HEY, EVERYBODY! I'M IN BACK ISSUE MAGAZINE!

I've been a comic book fan for as long as I have been able to read, and probably even before that jus' lookin' at the pitchurs. Matter of fact, between Scholastic Book Services (thank you Sepulveda Elementary when the L.A. Unified School District was still functional as an educational institution) and the comic adventures of Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, and Jimmy Olsen (and, yes, Lois Lane, too!), and later Fantastic Four, Spider-Man and Thor, that's exactly how I learned to read after breezing through the Dick and Jane series.

I became such an adept reader that it was noticed by my elementary school teacher, who quickly put me to work tutoting other kids in my class who were lagging behind. Looking back at such a seemingly inconsequential event, I have now realized how HUGE of an accomplishment it was to be able to read so well as such an early age.

Being able to pick up the reading bug so soon also enabled me to easily read the text and captions of the first monster magazines I ever saw. Since then, it would be hard to fathom how many comics and magazine pages that I have introduced to my gray matter.

So far as comics go, I still read a few regularly, but I'm much more interested in the history of comics, especially from around the time that I was a kid. You see, when I was reading comics I had no idea that "Silver" and "Bronze"-age history was being made.

The publishers of the TwoMorrows imprint have lavished upon fandom some of the best comic magazines about comics that I've ever had the pleasure to read. Atop the heap is Roy Thomas' ALTER EGO, which not too long ago celebrated its hundreth issue.

A close runner-up is BACK ISSUE. Subtitled "The Retro Comics Experience", issue #52 was a special horror/mystery in the comics during the Bronze age issue and featured stories on many of the comics titles that are both well-known and a little more esoteric. I covered this Fall 2011 issue in a previous post.

I liked the issue so much, that I wrote them a letter to say so. I also added a bit of clarification to a section that talked about the Shock! TV package.

Well, sure enough, they've published my letter in their latest issue (#56), and it's a special AVENGERS issue, to boot!

Here is the contents and a few sample pages from BACK ISSUE #56. If you enjoy comics and comics history, I strongly recommend you check out these TwoMorrows guys!

AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!!!

Read More → HEY, EVERYBODY! I'M IN BACK ISSUE MAGAZINE!

BELA LUGOSI RISES TO TELL MORE "TALES"

The second issue of the acclaimed comic book title, BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE has at long last, been released. MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD received this press release regarding the premier of the book, as well as a companion publishing project, FLESH AND BLOOD:

(Los Angeles, CA) MONSTERVERSE (MV) premiered the second issue of its critically acclaimed "BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE" (cover by Academy Award winner RICK BAKER) at MONSTERPALOOZA (MPZ) in advance of its general release on May 2nd in comic shops everywhere.

Monsterpalooza was host to the West Coast's major horror event held at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel, April 13th-15th. "BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE" #2 was one of the highlights of MPZ for the horror creators and monster makers in Hollywood! Everyone from collector Bob Burns to director John Landis agreed the new issue was a spectacular addition to the Monsterverse line of books.

MONSTER MAN - CLEVE HALL of the hit SyFy make-up effects reality series is happy to show off his copy of "BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE" #2 during the MPZ 2012 festivities.

The Monsterverse Table along with the adjourning the Lugosi family table was a very popular spot at MPZ 2012. Many fans and pros were able to have their Lugosi comic signed by Bela Lugosi, Jr.

MV West Coast Editor Sam F. Park with director John Landis.

MV publisher Kerry Gammill at the table.

"BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE" #2 is a double-sized horror comic book that offers 52 "gore-geous" pages of freaky art and disturbing text and can be found at finer comic shops on Wednesday, May 2nd and for a mere $4.99. That's double the horror of other sorta-kinda-maybe scary comics (Use Diamond order # JAN121179 for back-ordering. Diamond Distribution will honor ALL re-orders.)

"BELA LUGOSI'S TALES FROM THE GRAVE" #2 includes work by Kerry Gammill, Neil Vokes, Mike Hoffman, Jack Herman, Sam Park, James Groman, Kamil (Kurt) Kochanski, Joe Freire, Mike Dubisch and more. Five new tales of freakish horror and blood-curdling terror and all twisted with black humor as delivered by the supreme horror icon, BELA LUGOSI!

