Dark Shadows over Germany

Henriette, representing the Collinsport Historical Society's branch in Berlin, has done a little digging on Germany's publication of the Marilyn Ross Dark Shadows novels, something I first mentioned in this post. As it turns out the Dark Shadows novels were released under a dime novel imprint with no formal connection to the television series. She sent me a link to a site with the covers to more than 400 books in the line, and I've posted the Dark Shadows-related covers at the bottom of this post.

Here's what she had to say:

Ross' novels were first published in the dime novel-series "Gaslicht" (means: Gaslight). Since 1974 the novels were published in the weekly dime novel-series "Vampir Horror Roman" (means: Vampire Horror Novel).

For all 10 of Ross' novels in the "Vampir Horror Roman" series see:

* 068 Der Vampir und die Tänzerin (translates roughly: "The vampire and the dancer")
- this is Ross': "Barnabas Collins and the Mysterious Ghost" from 1970
- published May1974; Cover: Carolus Adrianus Maria Thole
- this is the first novel from Ross in this series

* 211 Sein erstes Opfer (translates roughly: "His first victim")
- published February 1977; Cover: N. Lutohin
- this is the first official novel with the add-on "Barnabas der Vampir"

* 215 Das Blutfest auf den Klippen (translates roughly: "The bloody feast on the cliffs")
- this is Ross': "The Secret Of Barnabas Collins" from 1969
- published March 1977; Cover: N. Lutohin

* 219 Der Werwolf und die Hexe (translates roughly: "The werewolf and the witch")
- published 1977; Cover: N. Lutohin

* 223 Wenn der Totenvogel klagt (translates roughly: "When the deathbird/bird of death laments")
- published 1977; Cover: N. Lutohin

* 227 Die Gruft der Phantome (translates roughly: "The crypt of phantoms")
- published 1977; Cover: N. Lutohin
- the cover was later used for edition Nr. 93 of the John Sinclair-series (see: )

* 231 Der Blutgraf (translates roughly: "The bloody earl" or "The earl of blood")
- published 1977; Cover: N. Lutohin

* 238 Jagd auf Werwölfe (translates roughly: "Hunt for werewolves")
- published 1977; Cover: N. Lutohin

* 245 Die Geisterhöhle (translates roughly: "The cave of ghosts")
- published 1977; Cover: N. Lutohin
- the cover was later used for edition Nr. 7 of the "Grusel-Schocker"-series (these were horror dime novels)

* 253 Die Teufelsfrau von Collinwood (translates roughly: "The devil woman from Collinwood")
- published 1978; Cover: N. Lutohin

All the best from Berlin!
Henriette

Thanks for the info, Henriette! These books have largely been a mystery to Dark Shadows fans in America and it's fascinating to see how the concept has been translated for other markets.