Scary Monsters!

I'm sad to hear the Dennis Druktenis has left Scary Monsters magazine after twenty-five years and one hundred issues.

I discovered this certain labor of love over a decade ago and began gathering up an issue here and there when I chanced upon them in certain stores -- not all places carried it. The bright and inviting Terry Beatty covers were a great draw, but the magazine was also attractive because of its non-glossy pages filled to over-flowing with images and words and more words about all sorts of horror flicks and monster movies. The ads had a vintage flavor and the whole package evoked  Forrey Ackerman's classic Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine which was a staple of monster fans many decades ago. Unlike other horror magazines on the newsstands overripe with gore on slick paper, Scary Monsters seemed to be about the word more than the picture even though the subject matter was pictures.

Here's a report done with Druktenis as the centennial issue approached. 


With issue one hundred Druktenis is hanging it up and the magazine has been sold to another firm in sunny California. Will it stay the same? No chance, because even if they wisely keep the format and the look, the love and care which Druktenis brought to this delight will not be there. Will it be worth checking out, likely so, but I don't expect it to be the same. The one hundred and first Scary Monsters is supposed to hit the stand this summer. If I see one, I'll give it a look.

Thanks Dennis and congratulations, it's been a hoot.

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