FAMOUS MONSTERS NO. 257: SNEEK PEEK

It was only a matter of time. Could it be true that, in the not too distant futurem you may be "thumbing" through your trove of vintage FAMOUS MONSTERS mags . . . and not experience the olfactory pleasure of the sweet smell of decaying ink on cheap paper? Instead of the tactile sense of fingertips on wood pulp, would there only be the clickity-clickity-click of fingers on a mouse button?

Phil Kim (Kong), the newest lord over the venerable world's first monster film magazine has introduced us monster lovers of all ages to the first issue of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND Digital. With the writing more on the wall than on the pages of a slowly shrinking print magazine market (although that's not entirely true for monster 'zines as you will see in a couple of days here at MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD), it makes sense to offer a digital copy. I'm happy . . . as long as there's still an FM I can pull off the magazine rack to thumb through. I guess I'm just a touchy-feely kinda guy.

The next issue of FM (#257) will be unveiled at the looming 2011 San Diego Comic Convention. Of course, there will be a special Rick Baker-painted "Convention Cover" with a special "Convention Sticker" on it to prove that it was one of the 500 purchased at the FM convention table. The rest of us poor, torch-carrying villagers will have to be happy with a Captain Company copy without the special sticker after the "Con" is over (no pun intended . . . heh! heh!).

I have to say that Mr. Baker has done a fine job of painting his cover version in the style of Gogos. But if you don't particularly go(gos) for the luridness of high contrast color schemes, then there's always another couple 'a covers to choose from. Seems like we'll never run out of covers to pick from.

Here's the straight dope from the most recent FM email newsletter:

"LOS ANGELES, July 13, 2011- COME ONE, COME ALL! Step right up and get your front row seat to history-in-the-making. FAMOUS MONSTERS promised that they would celebrate their one-year anniversary in a phantasmically ghoulish fashion. And now, we are proud to bring you the third and final cover for FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND #257 by none other than the master "Monster Maker" himself, RICK BAKER. Frankenstein's Monster brought to life once again by the 7-time Academy Award Winner. The cover accompanies part one of our interview with Mr. Baker, detailing how he went from almost poisoning himself in his bedroom while molding creaturous creations to becoming a real-life Dr. Frankenstein, unleashing walking, talking monsters upon the moviegoers-at-large. The first 500 issues will be sold as FM invades SAN DIEGO COMIC CON (July 20-24) this year at booth 1509 and will feature an exclusive foil SDCC sticker available nowhere but the big show itself. The VERY LIMITED additional issues without the sticker will be made available to the public beginning Monday, July 25, on a first-come/first-serve basis.

But wait, there's more! You axed for it, you got it. FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND is now going digital, taking the magazine "Beyond the page" as our dear Uncle Forry requested of us, available for MAC, PC, and iOS. Along with including all the articles and a complete set of covers for an issue, the digital version will also bring you additional articles, picture galleries, hyperlinks, interactive menus and table of contents, and video content such as exclusive interviews and FM productions, trailers, behind-the-scenes footage, and much, much more."

And, what of FM Digital? Here's a link to a preview on YUDU:


http://content.yudu.com/A1t0lv/FM257/resources/index.htm