Matt Baker & More, the Pre-Code Horror of Strange Mysteries at Auction

Posted in: Comics, Heritage Sponsored, Vintage Paper | Tagged: Matt Baker, pre-code horror, Superior Comics

Superior Comics’ 1951-1955 Pre-Code Horror title Strange Mysteries featured stand-out art from Iger Studio, including Matt Baker.

Lasting for for 21 issues 1951-1955, Strange Mysteries was a successful Pre-Code Horror title by any standard. Its publisher Superior Publications was a Canadian company that reprinted a wide range of material from U.S. publishers but also created original material for distribution in both the U.S. and Canada.  Strange Mysteries was one of these original material titles, and although it’s obviously Iger Studio material, very little of it has been concretely identified to specific creators. One exception is Strange Mysteries #19, which contains the spectacular story Was He Death-proof? reprinted from Journey into Fear #1 and credited to Matt Baker. Superior understood what the market wanted here, and delivered some classic Pre-Code Horror covers and stories for this series.  There are several issues of Strange Mysteries up for auction in the 2023 March 5-6 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122310 at Heritage Auctions.

Strange Mysteries lasted until early 1955, likely killed when publisher Superior saw the writing on the wall with the approach of the Comics Code.  While Superior had initially been a member of the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers (a precursor to the Comics Magazine Association of America), when ACMP General Council Henry Edward Schultz testified before the Senate Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency in 1954, he said, “Superior Comics, I believe, gave up business, although I really don’t know.”

Superior had not quite given up as soon as Schultz believed, however.  The company continued a handful of non-horror titles into 1955/1956. Curiously, there are no Comics Code seals on any of these issues, even those appearing up to 18 months after the Code seal had been virtually universally put into use by U.S. publishers (with the notable exception of Dell).  One might be tempted to think that these were a handful of Canada-only publications. However, American News Company distributed late-era Superior comics, and it’s hard to imagine a title like U.S. Fighting Air Force was not meant for distribution in the United States.  It’s an interesting historical anomaly.  But as the book Invaders from the North: How Canada Conquered the Comic Book Universe  notes, Although the company had successfully appealed a crime-comics conviction [in Canada] in 1954, its days were obviously numbered.”

Among the wonderfully sinister Pre-Code Horror covers on display throughout the series, Strange Mysteries #19 is considered by some to be a Matt Baker cover, as it is taken from the title page of the story I am Murder, which might contain Baker art.  Both this and Was He Death-proof? are reprinted from Journey into Fear #1.  To my eye, Was He Death-proof? is more definitively Baker, while I am Murder might be Baker in combination with others from Iger Studio, although it can be difficult to be sure in the case of Iger Studio material. Overall, this  is an underappreciated PCH series, and there are several issues of Strange Mysteries up for auction in the 2023 March 5-6 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122310 at Heritage Auctions.

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