The Men of Mystery fanzine series stands as an enduring artifact from the golden age of comic book fandom, charting the passion of early enthusiasts who transformed their love for the medium into historic DIY publishing. The series originally debuted in May 1964, conceived and edited by Howard Brenner and Jeff Gelb in Rochester, New York. Launching during the height of the 1960s “Silver Age” comic boom, the publication ran for four standalone volumes through 1966, providing a dedicated space for comic book history, critical editorials, character spotlights, and striking fan-contributed artwork.
The fanzine is deeply intertwined with the pioneering days of comic fandom, serving as a launching pad for its creators. For Jeff Gelb, who would go on to have a storied career as a radio personality, music journalist, and celebrated horror/suspense editor, Men of Mystery was his very first foray into publishing. The original print run featured contributions from early fans who would later become prominent fixtures in the industry, capturing the communal spirit of a generation that was actively inventing the framework of modern comic scholarship and fandom networking.
Following its initial standalone run in the 1960s, the Men of Mystery legacy evolved through the world of Amateur Press Associations (APAs). Gelb revived the title as a recurring personal zine contributed specifically to Capa-Alpha (often abbreviated as K-A), which was founded in 1964 as the first-ever APA dedicated entirely to comic books. In this collaborative ecosystem, members would print a fixed number of their own zine and send them to a central distributor, who collated the diverse entries into a massive, single package mailed out to all members. Because of this distribution model, issue designations like “#224” signify the specific collective mailing number of the Capa-Alpha association rather than the individual issue count of Gelb’s specific title.
Visually, Men of Mystery thrived on its remarkable black-and-white cover art and illustrations, frequently bridging the gap between passionate amateurism and professional artistry. Legendary industry giants regularly contributed artwork out of pure camaraderie and shared love for the medium. Illustrators like Gary Morrow, famed for his intricately hatched, realistic linework across Marvel, DC, and Warren Publishing titles donated dynamic original pieces to grace the fanzine’s covers (whose Phantom illustration appears on the front cover as displayed above). Other issues showcased the work of renowned talents such as Ken Tesar, who provided a memorable Starman cover for the third issue in 1965.
The enduring reverence for the fanzine within the comic community is perfectly encapsulated by ultra-rare offshoots like the Men of Mystery Wedding Special published in November 1990. Limited to a microscopic run of just 20 copies, this special edition featured a front cover by The Rocketeer creator Dave Stevens, drawn specifically as a wedding gift for Jeff Gelb, alongside previously unseen artwork by the legendary Jack Kirby. Today, whether tracking down the scarce 1960s originals or collecting the Capa-Alpha mailing inserts, comic historians and collectors view Men of Mystery as a vital chronicle of the birth of organized comic book fandom.