MAIL-ORDER VAMPIRES!
Just this last week we received a letter of complaint from a fan, addressed to our Monster Market page. According to the letter, the fan sent in $12.00 for back issues of an occasionally published monster mag, over half a year ago.
Since then, he says, he received no magazines. He wrote a couple of letters to a mail-order house (whose name bears a cryptic similarity to the monster-pub’s title) and which purportedly sells the magazine’s back issues. He even sent a letter to them by registered mail, demanding an answer. The letter arrived, he said, but there was no answer.
Unfortunately, at press time we’ve been unable to get in touch with this fan for verification. If we are to actually “shed some lights on some of the vampires of our industry” as the Monster Market oath states, we need solid proof, such as a copy of a returned registered mail ticket, for starters. Although actual prosecution is the jurisdiction, legal and moral, of the Better Business Bureau, we do think unscrupulous mail-order monster-product swindles to be the reportage domain of The World’s Only Monster Newspaper … vulnerable to our fair comment.
MONSTER TIMES fans who’ve had bad experiences with mail-order houses, and have documentation of same are encouraged to send it in to us at THE MONSTER MARKET, P.O. Box 595, Old Chelsea Station, New York, New York, 10011. And we’ll see what we can do to dull those vampires’ fangs. There’s more at (ahem) stake than just their reputations!
We’re trying something new again. When will we ever cease? Our film book-like feature article this issue is about the career of the Creature From The Black Lagoon-as told by his own self.
Your monster newspaper is always looking for new methods of getting you the facts and fantasies of filmdom, even if we have to go straight to the seahorse’s mouth. You’ll blush at his escapades with Vampy Esther Williams!
We also dug up some interesting info on Humphrey Bogart’s ONLY monster/vampire film, THE RETURN OF DOCTOR X… which we nostalgically dub, “Slay It Again, Sam!”
And we’ve got:
The conclusion of Jeff Jones’ comic strip.
A review of Esquire Magazine’s Superheros of the Seventies.
And more … but what are you wasting time reading an editorial for, when there’s a contents list on your right, and all the good stuff inside …?
Chuck
THE MONSTER TIMES IS PRODUCED AND CREATED BY LARRY BRILL & LES WALDSTEIN. Editor: CHUCK MONAUGHTON Managing Editor: JOE BRANCATELLI Copy Editor: JOE KANE Associate Editors: ALLAN ASHERMAN, MARK FRANK, PHIL SEULING, STEVE VERTLIEB, JIM WNOROSKL Columnists: BILL FERET. DENNY O’NEIL, C.M. RICHARDS. Contributing Writers: GERRY GERANI, DAVID IZZO, D.A. LATIMER, ED NAHA, BUDDY WEISS, MARVIN WOLFMAN. Contributing Photographer: BARRY GLUTSKY West Coast Correspondent: LARRY WALDSTEIN European Correspondent: JESSICA CLERK Advertising Manager: LARRY BRILL. Contributing Artists: RICH BUCKLER, HOWARD CHAYKIN, ERNIE COLON, CARLOS GARZON, DAN GREEN, STEVE HICKMAN, JEFF JONES, MIKE KALUTA GRAY MORROW, PAUL NEARY, BILL NELSON, LARRY TODD, ALLAN WEISS, WENDY WENZEL, BERNI WRIGHTSON
2 MEMOIRS OF A LAGOON-CREATURE:
The reminiscences of a star-fish-man. Will success spoil a seaweed hunter?
6 TARZAN COMIX NEWS:
About the new TARZAN comic book, and an exclusive interview with editor-artist-writer Joe Kubert.
9 MONSTERS – A REVIEW:
a book that lists shriek achievements of the century!
11 STAR TREK CON REVISITED:
TMT looks back at the largest science fiction convention in history.
12 ESQUIRE GETS HIP:
Finally “Eskie” mag learns where it’s really at COMIX by horror artists Wrightson, Jones, Weiss, Reese, Smith & Ploog.
14 MUSHROOM MONSTERS:
Part III of a series. Will Joe Kane ever find a peaceful use for atomic energy “Bomb” films?
16 MONSTER-SIZED COLOR POSTER BONUS:
Palpitating pigments & horrifying hues embellish this creepish Creature centerfold featured for your weird wall.
18 “SLAY IT AGAIN, SAM!”:
Humphrey Bogart’s ONLY monster movie, THE RETURN OF DR. X. Was it ever bad medicine!
19 ROGER CORMAN VS EDGAR ALLEN POE:
Part II of a series. The only fight where a moviemaker killed an already dead author.
20 A GNAWING OBSESSION:
Finish of Jeff Jones’ comix vision of what ‘twould be if E.A. Poe wrote “Blondie”‘; Dagwood sandwiches ain’t the same!
24 MONSTER TIMES MARKET:
A product test record review of TALES OF TERROR. read by Nelson Olmstead. Poe ain’t the same since.
26 MONSTER TIMES TELETYPE:
Endless processions of inside news, clues, reviews, and grues-flashes to keep you insidiously informed.
THIS ISSUE’S COVER is the skillful brush wizardry N. Ominous, the fellow who unheralded, has contributed most of the enduring movie posters of the century. Called by the nickname “Anonymous” by his friends, business associates and admirers, quietly he goes right on, churning out masterpieces like our cover, which was taken from the press book of THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.
THE MONSTER TIMES, No.5, March 29, 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.