Strange Sports Stories

    (DC, 1973-1974)
DC

After a double-tryout in Brave and the Bold, Strange Sports Stories became a feature in its own right in this series of the early 1970s. At a time when the comics market was glutted with mystery/horror comics, this title was a breath of fresh air. Its stories combined sports and the supernatural in a mix that avoided most of the clichés found in competing offerings.

The inspiration behind many of the stories here seemed to be early colonial fiction. “To Beat the Devil” told of how a baseball team used the letter of the rule book to outsmart Satan, in a move reminiscent of The Devil and Daniel Webster. Similarly, “A Tall Tale of Tenpins” drew on the Rip Van Winkle legend to tell how Rip’s latter-day ancestor learned to bowl perfect games, courtesy of the same “wee people” who ensorceled Rip Van Winkle.
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  NotesWriterArtist
#1

October, 1973
Cover Price: $0.20
7 copies available from $3.87 		Frank RobbinsBob Oksner, Curt Swan, Dick Giordano
#2

December, 1973
Cover Price: $0.20
4 copies available from $1.50 		Dennis O’Neil, Frank RobbinsCurt Swan, Dick Giordano, Irv Novick, Murphy Anderson
#3

February, 1974
Cover Price: $0.20
9 copies available from $1.38 		Elliot S! Maggin, Frank RobbinsCurt Swan, Dick Giordano
#4

April, 1974
Cover Price: $0.20
8 copies available from $1.75 		Cary Bates, Dennis O’NeilDick Giordano, Irv Novick, John Rosenberger
#5

June, 1974
Cover Price: $0.20
6 copies available from $2.00 		Frank RobbinsJohn Rosenberger, Irv Novick, Frank McLaughlin
#6

August, 1974
Cover Price: $0.20
8 copies available from $2.13 		Elliot S! Maggin, Martin PaskoJohn Rosenberger