Michael Mauser Private Eye

Michael Mauser Private Eye, launched in 1976 by the small press Gredown, is a cult-classic one-shot that distills the hardboiled detective genre into a single, self-contained comic. Written by Nicola Cuti and illustrated by Joe Staton, the issue follows the titular gumshoe through a moody, urban mystery that showcases Staton’s expressive, noir-tinged art. Though it never continued beyond that initial issue, it remains a notable artifact of the 1970s independent comics scene, demonstrating how a concise, creator-driven story could stand alone in an era of ongoing superhero serials.