Famous Monsters & Fantastic Monsters Fan Club Items

[Jim Bertges]

Here I am once again sharing some paper items given to me by my good friend Mark Wolf. I am showing them here prior to offering them on Ebay (see Monsters For Sale for details).

First up is one of the oddest and arguably rarest of Monster Fan Club items, from the Fan Club for the Paul Blasdell and Bob Burns publication Fantastic Monsters a 4 page fanzine called "Fright" which is called "The Official Publication of the Fantastic Monsters Club" . Plus the official Club membership card which is festooned with Paul Blasdell art featuring his famous creations.





Next is the certificate and membership letter from the Famous Monsters Fan Club as well as the official membership card.




Now, aside from these being very interesting oddities, they are filled out by Mark Wolf. And shy is that of interest you may ask? Well, Mark lived in Iowa as a young lad and was a great fan of Ray Harryhausen, Jim Danforth and Willis O'Brien. When he moved to Los Angeles he became a respected special effects artist with his own company called Wizard Works; he became friends with his boyhood idols, Ray Harryhausen and Jim Danforth as well as Darlyene O'Brien (Willis O'Brien's widow0. He also contributed numerous articles to genre film magazines such as Cinefantastique and Close-Up. He worked on many films with Roger Corman, produced Slave Girls From Beyond Infinity and created special effects for a film close to my heart, Demonwarp. So, to my mind this provenance makes them doubly interesting.

[Mike Scott]

Cool club items!

I remember reading Mark' articles in CFQ and Close-Up. Still have all those issues!

[Hepcat]

First up is one of the oddest and arguably rarest of Monster Fan Club items, from the Fan Club for the Paul Blasdell and Bob Burns publication Fantastic Monsters a 4 page fanzine called "Fright" which is called "The Official Publication of the Fantastic Monsters Club" . Plus the official Club membership card which is festooned with Paul Blasdell art featuring his famous creations.

And this would be from what year?

[Jim Bertges]

And this would be from what year?

The Fantastic Monsters items are not dated, but the Famous Monsters items date from 1964, so I'm guessing early to mid 60s for the others as well.

[Mike Scott]

And this would be from what year?

Fantastic Monsters' 7 issues were published in 1962 and 1963.

[horrorhunter]

Jim was kind enough to work with me on these items and gave me a good deal since I purchased both groups of items. I'm really excited to own these cool pieces of monster mag history, especially the Fantastic Monsters Fan Club Membership Card- that thing's beautiful! Jim's a great guy to deal with. Thanks again, Jim.

I'm a little surprised nobody beat me to them. You don't see monster stuff at this level of historical importance, rarity, and just sheer coolness very often. These things will stay in my collection till I expire (and afterwards if that haunting thing works). 

[Jim Bertges]

Jim was kind enough to work with me on these items and gave me a good deal since I purchased both groups of items. I'm really excited to own these cool pieces of monster mag history, especially the Fantastic Monsters Fan Club Membership Card- that thing's beautiful! Jim's a great guy to deal with. Thanks again, Jim.

I'm a little surprised nobody beat me to them. You don't see monster stuff at this level of historical importance, rarity, and just sheer coolness very often. These things will stay in my collection till I expire (and afterwards if that haunting thing works). 

Thank you! It's good to know these pieces are going to someone who is so enthusiastic about them.