Bleeding Cool mentioned that the annual ComicsPRO conference is kicking off this week in Pittsburgh, PA … which means nearly every major publisher in the industry is preparing a volley of news for the coming week. Second to the party is Oni Press, who are giving their peers the announcement to beat with word breaking this morning at the New York Times that EC Comics – the legendary publishing house behind Tales from the Crypt, Mad Magazine, Weird Science, and many more – will be making it’s full-fledged return to store shelves in summer 2024, nearly 70 years after the imprint was forcibly shuttered in the wake of a pro-censorship wave that gripped the comics industry, leading to the establishment of the Comics Code Authority. (A subject that Oni Press, publishers of Maia Kobabe‘s Gender Queer, certainly knows something about.)
The new partnership is being overseen by Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson and Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn alongside Cathy Gaines Mifsud and Corey Mifsud, the daughter and grandson of legendary EC Publisher William M. Gaines and administrators of William M. Gaines Agent, Inc.
The initiative will begin with the first all-new EC titles published in nearly seven decades with a new horror anthology in the classic Crypt mold, Epitaphs from the Abyss #1 in July, and a sister science-fiction title, Cruel Universe #1, beginning in August. The new line is expected to continue with at least two titles on a monthly basis, and, per the publisher’s press release, soon “[introduce] more series in genres and formats that will expand the scope and scale of the EC publishing line in ways never before attempted.” In tandem with the announcement, Oni has offered up a wide range of A-list comics talent who will featured in the new EC line, per the publisher’s press release::
Writers Jason Aaron, Brian Azzarello, Rodney Barnes, Corinna Bechko, Cullen Bunn, Christopher Cantwell, Cecil Castellucci, Chris Condon, Joshua Hale Fialkov , J. Holtham, Jeff Jensen, Matt Kindt, Sean Lewis, Stephanie Phillips, Jay Stephens, Zac Thompson, Ben H. Winters, and more; artists Kano, Peter Krause, Leomacs , Malachi Ward, Dustin Weaver, and more; designer Rian Hughes; and covers by Lee Bermejo, Greg Smallwood, J.H. Williams III, and more to be revealed in the weeks and months ahead.
Said EC Executive Director (and William M. Gaines’ grandson) Corey Mifsud:
“EC Comics is no stranger to a good comeback story! We’re thrilled to make this return with Oni Press and usher the classic EC sensibilities into the modern world. It’s always been our dream to one day bring the fearless creative spirit of EC to a new generation. Working hand-in-hand with Oni’s award-winning team and a sensational cast of creators, it’s a pleasure to – at long last – shepherd EC into the 21st century with all-new series and stories.”
Said Oni Editor-in-Chief Sierra Hahn:
“Seventy years ago, EC Comics redefined what comics could be with shocking, confrontational and brilliantly crafted stories that challenged the existential issues at the center of American life – censorship, racism, sexism, nuclear proliferation, and more. Today, those battles continue in alarming and pernicious new ways. What better time to resurrect the undying spirit of EC Comics – one of the most entertaining, subversive, and influential publishers of all time – with an all-star cast of storytellers to examine today’s society through the lens that William Gaines and his legendary collaborators have left us.”
Oni President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson is no stranger to the EC legacy, having previously overseen a prestige TV series adaptation of the classic EC series, Weird Fantasy, and a feature film based on the life of EC’s William M. Gaines in his previous role at Hivemind – two projects that were rumored to major Hollywood talent attached at various points.
Can we expect some more EC surprises from Gorinson and Oni in the months ahead? Bet on it… As Gorinson told the Hollywood Reporter
“From William Gaines and Al Feldstein to Harvey Kurtzman, Wally Wood, Jack Davis, Al Williamson, and so many more, EC’s creative roster was packed with creative innovators who revolutionized the comics medium on their own terms. For Oni Press, that’s a sacred legacy to uphold, and it’s an honor to bring EC into the 21st century with both the Gaines family and an all-new slate of brilliant creators – many of whom have had their work informed by the EC legacy in very direct ways. More than just a simple exercise in nostalgia, we’re challenging ourselves to evolve EC’s relentless energy and fearless sensibilities in ways never before attempted — these are intense comics for our intense times.”
The first new EC titles from Oni Press, Epitaphs From The Abyss #1, will be released in July and be followed by Cruel Universe #1 in August.
