Universal Monsters Cavalcade of Horror

Reprinting old stories is nothing new, and sometimes the stories even come from a long time ago...

...so, take a look at this collection of classic Universal Monsters from Dark Horse, with the Universal Monsters: Cavalcade of Horror from January, 2006, with a cover by Eric Powell.

These stories all originated from their movies, and from a run of comics by Dark Horse in 1993.

Frankenstein

First up was the adaptation of Frankenstein in June, 1993, by Den Beauvais, which is an airbrushed piece, harkening back to the birth of Frankstein's Monster...


...reading this will make you feel "it's alive!"....



...or make you run out to see the original movie.

Creature From The Black Lagoon

Truly, the best of the Dark Horse adaptations, with adapted story by Steve Moncuse and art by Art Adams and Terry Austin, this tale came out in August, 1993...


...with action so real, you'll get wet when reading it....


...so remember to bring along your scuba gear so you can catch a breath reading of the Creature From the Black Lagoon!

Dracula

Straight from the wilds of Transylvania, the Count was adapted by writer Dan Vado and artist Jonathan D. Smith who painted the story of the world's most famous bloodsucker...

..giving deeply rich backgrounds to look at...

...making you feel like Dracula and want a drink of something as well after you read this adaptation from October, 1993!

The Mummy

Deep in the heart of a tomb in Egypt, the Mummy's movie was brought to life in November, 1993 by writer Dan Jolley and artist Tony Harris...

...this tale with keep you wrapped up in suspense...

...at least long enough to finish the tale.  

Sadly, the planned volume for the Wolfman never saw the light of the moon.

Universal’s Mutant Of The Opera

No, it’s not an addition to the X-Men to back up Dazzler, but instead, the latest series (#4) of Universal Monsters’ action figures to hit the shelves in time for Halloween!

The fourth series of Universal Monsters Retro-Style Action Figures is due out in October! The two new 8-inch, cloth-costume figures — inspired by the classic Mego figures of yesteryear — are of the Phantom of the Opera (as played by Lon Chaney) and the Metaluna Mutant from This Island Earth (as seen on Mystery Science Theater 3000).

The Phantom Of The Opera

The Phantom of the Opera was originally a novel by Gaston Leroux, and adapted as a silent movie in 1925 with Lon Chaney as Erik, the deformed Phantom, who haunts the Paris Opera house looking to make the woman he loves (Christine Daae…played  by Mary Philbin) a star…but things don’t go well for Erik.

She is given all by him, but is not suppose to look behind his mask.  Of course, that doesn’t go well….hence, his surprised look (which required extensive make-up at the time for star, Lon Chaney…quite painful as well…).

This movie has been remade a few times...and even been on Broadway...but, the classics are the best!

This Island Earth

The Metaluna Mutant is from the movie version of This Island Earth that came out in June 1955 as Universal was switching from the more gothic horror it had been known for to the science fiction based bug-eyed aliens invading Earth idea that became popular in the 1950s, and was their first in color, no less!  With Regis Parton as the mutant, he didn’t really have a lot to do in the movie, but he stole the show from alien Exeter (Jeff Morrow), Dr. Ruth Adams (Faith Domergue) and Dr. Cal Meacham (Rex Reason) who were helping to fight off the invasion of Metaluna by the evil Zagons (so, two intergalactic armies fighting it out, with Earth getting dragged in…sounds like the Kree-Skrull War…but it was first!).

Look for Dracula, the Mummy, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Wolfman, Frankenstein’s Monster and his Bride from previous series in stores now!

Arrgh!

For the life of me, I couldn’t think of anything to write. And it made me go…Arrgh!



And, Arrgh! was a 5 issue horror spoof comic from the Marvel Comics Group, and it ran from December 1974 to September 1975.

A Horror Spoof

Marie Severin drew the first couple of covers…Alfredo Alcala the third, Tom Sutton the fourth, and Ross Andru and Mike Esposito the fifth (who also did the interiors of #5…

...interior artists for some of the other issues included the early Justice League of America artist Mike Sekowsky and Sub-Marinerr creator, Bill Everett, as well as Tom Sutton, Howard Post, Joe Maneely and Jerry Grandenetti; some stories reprinted from the humor magazine of the 1950s, Crazy).

It was some light-hearted fun at the Universal Monsters' expense...

…and some goofy humor you could use to pass a slow afternoon…or fill a column when you have writer’s block, the scariest monster of them all!

So there, writer’s block....a little fun, and Halloween related as well!

