The Unexpected #110

History

The Unexpected was edited throughout its early Silver Age run by Murray Boltinoff, who shepherded the title's transformation from the sci-fi anthology Tales of the Unexpected into a horror-and-suspense vehicle beginning with #105 in February 1968. For #110, the creative lineup documented in the DC Database credits Neal Adams on the cover, with interior work by writer George Kashdan, penciler/inker Jack Sparling (on the Johnny Peril strip), and writer Dave Wood with artist Bill Draut on the Mad Mod Witch segment — a team that typified Boltinoff's preference for dependable journeyman talent on interiors alongside eye-catching cover artists. The Mad Mod Witch feature itself had been introduced only two issues earlier, reportedly in direct response to the success of Cain's hosting debut in House of Mystery #175, as DC editors competed informally to develop their own anthology hosts.

Trivia · 8 facts

• Cover date: January 1969; publication date: November 1968 (per DC Database and League of Comic Geeks records).
• The issue carries a Neal Adams cover — consistent with his frequent cover contributions to The Unexpected during this period.
• Interior credits per DC Database: George Kashdan (writer) and Jack Sparling (penciler/inker) on the Johnny Peril story 'Death Town, U.S.A.!'; Dave Wood (writer) and Bill Draut (penciler/inker) on the Mad Mod Witch segment 'Half a Man Is Better than None!'; Murray Boltinoff listed as editor; Jerry Grandenetti also credited.
• Johnny Peril, the issue's lead character, is a long-running DC occult adventurer revived for The Unexpected beginning with #106 (1968); his run in the title, written primarily by Kashdan and drawn by Sparling, lasted through #117.
• The 'Tales of the Mad Mod Witch' back-up in this issue is one of the earliest appearances of that character, who had debuted only two issues prior in #108 (cover date September 1968).
• The Mad Mod Witch was created by writer Dave Wood and artist Jack Sparling; she served as horror host in issues #108–112, 114–116, 140, and 162 of the series.
• Neil Gaiman later incorporated the Mad Mod Witch into The Sandman mythos under the name 'Fashion Thing,' retroactively elevating her status as a DC universe character with long-term continuity significance.
• The Unexpected ran as a direct continuation of Tales of the Unexpected, picking up at issue #105 in 1968 and running to #222 in May 1982, absorbing House of Secrets, The Witching Hour, and Doorway to Nightmare after the 1978 DC Implosion.

Full credits