My Bookshelf: The Detectives

My Bookshelf

The Detectives (April 1993, Alpha Productions)

A  classic one-shot comic book anthology “of comic book private eyes from 1993, edited and designed by Christopher Mills, “celebrating sventy years of the American private eye.”

A great idea, handsomely produced, and simply an amazing collection, with both original and reprinted stories by Nicola Cuti, Mike W. Barr, Max Allan Collins, Nicholas Alascia, and David Darrigo, and art by Joe Staton, Paul Pelleiter, Terry Beatty, Peter Grau, Nicholas Alascia, and Ted Slampyak, eaturing an introduction by mystery writer Ed Gorman; adventures of Michael Mauser (from E-Man) and Mike Mist (from Ms. Tree); and a reprint from Charlton’s acclaimed private eye series Johnny Dynamite. The Private Eye Tradition; Michael Mauser: The Old Farmhouse; The Maze Agency: The Adventures of the Chinese Dissident; Mike Mist: Image of Death; Tony Bravado: Gambling With Hercules; Johnny Dynamite: The Hundred Cadillacs; Ace Mifflin Pin-Up. Regular cover by Adam Hughes and Myke Maldonado32 pages, B&W. Mature readers. Cover price $4.95.

it collected several comic stories, both new and reprints, that offered a snapshot of then-current comic book private eyes. Plus a great intro by private eye writer Ed Gorman. Definitely worth looking for!

Mills returned a year later with the ambitious but criminally short-lived Noir: The Illustrated Crime Fiction Quarterly, an attempt to re-create The Detectives on a regular basis.

COMICS

• THE DETECTIVES | Buy this book
  (April 1993, Alpha Productions)
  1 issue, colour cover, B&W inside
  Edited and designed by Christopher Mills
  Cover by Adam Hughes and Myke Maldonado
  • “The Private Eye Tradition” by Ed Gorman
    Introduction
  • “The Old Farmhouse” by Nicola Cuti and Joe Staton
    Featuring Mike Mauser.
  • “The Adventure of the Chinese Dissident” by Mike Barr, Paul Pelletier and Bob Cram, Jr.
    Featuring Jennifer Mays & Gabriel Webb of The Maze Agency.
  • “Image of Death” by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty
    Featuring Mike Mist.
  • “Gambling with Hercules” by Dave Darrigo and Peter Grau
    Featuring Tony Bravado
  • “The Hundred Cadillacs” by Nick Alascia
    Featuring Johnny Dynamite.
  • Ace Mifflin Pin-up by Ted Slampyak
    Featuring Ace Mifflin of The Jazz Age Chronicles.

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.