Joe Orlando — comics creator

Home › Joe Orlando

Known forHouse of Mystery

Issues credited330

Active1948–2025

Primary roleartist

Joe Orlando was born on April 4, 1927, in Italy, and went on to build one of the more versatile careers in American comics before his death on December 23, 1998. Over roughly six decades, he worked as an illustrator, writer, cartoonist, and editor, accumulating credits across more than 330 issues in roles ranging from artist and inker to colorist and writer.

Orlando came up through the industry during its postwar boom, finding early footing on titles like *Weird Fantasy* before eventually gravitating toward the editorial side of the business. His work on EC-style science fiction and horror laid a foundation that would inform his sensibilities as an editor. At DC Comics he rose to vice president and oversaw the Special Projects department, while also editing long-running titles such as *House of Mystery* and lending his hand to properties like *Swing with Scooter* and *Super Powers*. He also served as associate publisher of *Mad*, one of the most culturally durable humor magazines in American publishing history.

What distinguishes Orlando's legacy is the breadth of his contribution — few creators of his generation moved as fluidly between drawing boards and editorial offices, shaping the look of comics both as a craftsman and as a steward of other artists' work.

Known for

Full bibliography (first 500) · 220 series

House of Mystery (1951) · 17

#174 #179 #183 #201 #240 #257 #258 #259 #262 #264 #270 #271 #272 #274 #275 #278 #296

Weird Fantasy (1951) · 15

#10 #11 #13 #15 #16 #17 #19 #19 #20 #22 #16 #17 #19 #21 #22

Swing with Scooter (1966) · 13

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 #11 #12 #13

Mad (1952) · 11

#34 #35 #36 #38 #40 #85 #37 #68 #70 #26 #30

Catholic Comics (1946) · 9

#10 #1 #3 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10

Bobby (1966) · 9

#2/1966 #1/1966 #1/1967 #2/1967 #4/1967 #1/1968 #2/1968 #3/1968 #3/1967

Super Powers (1985) · 8

#1 #2 #4 #6 #1 #2 #3 #4

Classics Illustrated (1947) · 7

#130 [O]#6 [HRN 132]#143 [O]#147 [O]#147 [HRN 153]#[3]#57

All for Love (1957) · 7

#2 [2]#3 [3]#4 [4]#5 [5]#6 [6]#1 [7]#1 [13]

Black Magic (1950) · 7

#1 (34)#2 (35)#3 [36]#4 [37]#5 [38]#6 [39]#1

National Lampoon Magazine (1970) · 7

#1 #3 #5 #9 #12 #16 #21

Justice Traps the Guilty (1947) · 6

#5 (89)#6 (90)#1 [91]#2 [92]#21 #22

Illustrierte Klassiker [Classics Illustrated] (1956) · 6

#28 #30 #92 #14 #33 #78

Secrets of Haunted House (1975) · 6

#12 #13 #20 #30 #43 #45

Fremde Welten (2017) · 6

#2 #3 #4 #5 #13 #1

Cowboy Western Comics (1948) · 5

#18 #19 #20 #21 #23

Creepy (1964) · 5

#1 #5 #7 #10 #16

Demonen (1966) · 5

#1/1966 #2/1966 #2/1968 #3/1968 #4/1968

Silverblade (1987) · 5

#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

Cinder and Ashe (1988) · 5

#1 #2 #3 #4 #[nn]

