The House of Mystery

The House of Mystery (Pre-Gaiman)

As some may already know, when Neil Gaiman created the masterpiece known as The Sandman, he actually took many characters from old DC comics and "revamped" them. So it was that he took Cain and Abel (as well as Destiny, Lucien and some other characters) from DC's horror anthologies of the decades prior where these characters "hosted" the comics. One of these comics was of course, The House of Mystery which lasted for over 300 issues and thirty years. It was midway through that series that Cain made his first appearance (House of Mystery #175) as the one who took care of the House of Mystery and that was how it remained for many years. In a short series, Elvira's House of Mystery, Elvira was temporarily introduced as the host but this didn't last.

The Sandman

So it was in the second issue of The Sandman that the House of Mystery was re-introduced, this time as the home of Cain. However, now it was within The Dreaming, a place created by Neil Gaiman that was to be the realm of Dream of the Endless. In the Dreaming, there were many things, many places, and one of which was the House of Mystery which was right next door to the House of Secrets (Abel's home) and this is how the House of Mystery has been portrayed up until recent days when Matthew Sturges decided to throw in a twist...

House of Mystery (Matthew Sturges)

In 2008, Matthew Sturges began writing a series entitled, House of Mystery, a story that opens with Cain noticing his House has gone missing. The series now follows individuals who have become trapped inside the House (with nothing to pass the time but tell stories, making the House quite similar to Gaiman's World's End story arc in The Sandman) and the House's journey as Cain tries to take back what's his. This series has also introduced a new aspect of the House, Harry Bailey, who it seems is not actually a true person, but a part of the House... In House of Mystery #35, Fig's Great Great Grandfather destroyed the House of Mystery because it had taken everything a way from him that he had. In issue # 36 a new storyline has happened and there is a new House of Mystery. The new House of Mystery is a two bar place where people can drink and eat and also tell a story to people in the bar. The outside of the House of Mystery has eyes and teeth and is very scary and different from the old House of Mystery. When Cain comes back he will find out the his House of Mystery is gone and there is a different House of Mystery. Cain was seen in the cemetery sitting down and a gangster from the 1930's with a clock compass came to Cain and told him about The New House of Mystery that has been taken over by a new manager. Cain and the Gangster make a team with two ladies to help out to defeat Loutos Mackenzie the new manager of the House of Mystery and her magic powers that are very powerful. Fig Great Grandfather and her father where hanged by the goblins and everybody watched the hanging happen. Cain and his new team were planing to get his house back in a secret hidden place and Loutos Grandfather, who was trapped in a glass bottle, wanted to help Cain and his team to get the House of Mystery back for them and also stop Mack's Grand daughter's plans and powers. In 2011 the House of Mystery series came to en end at issue #42 and the House of Mystery went back to the old house the way it was the new House of Mystery was destroyed and the charters in the story went back to there timeline home and some reunited with family and love ones and friends Cain got his house back he also build a new House of Mystery and made it scary and horror for visitor to come.

The New 52

The House of Mystery operates as the Justice League Dark's base of operations. John Constantine claims he won the keys to the place in a poker game between Father Time, Doctor Occult and himself. Zatanna makes reference to twin houses that coexist on a plane of space and time that intersect within limbo. The House of Secrets usually sits beside The House of Mystery, but the houses move around in limbo like the architecture within.the buildings.The caretaker Cain is not see in the Justice League Dark series and with his House of Mystery because John Constanitine won the key in a poker game to get the house form his team and he uses it as a base to get away from Liverpool,England his home and it also a place for his thoughts when he needs time away. The House of Mystery vs the House of Secrets in Justice League Dark fighting off Faust Demon army. The Justice League Dark and the dark magic team where fighting off in a battle. The House of Mystery was seen in Gotham City and it flew away and Constantine and his team where in the House of Mystery and the magic team where in the House of Secrets it was a battle about magic and the books of dark magic. Both House of Mystery and House of Secrets where flying in a porthole trying to find a place to to move to. The House Of Mystery was destroyed when it crashed in the sand in the Sarhia Dessert in Africa with the Justice League Dark team trapped to fight off the magic team at the House of Secrets. The House of Mystery rebuilds itself it is a living thing made with strong powerful wood and plaster to hold the house it has feelings in some kind of magic. John Constantine and his Justice League Dark are fighting off John's friend that is in the House of Secrets and getting the books of magic and in the book was Princess of Gemworld she and the Justice League Dark where finding and fighting something worse that was about to happen and the team will face. This was in the Annual tied in to the Justice League Dark. As the team went on about the books of magic the other team was trapped in the House of Mystery. Inside the House of Mystery Frankenstein and Black Orchd and Princess of Gemworld where trapped in the house and they saw a glass mirror with skeletons they fought off the skeletons and wander around the house with unknown rooms and they saw a party waiting for them people dressed in New Years costumes and told them we have been waiting for you and they where masked as insects deskyes as people to kill them in the House of Mystery. [Flash back from the old House of Mystery series issue # 232] Black Orchd saw a room of plans and maps of the new 52 and top secrets plans for the Justice League and Justice League Dark and Animal Man and his daughter Maxine powers fighting off the ROT WAR. Black Orchd saw her file of her powers about her powers and left the room to find Frankenstein and Princess of Gemworld and she found them and help them find there way of the House of Mystery traps places and find the other team that not in the House of Mystery. The House of Mystery has diffrent doors when you enter the rooms the doors disappear and you open a another door it takes you to a different place in the rooms like the library or the kitchen the garden room. The House of Mystery is a maze it will take you places by surprise it has a lot of traps that you can not get out at all or fight your way out trying to find you way back where you started from. The House of Mystery is in the winter mountains in Narda Panbet and John Constantine went back to his House of Mystery to check up on his team to see how there doing at the House of Mystery. The House of Mystery will be seen again but the team will be taking a break from the house and they have series events happening in the two worlds of war on the books of magic. The House of Mystery will be seen again with the Flash and Swamp Thing fighting off Doctor Occult magic power as he takes over the House Of Mystery. The Justice League Dark team went back in the House of Mystery for a rest from all the events and war they fought with the Tim Hunter and his army. Deadman, Zantanna, John Constantine, Frankenstein where upset at Argus team and wanted to left alone in the House of Mystery with there new plans on Dr Occult evil magic powers and plans. The Justice League Dark went back to the House of Mystery and all of a sudden a plant came up and it was green it was Swamp Thing taking over the House Of Mystery and helping the team. Dr. Occult attacked the Justice League Dark and Swamp Thing and took control of the House of Mystery and brought back the dead soldiers from the past wars from the House of Mystery cemetery to attack the Justice League Dark and Swamp Thing. The Flash came in and helped the team and tried to stop Swamp Thing plants from growing in the battle with the dead and now half the team has a help from the Flash and Swamp Thing against Dr. Destiny evil plans and powers that are happing. We see Swamp Thing trapped in the House of Mystery under Dr. Destiny mind control powers to make dreams happen in real life to scare people. Swamp Thing will fight back and the Justice League Dark will find him and help stop Dr. Destiny evils plans from taken the House of Mystery under his command and ture power.