Trashy Garish Over-The-Top Envelope Pushin' Monster Magazines!

[horrorhunter]

As an add on I'll say that the Skywald actual comic books which are mostly western and jungle seem to be skyrocketing in asking price. I saw a couple today in higher grade asking almost 4x guide. Whether people actually get these crazy prices is an other matter but because they are HTF I guess sellers will always be pushing the envelope looking for collectors who don't research. I have almost all the Skywald westerns and admit that I paid for F+ copies what was almost 2x guide because that was really not that much $ wise at the time. The Heap comic is all over the place ranging from $10-30 for the same grade. Waiting for that P.T Barnumish sucker.

WL

I've noticed that as well, WL. The magazines really took off in popularity the last few years, and it seems to be a case of sellers jumping on the bandwagon regarding the Skywald brand. If buyers are patient they can probably still find the comics at fairly decent prices, but as time goes on those lower prices are getting fewer and further between. As is usually the case perception is reality, and time is the collector's enemy.

I had that Heap one shot when I was a monsteryoung'un and I still haven't replaced it. OOPS. I should take my own advice and get crackin'. 

[horrorhunter]

In 1973 Marvel took a shot at a digest size publication known as Haunt Of Horror. It was done in the style of the old pulps with text stories and a few illustrations. It featured excellent talent but only lasted two issues.

#1 sported a creepy cool cover by Gray Morrow.


#2 featured a great cover by Kelly Freas.

[horrorhunter]

The second incarnation of Marvel's Haunt Of Horror was a standard monster mag with mostly panel art stories and some text features. After the Exorcist there was money to be had exploiting demon possession, and Haunt Of Horror was Marvel's answer. It only ran five issues from 1974 through Jan. 1975. Most of the Marvel monster mags ended about this time. They had oversaturated the market and worn out their welcome, so they had to get the Devil out. 

[Mord]

Really lovin' this thread!

[horrorhunter]

More infamous Eerie Pubs.



Looks like someone dipped that corner in the pooper. Good thing it lives in it's own little bag. 








I was joking about the condition of that TT ish above, but that happened long before I bought it. I'm actually a little OCD about condition and always wash my hands before reading a comic or mag, and keep my collection in mylar bags with acid free boards in acid free boxes. Yes, I even store the crappy copies this way. A few years ago on a vacation to Florida I found a cool comic book store a few miles north of Clearwater on Highway 19 called Wonder Water. The store was divided into two sections- one was a comic store, and one sold bottled water. I know... weird, right. Anyhoo, I found a stack of Eerie Pubs, Stanleys, and Skywalds on the bottom shelf for a buck each! Needless to say I bought them all. Some were decent mid-grade copies, and some were low-grade like the one above (I think that ish came in that purchase). I've been buying all these things I could find for the last few years regardless of condition. If they were cheap and had a cover I bought 'em. Now sellers try to milk $5 out of the low grade ones, sometimes a lot more. I'm glad now I went on a buying blitz and wasn't too picky. Heck, some of those purchases were in high grade that I gave a buck or two for. Now high grade Eerie Pubs sell for $30-$50. Buy what you like and get it as often as possible. In future it may cost way more than can easily be afforded.

[horrorhunter]

In the early '60s a Famous Monsters competitor appeared called Fantastic Monsters Of The Films. It was a great monster mag with informative articles and big fold-out posters. It was by Ron Haydock, Paul Blaisdell, Jim Harmon, and #1 Monsterkid Bob Burns. Sadly, it only lasted seven issues in the rough and tumble world of monster magazine publishing. Here are mine.

[Hepcat]

More infamous Eerie Pubs.

That one features way better cover art than do the others.

[horrorhunter]

Here are some fairly scarce Bernie Wrightson fanzines.

First up we have Badtime Stories from 1972. It features several Wrightson stories that later found their way into various publications. It was advertised for years in The Monster Times back in the early '70s. The ad tagline was "It's all Wright, son!". I remember wanting to order one badly, but I could never scrape up the five bucks to do so. I hunted a copy of this thing for nearly thirty years in every convention, Comics Buyers Guide ad, and dealers catalog, I could find with no luck. Finally, I found this copy on eBay. It's not high grade, but it is a nice FN (6.0), and I'm glad I finally got my hands on a decent copy. If it weren't for eBay we collectors would be SOL on a lot of this stuff, and the stuff we would find would be outrageously expensive by now.

Pardon the annoying scanner shadow.


Badtime Stories back cover.



Berni Wrightson Checklist, circa 1974.



Berni Wrightson Treasury, circa 1975 (expanded checklist, interview, "Feed It" and "Limpstrel" stories, and illos) (#%*^!!! scanner shadow!)



Much more Wrightson stuff to come. Wrightson maniac here! 

[horrorhunter]

In '66-'67 another photo/text monster mag was published called Monster Mania. It was very good, but only lasted three issues (it must have been hell trying to publish these things back in the day). It was by Russ Jones and focused on Hammer.



Back cover of #1.


Spectacular Frazetta One Million Years B.C. wraparound cover for #2.






Back cover of #3.

[Wicked Lester]

Still groovin on these covers. Found this link I posted in a thread a while back. Thought someone would find it useful. I printed out a ton of these covers on postcard size kodak paper and have them all over the place and they make GREAT book marks.

http://www.empire-of-the-claw.com/Eeriepubs_html/covers.htm

[horrorhunter]

Still groovin on these covers. Found this link I posted in a thread a while back. Thought someone would find it useful. I printed out a ton of these covers on postcard size kodak paper and have them all over the place and they make GREAT book marks.

http://www.empire-of-the-claw.com/Eeriepubs_html/covers.htm

Thanks, WL. Much more to come from me for this thread. Hopefully some of the other UMA members will pitch in as well. I have a Warren collection that is all but complete and will probably post more of those in the Warren thread later on. Right now I'm just having a blast with the non-Warrens that don't get as much love as they should.

[apesman]

Thanks for this very cool thread. I have often seen these magazines at comic shops or shows and didn't give them their proper respect. I really like the artwork on these covers, but I'm sure my mom would not have approved on a lot of them! Heading to a comic show in an hour, so maybe I can branch out into this field of monster magazines. I have a handful of non FM's, and I really like the fold-out posters from Fantastic Monsters. If I find anything today, I will post later today or tomorrow.

[Hepcat]

The second incarnation of Marvel's Haunt Of Horror was a standard monster mag with mostly panel art stories and some text features.

Who did the cover art on the first three issues? The first one is particularly good.

[Hepcat]

I really like the artwork on these covers, but I'm sure my mom would not have approved on a lot of them!

Yes. Mothers tend to be like that.

[Wicked Lester]

Yes. Mothers tend to be like that.

Especially covers like this. I remember seeing this in the comic stand at the local grocery store when I was in 3rd grade and just HAD to snatch it up. I put in on the line face down hoping to snag it before my mom saw it. I lost track of which bag it was in when we got home and mom found it before I did. Needless to say she was both horrified and enraged. She yelled at me and made me tear it up right then and there. I can kinda see her point now but... Never got to read the gruesome stories inside.