Gwandanaland Comics (2016) · 5

#570 #484 #3049 #3339 #3339-HC

Horror (1972) · 5

#110 #117 #118 #120 #135

Strange Worlds (1950) · 4

#3 #4 #5 #6

Space Detective (1951) · 4

#1 #2 #1 #2

Weird Science (1951) · 4

#12 #18 #19 #21

Valor (1955) · 4

#3 #4 #3 #4

Daredevil (1964) · 4

#2 #3 #4 #2

Metamorpho (1965) · 4

#5 #6 #3 #4

Showcase (1956) · 4

#62 #63 #70 #97

Ripley's Believe It or Not! (1965) · 4

#5 #8 #9 #91

Smash! (1966) · 4

#78 #79 #80 #82

The Rocket's Blast-Comicollector (1964) · 4

#107 #109 #111 #115

Aquaman (1986) · 4

#1 #2 #3 #4

Les Vengeurs (1985) · 4

#9 #10 #11 #12

The Phantom (1988) · 4

#1 #2 #3 #4

Thriller (1989) · 4

#1/1989 #2/1989 #3/1989 #4/1989

Cinder y Ashe (1990) · 4

#1 #2 #3 #4

Gespenster Geschichten (1974) · 4

#30 #47 #71 #86

Rocket to the Moon (1951) · 3

#[nn]#[nn]#1

Eerie (1951) · 3

#3 #11 #2

Tales from the Crypt (1950) · 3

#27 #28 #39

Shock SuspenStories (1952) · 3

#4 #16 #17

Spellbound (1952) · 3

#13 #25 #29

Incredible Science Fiction (1955) · 3

#33 #8 #10

Marvel Tales (1949) · 3

#149 #157 #7

Illustrated Classics (1956) · 3

#28 #30 #78

Illustrerade klassiker (1956) · 3

#28 [HBN 32] (1:a upplagan)#30 [HBN 32] (1:a upplagan)#83

Illustrerede Klassikere (1956) · 3

#28 #30 #83

Kuvitettuja Klassikkoja (1956) · 3

#4 #6 #47

Illustrerte Klassikere [Classics Illustrated] (1957) · 3

#16 #18 #69

Teen-Age Romance (1960) · 3

#81 #82 #83

I Love You (1955) · 3

#40 #43 #47

Creepy Worlds (1962) · 3

#20 #150 #52

Strange Planets (1958) · 3

#10 #11 #12

Secrets of Young Brides (1957) · 3

#36 #41 #42

Famous Monsters of Filmland (1958) · 3

#32 #50 #51

Diabólico (1966) · 3

#2 #3 #4

Cuentos de Misterio (1960) · 3

#100 #104 #143

Mi Gran Aventura (1960) · 3

#77 #81 #121

Dæmonen (1967) · 3

#4 #2 #3

L'Incredibile Devil (1970) · 3

#2 #3 #4

Weird Worlds (1972) · 3

#2 #3 #4

Plop! (1973) · 3

#10 #21 #22

Haunted Tales (1973) · 3

#19 #33 #39

Terror Tales Album (1977) · 3

#10 #14 #16

Iskalde Grøss (1982) · 3

#7/1991 #3/1994 #4/1994

Showcase '93 (1993) · 3

#4 #5 #6

The Fantagraphics EC Artists' Library (2012) · 3

#9 #19 #34

Captain Science (1950) · 2

#4 #5

Dark Mysteries (1951) · 2

#1 #2

M.D. (1955) · 2

#3 #3

Uncanny Tales (1952) · 2

#50 #53

The Worst from MAD (1958) · 2

#1 #2

Young Romance (1947) · 2

#3 [105]#5 [119]

Teen-Age Confidential Confessions (1960) · 2

#19 #20

Monster World (1964) · 2

#2 #3

Blazing Combat (1965) · 2

#1 #2

Super Comics (1968) · 2

#2405 #2407

Jupiterserien (1968) · 2

#3 #4

The Phantom Stranger (1969) · 2

#6 #15

The Inferior 5 (1972) · 2

#11 #12

Stjerneklassiker (1970) · 2

#44 #44

Il Est Minuit... l'Heure des Sorcières (1975) · 2

#3 #15

The Superman Family (1974) · 2

#186 #187

Diabolico (1981) · 2

#2 #3

DC Comics Presents (1978) · 2

#53 #6

Eks almanah (1975) · 2

#377 #375

Supergirl [American Honda Presents] (1984) · 2

#[nn]#[nn]

Lois Lane (1986) · 2

#1 #2

Doc Weird's Thrill Book (1987) · 2

#2 #3

Action Comics Weekly (1988) · 2

#617 #621

Hort der Angst (2016) · 2

#14 #20

Secrets of the Unknown (1962) · 2

#5 #104

Exposed (1948) · 1

Jungle Jo (1950) · 1

Congo (1949) · 1

#18

Sabu "Elephant Boy" (1950) · 1

Judy Canova (1950) · 1

Sabu (1951) · 1

Police Comics (1941) · 1

#122

Weird Science-Fantasy (1954) · 1

#25

Vault of Horror (1950) · 1

#40

Crime Illustrated (1955) · 1

Mystical Tales (1956) · 1

Astonishing (1951) · 1

#58

World of Mystery (1956) · 1

Six-Gun Western (1957) · 1

Journey into Unknown Worlds (1950) · 1

#57

Tales of Justice (1955) · 1

#66

Mystic (1951) · 1

#61

World of Fantasy (1956) · 1

Personal Love (1957) · 1

More Trash from Mad (1958) · 1

Reddy Kilowatt (1946) · 1

#3 [1960]

Young Love (1960) · 1

#1 [20]

Brides in Love (1956) · 1

#28

Love Romances (1949) · 1

#104

The Organization Mad (1960) · 1

#D2286

Sweethearts (1954) · 1

#71

Doctor Tom Brent, Young Intern (1963) · 1

Strange Mysteries (1958) · 1

#16

Plastic Man (1966) · 1

The Twilight Zone (1962) · 1

#23

Stanley and His Monster (1968) · 1

#110

Koloss (1968) · 1

#8/1968

The Doom Patrol (1964) · 1

#121

Girls' Love Stories (1949) · 1

#142

Marvel Super-Heroes (1967) · 1

#23

Strange (1970) · 1

The Sinister House of Secret Love (1971) · 1

Weird Western Tales (1972) · 1

#15

Macabre (1973) · 1

Shock Classics (1972) · 1

#18

Top Illustrated Classics (1970) · 1

#44

Historias Fantásticas (1958) · 1

#305

Sjokk (1973) · 1

#1/1973

Boy Commandos (1973) · 1

Limited Collectors' Edition (1972) · 1

#C-23

Mystery Comics Digest (1972) · 1

#15

Horreur - une anthologie en bandes dessinées (1974) · 1

#[nn]

