American Update: Both digest-sized editions of Marvel’s Haunt Of Horror
*Vintage Magazine-Sized Comics: Something a little special in this week’s magazine update. In the early Seventies, Marvel, anxious to expand its market share, tried a number of new formats in an effort to broaden its readership. One such was to attempt a revival of the old pulp format with 1973’s Haunt of Horror, text stories by name writers, heavily illustrated by the best in the Marvel Bullpen. Despite the quality of the work, the format didn’t catch on, and only two issues of the digest series were released, though Marvel repurposed the title for a magazine-sized comic the following year. The two digest issues are rarer than average for their period, but we’re lucky to have acquired both recently, issue 1 being FN+ at £20, issue 2 VG/FN £15. With names like Lafferty, Ellison, Howard, McCaffrey, Morrow and O’Neil attached, they have quite a high pedigree, and make for one of the most interesting detours along Marvel’s path to triumph.