The Return of the Son of Famous Monsters Strikes Back!

What better way to get this Blog rolling than with an announcement of absolutely monstrous and monumental proportions! How does "FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND IS COMING BACK!"
sound, o' mavens of monsterdom? It's true, the venerable movie monster magazine begun way back in 1958 is returning once more to a newsstand or bookstore near you! So, who's responsible for this? I could say that it's everybody who has ever read and coveted each and every issue of Uncle Forry's FM as it came off the presses (nearly) every month back in the halcyon days of monster mags. After all, I'd like to think it's because of critters like us that anyone could ever conceive of spending their hard-earned greenbacks (or retirement plan) to resurrect the magazine that refuses to die! But it takes someone with the drive, grit, vision, savvy, chutzpah, cojones -- well, you know what I'm getting at -- to pull it off for the rest of us.

   That man, and the mastermind behind this latest incarnation of said and aforementioned monster 'zine is none other than a fellow by the name of Philip Kim, who has, as Senior Editor, formed a partnership with established comics publisher, IDW (30 Days of Night). Looks like issue #251 will be hitting the stands this July (2010) after a pre-sale offering at the FAMOUS MONSTERS CONVENTION and an official release party at the SAN DIEGO COMIC CONVENTION. The all-new FM (although I think it would be a hilarious in-joke to include one of FJA's infamously numerous reprinted articles just for old time's sake) will be published on a quarterly basis and will be available through bookstores, comic shops and the official FM web page at Famous Monsters of Filmland.com.

   So, do you think I wax too effusively? Methinks not! You see, ever since the tiff between Ray Ferry, the former owner of the rights to the title, and Forrest J. Ackerman (a topic which I may or may not discuss on this Blog at some time), fans of FM have been waiting patiently for a more stable and reliable approach to the publishing of their favorite monster 'zine. And, who knows? This time, Mr. Kim might just be the person to do it. Hired to helm the editor in chief's chores is Michael Heisler, a man with industry experience from such hallowed places as Marvel Entertainment. Mr. Heisler was gracious enough to provide the cover image that you see at the beginning of this post along with the approval to use it. Thanks, Michael, you're tops! While it's not by Gogos, I'll definitely take the painted renderings of Richard Corben, one of my personal favorite illustrators who also happens to be a WARREN PUBLISHING alumnus from the Golden Age. As for the content of the magazine, it's planned to be "updated for a modern audience", but will still contain all the elements that made FM great in the first place.

   At the end of the day I have to admit, things do look promising, don't they? In the meantime, I'll be gnashing my canines and chomping at my rawhide chew toy in anticipation. Good luck, you guys . . . we're counting on you! Let's hope that the next issue of FM is truly the BEST ISSUE EVER!