Scary Cute

Here's a neat little article over at Mark Dery's website that serves as an addendum to his 'Scary Cute' article from I.D. Magazine. In Mark's words: "Kaiju toys... are the coagulated essence of Japanese pop culture. Manufactured by companies such as Bandai and Toho, these collectible vinyl figurines are based on characters from the Japanese monster movies whose heyday was the late '50s and '60s, when tyrant lizards with conspicuous zippers ruled the earth (or, at least, the onscreen dream life of a nation trying to exorcize the post-traumatic specters of Hiroshima and Nagasaki). As well, they draw on Japanese ghost stories and folktales." And also? We love them.

The Eyes Seem To Follow You

...If you haven't seen Eddie Allen's transforming portraits yet, you're in for a real treat... Haunted Memories is pure genius! These black magic babies change from unremarkable antique phtographs into glimpses of hell itself as you walk by. Best of all is Mr. Allen's old school wit. Here's his description for the photos below... "Uncle Charles was not very well-liked by people. Isolated and bitter, by nightfall he was often found to be in a "rotten" mood..." and "Baby Bartholomew is a ravenous little chap. He is always ready for his feeding, no matter what time of day...or night!"

Happy Kukeri

It's about that time for the Bulgarian ritual of Kukeri, where participants dress in animal skin and fright masks to scare away evil spirits and ghosts... not at all unlike the western Hallowe'en festival. In the rural villages of Bulgaria, this is an important ritual, carried forward from the Thracians. They dance in the last days of winter, just before nature comes back to life... a prayer to the god of vegetation. The participants are male only, dressed in sheepskin garments and wearing scary masks and chanove (copper bells) on their belts, dancing and singing chants, with the intention of scaring away the evil spirits that are believed to come back to the world of the living in winter. It's a sexy little celebration... phallic, 'horned' dances performed within orgiastic rites, culminating in the final act of plowing and sowing in order to increase fertility. As recently as the end of the 19th century, the Kukeri was considered so important, so serious, that fights between two different Kukeri groups from neighboring villages often resulted in actual (as opposed to the traditionally ritualised) murders! Bulgaria has a very rich, unique folklore tradition... this site covers a little of it. I really dig the Vampir-platenik, the Bulgarian vampire that has no bones or flesh-- only of skin full of blood. In a modern book for children, it is described in the following picturesque way: "In the thorn-bushes near the graveyard a skin is squatting - with short legs, small claw feet, black holes instead of eyes, with a bony nose and iron teeth. The skin is full of blood, it is a vampire."

Schroud's Candy

Another atrocious Ad from the pages of ye olde BATS comic.

Bakemono A Go Go

I'm often spouting off about Shigeru Mizuki and Yokai on this blog, so I was very happy to discover this new site called Obakemono that promises to catalogue the multitude of Oni, Yokai, and other Bakemono from Japanese folklore... with lovely illustrations, too. The haunted utensils pictured above are called Tsukumogami, and are my favourites. The site also has a Mizuki tribute page... unsurprising in that the same guy ('Tengoo') maintains the previously blogged Mizuki Fan Club. For more background on Yokai and the like, check out Mangajin.

Bloody Baby Boomers

Doktor Von Kreep from over at 1313 just gave me a shrunken heads up about this wicked new offering from PPS called Monster Kid Home Movies. Here's a little of what good ol' Horror-wood has to say... "This little gem of a disc collects 30 -- count 'em, 30 -- homemade monster movies. These are short films made by kids for kids, in some instances by youngsters who went on to became famous... At their best, these shorts are surprisingly impressive. The early stop-motion animation films by future Disney animator Frank Dietz and the elaborate makeup effects and costumes created by future comic book artist Kerry Gammill are minor wonders. Tinnell’s teenage Frankenstein (1977) shows enough directorial imagination – such as the use of a James Whale-like subjective POV shot – to hint at his future career. But for my money the single most entertaining picture of the lot is Weaver’s action-packed Up for Grabs (1980), starring Weaver’s late brother, John, who dreamed of becoming a Hollywood stunt man." Boy oh boy! I honestly can't wait to get ahold of a copy... this is pure Monsterama madness, folks. Here's another review over at Bleeding Skull, as if you need any more convincing.

