Warren Magazines

[Cherokee Jack]

Does Harris Publishing own the rights to the Warren magazine material, or do they just "rent" Vampirella?

It sees a crime that the first 18 issues of CREEPY, the first 12 EERIEs, and all four issues of BLAZING COMBAT aren't available in reprint form.

My dream/fantasy would be to see them reprinted in tpbs, maybe four issues to a trade, printed in the original size.

[Karl J. Barnes]

Didn't Warren also publish The Rook ? I remember loving that series.

[RawShark]

yup, the Rook ROCKED! ;)

I would love to see reprints of that series
(including the back up stories that were in, huh, Vampirella???)

[MDG]

It sees a crime that the first 18 issues of CREEPY, the first 12 EERIEs, and all four issues of BLAZING COMBAT aren't available in reprint form.

There are a couple of TPBs that were put out several years ago, but they're hard to find, and tend to price high on eBay.

But like you, I'd like to see the stories from the early issues available. (Are your selections here based on when Archie Goodwin was editor?) The quality of stories in the Warren magazines seemed to vary widely after the first two years and through the rest of their runs into the 80s.

MDG

[Cherokee Jack]

There are a couple of TPBs that were put out several years ago, but they're hard to find, and tend to price high on eBay.

But like you, I'd like to see the stories from the early issues available. (Are your selections here based on when Archie Goodwin was editor?) The quality of stories in the Warren magazines seemed to vary widely after the first two years and through the rest of their runs into the 80s.

MDG

I believe these were all Goodwin edited. My cutoff point was where the reprints began.

[Donald M.]

Does Harris Publishing own the rights to the Warren magazine material, or do they just "rent" Vampirella?

As far as I know Harris owns Vampirella, but they lost Creepy and Eerie when James Warren contested their ownership of the rights a few years back. Nothings been done with them since then and, as far as I know, there are no plans to do anything with them in the near future.

[nweathington]

Right, Harris owns Vampirella and all related characters (like Pantha). All the rest is back in the hands of Jim Warren.

[Paradox]

Put me down as another HUGE Rook fan. I was never anything more than a sporadic Warren reader before that, but I LOVED this book! Even Joe Guy was great stuff.

Never understood why they dumped it for that Goblin nonsense. Sales, I can only presume.

[sheets]

As far as I know Harris owns Vampirella, but they lost Creepy and Eerie when James Warren contested their ownership of the rights a few years back. Nothings been done with them since then and, as far as I know, there are no plans to do anything with them in the near future.

I was disappointed when I read that IDW was hoping to do Warren reprints but that the negotiations fell through (which lead to IDW developing Doomed as a substitute). I'm not sure what Jim Warren's waiting for but I would be thrilled at any news that reprints were coming.

[Brad Curran]

I bought the collection of the Batman: Black and White mini-series this week. In the introduction the book's editor, Mark Chiarello, was talking about these comics and how well regarded they were.

[Captain Jim]

I'd like to see the stories from the early issues available. (Are your selections here based on when Archie Goodwin was editor?) The quality of stories in the Warren magazines seemed to vary widely after the first two years and through the rest of their runs into the 80s.

I agree on both counts.

[Aaron Kashtan]

Me too. I should ask Jon Cooke to pester Jim Warren about reprinting that material. :)

[rarndt]

The most consistant quality Warren books were from 1965-1967 but don't discount the 1970-1980 material. They featured spectacular work from Berni Wrightson, Russ Heath, Frank Brunner, Tom Sutton, Carmine Infantino, Esteban Maroto, Fernando Fernandez, the art debuts of Dave Cockrum, Mike Ploog, great stories from Bruce Jones, Bill DuBay, Bob Toomey, Archie Goodwin & many, many more. A complete checklist (more comprehensive that what appeared in the Warren Companion), with commentaries on each Warren issue and interviews with the editors, writers & artists who appeared in the Warren line can be found at www.enjolrasworld.com {then look for Richard Arndt's pages}. Not only Warren appears there, there's also similar checklists for the Skywald books, Star*Reach, Web Of Horror, the Atlas B&Ws, the Marvel horror B&W's, witzend, and many more B&W magazines. If you're a fan of B&W artwork it's well worth checking out!

That said, a collection of Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella, Blazing Combat & The Rook volumes done in the style of the Russ Cochran EC Library Sets would be most welcome.

Rich Arndt

[MDG]

The most consistant quality Warren books were from 1965-1967 but don't discount the 1970-1980 material. They featured spectacular work from Berni Wrightson, Russ Heath, Frank Brunner, Tom Sutton, Carmine Infantino, Esteban Maroto, Fernando Fernandez, the art debuts of Dave Cockrum, Mike Ploog, great stories from Bruce Jones, Bill DuBay, Bob Toomey, Archie Goodwin & many, many more.

You forgot Corben. And, yeah, there was great stuff in the 70s (I actually saw Wrightson in the Warrens before seeing any of his DC work), but that just made the not-great stuff seem that much worse.

On a somewhat related note: There were two local variety stores where I bought Creepy and Eerie, but neither of them carried Vampirella after the first two or three issues. Anyone know if some retailers/distributors were put off by the explicit sexuality of the covers and didn't carry them (especially after the Aurora Monster Scenes were pulled off the market)?

MDG

[Brad Curran]

Warren's Spirit reprint magazines were damn good, as well. I've picked up a few of those off of E-Bay recently, and I like them more than the comic sized Kitchen Sink reprints.