Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
***
It's true. In the mid-1970s, the world's most famous resident of Notre Dame had a dramatic career shift and, with the backing of Mayfair Publications, launched his very own journal dedicated to monsters.
Of course, I only know this for one reason.
Dumb luck.
That's because, while researching my Marvel UK post for the first week of April, I accidentally came across the front cover I've reproduced to the top left of this post.
And I recognised it at once.
For, dear reader, I once owned that magazine.
The strange thing, though, is that, up until that moment, I'd totally forgotten I did.
I had, however, remembered reading its articles, which covered such subjects as Space: 1999, the films of Roger Corman and the story of Lon Chaney Junior.
How could I have forgotten the existence of these books?
I've no idea.
Especially as, if we played our cards right, we could have won the cover paintings. Although, to be honest, I'm not sure I'd want the one for issue #6 which isn't great.
I must confess it's a bit of a cheat to post this in a slot dedicated to the most forgettable comics I've ever owned, as Quasimodo's Monster Magazine wasn't a comic, although later issues did feature a seeming plethora of comic strips.
But I have nowhere else to put it. So, here it shall reside, remembered, at last, as it deserves to be.
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10 comments:
Steve, here’s your Comics Connection:
According to an article at the SF Encyclopedia, QUASIMODO’S MONSTER MAGAZINE was edited by Tony Tallarico who, under that name and sometimes as ‘Tony Williamsune’, drew a number of comics for Charlton (pre-Ditko BLUE BEETLE), Warren (CREEPY and EERIE) and Dell (the notoriously bad Superhero versions of DRACULA andFRANKENSTEIN, as well as two issues featuring LOBO, the first African-American Comics hero).
There are scans of several complete issues of QUASIMODO’s at the Zombo’s Closet blog, including #4, with Jimmy Cagney playing Lon Chaney playing Quasimodo himself on the cover.
b.t.
Quasimodo's Monster Mag - what a brilliant title, eh? - is a new one on me Steve, so thanks for broadening my cultural horizons.
Reading #4 over at Zombo's Closet - yeah, thanks to you too b.t. - I see as well as features on Space 1999, Roger Corman and Lon Chaney Jr, theres an interview with actor Doug McClure, who I recall from such movies as The Land That Time Forgot, and a piece on that very film, a "spectacular" (it says here) in which no expense was spared.
"In other films of this kind, the prehistoric monsters are usually models animated through stop-go processes of photography [but the fx team] preferred to build their monsters full size... to increase the realism."
How could you possibly have forgotten reading such a publication?
The comic strip Wolfman really is complete sh*t though.
-sean
Thanks for the Zombo heads-up, bt.
Sean, I'd fondly remembered every single one of those articles. I'd just forgotten where I'd read them.
What would Victor Hugo think? Such a profound literary character as Quasimodo reduced to a carnival barker… a freak show….
It makes Charlie sad.
I feel the need to announce that, five hours ago, someone posted the best ever spam comment I've ever seen on this site.
Its opening line went as follows:
"I have finally stumbled across a legit and genuine voodoo man, the person of Dr [name redacted by SDC] who helped me kill my neighbor."
I'll certainly bear that recommendation in mind.
It also featured the line, "Thank you Dr [name redacted by SDC] for not disappointing me like the others I contacted before."
Yes, that doctor sounds like a regular treasure...
Steve - for the next "readers choice" I will ask us to relay encounters involving voodoo.
Oh that's such a blast from the past. I had totally forgotten about this magazine until I saw this cover and then the horror of it all came back, it wasn't very good. I had one issue that had Dracula in the cover and I can confirm it had a ( terrible) comic strip in it.
Steve, that spam comment sounds really creepy!
Steve, I've never heard of this magazine, but it looks like great fun!
That depiction of Quasimodo reminds me of those old Aurora models I used to see in stores when I was a little kid, when my mom dragged me and my brother around when she was shopping. Anybody remember those? "The Forgotten Prisoner of Castlemare." Like that.
That cover looks just like the Hunchback of Notre Dame model. Google it! It's horrible!
I never had one of those models as a kid. I was jumpy as hell already and I don't think I woulda slept very well with Dracula or the Frankenstein monster looking at me all night.
I sure used to stare at them when I saw 'em in the store, though.
I always thought something was going to get me in the night.
Much better now, though. (ahem)
M.P.
MP, I do believe the model kit and the magazine cover were both based on a still from Lon Chaney's 1923 version of the story.
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