FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND — Issue No. 55 — May 1969

Travel with me back to the spring of 1969, when monster magazines ruled the newsstands and every issue of Famous Monsters of Filmland felt like opening a doorway into another world. Issue No. 55, released in May of that unforgettable year, stands tall as one of the wildest and most energetic editions from the Warren era. With its unforgettable cover—an enormous serpent rising from the swamp, jaws wide, heroes tiny in comparison—this issue captures everything fans loved about FM: imagination, adventure, and a whole lot of monstrous fun.

Inside its pages, readers were greeted by an entire universe of thrills. The lead feature, Land of the Giants, brings oversized adventure to life with exclusive photos and behind-the-scenes insights. The beloved gallery Animals, Creatures & Things celebrates everything strange and scaly, furry and fearsome. And towering above the rest is a massive 18-page FILMBOOK tribute to Lon Chaney’s legendary portrayal of The Hunchback of Notre Dame—a heartfelt salute to one of the greatest makeup transformations in cinema history.

The fun doesn’t stop there. FM #55 dishes out eerie quote challenges in Son of Mystery Lines, classic thrills in Dracula 2000, and a touching tribute in Master Monster-Maker Mourned. Plus, readers got early production stills from Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, The Illustrated Man, and the earliest glimpses of prehistoric action from the film that would become Gwangi.

Whether you’re a collector, a lifelong fan, or discovering these treasures for the first time, this issue is a time capsule of monster-kid magic. Join me as I explore every page, every creature, and every nostalgic thrill packed into this unforgettable classic.

Grigsby Digital Home Studio — celebrating the monsters that made us