Tuesday, May 5, 2015

MFTV #34---The Final Issue!

While it's much later than planned, the time has finally come to reveal the contents and covers for the final issue of Monsters from the Vault. The issue was initially set to premiere at Monster Bash in June 2015, but due to a couple of medical setbacks that required both me and my wife to have surgery, the issue will now premiere at Monster Bash on the weekend of July 8-10, 2016 (much later than I had planned). First, the issue is going to be huge (over 200-plus pages). Second, the issue will have 5 cover variants. Because of the size and cover variants, plus my desire to not rack up a HUGE printing bill for my final issue, I've decided to go the print-on-demand route through Amazon's CreateSpace. This will enable readers to choose which cover they want, whether it be one, all, or somewhere in between. However, no matter which cover(s) you choose for the front, the other covers will be shown smaller on the back cover of that issue. I know this is not the preferred way to go for many of you (nor for me), but it’s the best option at this time. I've been monitoring the quality of Amazon's product, and it's GREATLY improved over the past few years. Also, the final price is not yet set in stone (even though the covers show $19.98), but it most likely will be in the $20 range (plus shipping, unless you get free shipping through Amazon Prime or your order exceeds $35, which also gets you free shipping). So how do you get the final issue? For the majority, through Amazon.com. I've decided not to stock a large amount, or to deal with packing up and shipping a ton of copies. This has always been the worst part of the job for me, so I’m going to leave the dirty work to Amazon. However, I will have copies for sale (of all cover variants) at the October Bash, and at future Bashes or any other conventions where I'm a vendor, but you won't be able to order it directly from me. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY FUNDS DIRECTLY TO ME AS THEY WILL BE RETURNED! If you have a subscription that's still current, I’ll contact you via mail in January or February 2016 about the final issue and any refund you may be owed. At this time, it's uncertain as to whether copies will be sold to Diamond Comics for comic book shop distribution or to various online sources (Creepy Classics, Scary Monsters, Creature Features, Oldies.com, Hemlock Books in the U.K., etc.). More on this, and when the issue will be available for preorder on Amazon, will be posted here and on my Web site and blog as the publication date gets closer.

That's enough rambling from me—let's move on to what you really care about, Monsters from the Vault #34!

The Contents
(Subject to Transformation)

  • ONE HELL OF A RIDE!: The Monsters from the Vault Story by Jim Clatterbaugh & Marian Owens
  • THE MAGAZINE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING by David Colton
  • THE CENSORSHIP SAGA AND STUDIO POLITICS OF BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN by Greg Mank
  • THE 10 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I LEARNED FROM CLASSIC HORROR FILMS by Steve Kronenberg
  • THE LITTLE FELLOW WHO CRIED WOLFMAN…AND DRACULA…AND THE MONSTER by John Stell
  • A TALE OF THREE YGORS by Frank J. Dello Stritto
  • MONSTER FIGHTERS' OFFSPRING: Her Father Fought the Creature and Her Mom Met the Wolf Man, The Daughter of Richard Denning and Evelyn Ankers Tells All! Interview by Tom Weaver
  • OF LOBOS AND HOMBRES: Mexican Werewolf Cinema, 1958-1976 by Bryan Senn
  • ATOMIC GOTHIC: Horror Movies Didn't Die in the 1950s, They Went Into Disguise by Mark Clark
  • THE CAT CREEPS (1930) WHILE THE CANARY SLEEPS by Gary Rhodes
  • THE HUMAN MONSTERS OF PARAMOUNT by Steven Thornton
  • OUR READERS AND CONTRIBUTORS SPEAK!: Recollections and Remembrances of Monsters from the Vault
  • FILMS FROM THE VAULT
  • BOOKS FROM THE VAULT
    The Covers
    (Slight Tweaking May Occur)

Michael Kronenberg Variant
Joe "Sorko" Schovitz Variant
Daniel R. Horne Variant
Kerry Gammill Variant
Manuel Sanjulian Variant
Sample Back Cover


I look forward to bringing you “The Best in Classic Horror” one more time, and I appreciate everyone’s contributions and support over the past 20 years. Monsters from the Vault, All Classic, All the Time!