Monster! #23: - The Zombified Issue Paperback – December 1, 2015

Huge 133 page issue that has a lot to recommend. From a detailed review of DR. BLOOD'S COFFIN (1960), some Mexi-monster movies and dozens of other reviews (I just saw RE-KILL and loved it!) and the little seen Schwarzenegger film MAGGIE (which needs to be seen for what it really is: not a horror film, but about keeping the family unit together under impossible circumstances); to the always-welcome Troy Howarth's breakdown on the many versions of Jess Franco's A VIRGIN AMONG THE LIVING DEAD (I was never a big Franco film, but Troy make me want to watch his films, a force I have been able to fight...so far); learning that both David A. Prior (SLEDGEHAMMER - 1983) and Mexican actor German A. Robles passed away; a comparison between the films THE GIANT CLAW (1957) and Q (1982); Part 2 on the making of the micro-budgeted FIRST MAN ON MARS (which I plan on buying when it comes out!); how STAR WARS wrecked Famous Monsters Of Filmland (so true; I stopped buying the magazine when every cover of FM and Starlog had STAR WARS on the cover); Tim Paxton's always welcomed reviews of Indian monster films (Where's the books, Tim?) and the always great Movie Checklist. My only problem is that Stephen R. Bissette's two-part article on Vernon Grant runs a few pages too long (and, in my opinion, ruined the cover of Issue #22). It's not that Bissette's article is not interesting, but there is such a thing as too much information (TMI). All in all, another 5-star issue. People, buy this zine. It's one of the very few where you actually learn something new every issue.

The article " A Monster is Loose!- in Tokyo " was an excellent analysis of the book " A Monster is Loose!-In Tokyo" by Vernon Grant, as well as all of the works of the late Vernon Grant of Cambridge, MA., whom Stephen Bissette credits as introducing "Kaiju" ( monster) to America. Thank you, Stephen, for this great story!

Talk about diversity! This issue of Monster! covers genre movies from the U.S., Canada, Japan, Mexico, India...you name it! Its like taking a horrific trip round the world from the comfort of your own dungeon! Highly recommended.

Another great issue! Keep up the great work. ZOMBIES rule

I is a zombie!!