Q & A WITH THE EDITOR OF SPACE MONSTERS MAGAZINE

Richard Gladman has a blog. He is a film festival organizer. He is also the Editor and Publisher of the latest in monster magazines from the UK that are taking over the world -- and perhaps the universe -- by storm. Mr. Gladman took a few minutes of his very busy schedule to answer a few questions posed to him by MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD.

MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD: Why SPACE MONSTERS and why now? Is the world ready? 

SPACE MONSTERS MAGAZINE: The name SPACE MONSTERS is a deliberate homage to FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND and other monster magazines of the sixties and seventies like MONSTER TIMES, QUASIMODO’S MONSTER MAGAZINE and HORROR MONSTERS. I realised that although there are many excellent magazines being published that deal with classic horror films, there doesn’t seem to be an equivalent magazine that focuses exclusively on classic science-fiction in movies and television. Is the world ready? Yes, of course – science-fiction has never been so popular and it’s only right that the classics are highlighted for older fans and a new, younger audience. 

MMW: Do you have a publishing background or are you a fan who felt compelled to “share the love” with the rest of the world (and please don’t tell us you have come from Arcturus to blow up the earth!)? 

SM: I don’t have a publishing background but have been obsessed with reading and collecting sci-fi, horror and fantasy film magazines since I was a kid. I write for several magazines including SHOCK HORROR MAGAZINE and WE BELONG DEAD and am also a UK correspondent for RUE MORGUE. I write about and promote monster magazines on my own websites including www.cyberschizoid.com and www.classichorrorcampaign. I may have plans for world domination but don’t intend to blow it up! 

MMW: You offer both a print and digital issue. Are you in it to cover either reader preferences or looking to eventually go with the one that sells more? 

SM: It’s purely a way of reaching different audiences and increasing sales overall. My own personal preference will always be for print – I don’t buy or read digital magazines as a rule although I do read Haunted: After Dark digital mag – but that’s because I write a column for them, Cyberschizoid’s Classic Horror Chronicles. 

MMW: It’s tough for an indie magazine to publish with any regularity. What are your goals for a publishing schedule? 

SM: I originally intended to publish three times per year – October, February and June but demand from readers, stores and advertisers has meant that SPACE MONSTERS will probably be quarterly. 

MMW: Are you looking to secure a stateside distributor? 

SM: We already have Stateside distribution through the excellent Scary Monsters Scare Store and the Classic Horror Campaign delivers worldwide if ordered direct but it would be nice to get it out to all the awesome horror and monster movie festivals in the U.S. 

MMW: You cover the cosmos as well as terra firma with your selection of monsters listed on the cover of the first issue. Will the focus be on monsters in/from space or the entire monster universe? 

SM: Definitely the entire monster universe, as long as there is a sci-fi link somewhere, no matter how tenuous! I want the magazine to cover all classic science-fiction films and television shows; we have a big piece on Frankenstein movies coming up since Frankenstein is essentially a science-fiction story. 

MMW: The cover art has a retro vibe. Is that the tone of the editorial content? 

SM: Yes it is. Our remit is to cover science-fiction and fantasy in movies and television from the silent era through to the mid-eighties. There will also be some coverage of monster movie magazines and comics and other related subjects. 

MMW: Who is on your staff – regular artists and writers or freelancers? 

SM: Both. SPACE MONSTERS has a couple of regular artists, Woody Welch and Ash Loydon and a collection of freelance writers. We also now have two new regular columnists; UK horror star Emily Booth is writing Emily Booth’s "B-Movie Boutique" where she reviews a different classic sci-fi film each issue. Journalist, artist and actor Billy Chainsaw will be contributing an original piece of artwork in the style of a movie poster along with a short review in his "Movie Massacre" column. 

MMW: Based on your new ‘zine and blog, you are obviously a lover of monster mags. When did you first get lured into the shadowy monster magazine underworld and what drew you to them? 

SM: As far as I remember, the first monster magazines I owned were HOUSE OF HAMMER and MONSTER MAG two UK magazines that are still very fondly remembered by British fans. FAMOUS MONSTERS wasn’t so readily available but I was aware of its existence and ordered several back-issues via mail-order. I also had copies of QUASIMODO’S MONSTER MAGAZINE and then started collecting STARLOG, STARBURST and FANGORIA. I was always been fascinated by horror, sci-fi and monster movies, TV shows and comics so monster movie magazines were the next step. 

MMW: Favourite magazine titles (besides SPACE MONSTERS!)? 

SM: My favourite magazines at the moment are THE DARKSIDE, MONSTER BASH and BEDABBLED! I also love WE BELONG DEAD and am currently getting into WENG’S CHOP which deals with obscure cult movies from around the world. Oh, and I grab VIDEO WATCHDOG when I can – so many great mags to choose from these days! My favourite publications of the past are HOUSE OF HAMMER, WORLD OF HORROR, MONSTER MAG and CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

MMW: Any films or books that fueled your fire for the genre and publishing? 

SM: When I was growing up I used to go to the cinema and watch all the latest monster movies up on the big screen – THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD, GIANT SPIDER INVASION, KING KONG (1977), AT THE EARTH’S CORE…they were a huge influence on me. I was also heavily influenced by the Alan Frank books Horror Movies and Monsters & Vampires, which drew me into the classic horror films of Universal, Hammer and Amicus which I used to watch on Saturday night television from an early age. 

MMW: What kind of creatures should we expect to see in future issues of SPACE MONSTERS? 

SM: As I mentioned earlier we’re preparing a big feature on the history of Frankenstein in the movies as well as articles on Hammer sci-fi movies like QUATERMASS and X – THE UNKNOWN. From television we’ll include DOCTOR WHO monsters (from the classic era), THE OUTER LIMITS, LOST IN SPACE and V. There will also be lots more coverage of GODZILLA and other Japanese monsters and a look at some of the worst classic monster movies ever! 

MMW: How do you go about putting an issue together? Can you talk about some of the steps that you take up to the finished product (image scanning hardware, page layout software, paste ups the old fashioned way, etc.)? 

SM: I actually have a designer, Steve Kirkham, who sorts out the technical side so I act more as a project manager - commissioning pieces, deciding what to include each issue, writing some of the articles and reviews myself and liaising with the various artists and writers every step of the way. I have an overall vision but this vision wouldn’t be made reality without the hard work and talent of this exceptional team of people.   

MMW: Any last words for the readers of MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD? 

SM: Keep on supporting your favourite classic horror, sci-fi and monster movie magazines! Spread the word about them, buy them for friends or family and try and introduce a young audience to these excellent publications from around the world. Oh, and keep reading this brilliant blog – MONSTER MAGAZINE WORLD is truly awesome! Finally, please grab yourself an issue of SPACE MONSTERS and let us know what you think and what you’d like to see in future issues. Remember folks, life is a creature feature

MMW: Thank you, Richard Gladman!

NOTE: If you want to buy a copy of SPACE MONSTERS magazine (you mean you haven't already?), just click the cover image on the sidebar to the right of this blogroll!