House of Mystery #4

History

The 2008 Vertigo relaunch was conceived by editor Shelly Bond, who approached writers Bill Willingham (Fables) and Lilah Sturges — credited in early issues as Matthew Sturges — reportedly at a San Diego Comic-Con event, pitching the revival as a chance to merge the classic anthology DNA of the 1951–1983 House of Mystery with ongoing, serialized storytelling. The two writers were already collaborators on the Eisner-nominated Jack of Fables, making them a natural pairing for Vertigo, and the series debuted in May 2008 (cover-dated July 2008). Luca Rossi served as the regular penciler and inker on the main story throughout the first arc, with Lee Loughridge on colors and Todd Klein on letters, while short stories in each issue brought in rotating guest artists — issue #4's embedded tale, 'Familiar,' was handled by Steve Rolston.

Trivia · 8 facts

• Issue #4 is Part 4 of the 5-part opening arc 'Room and Boredom,' subtitled 'The Longing,' published with an October 2008 cover date and released September 4, 2008.
• Main story written by Lilah Sturges (credited as Matthew Sturges) with art by Luca Rossi, inks by Luca Rossi, colors by Lee Loughridge, and letters by Todd Klein; cover by Sam Weber.
• The embedded short story 'Familiar' — about a witch princess and her familiar Floyd stranded on Earth — was written by Matthew Sturges with art by Steve Rolston and colors by Dave McCaig.
• The issue advances the arcs of core cast members Fig Keele, Cressida (Cress), Harry Bailey, Rina, and the Poet; notably, Rina is expelled from the House by coach and encounters the 'Pair of the Conception,' the same pursuers who originally chased Fig into the House.
• The series was co-written by Bill Willingham (Fables) and Lilah Sturges, both of whom had previously collaborated on Jack of Fables, also at Vertigo; editor was Shelly Bond with assistant editor Angela Rufino.
• The Vertigo House of Mystery Vol. 2 differs structurally from the original 1951–1983 Vol. 1 by using a sequential ongoing plot rather than standalone anthology stories — issue #4 is an early example of that hybrid model in practice.
• This issue was later collected in the trade paperback House of Mystery Vol. 1: Room and Boredom (January 2009, ISBN 1401220797), which collected issues #1–5.
• The series drew directly on Sandman-era characterization of Cain, tying this Vertigo relaunch into the cosmology Neil Gaiman had established — though the relaunch built an entirely new cast and mythology around that inherited lore.

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