[net.comics] Madame Xanadu

boyajian@akov68.DEC (Jerry Boyajian) (09/15/84)

> I think that Madame Xanadu appeared in _Tales of the Unexpected,_
> a hokey DC title that bit the dust a year or two ago.
> -- 
> Col. G. L. Sicherman

I don't recall which of the "mystery" titles (strange how the post-Code horror
comics are referred to as "mystery" comics, after HOUSE OF MYSTERY) it was that
Madame Xanadu appeared in, but whichever it was, I think she was only a "host"
for the stories, or, at best, was a minor character. Her first chance at some
real action, though, was in a one-shot title called MADAME XANADU, published a
couple of years ago. The comic contained a full-length M.X. story by Steve
Englehart and Val Mayerick. It was quite good, too.

--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA)

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gino@sdchema.UUCP (Eugene G. Youngerman) (09/27/84)

The correct answer to the Madame Xanadu title is

(Drum Roll please)

Doorway Into Nightmare.

this ran 5 issues, and she was the lead character.
The title was cancelled, but the sixth story ran in Time Warp or
some such anthology title, during one of DC's austerity 
periods.  The stories were allright, but the Michael
Kaluta covers were stunning.  The story on the one shot is
that it was supposed to be a three issue mini-series, but
contract hassles developed between Englehart and DC.

The rumour mill has it that Scorpio Rose grew out of that
mini-series.  

GINO

gino@sdchema.UUCP (Eugene G. Youngerman) (09/30/84)

The question was raised a while ago, so I thought I'd comment.

This may have appeared, if you saw this, ignore it the second time
around.

Madame Xanadu appeared as a lead character in full length stories
in a DC Mystery Title called 'Doorway Into Nightmare'.  The
series ran five issues, and if memory serves, at least ten different
people served as writer, artist, and inker.  So much for series
continuity.  If I remember, the stories ran from about B to D, and
they descended as the series progressed.  The best thing about the
series was the five covers.  They were all by Michael Kaluta, and
they are excellent.  *(By the way, Kaluta has a Graphic Novel, and
possibly series, called Starstruck due out.   Anybody know the true
dope on this???)*
I believe there was a sixth, and seventh story done, but if they were
published, it was in TimeWarp, an anthology mag that DC stuffed 
a whole bunch of stories without Magazines into, in one of their
austerity moves.

There was a DC mini-series contracted (three-part) called Madame
Xanadu, by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers.  There were
contract hassles over the script, and Steve took his script and
walked.  The one shot which has been mentioned a few times,
was supposed to be the first of those three.  
<Anybody see the Joker cameo in that one shot?????>
Rumor has it that Scorpio Rose is a reworking of that original
Madame Xanadu three-part mini-series.

Sorry, this wasn't supposed to be that long.

I am
GINO