Show No Mercer

Children's book author and illustrator Mercer Mayer is no doubt best known for his cute Little Critter series for Golden Books that began in the late '70's and became a huge hit throughout the '80's. But for me, Mercer Mayer will forever be the author of one of my very favourite childhood books... the rare and precious One Monster After Another. This oversized hardcover from 1974 predates the simple quick-dash style of the 'Critter' books and is lush with texture and detail, a more elaborate style of ink and watercolour that Mercer has recently returned to. The story follows the adventures of Sally Anne's letter as it goes from the clutches of a 'Stamp-Collecting Trollusk' to the maw of a 'Letter-Eating Bombanat'and on to a 'Grumley', 'Ice-Ferg', 'Typhoonigator', and 'Yalapappus'... one monster after another... before reaching it's destination. Simple, and designed to showcase the bizarre creatures in creepy, silly, detail. You can tell that kids loved the book, and that teachers and parents hated it, because it costs a mint to get ahold of one of these out-of-print babies today! Did grown-ups' dislike the made-up words and lack of educational value? Or are they just skittish around monsters?-- Mercer's other 'cute' series for Golden, the Little Monster series, is also difficult to find these days (Little Monsters' teacher is the 'Grithix' from 'One Monster..', F.Y.I.). Anyway, it's a lost monster classic, right up there with Where The Wild Things Are, if you ask me.

Negadon Commeth!

Do you like old school Kaijuu like Godzilla and the other Japanese giant monster films from the '50's and '60's? Well lucky you! Look at this new independent 25-minute CGI short from Japan called NEGADON, THE MONSTER FROM MARS (directed by Jun Awazu at Studio Magara). That's right, folks... giant monster, giant robot, crazed scientist... just like the good ol' days! (Thanks to Cartoon Brew)

Sadistik Kriminal

Are psycho killers monsters? How about twisted killers who dress up as skeletons? I might be pressing a point, here, but it's my blog, and I've always had a soft spot for the French and Italian Super Criminals like Dr. Mabuse, Fantomas, and Diabolik. I'm especially fond of the sickos Kriminal and Satanik (both versions), who are pretty much the same character. Created in 1964 by Italians Max Bunker (alias Luciano Secchi) and Magnus (pseudonym of Roberto Raviola- considered one of the best Italian comic book artists of all time), Kriminal was a dark comic book 'hero' in the Diabolik tradition... even using the letter 'K' prominently, which became something of a trend. Kriminal was a big hit, not in any small way due to the amount of female skin and general kinkiness found it it's pages, and went quickly from the comics to the screen in two films in 1967 and 1968. In 1966, a new comics character appeared, and this time the stories were depicted with photos instead of illustrations. The new super-serial killer photo novel was called Killing in Italy and published simultaneously in France as Satanik. Kriminal obviously influenced editor Pietro Granelli when devising Killing, as the new character wore a black and white outfit adorned with a skeleton design and topped with a skull mask... a total ripoff. The new series stayed true to the established Italian costumed criminal genre as his comely companion Dana assisted Killing in outlandish intercontinental crime campaigns that resulted in soaring body counts. In fact, Killing/Satanik is considered to be the most violent and disturbing character in the genre, and was eventually banned in France. Apparently irked by the homage, Secchi and Magnus came up with their own character named Satanik for the Italian market... a disfigured woman who became beautiful and murderous through a potion. No seriously. There was even a movie in 1968. Uppers has a little more on the whole Italian/French super criminal phenomenon, if you're interested. But the really good news is that Mort Todd's Comic Fix is publishing English translations of the photo comic! Because Secchi and Magnus's characters Kriminal and Satanik are confused with the Killing/Satanik photo comics, the English version has the character redubbed as SADISTIK to avoid future misunderstandings. If you don't know Mort Todd (the word 'death' in French and German) take a cruise around the site... he's definately official Monsterama material, having been Editor-In-Chief of fiend-friendly Cracked Magazine, and co-creator (with Dan Clowes) of the fabulous Uggly Family.

Disgustingly Normal

More fun from the pages of the 1961/62 Archie comics series, Tales Calculated to Drive You BATS...

The Long Dark Train

Mr. Samuel Hiti is one of the best cartoonists working today, and his recent self-published work, El Largo Tren Oscuro is a quietly gorgeous and gruesome ride to Hell, and comes highly recommended by Monsterama.

Shrimpenstein Returns

Deadly Dan Goodsell (he of The Imaginary World) sent Monsterama a photo of this ultra rare Shrimpenstein! toy, knowing how much I dig the show. What can I say other than, "I gotta get me one of these!"? Now, if you aren't already familiar with Dan's Imaginary World site, you better pack your bags and get going. It's got a lot more than just monsters, but monsters it has! General Mills Cereal Monsters, Vintage Monster Make-Up, Monster Toys, Comics, and even a Darkride Catalogue. One of my very favourite places to visit, real or otherwise.

Go, Go, Weird-Ohs!