Make-up artist Emma Jacobs shows off her BLTFTG #2.

GREMLINS and THE HOWLING director Joe Dante looks up from reading his BLTFTG #2 while at the TRAILERS FROM HELL table.

THE WALKING DEAD TV series's special make-up effects creator Howard Berger of KNB FX has his eyes glued to the latest issue of BLTFTG.

The beautiful Hammer horror actress Veronica Carlson of the epic terror film, DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, shows off her FLESH AND BLOOD graphic novel at MPZ 2012.

Famed horror artist DAN BRERETON provides the monster action for the cover of Volume 2 of FLESH AND BLOOD, the acclaimed horror graphic novel series from MONSTERVERSE (MV).

Vampires! A Werewolf! And Baron Frankenstein collide in the second book of the award-winning graphic novel series from Monsterverse!

Plus two back-up features! OPERATION: SATAN by Tinnell and artist Bob Hall and the new FRANKENSTEIN by Tinnell and Adrian Salmon. No graphic novel series delivers pure unadulterated horror entertainment like FLESH AND BLOOD!

FLESH AND BLOOD VOL. 2 arrives in May but tell your comic shop to order NOW with: Diamond order # MAR121120.

Read More → BELA LUGOSI RISES TO TELL MORE "TALES"

DEADTIME STORIES

[From HORRIFIC #6 (Comic Media, July 1953)]

Read More → DEADTIME STORIES

THE BLOODIEST PLACE IN THE WORLD!

[From Standard Comics' UNSEEN #12, Nov. 1953]

 

Read More → THE BLOODIEST PLACE IN THE WORLD!

HEY KIDS -- HORROR!

During the heyday of the 60's Monster Craze, the reigning King of Monster Magazines was the indomitable FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. There were numerous other 'zines that crowed the racks looking for a piece of the action, but FM was most kids' choice. I think it was due in large part to the luridly seductive covers, usually depicting the latest offering painted in high dynamic color by Basil Gogos, and the feeling of a "clubhouse" atmosphere provided by kid-friendly editor, Forrest J Ackerman.

Charlton Publications printed a wide variety of titles, from magazines to comic books. They were unique in that they owned their own printing plant in Derby, Connecticut. The trade-off was that they opted to use cheap paper and lower-quality printing techniques. Combined with the school of slapdash, get-it-on-the-stands method of design, the result often gave their publications a sort of "cheaper" overall appearance.

It didn't take a genius to see how quick FAMOUS MONSTERS was catching on. In 1961, Charlton entered the fray by introducing not one, but two monster magazine titles, MAD MONSTERS and HORROR MONSTERS. Published approximately on alternate months and each lasting for 10 issues, they paled in comparison to the better quality FM. Nevertheless, they had what I call a certain "rough charm" about them, and I recall them fondly as, if memory serves me right, they were the first monster magazines I ever laid eyes on, even before I saw my first issue of FM.

The Charlton monster titles were bolstered by the generosity of AIP's marketing department. Many issues featured AIP films where it was obvious that they had been the recipient of a thick promo pack of stills and pressbooks. They didn't however, have the same sense of comraderie that FM was so good at. Sporting ludicrous names such as Sanzar Quasitoad, the editorial and production staff remained hidden behind a curtain of anonymity that denied a young reader friendlier accessibility.

They were not, however, without their own methods of squeezing out every dime they could of a kid's allowance. The 'Monster Mailman" department was Charlton's version of Warren's Captain Company. They served up some of the usual novelties, masks, films, and the like. They also had the advantage of a wider range of publications from which to advertise their wares. For instance, their comic line offered some of the same monster paraphanelia as their flagship titles. One example can be seen in the April-May, 1966 issue of CAPT. ATOM (Vol. 2 No. 80). Here we see monster movie stills and iron-on transfers.

Many of these items have been lost to the sands (and the accompanying oxidation) of time. But one can't deny that during the day, there was no shortage of monster merchandise to be found!

Read More → HEY KIDS -- HORROR!

