CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN NO. 11 (PART 1)

CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN
Vol. 3 No. 3 (Whole #11)
1967
Gothic Castle Publishing Company
Our Founder: Charles Foster Kane
Executive Editor and Publisher: Calvin T. Beck
Associate Publisher: Helen Beck
Editor and Designer: Bhob Stewart
European Editor: Mike Parry
Consulting Editor: William K. Everson
Production Assistant: Larry Hama
Cover: Photo Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
Pages: 68
Cover Price: 35 cents

Another cover ruined by 60's TV! Publisher Beck had an opportunity to use the lead article for this issue of CoF for the cover image, which could have ended up being iconic. Instead he chose to emblazon it with a picture of STAR TREK's Mr. Spock. The decision makes sense, however. The space series was becoming popular and building a loyal fan base. Gothic horror was subservient to science fiction at the time, and was a revived theme from the pulp digests of the 1950s.

Gripes aside, this is a solid issue of CoF. After the lead story on STAR TREK (which admittedly does focus the pics on the show's monsters), is the second part of a long interview with Christopher Lee. Then, CoF visits legendary Bray studios where they share what's in store for the latest Hammer films. Following is a critique of EYES WITHOUT A FACE (U.S. title THE HORROR CHAMBER OF DR. FAUSTUS) by Donald Phelps which is the type that gave CoF its reputation as a more intellectual monster 'zine than others at the time. We are even treated by a still from THE BRIDES OF FU MANCHU showing bare-breasted woman, punctuating CoF's adult sophistication (or titillation). There is a profile of comic book artist, Jim Steranko, as well as the usual news and reviews, with a number of photos not seen in other monster mags.