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Monster Mag

Monster Mag was a poster magazine. Unfolded, the mag had a 24" x 36" poster on one side. The reverse side contained the (1-3 page) articles on eight magazine size pages. Posters were usually a color photo from a Hammer film. 


Published by Top Sellers, Monster Mag was originally edited by Roger Cook, with his wife Jan taking over after the first few issues. It was originally priced at 15p, with the final issues selling for twice that.


The articles were mostly reviews / previews of the then current horror movies (Hammer Films, "The Exorcist", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Planet of the Apes", etc.), or short career articles of popular horror stars. Some non-movie "horror" content was also featured. Contributors included Tise Vahimagi, John Brosnan and Barrie Pattison. A "Monster Mag Double X Issue" was advertised in no. 17, but never appeared. All issues of Monster Mag are hard to find in excellent condition.

 

Because of it's graphic content, Monster Mag carried an "Adults Only" lable.  Upon it's arrival from the foreign printers, the English language edition of Monster Mag no. 2 was seized by "Her Majesty's Customs and Excise" and all copies were destroyed. European editions of no. 2 survive and most of the material in no. 2 was recycled in later issues. 

 

The size of the magazine varied considerably during the initial run. The early issues were an oversized 24.5cm x 33.5cm (approx), promising a poster that was ‘over 2 feet by 3 feet’ on the cover. ‘Paper costs’ (according to the issue 11 editorial) saw the size drop to under A4 for a few issues before increasing  – but not to the original size – again with No.11.

Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help

Number 1 (1973)

Credits

Year - 1973

Price - 15p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featuring: Ghoul Gallery. Mutations. Christopher Lee. Lon Chaney. Planet of the Apes. Realism in Horror.

Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help

Number 2 (1973)

Credits

Year - 1973

Price - 15p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Deemed unsuitable to an all-age market due its provocative images, the entire English language print run of the British film magazine Monster Mag was destroyed by HM Customs & Excise back in 1973, which resulted in the German and French editions becoming highly sought after.

Number 3 (1973)

Credits

Year - 1973

Price - 20p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Unknown

Number 4 (1973)

Credits

Year - 1973

Price - 20p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Unknown

Number 5 (1973)

Credits

Year - 1973

Price - 20p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Unknown

Number 6 (1973)

Credits

Year - 1973

Price - 20p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Unknown

Number 7 (1973)

Credits

Year - 1973

Price - 20p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Unknown

Number 8 (1973)

Credits

Year - 1973

Price - 25p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Unknown

Number 9 (1974)

Credits

Year - 1974

Price - 25p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Satanic Torture

Backroom Horror

Horror Express

Vampyres

Christopher Lee Photo File

Claws of Lorelei

Number 10 (1974)

Credits

Year - 1974

Price - 25p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Thank you to Daren Bradley For Providing The Scans

Featured:

When Dinosaurs Ruled The World

The Creeping Flesh

Star Trek-kers

Photo File on Vincent Price

Outer Limits

Number 11 (1974)

Credits

Year - 1974

Price - 25p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Thank you to Daren Bradley For Providing The Scans

Featured:

Mutations

Superbeast

The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires

M.M's Blood Bank

Home Made Horror

Number 12 (1974)

Credits

Year - 1974

Price - 25p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Unknown

Number 13 (1974)

Credits

Year - 1974

Price - 25p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Featured:

Unknown

Do Not Have Can You Help
Do Not Have Can You Help

Number 14 (1974)

Credits

Year - 1974

Price - 25p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Final Issue in the first series

 

Featured:

Unknown

The magazine was cancelled after issue 14, but revived in 1976 with Dez Skinn at the helm, practicing for the upcoming House of Hammer. The three issues produced by Skinn (numbered as Vol. 2. No. 1 – 3) placed more emphasis on text, with contributions from John Brosnan and Barrie Pattison amongst others, and so had a great deal more substance, if a little less blood. This is despite one of the eight content pages now being given over to an editorial and adverts for back issues. The exception to this might be the final issue, which also has a full page ad for the new House of Hammer and two pages of photos from Scars of Dracula. This issue also tantalisingly advertised a “Double X” issue, to be devoted to Euro horror. But Skinn’s involvement with House of Horror meant that this was quickly forgotten. Skinn also varied the poster format, using two images (rather less satisfying than one when pinned to the bedroom wall) and a reproduction of the 1958 Hammer Dracula poster in issue 2/2.

Volume 2 - Number 1 (1976)

Credits

Year - 1976

Price - 30p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Thank you to Daren Bradley For Providing The Scans

Featured:

Horror Around The World

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Frightmare

The Exorcist

It's Alive

Volume 2 - Number 2 (1976)

Credits

Year - 1976

Price - 30p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Thank you to Daren Bradley For Providing The Scans

Featured:

Deathline

Vampire Circus

Special Effects Look At: Blood and Bullets

Volume 2 - Number 3 (1976)

Credits

Year - 1976

Price - 30p

Publisher - Top Sellers 

Thank you to Daren Bradley For Providing The Scans

Featured:

Legend of the Werewolf

Christopher Lee in Scars Of Dracula

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