Vault of Evil (1973) · 1

#10

Mundo de Aventuras (1973) · 1

#76

The Amazing World of DC Comics (1974) · 1

1st Issue Special (1975) · 1

Weird Mystery Tales (1972) · 1

#24

Durfal (1976) · 1

Super Friends (1976) · 1

Comic Reader (1973) · 1

#139

Spectral (1974) · 1

#14

Roter Blitz (1976) · 1

#21

Secret Society of Super-Villains (1976) · 1

#11

La Maison du Mystère (1975) · 1

Justice League of America (1960) · 1

#151

The Unexpected (1968) · 1

#191

Ghosts (1971) · 1

#80

Flash (1970) · 1

#44

Weird Mystery Album (1980) · 1

#10

Etranges Aventures (1966) · 1

#72

Shock Suspenstories (1981) · 1

DC Special Series (1977) · 1

#25

L'Insolite (1977) · 1

#21

Golden Age of Comics (1982) · 1

DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest (1980) · 1

#20

The Witching Hour (1982) · 1

#[nn]

Le Manoir des Fantômes (1975) · 1

#23

Amazing Stories of Suspense (1963) · 1

#205

The Legion of Super-Heroes (1980) · 1

#300

Atari Force (1984) · 1

Star Trek (1984) · 1

Legion of Super-Heroes (1984) · 1

Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes (1984) · 1

#331

Supermann (1985) · 1

#10/1986

Elvira's House of Mystery (1986) · 1

#10

Teen Titans Spotlight (1986) · 1

#11

Shazam: The New Beginning (1987) · 1

The New Teen Titans (1984) · 1

#33

Névrose (1985) · 1

#16

The Shadow Annual (1987) · 1

The Saga of Ra's Al Ghul (1988) · 1

Joyas de Creepy (1986) · 1

#[6]

Thriller Magazine (1989) · 1

Thrilling Science Tales (1989) · 1

COPS (1988) · 1

#14

Looney Tunes Magazine (1989) · 1

Batman Klassik (1990) · 1

Buried Treasure (1990) · 1

Barbarians and Beauties (1990) · 1

Creepy The Classic Years (1991) · 1

#[nn]

The Haunt of Fear (1991) · 1

I Classici Americani Fantascienza Horror (1991) · 1

Devil Classic (1993) · 1

Blazing Combat: Vietnam and Korea (1993) · 1

Skræk (1994) · 1

100% True? (1996) · 1

Celebrate the Century [Super Heroes Stamp Album] (1998) · 1

Mad about Comic Strips (2003) · 1

#[nn]

Thrill Book! (2004) · 1

#[nn]

The Wallace Wood Reader (2004) · 1

#[nn]

Foul Play! The Art and Artists of the Notorious E.C. Comics! (2005) · 1

#[nn]

Showcase Presents: The House of Mystery (2006) · 1

The Doom Patrol Archives (2002) · 1

Eerie Archives (2009) · 1

Illustrerte Klassikere (2006) · 1

#18

The Blazing Combat Collection (2009) · 1

#[nn]

Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars: Weird Worlds (2011) · 1

#[nn]

Legion of Super-Heroes: The Curse The Deluxe Edition (2011) · 1

#[nn]

Cinder & Ashe (2013) · 1

#[nn]

Pre-Code Classics: Space Detective (2014) · 1

#[nn]

Legion of Super-Heroes: The Curse (2014) · 1

#[nn]

The EC Archives: Shock SuspenStories (2015) · 1

Fantasy Classic (2016) · 1

Lendas do Universo DC: Super Powers (2017) · 1

Pre-Code Classics: Dark Mysteries (2018) · 1

True Believers: The Criminally Insane - Purple Man (2020) · 1

The Super Friends: Saturday Morning Comics (2020) · 1

The Phantom: The Complete DC Comics (2021) · 1

Phantom (2022) · 1

#10

The EC Archives: Tales from the Crypt (2021) · 1

House of Mystery - Limited Collectors' Edition 23 (Facsimile Edition) (2025) · 1

#[nn]

Romances juveniles (1963) · 1

#89

Original biography and editorial content © comicbooks.com™. Information drawn in part from Wikipedia and the Grand Comics Database. Portrait by Joe Orlando and Wally Wood / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Cover thumbnails shown under fair use, each linking to its issue.