocke Mastroserio . Over the course of its 18-year run, Ghostly Tales was edited by Pat Masulli , Sal Gentile , and George Wildman . Wildman edited the title for more than twelve years, from issue # 97 (August 1972) until its cancellation with issue # 169 (Oct. 1984).
Horror comics in general were in decline in the early 1980s, and Charlton in particular was suffering financially. In October 1984, Charlton suspended publication, and Ghostly Tales ended with the rest of the company’s remaining titles. [1]
Notes
- Jump up^ “Charlton Comics Suspends Publication,” The Comics Journal # 94 (Oct. 1984), p. 18.
References
- ‘ Ghostly Tales’ at the Grand Comics Database
- Ghostly Tales at the DB Comic Book