Saturday, July 24, 2010

Moon Monster

Not strictly monster mag, or movie monster related, but the kind of thing that appeals to monster mag fans.

This classic ad was, no doubt, seen by every kid who read a comic book at the time. Commonly known as the Moon Monster ad, or more accurately, the Monster Fan Club ad. Another one of those ads that promised something amazing for only $1 (plus postage) and, once again, you didn't get a lifesize statue of a movie monster, or even some cheap Topstone masks. All you got was a pile of paper.

Thanks to prof. grewbeard for the scan of the badge!

Here's the ad, circa 1970.


















And here's your "Life size reproduction of a Movie Monster!" A 74" x 27" two piece poster, that does look a little bit like the demon in "Curse of the Demon".


















And your "12 4x5 glossy photos of your favorite monsters!" (And no, they're not glossy!)


















Your "Monster (or is it "Horror"?) Fan Club membership card and (1¼") badge!"



















Your "Official Club Bulletin" (featuring news of the 1968 Karloff film "The Crimson Cult").


















And lastly, your "Extra Bonus! 3 Monster Masks"




















































OK, who wants to spend a buck on a Giant "Life-Like" Frankenstein or Dracula?

18 comments:

  1. I'll take 'em all!

    What a classic ad. I know I never sent out the buck for it, but I must have seen that ad hundreds of times in my young comic/monster mag reading years.

    I really want those masks especially!

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  2. Mike C. wrote: "I really want those masks especially!"

    The paper ones, or the real ones?

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  3. Well, either! :-) Nah, the real ones. But I do love the pics.

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  4. it is one of the greatest regrets of my life(...)that i no longer have any of these items, EXCEPT for the membership badge! this was the first bit of monster memorabilia i ever owned, even before i discovered Famous Monsters, which was my first monster magazine. i have no idea what happened to the rest of it, which is strange because i have always kept track of my stuff, even when i was 10, which is when this ad appeared. if you like i can provide you with a scan of the badge, which is about as exciting to look at as the membership card, but i love it! needless to say, at the moment i am overwhelmed with cheap nostalgia...

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  5. Great post! I never got any of this stuff, but I did end up with the 6 foot Frankenstein and skeleton plastic poster thingys.

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  6. Mike C. wrote: "Nah, the real ones. But I do love the pics."

    You do realize that what you got when you joined the club was a picture of a mask? (I often get confused like this!)

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  7. prof. grewbeard wrote: "if you like i can provide you with a scan of the badge"

    I like! I like! Thank you! unifan2001@yahoo.com

    prof.: " . . at the moment i am overwhelmed with cheap nostalgia."

    Not so cheap anymore, though! :-)

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  8. Brian D. Horrorwitz wrote: ". . but I did end up with the 6 foot Frankenstein and skeleton . ."

    Cool! It's really hard to get any of this stuff, today.

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  9. "You do realize that what you got when you joined the club was a picture of a mask? (I often get confused like this!)"

    Hahaha! YES I know that (what am I, 'new'?). I was just saying that I'd rather (of course) have the real items than the pics, though I like the pics.

    Amazing what a buck *couldn't* get you in those days.

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  10. the scan of the badge is on it's way. the funny thing about it is, the ad says MONSTER fan club and the badge says HORROR fan club. i don't remember being disappointed about this, just confused...

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  11. Mike C. wrote: "YES I know that (what am I, 'new'?)."

    Sorry, Mike! I knew one of us was confused. Now I know it was me! :-)

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  12. Badge has been added to the post, Prof! Thanks!

    prof. grewbeard wrote: "the ad says MONSTER fan club and the badge says HORROR fan club."

    The card says HORROR, too. Guess they couldn't make up their minds?

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  13. That badge is really something! Almost sublime. Great addition to a great post.

    And as for confusion, jumbled minds think alike!

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  14. I would've loved that stuff whole heartedly as a kid. Even in the 80's.

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  15. Since it seems like it might reach a few like-minded folks, I thought I'd throw a link up to a Moon Monster tv spot that I posted on my site (along with printable downloads for nearly the entire Horror Fan Club kit!) -->

    http://jasonwillis.com/moonmonster

    (Heh, especially since I TOTALLY SWIPED the bulletin image off of Mike's great post here. Thanks Mike!)

    Hope you guys like it!

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  16. Thanks, Jason!

    The faux MM animated TV spot is amazing! Not to be missed!

    And get those downloads Recreate your own MM package, or just look at the pics on your computer. Great stuff!

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  17. Ordered this when I was a kid, started the club in my basement (only lasted one day) - hung the 6 foot moon beast poster on the wall directly in front of my bed .... needless to say couldn't sleep, scared the shit out of me !!

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  18. It's a relief to know that people have actually dug this up and put it on display, so modern day Monster Kids can see what used to stalk the comic book pages...

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