Monster (and Hot Rod) history was made back in 1963 when the Hawk Model Company unleashed the Weird-Ohs. The first 3 kits... Davey, Digger, and Daddy... were freaky little drag fiends, and they caught on like a plague! Toys, records, trading cards, and Hallowe'en masks were soon to follow, and the stange little twerps created by Bill Campbell have become lengendary in collectors circles. Bubblegum Fink! has a nice assortment of Weird-Oh baseball cards on display, which are really great to see all in one place. One thing you rarely see are nice examples of the finished, painted models. Cal Everett corrects this pop culture oversight by maintaining an amazing website chock full of fully painted monster kits, including all of the Weird-Ohs reissues. Tool around the site a bit while you're there... he's got some great Finks on display, and the photos of his basement had me drooling! You dig? There was an attempt at 'reviving' the Weird-Oh's as a CGI animated cartoon recently, and I only mention it to warn you away. Stick (and Sick!) with what works, I always say.

Aw, Bats!

Back in the 'golden age' of creep, even Archie Comics tried out some ghoulish ha-ha's. Though Tales Calculated To Drive You BATS only lasted seven issues (and one reprint special), and was a big, giant rip-off of 'Tales Calculated To Drive You MAD', I still think this is one lost gem of a comic series. I stumbled onto issue 6 (the one with the giant ape) on an American road trip over a decade ago, and was immediately smitten. The bulk of the artwork is by Orlando Busino, and the stuff is really teriffic... almost too cute in places, and decidedly gruesome elsewhere. As always, Fred Hembeck has some great insight over on his 'Fred Sez' blog..."An odd fact concerning BATS: while the rest of the four-color field was blatantly denied the use of vampires, werewolves and the undead due to the highly restrictive directives of the Comics Code Authority, BATS, no doubt due primarily to the obviously tongue in cheek manner in which they treated these otherwise undesirable characters, managed to get a pass and fill their pages with these hairy, toothsome, gauze-wrapped protagonists." Part of the charm, of course, is getting to see those classic Archie babes in weird, wild monster stories. Writer George Gladir, who would go on to co-create Sabrina the Teen-Age Witch (more on her later), was particularly adept at MAD style fake ad's and news with a monster twist. I plan to post samples here at Monsterama on a semi-regular basis. Trust me, the stuff is great!

Groh Your Own Monsters

Great stuff over at Blammo Blog, sketch home of Jason Groh.

Interview With Shigeru Mizuki

Sarudama offers some reviews of recent Yokai publications by my hero, Shigeru Mizuki. From the site: "Tsukimono Hyakkai - vol 1. This is just a classic example of my oft repeated assertion that Japan is SERIOUSLY FREAKY regarding the amount of (real) traditional superstition is has floating around its cultural core. I mean, just try looking for a humorous cartoon edition of by a Western author of an encyclopedia of spirits traditionally believed to latch onto unsuspecting folk. I lived in Japan a while and fairly absorbed its almost whimsical view of the supernatural, but I've now been back (in the US) long enough to get a little wide-eyed when translating some of these titles. To Japanese audiences, these titles are wholly inocuous and well-received but they still tend to jar me back into recognizing a considerable cultural divide regarding the supernatural." There is also a link to a nice little interview from the Japan Times discussing, amoung other things, his traumatic experiences during WWII... "There, he saw comrades killed in bombings and dying of diseases. Some also killed themsleves out of despair. Then when Mizuki himself contracted malaria and was hovering on the brink of death, his left arm was blown off in an air raid by the Allied forces and the stump soon became infested with maggots." Yuck. Also from the Times:"At age 82, Shigeru Mizuki is undoubtedly among the most popular -- and certainly one of the longest-standing -- cartoon artists in Japan. There is probably no Japanese adult who is not familiar with his name, or who has not at least glanced at the voluminous comics/animation series "Ge-ge-ge no Kitaro," for which he is best known."

Y'all Yeti For This?

Hey... is it just my imagination, or has the Yeti (a.k.a. The Abominable Snowman, Raksha, Alma, Meh-Teh, etc.) joined the ranks of the vampire and werewolf as a bona fide pop monster phenomenon? I mean, seriously... do you know anyone who's never heard of the Yeti? Any kids who don't know about the Bumble? And when did this happen? Abominable Snowmen like Hugo from the Bugs Bunny shorts were popular foils in many cartoons from the '50's and '60's. Felix the Cat fought one on TV, Tintin met one in the comics, and Rudolph and his friends famously de-fanged one in the perennial Christmas special. But it seems like it took awhile longer for the archetype to replace Bigfoot and become the ubiquitous 'Yeti' of pop culture as depicted by the likes of Tim Biskup and Jen Rarey. In any event, Monsterama loves them Yeti... mostly because they're always drawn so darn cute.