MONSTER WORLD NO. 8 (PART 1)

MONSTER WORLD
Vol. 1 No. 8
May 1966
Editor: Forrest J Ackerman
Cover: Ron Cobb
Pages: 68

Despite featuring a trio of what most Monsterologists today consider corny films, this is another above average issue of MONSTER WORLD. Sporting an unsettling cover by Ron Cobb depicting Dr. X in his synthetic skin, the early horror flick is featured as a filmbook. Also memorable (in 1966) was a pair of photographs that look like 35mm frame blow-ups of Dr. Waldman about to be throttled by the monster in FRANKENSTEIN. The banner reads: "Shown for the first time in 35 years". Who are we to argue?

Included in this issue are short articles on THE GOLEM and apes in the Tarzan movies. The three "corny" films, JESSE JAMES MEETS FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER, BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA and THE DAY THE WORLD ENDED are all treated by editor Ackerman as evenly as he did with any other film that he covered and had a handful of studio promotional stills to share with his slavering readership.

Bill Obbagy's TERROR TALK column reveals a couple of interesting factoids for Monsterologists: The outer space vampire movie starring Florence Marley that was currently in production was originally titled, VELANA THE VAMPIRE, but was changed to its release title, QUEEN OF BLOOD. It had also been titled PLANET OF VAMPIRES and FLIGHT TO A FAR PLANET during various periods of its production. Also mentioned was a possible paperback adaptation by Charles Neutzel (which ended up being published and now commands high dollars).

Also of note in TERROR TALK was mention of Boris Karloff's spouse finally going to one of his movies. Mrs. Karloff amusingly states: "I simply couldn't take him seriously as a ghoul or a monster or a mad scientist, knowing that he wouldn't hurt a mouse!"