If you are like me, WMD has a totally different meaning for you. Ever since I picked up issue #36 off a 10 cent rack back in 1979 (or thereabouts), I have been trying to complete a run of this title. I am far too young to have read the first Atlas monster cycle, and the reprint titles had just died off as I started my funnybook life. Luckily, these remained relatively inexpensive and the only real trick to collecting them was tracking them down. Along with other titles such as
Fear and
Monsters on the Prowl,
Where Monsters Dwell was a terrific place for discovering what was going on at Marvel before
Fantastic Four #1.
As an example, the fourth issue features fun stories with terrific artwork by Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby and even the great Reed Crandall. The real treat here, however, is a very atmospheric story about a deadly forest drawn by Paul Reinmann who shows that he can hang with the big boys as far as mood and storytelling are concerned. Another fine issue is #14, which is highlighted by a phenomenal cover by John Severin. The title story does drag a bit - at 13 pages. The other two stories are more enjoyable, possibly due to their brevity. With Kirby, Ditko and Heck, the reader is blessed with the triumvirate of Atlas monster makers. While much of the Kirby and Ditko stuff has an will be collected by Marvel, I don't think the rest of it will ever see the light of day so I'm happy to cling to my floppies, as it makes me happy to know that I'll always have some monsters dwelling in my basement.
If you are like me, WMD has a totally different meaning for you. Ever since I picked up issue #36 off a 10 cent rack back in 1979 (or thereabouts), I have been trying to complete a run of this title. I am far too young to have read the first Atlas monster cycle, and the reprint titles had just died off as I started my funnybook life. Luckily, these remained relatively inexpensive and the only real trick to collecting them was tracking them down. Along with other titles such as Fear and Monsters on the Prowl, Where Monsters Dwell was a terrific place for discovering what was going on at Marvel before Fantastic Four #1. 
As an example, the fourth issue features fun stories with terrific artwork by Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby and even the great Reed Crandall. The real treat here, however, is a very atmospheric story about a deadly forest drawn by Paul Reinmann who shows that he can hang with the big boys as far as mood and storytelling are concerned. Another fine issue is #14, which is highlighted by a phenomenal cover by John Severin. The title story does drag a bit - at 13 pages. The other two stories are more enjoyable, possibly due to their brevity. With Kirby, Ditko and Heck, the reader is blessed with the triumvirate of Atlas monster makers. While much of the Kirby and Ditko stuff has an will be collected by Marvel, I don't think the rest of it will ever see the light of day so I'm happy to cling to my floppies, as it makes me happy to know that I'll always have some monsters dwelling in my basement.
4 comments:
I too like the monster on the cover of #14 - it's kind of "Where the Wild Things Are" meets the Floronic Man.
I also love all those Marvel monster reprint books from the seventies -- and just this year I completed my collection of them! Yay!
Now I'm trying to buy all the great Masterworks reprints Marvel is putting out of Tales to Astonish, Tales of Suspense, Journey Into Mystery, Strange Tales, etc. -- as the money becomes available...
Don't forget Creatures on the Loose! I love these books too! I have always preferred Gorgilla on the cover of Where Creatures Roam #5 to the original brown Gorgilla of Tales to Astonish.
I grew up with all these great monster mags, and later on was able to buy all the originals, most of tem when they were dirt cheap! Marvel is reprinting all the original issues in their Masterworks line, and doing a fine job of it. Collect them all, along with these goodies!
Nick Caputo (my favorite monsters: Goom, Googam and Spragg, the Living Hill!)
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