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An interview with Stan Lee, The Avengers' Diana Rigg and Patrick Macnee, some comics, part three of Christopher Lee's CoF interview, and a Farewell to Basil Rathbone are highlights in this issue 12 of Castle of Frankenstein. This is the first issue to also have a page width less than 8.5 inches.
Here's a Roswell-type alien to brighten your science fiction oriented Halloween. Box art on many costume boxes is quite a blast off, and this one provides a good example of how a simple retro feel can be good marketing (that is, bubble helmet, rocket backpack, and giant outer space bug against the more traditional men on the moon). Seller evsowinsk-O listed this on eBay.
Interesting gimmick to sell a Halloween costume. The Skull for this Ben Cooper design is good, but the costume lacks imagination, and the skull mask would have been more appealing if it matched the chest illustration. (Rallye340 listed this on eBay.)
Continue reading "Ben Cooper Chattermouth, The Skull
Halloween Costume" »
A Spock, Messiah book review, Leonard Nimoy's first role in Zombies of the Stratosphere, the NASA space shuttle, fan club guide, behind the convention scene, the Smithsonian gets involved, and a short guide and filmography to great science fiction movies is beaming down in this second issue of All About Star Trek Fan Clubs. I remember attending the ST conventions and having a lot of fun and late nights. Unlike the "sell" convention scene today, the 1970s was a fresh and exciting time to explore popular culture. Here's the comic book reader version: Download Star Trek Fan Clubs Issue 2
Continue reading "All About Star Trek Fan Clubs
No. 2, 1977" »
Just in case you want to be a rascally rabbit for Halloween, here's the Collegeville Bugs Bunny costume for you. (Listed by bidzilla! on eBay).
Continue reading "Collegeville Bugs Bunny Halloween Costume" »
For anyone who wants to release their inner Cinderella on Halloween night, Collegeville is here to grant your wish. But the glass slippers are not included. (Sly203 listed this on eBay.)
Continue reading "Collegeville Cinderella Halloween Costume" »
Bela Lugosi's tragic drug addiction is explored by Barry Brown in issue 10 of Castle of Frankenstein, and there are more interviews, with Christopher Lee and Lon Chaney JR. What's exciting about COF interviews is that they actually visit the interviewee. How old school! Adam West's Batman and the movie Rat Pfink and Boo Boo put in an appearance, and a beautiful centerfold photo from Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is ripe for being pulled out and taped up on a wall. Latest Film News also provides a wealth of information as usual. This copy comes from Professor Kinema's archive and here's the comic reader version for you: Download Castle of Frankenstein Issue 10
This is one of my favorite issues of COF. The cover is eye-catching, Boris Karloff is interviewed, and there's more to love. For instance, there is Stuart E. Samuels complaint in his Bat Mania article that there is too much camp in the Batman television show. We may scoff now, but he makes a good point about the longevity of "satire twice a week, every week, all year long." Then there's Robert C. Roman's (I'm not sure if any of these author names are legit, by the way) recognition of Laird Cregar, a horror actor who barely had a chance to reach stardom. Roman follows up with Victor Buono (King Tut on Batman), another stellar character actor. Outside the usual fare coverage continues with Judex (1963) and Fantomas, and Joe Dante makes some valid complaints about television horror. And...the too brief World of Science Fiction Fanzines is visited.
This copy courtesy of Professor Kinema. Here's the comic reader version: Download Castle of Frankenstein Issue 9
eBay seller bobocitas had this vintage (1928) Halloween Spookville table top paper decoration listed.
In issue 8 of Castle of Frankenstein, William K. Everson recounts the melancholic last days of Bela Lugosi, COF goes behind the scenes with Fu Manchu, and David McCallum's Outer Limits are explored. Makeup artist Roy Ashton is interviewed, a visit to Bray Studios is made, and in the Noose Reel, Joe Dante joins the fray to dish some dirt on why editing movies to fit time slots is stupid. Yes, boys and girls, way back when, network television would butcher the classics and the duds by cutting scenes to fit in more commercials or run in a shorter air time slot. Now that's a horror story right there. Completing this issue is Lin Carter's 1965: The Year in Horror-Fantasy Books.
This copy courtesy of Professor Kinema. Here's the comic book reader version: Download Castle of Frankenstein Issue 8
Seen on eBay: 24 Mars bars of candy and a Halloween mask. Perfect.
Die, Monster, Die receives a set visit, director Joseph E. Levine's 25,000 dollar monster for Hercules and the Princess of Troy gets some love, and for the first time, COF brings out the critics for Tomb of Ligeia to spark up the letters column. The European horror scene is covered by Mike Perry, along with a blurb on the "bizarre" Avengers television show, and an opinion on the Lugosi versus Lee Dracula appears with the usual misfiring analysis.
This copy courtesy of Professor Kinema. Here's the comic book reader version: Download Castle of Frankenstein Issue 7
