1974: MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES Issue 1 (Marvel/ Curtis)

From June 1974: the debut issue of Marvel's MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES magazine, an obvious me-to attempt to cash in on the ongoing success of Jim Warren's FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND.

The magazine boasted colour covers with black & white interiors on the cheapest possible paper, ideally unsuited for reproducing movie stills with any clarity. It was published under the Curtis rather than Marvel brand. The brand was finally phased out circa 1980, by which point Marvel only occasionally dabbled into the magazine realm. 

Despite the long running success of the Warren book, Marvel couldn't make this one stick and they pulled the plug, in 1975, after a mere eight issues. The title bounced back one final time with an annual (AKA issue nine), boasting a great Spock cover, which I've posted previously.

Although the interiors are underwhelming, and don't feature any comics material, the covers are universally gorgeous: supplied by Luis Domingquez and Bob Larkin (with Gray Morrow stepping in for the annual). 

1975: STAR TREK in MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES ANNUAL 1 (Marvel)

From 1975: Forget the Bullpen's post TMP venture into the TREKverse... This is (unless you know different) the first time that STAR TREK appeared on the cover of a Marvel publication. 

MONSTERS OF THE MOVIES, published under the Curtis Magazines masthead, was another interation of the FAMOUS MONSTERS formula. Although this claims to be an annual (essential a regular magazine but with a bolstered page count rather than the hardback stocking stuffer that Brits know and love), the small print inside reveals its actually the ninth issue of the regular mag. 

There's no comic strips inside but there is, as the cover announces, a new Nimoy interview. 

The production standards seem painfully old fashioned and this type of magazine would soon be overtaken by the likes of STARLOG, STARBURST and the next generation of genre titles.