CREEPY NO. 7 SNEAK PEEK

DARK HORSE COMICS has released a cover image for their upcoming issue of CREEPY, and it's another beaut by Sanjulian. Below is the promo from their website.

"Hope your New Year's resolution was to be terrified, because Creepy is back to start 2012 with a scream! Featuring the latest from bone-chilling scribes Joe and Keith Lansdale, Christopher Taylor, and Dan Braun, this installment of the abominable anthology is sure to leave you shivering in the corner until next year!"

* 48 pages of the finest in illustrated horror!

* Featuring a classic reprint from the original Creepy!

Read More → CREEPY NO. 7 SNEAK PEEK

DO YOU LIKE YOUR HORROR IN BRONZE?

TWOMORROWS PUBLISHING has been in the business of chronicling comic book history as well as acting as a custodian in the conservation of comic art in general for a number of years now. A favorite regular read is Roy Thomas’ ALTER EGO magazine that has run past 100 issues now. Another in the line is BACK ISSUE. Both will feature horror comics once in while, and you can usually count on one or two around Halloween.

This year’s Fall BACK ISSUE (#52) is a gem. It showcases the Bronze Age (roughly the period between 1970 and 1985) mystery comics, with a focus on DC and Charlton titles.

The first article, written by Dewey Cassell is entitled Horror Hosts. Cassell explains the beginnings of the hosts on radio who introduced the week’s story and how they evolved into use by comics publishers to frame their anthology-style books with the intent of making them more accessible to readers who were used to “book-length” comic stories.

Another interesting read is a lengthy article that covers the inception and chronology of GHOSTS, one of a number of DC mystery comics titles, this one unique because it purportedly claimed to only publish stories that were true! There are interviews with Berni Wrightson and Sergio Aragones (I had forgotten that PLOP! was really a mystery title with humor, rather than the other way around). Even the oftentimes maligned Charlton line is covered, this time with a justifiable discussion of its often good and occasionally brilliant content, usually as a result of great artists like Steve Ditko and Tom Sutton. There are even a couple of articles featuring the "myserious" ladies: one about the history of Black Orchid and the other covers the career of Madame Xanadu.

I highly recommend TWOMORROWS books and periodicals. They are crammed to the brim with fascinating and informative material that you’d be hard-pressed to find from other sources. After all, we can’t forget that they were the brains behind the legendary special issue of COMIC BOOK ARTIST covering the Warren comics publications that later was expanded into THE WARREN COMPANION (both long out of print), of which -- insert shameless plug here -- yours truly was a contributor!

I offer here a few sample pages from BACK ISSUE #52. Please note that these are not scanned – they are from the samples available directly from the TWOMORROWS website. I suggest you click on over and check out the huge sale going on right now.

Read More → DO YOU LIKE YOUR HORROR IN BRONZE?

CITY OF THE LIVING DEADTIME STORIES

[From CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (No number, Avon Comics 1952)]

Read More → CITY OF THE LIVING DEADTIME STORIES

BEFORE UNCLE CREEPY'S LOATHSOME LORE

[From NIGHTMARE Vol. 1 No. 1 (Ziff-Davis Summer 1952)]
Art by Everett Raymond Kinstler

Read More → BEFORE UNCLE CREEPY'S LOATHSOME LORE

EVERETT RAYMOND KINSTLER - POE'S PIT AND THE PENDULUM

Everett Raymond Kinstler is one of the illustration world's great gifts. Besides his fantastic pulp, paperback, and comic book work, he has made a name for himself with his superb painting of portraits. His comic book illustration can be compared to Alex Raymond, Al Williamson, and Reed Crandall, but he is really in a class all his own. The Underwood Books retrospective, EVERETT RAYMOND KINSTLER The Artist's Journey Through Popular Culture 1942 - 1962, is not to be missed.

Here, Kinstler applies his masterful brush to Edgar Allan Poe's THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM in this story is from Ziff-Davis' NIGHTMARE Vol. 1 No. 2 Fall 1952 issue.

Read More → EVERETT RAYMOND KINSTLER - POE'S PIT AND THE PENDULUM