Unusual Tales

    (Charlton, 1955-1965)
™ and ©1962 Charlton Publications, Inc.

Unusual Tales began its run in 1955, shortly after the dawn of the Comics Code. The code contained heavy restrictions on the content of comics, but companies often went even further in order to distance themselves from such stellar, but controversial titles as Tales From the Crypt or Weird Fantasy.

Unusual Tales is symptomatic of just how tame the horror/science-fiction comics had suddenly become. Despite some competent work by Steve Ditko, the series was largely a collection of horror/science-fiction story setups without satisfying endings. The tentative nature of this series was even reflected in its title, which billed it as containing merely “Unusual” tales, rather than the previous era’s “weird,” “chilling,” or “shocking” ones.

After forty-nine issues, Unusual Tales changed names and became Blue Beetle (1st Series), a super-hero comic.
Jump to issue:
  NotesWriterArtist
#26

February, 1961
Cover Price: $0.10
2 copies available from $14.98 		 Moltra, Steve Ditko
#31

December, 1961
Cover Price: $0.10
1 copy available for $13.00 		 Steve Ditko
#39

May, 1963
Cover Price: $0.12
1 copy available for $0.80 		  
#48

January, 1965
Cover Price: $0.12
1 copy available for $17.98