DARK SHADOWS gets monster mashed

I thought it was interesting that Barnabas Collins made it to the cover of Mark Voger's new book, MONSTER MASH: THE CREEPY, KOOKY MONSTER CRAZE IN AMERICA. Sure, DARK SHADOWS was one of the major highlights of the "monster kid" era, but I've become accustomed of having writers overlook the show in favor of more mainstream fare.

As it happens, Jonathan Frid's mug on the book cover wasn't just a token gesture. TwoMorrow's Publishing has shared an except of MONSTER MASH, which reveals that "TV's Cool Ghoul" and his relatives are the subject of an extended chapter of the book! Frid, Kathryn Leigh Scott, David Selby and Lara Parker get their own chapters, as does the various merchandise and madness that surrounded the show.

Here's the boilerplate summary for MONSTER MASH:

Time-trip back to the frightening era of 1957-1972, when monsters infiltrated America in monster magazines, toys, games, trading cards, and comic books. This profusely illustrated full-color hardcover covers that creepy, kooky craze through features on Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, the #1 hit “Monster Mash,” Aurora’s model kits, TV shows (Shock Theatre, The Addams Family, The Munsters, and Dark Shadows), “Mars Attacks” trading cards, Eerie Publications, Planet of the Apes, and more! It features interviews with monster creators, publishers, and TV stars, with a Foreword by TV horror host Zacherley, the “Cool Ghoul.”

You can read a lengthy excerpt from MONSTER MASH below. The full book is available from Amazon HERE.