While taking a recent look at my collection of homemade monster magazines, I was sad to see that many of them are deteriorating rather considerably. And it's no wonder; I used cheap typewriter paper, rubber cement and most of the pictures that I used were originally printed on pulp newsprint. Even the ink from my trusty Adler portable typewriter is gradually fading. Even with a little image manipulation, it's not within my capability to correct the bleed-through on these pages without spending tons of time on them.
This is the next to last issue that I made of what I think was a pretty good 23-issue run of MONSTERS MAGAZINE. It was done sometime in 1970, and since I mention the new season of TV shows, my guess it was sometime during the Fall.
I still have a few of these 50+-year-old little treasures left, and I'll be posting them as I get them scanned and archived in the vaults here at the Mysterious Mansion.
NOTE: These pages have been reproduced at their original 8 1/2" x 11" size, so if you click on an image, it'll be easier to read the text.
ABOUT THE COVER: At the time, my crush on Raquel Welch knew no bounds and this drawing I did of her I'm sure was originally traced. Oh, and I bet you can't guess where I swiped the logo from!
I'll be the first to admit I was no Harry Chester, but I was trying to improve the look of my 'zine from totally amateurish to a quasi-competent fanzine and started to pay more attention to my page designs. Notice I even used some color marking pens! Don't forget to check out my freakishly adolescent comment about the cover. But, hey, at the time, I meant it!
I can't remember why I didn't include the letter writer's name on this missive. I might have even written it myself!
Four text-only pages in a row, and right after I said in my editorial that I would remain a pictorial magazine!
My 4th Annual Monster Awards for 1968-1969 didn't try to disguise the fact that I was a gorilla-sized PLANET OF THE APES fan during this period.
Outside of King Kong and Godzilla, Gorgo is my favorite "giant monster", and show Mama and Baby some love here. These pages were ripped and clipped out of an issue of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND. Fortunately, I had enough allowance money to buy two copies!
I added this after watching DEVIL BAT on one of the L.A. Horror Host programs. A little hokey today, but it creeped me out then!
The LOS ANGELES TIMES was always a good source for clippings.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME!
Great Stuff! I made my own comics, but it never occurred to me to make my own monster mags. Love the Gorgo coverage.
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, I came across a few of my homemade comics from back then. I was fanatical about super-heroes and WWI aircraft, mainly due to The Blue Max movie. Pretty rudimentary, but they were a blast to draw!
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