Return of the Universal Monsters Action Figures

The classic Universal Monsters have been reincarnated in Mego-style, with series two release of Count Dracula and the Mummy called Imhotep for EMCE Toys Retro Cloth line. 

Eight inches with 14 points of articulation for all your classic Universal monster needs!

Following the success of series one, which had Frankenstein's Monster and the Wolfman...

here are two more creatures that go bump in the night!

Dracula

Dracula, premiered in the movies in 1931, with Bela Lugosi as the titular monster.  A vampire lord of some power who plans on expanding his evil influence past his small castle onto the greater society, he is undone by the end of this movie. 

The Dracula idea continues with Dracula’s Daughter in 1936 (with no Dracula), Son of Dracula in 1943 with Lon Chaney Jr. as Count Alucard (aka Dracula!), House of Frankenstein in 1944, House of Dracula in 1945 (in both Houses, John Carradine was Dracula), and Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein in 1948, only the second time Bela Lugosi played Dracula, and the last of Dracula before the Hammer Films of the 1950s and 1960s, which took advantage of color in films, especially the color red! 

Each of those later movies were deep in blood red...

The Mummy

The Mummy, premiered in the movies in 1932, played by Boris Karloff, and was an ancient Egyptian priest named Imhotep who was revived, and tried to bring back his Princess.  He wasn’t successful. 

This movie franchise did not have direct sequels, but instead spawned remakes early on…starting with The Mummy’s Hand in 1940, The Mummy’s Tomb in 1942, The Mummy’s Ghost in 1944 and The Mummy’s Curse in 1944 (all with Lon Chaney Jr as the Mummy, Kharis). 

Kharis returns in Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy in 1950, with Eddie Parker being the Mummy for this feature, which would be the last appearance of a classic, Universal Monster Mummy.

Future releases would be incredible, just to have versions of the Phantom of the Opera, the Invisible Man, the Bride of Frankenstein and even Dr. Jekyll’s alter-ego Mr. Hyde and the Creature from the Black Lagoon as well!

Monster Action Figures Are Universal

Two things were so far ahead of their time, that they are still important today.  Universal Monsters and Mego Toys.

Thankfully, these two things are still able to be enjoyed today with slightly more modern modifications.

The bestselling retro cloth line made its terrifying return in 2010 with the series one release of Universal Monsters action figures! Fans have waited for retro cloth figures of the true Universal Monsters for over 30 years. And here they are! Each sensational action figure stands 8-inches tall, with over 14 points of articulation and an authentically detailed cloth outfit. Scare some up for your collection...Frankenstein’s Monster and the Wolfman.

 

Frankenstein

Frankenstein’s Monster came alive in the movies with 1931 in Frankenstein, with Boris Karloff as the Monster.  Pieces of people animated by a scientist who wanted to show he had power over life and death, where the creature had more humanity than other people. 

Hugely successful, this inspired many a sequel, including Bride of Frankenstein from 1935, Son of Frankenstein in 1939 (both still with Boris Karloff as the Monster), the Ghost of Frankenstein in 1942 (with Lon Chaney Jr. as the Monster), Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman in 1943 (with Bela Lugosi as the Monster), House of Frankenstein in 1944, House of Dracula in 1945, and Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein in 1948, all with Glenn Strange as the Monster. 

Though not officially one of Universal’s monster movies, Young Frankenstein with Peter Boyle as the Monster, is a priceless gem written by comedic genius Mel Brooks in the Universal Monster style, including being in glorious black and white.

Wolfman

The Wolfman changed for the first time in 1941, with Lon Chaney Jr. as Larry Talbot, a man cursed to change into a wolf creature at the full moon.

Lon Chaney Jr. was also the Wolfman in all his sequel appearances under the Universal banner, including Frankenstein Meets The Wolfman in 1943, House of Frankenstein in 1944, House of Dracula in 1945, and Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein in 1948. 

The Wolfman was also revived, as was Frankenstein, Dracula and the Mummy, as part of Hammer horror films (starting with The Curse of Frankenstein in 1957, The Horror of Dracula in 1958, the Mummy in 1959 and the Curse of the Werewolf  in 1961, with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing being the notable actors in these productions, and took full advantage of color in the films, as well as later entries being…well, a little provocative and not for the children), and all four movie franchises enjoy some success today.

Let’s hope these retro-cloth figures continue, as it would be incredible to have versions of Dracula, the Mummy, the Phantom of the Opera, the Invisible Man, the Bride of Frankenstein and even Dr. Jekyll’s alter-ego Mr. Hyde and the Creature of the Black Lagoon as well!