This fall, Fantagraphics will publish a gorgeous hardcover volume collecting Ray Bradbury’s EC Comics stories. Acknowledged as one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time, Ray Bradbury’s work has been adapted to film, stage, television and animation. For a brief period in the early 1950s, EC Comics adapted several Ray Bradbury stories for their popular lines of horror and science fiction titles, such as Tales from the Crypt.These stories have never been collected into one volume until now. The book, titled Home to Stay! The Complete Ray Bradbury EC Stories, goes on sale October 25.Although he is best known as a science fiction author, Ray Bradbury worked across a number of genres, including horror, crime and memoir. Bradbury was also a prolific short story writer, with numerous classic collections such as The October Country and The Illustrated Man. Bradbury was beloved by both fans and critics, winning several prestigious literary honors, including a Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Beyond the printed page, Ray Bradbury’s stories and novels have been adapted countless times to film and television. Some notable examples include Francois Truffaut’s adaptation of Fahrenheit 451 as well as the anthology show The Ray Bradbury Theater. Bradbury’s comic book adaptations tend to be overlooked, but a new volume from Fantagraphics aims to change that.Related: LURE Graphic Novel Gives Psychedelic Vision of Earth’s Future (Exclusive)On both social media and its website, Fantagraphics has revealed details of a gorgeous, coffee-table book via its website, as well as a look at preview art. Home to Stay collects all 28 of Bradbury’s EC Comics stories, including a few that were unauthorized at the time. Among the stories adapted are classics such as ‘The Sound of Thunder,’ ‘Mars is Heaven’ and ‘There Will Come Soft Rains.’ The volume will also include the infamous ‘Home to Stay,’ which merges two of Bradbury’s stories, and which the author felt topped the originals. The stories were drawn by some of the era’s top artists, including Wally Wood, Joe Orlando, and Frank Frazetta, and their art is showcased in glorious black and white. The collection will feature an introduction by Greg Bear and commentary by Ted White.
Ray Bradbury is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest science fiction authors of all time, helping elevate the genre in the eyes of the literary mainstream. Bradbury’s cinematic, descriptive writing has led to many classic adaptations of his work, his EC Comics output among them. These stories are classics, just as fresh and vital now as they were upon publication over 70 years ago. Home to Stay will present the EC adaptations of these stories, providing fans with unfamiliar takes on these beloved tales, drawn by some of EC’s top artists, some of who revolutionized the medium.
Although he passed in 2012, Bradbury continues to enthrall and entertain new generations of readers. The EC Comics adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s stories are forgotten and overlooked, but are now being reprinted in a gorgeous new volume from Fantagraphics available in stores and online from October 25.
