TALES OF THE MYSTERIOUS TRAVELER Volume 3

Collects #11-13, Mysterious Traveler #nn (1948) and Horror from the Tomb, 1954.

Steve Ditko (the Traveler's creator) draws 3 stories and the cover for #11. Then the reins go to Carl Burgos, Rocco Mastroserio, Charles Nicholas, Bill Molno, and a one-off appearance from the great Matt Baker. #13 was the last issue. The bonus issues are the original pre-Ditko Mysterious Traveler #1 (from 1948) and the strange and bizarre pre-code title, Horror from the Tomb #1 (from 1954). Artists for these two issues: Bob Powell, Alan Mandel, George Woodbridge and Angelo Torres (who together draw a great ghastly story in Horror with a Frazetta feel). George Woodbridge is a stand-out here, for his work on Horror from the Tomb. The cover of this comic is a fun one already, but George's story "Grandma Gruesome’s Dead Time Story" seems to be channeling Frazetta, Torres, and Al Williamson, including at least one or two swipes I can recognize. Nonethess, Woodbridge is another undeservedly forgotten talent, whose short era of work in comics in the 1950s deserves more attention. This is one of his classics. And Ditko's first two stories in the first issue here are also top drawer, with nice large panels, exotic eastern costumes, magic and mystery in his best fashion.