More Dell Monster Superheroes!

In the mid 1960s, seemingly every comic book publisher rushed to take advantage of Batmania and get some superheroes on the stands, regardless of whether or not they had any experience in that genre. One of the more bizarre attempts was Dell Comics' FRANKENSTEIN, DRACULA, and WEREWOLF, superhero / superspy versions of classic monsters made famous by Universal Studios. This series of faux-comic book covers (detail from an installment of Prince Street News in BACK ISSUE! #116) speculates as to what it might have looked like if Dell took on a few more characters from the classic horror oeuvre, The Bride of Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Invisible Man, and the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Comic Characters' Favorite Scary Movies

First I let you know what comic book and cartoon characters liked to listen to, then I gave hints on some of their favorite drinks, now I'm letting in on what some of their favorite scary movies might be! Again, some of them are obvious (depending on your level of geekdom), some less so. If any truly stump you, either GTS, or leave a comment below, I'll try to answer it.
This is a detail from the Monster Mash episode of Prince Street News as seen in BACK ISSUE! #115.

The She-Hulk Creature

Detail from the MONSTER MASH episode of PRINCE STREET NEWS from BACK ISSUE! #116, adapting the poster from the 1956 sci-fi movie, THE SHE-CREATURE to feature Marvel Comics' She-Hulk.

Cat People (Comic Book Version)

Detail from the MONSTER MASH episode of PRINCE STREET NEWS from BACK ISSUE! #116, adapting the poster from the 1942 classic, CAT PEOPLE to feature a host of feline comic book characters.

Night of the Living Dead (Comic Book Version)

Detail from the MONSTER MASH episode of PRINCE STREET NEWS from BACK ISSUE! #116, adapting the poster from George Romero's classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD to feature a host of departed comic book characters, including The Spectre, Spawn, Kid Eternity, Solomon Grundy, and more.

Prince Street News: Monster Mash!

I think my favorite issues of BACK ISSUE! are the annual Halloween editions. They certainly are the most fun for which to do Prince Street News. For this year's issue (#116, available now!), the theme is Superheroes vs. Monsters, something which happened a lot in the Bronze Age, as the Comics Code relaxed to allow vampires, ghouls, and zombies once again (take THAT, Wertham!).

This 31st installment of PSN is a mish-mash of monster / superhero themed gags, so I really had no choice but to call it "Monster Mash." Right? I mean, I know it's obvious and overused and that song is really annoying, but COME ON, WHAT ELSE WAS I GOING TO DO?!?!?

The movie poster parodies should be (mostly) obvious, while some of the jokes in the "Comic Characters' Favorite Scary Movies" segment might take a minute (as with my "Comic Characters' Favorite Musical Artists" strips). As for the Dell Comics covers, if you're unfamiliar with that publisher's Silver Age attempts to make superheroes out of Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolfman (or, Werewolf, the comic's vernacular), you are missing out on some campy goodness, my friends. Might I suggest you pick up Michael Eury's ridiculously entertaining HERO-A-GO-GO, which highlights these books and much more goofy and glorious pop culture of the Camp Era.

Next up in PSN: THE REPLACEMENTS! (No, it has nothing to do with football)