MY FAMOUS MONSTERS 34

FAMOUS MONSTERS #80 was the issue that followed FAMOUS MONSTERS #69. What? Huh? How did that happen? Where are issues numbers #70-79?

Forry had an answer for the change in issue numbering. In the mid-'60s, Warren Publishing produced ten issues of MONSTER WORLD magazine (also edited by Forry) which was a companion horror film mag to FM. MONSTER WORLD was essentially FAMOUS MONSTERS. There was no difference whatsoever in the editorial content in terms of articles and photos. So Forry figured that since those ten issues of MONSTER WORLD were really issues of FAMOUS MONSTERS, they should be incorporated into the overall FAMOUS MONSTERS run and counted as issues #70-79. It makes sense (sorta) and it doesn't make sense (sorta). I've always suspected that it was a cheap and easy way to get FAMOUS MONSTERS closer to issue #100, which would be a very big deal in terms of longevity for a monster movie magazine.

FAMOUS MONSTERS #80 features a still from BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES, the sequel to PLANET OF THE APES. Oddly enough, the original POTA had never been cover featured in FM and this issue marks the first cover for the franchise. (Note: the misspelling of "sequal" on the cover). Also featured are BLOOD OF FRANKENSTEIN and Bela Lugosi in CHANDU.