A short while ago I posted an offering from David Horne, author of the Warren Publishing catalogue GATHERING HORROR, where he put to rest the question as to whether or not there was ever a Mexican version of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. In his book he mentions a Spanish version, FAMOSOS MONSTERS DEL CINE. For those Monsteologists curious enough, today, and for the next few days, I will be covering an example of this Spanish/Warren publication
FAMOSOS MONSTERS DEL CINE was a Warren-authorized reprint of contents collected from various issues of the U.S. version of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. It ran for 24 issues during the 1970's. Published in Spain by Garbo Editorial and distributed by Edipress (both in Barcelona) it was helmed first by Luis "Monster Man" Vigil, then later by a new "Monster Man" Manuel Dominguez. The masthead lists no editorial staff, but the articles translated from English into Spanish are credited to Dominguez.
FAMOSOS MONSTERS was similar to Warren's stateside version, but had unique characteristics as well. For instance, there was a color comics insert that was Spanish in origin. The copy I am using as an example is Issue #5 (overall SUPERCOMICS series #9), dated August 1975. It contains a serialized "Dracula" strip drawn by Vampirella artist Jose Gonzalez. Entitled El Circo (The Circus), it was the type and style of comic strip that was found in Warren's 1972 mail-order only collection of Spanish strips. Titled, DRACULA, it oddly enough contained no strips with that name.
Issue #5 has a cover painted by Ron Cobb. It is from the U.S. FAMOUS MONSTERS #40 (August, 1966). Depicting poster art from the film HORROR HOTEL, and along with the accompanying article inside the issue, they are the only uses of content from the original issue.
Other material used that is similar with the U.S. version are a letters page, Cartas al "Monster Man", replete with Frazetta-illustrated title, and the Foto Misteriosa (Mystery Photo) department.
The issue contains what I believe to be non-stateside articles as well. There is a text story, Otono del 42 (The Autumn of '42), and a feature, El Malvado Intruso (The Intrusion of Evil), which, if my limited Spanish serves me well enough, discusses murder and death lurking in the shadows and dark places.
There is also coverage of the film, THE ALLLIGATOR PEOPLE.
[To be continued . . .]
