DESTINY DEMANDS:
Destiny has brought forth this first issue of The Monster Times, and the theme of the issue is Destiny at work. Hark work.
It takes a lot of back-hunching work to bring out a publishing sensation like The Monster Times – a tabloid monster newspaper of films, comics, fantasy and science fiction, news, reviews, previews and interviews – appearing every two weeks! But ol’ Destiny had a hand in it, and now we are the thankfully proud purveyors of the phenomenon.
The theme of Destiny is evident in our crypt-full of “firsts” as seen for instance in this first issue’s QUIZ:
Q: What did a fellow named “Max Terror” have to do with the first Vampire Film? (Page 4).
Q: Did you know that Dracula’s name was really “Irving?” (Page 5).
Q: Did you know the first Frankenstein monster had long hair? (Page 6).
Q: Who were the first blabbermouths to warn that people from the lost continent of Atlantis were secretly controlling us? (Page 11).
Q: What real-life 9-foot lizards inspired the first film appearance of King Kong? (Page 22).
Q: What 1936 film first accurately predicted World War Two, television and the atomic bomb? (Page 27).
Q: How often will The Monster Times be appearing on your newsstands? (see below).
…EVERY TWO WEEKS
Future issues of “MT” will theme themselves about Star Trek (next issue) Frankenstein, Flash Gordon, Werewolves, The War of the Worlds, Giant Bugs on the Munch, Edgar Rice Burroughs, the Ghastly and Great Horror Comics of the 1950’s, etc.
Plus a captivating cornucopia of creative creepish comix, pulsating posters, nerve-numbing news releases, freakish fan-happenings and wrenching reportage of general goings-on in the ever-expanding cantankerous cosmos of the 20th Century’s Popular Arts Renaissance.
INITIAL INSPIRATION:
“MT” – Monster Times! “MT” – Merely Terrific! “MT” – Morbidly Tasteful! “MT” – More Than Merely Timely, Mighty Topical, Modestly Trend-setting! For these are the best of times and the worst of times, these indeed quite are; THE MONSTER TIMES!
Destiny Demanded that The Monster Times came to be-And you, dear reader, have helped us fulfill our destiny by buying our premier issue. See you in two weeks!
“MT” – Many Thanks! Chuck
CHUCK A. McNAUGHTON: Almighty Editor. JOE KANE: Managing Editor. ALLAN ASHERMAN, PHIL SEULING, STEVE VERTLIEB: Associate Editors. BRILL AND WALDSTEIN: Art Direction. BILL FERET, DENNY O’NEIL, C.M. RICHARDS: Columnists. ALLAN ASHERMAN, JESSICA CLERK, DAVE IZZO, DEAN ALPHEOUS LATIMER, ED NAHA, C.M. RICHARDS, STEVE VERTLIEB, JIM WNOROSKI: Contributing Writers. JACK JACKSON: Contributing Photographer. LARRY WALDSTEIN: West Coast Correspondent. JESSICA CLERK: European Correspondent. RICH BUCKLER, ERNIE COLON, CARLOS GARZON, DAN GREEN, STEVE HICKMAN, JIMMY JANES, JEFF JONES, MIKE KALUTA, GRAY MORROW, B.B. SAMS, LARRY TODD, BERNIE WRIGHTSON: Contributing Artists
THE MEN WHO SAVED KING KONG from the cutting-room floor – page 1
NOSFERATU: the first Vampyr – but not the last! – page 3
DER GOLEM: Mud, sweat & tears that made Czechs bounce – page 6
BUCK ROGERS: His rockets roared thru a vacuum of space! – page 9
THE MONSTER MARKET: Is the Wolfman better than George Washington? – page 15
MONSTER TIMES POSTER BONUS! Frankenstein, by Berni Wrightson – page 16
THE GHOULS, A BOOK REVIEW: of Ghouls, by Ghouls and for $7.95 – page 18
MUSHROOM MONSTERS: An MT series on the ’50’s bomb Bomb movies – page 19
NOSFERATU, A GRAPHIC INTERPRETATION: Special comic strip treatment – page 20
THINGS TO COME: The most prophetic film ever made – page 22
MY TELETYPE & CON CALENDAR: Reviews, previews and news of fan conventions – page 18
MONSTER FAN FAIR: Where you can advertise for monsters and comix – page 31
Our premier cover has been specially rendered by ace science fiction illustrator and syndicated cartoonist (Big Ben Bolt), Gray Morrow. Gray found time away from his prolific chores to prepare this fantastic mini-poster of King Kong for our first issue.
THE MONSTER TIMES, No. 1 January 26, 1972, published every two weeks by The Monster Times Publishing Company. P.O. Box 595, Old Chelsea Station, New York, N.Y. 10011. Subscriptions in U.S.A.: $ 6.00 for 13 issues, outside U.S.A.: $10.00 for 26 issues. Second class mail privileges authorized at New York, N.Y. and at additional mailing offices. Contributions are invited provided return postage is enclosed; however, no responsibility can be accepted for unsolicited material. Entire contents copyrighted (c) 1972, by The Monster Times Publishing company. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Subscriber change of address; give 8 weeks notice. Send an address imprint from recent issue or state exactly how label is addressed.
Printed in U.S.A.