House of Secrets (DC Comics)

House of Secrets
Cover of House of Secrets #1 (November–December 1956). Art by Ruben Moreira.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Schedule	monthly and bi-monthly (varied)
Format	Ongoing series
Genre	Horror Fantasy
Publication date	List (vol. 1) (original run) November/December 1956 – September/October 1966 (revival) September/October 1969–October/November 1978 (vol. 2) October 1996–December 1998
Number of issues	List (vol. 1): 154 (vol. 2): 25
Creative team
Writer(s)	List (vol. 1) Bob Haney Len Wein (vol. 2) Steven Seagle
Penciller(s)	List (vol. 1) Bernard Baily Ruben Moreira John Prentice Jim Mooney Jack Kirby Mort Meskin Lee Elias Dick Dillin Bill Draut Gray Morrow Bernie Wrightson Wally Wood Jack Sparling Michael Kaluta Jim Aparo Alfredo Alcala Tony DeZuniga Nestor Redondo E.R. Cruz Alex Niño Rudy Nebres Ernie Chan Gerry Talaoc Leo Durañona (vol. 2) Teddy Kristiansen
Inker(s)	List (vol. 1) Frank Giacoia

The House of Secrets is the name of several mystery, fantasy, and horror anthology comic book series published by DC Comics. It is notable for being the title that introduced the character Swamp Thing. It had a companion series titled House of Mystery.

The original Silver Age series ran 80 issues, from November/December 1956 to September/October 1966. In addition to short, "one-off" stories, several issues featured the adventures of modern-dress sorcerer Mark Merlin who first appeared in issue #23 (August 1959). The dual-personality super villain Eclipso ("Hero and Villain in One Man!") was created by Bob Haney and Lee Elias and was introduced in issue #61 (August 1963) and continued to the series' end. Prince Ra-Man the Mind-Master bowed in #73 (July–August 1965) and was a Doctor Strange-style "replacement" for Mark Merlin. Prince Ra-Man twice battled Eclipso. The "Prince Ra-Man" feature ended in House of Secrets #80 (September–October 1966), the final issue of the series. Other, lesser continuing features included "Peter Puptent, Explorer"; "Dolly and the Professor"; "Doctor Rocket"; and "Moolah the Mystic".

The series was revived three years later with a definite article as The House of Secrets, beginning with issue #81 (Aug.–Sept. 1969). Now its horror and suspense tales were introduced by a host named Abel, who would also host the satirical comic Plop!. His brother Cain hosted House of Mystery. Swamp Thing first appeared in House of Secrets #92 (July 1971) in a stand-alone horror story set in the early 20th century written by Len Wein and drawn by Bernie Wrightson. The woman appearing on the cover of this issue was modeled after future comics writer Louise Simonson. The Patchwork Man, a character from the Swamp Thing ongoing series, was to have become an ongoing feature in the series but only appeared in one issue.