GROTESQUES & ARABESQUES: MONSTER MAGAZINE DESIGN

It's not hard to see that the actual content of monster magazines does not really vary much. Grab a handful of any combination of issues and you'll see that coverage differs somewhat from 'zine to 'zine, but you'll also notice that most all of them, vintage and current titles alike, have a contents page, letters page, advertising section, etc., that contain much of the same material just like any other kind of magazine. However, what makes them different are how the topics are covered, such as the selection of the types of movies that are chosen (classic, B-Horror, etc.).

What makes a monster magazine distinctive from another, and in some cases, unique, is not just having the usual contents page, etc., it's the style of the design that's used that gives each title its own character and identity. In this series I will show various pages from different monster mag titles to illustrate just this point.

Starting things off is a random selection of "Monster Mail Call", from FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #32. The title heading sports one of Jack Davis' trademark comic monster illustrations that he is so well known for. What made the FM letter col so cool back in the day is that editor Forry Ackerman used this section of the magazine as a showcase for fans and often dedicated entire issues to selected lucky readers. The thought that if you sent in just the right letter or provided just the right type of picture (and maybe some even begged or pleaded!) only added to the excitement and anticipation of waiting between each issue. You will also notice that this issue is dedicated to a certain young man that grew up to be quite the writer himself!