CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES NO. 2 REVIEWED

CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES
Vol. 1 No. 2
Spring 2016
Stripey Media Ltd.
Editor: Nige Burton
Cover art: Ron Whittaker
Pages: 68

If you are in the mood for a nostalgic walk down Monster Memory Lane, then Nige Burton's CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES just might be what you're looking for. The latest entry in the print monster magazine market is one heckuva nice looking publication. Subtitled, "Rediscover Your Favourite Monsters", editor Burton has served up an attractive, thoughtful, and -- dare I say it -- sophisticated magazine from the whimsically-sounding Stripey Media Ltd. in the UK.

Owing a good deal to the assistance of designer Greg White, CMOM is visually striking for an indie 'zine (there is no barcode indicating mass market distribution). Compared to even commercially-published monster magazines, the quality of printing is excellent. While not as sharp as the reproductions seen in, say, Jim Clatterbaugh's MONSTERS FROM THE VAULT, the photos are nevertheless beautifully presented, and are near-optimum in quality. Surpassing even MFTV, though, are vibrant color images that are used generously throughout.

And the content? Well, what you get here is a mix between U.S. and UK horror genres, no one eclipsing the other, and melding into a well-rounded representation of both. The writing is cogent and succinct, and never over-indulgent, which is more than I can say for other writers who inflate their articles with unnecessary subjectivity. In short, what the reader can expect is a straightforward narrative that is both entertaining and informative, with a focus of historical perspective on each topic that is covered (hence, the meaning of the magazine's subtitle).

The second issue features articles on Universal's Mummy cycle, Bela Lugosi's acting ability versus his main competitor, Boris Karloff, an overview of the life and career of "Hollywood's Maddest Doctor", Lionel Atwill, the making of Hammer's FRANKENSTEIN, and 1950s science-fiction monster movies. Also included is editor Burton's reminiscence of his life-long love of monster magazines. And why not? What better way to explain the reason behind the creation of this latest, enthusiastically-recommended (from this reviewer's perspective) monster magazine?

Click HERE for information about ordering CLASSIC MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES.