Classic Monsters Annual 2024 Magazine

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Filled with glorious celebrations of classic horror cinema from every corner of the genre, the Classic Monsters Annual 2024 is a cavalcade of creeps that belongs in every horror fan’s collection, and is only available from Classic Monsters!

We’re proud to present the Classic Monsters Annual 2024, another high-end jaunt into the wide-reaching world of vintage horror cinema that shines new light on familiar monsters alongside some lesser-celebrated chills. Within its 84 pages of all-new content – unlike some other annuals, nothing here is recycled – you’ll discover why Classic Monsters publications have such an ardent following.

Our combination of timeless design, absorbing articles and beautifully restored stills is sure to delight Monster Kids of all ages, recapturing the sense of discovery from the first time these movies screamed into your awareness. Printed to A4 size (210mm x 297mm) in perfect square-bound format, with a luxurious matt laminated cover, it’s a high-end addition to your horror movie magazine library.

The first stop in the Classic Monsters Annual 2024 is, of course, the evocative and dramatic cover art by renowned artist John Febonio, whose striking likenesses of horror’s most revered characters lead you straight into the action. In our lead feature, editor Nige Burton presides over a rather cultured face-off, as we look at the differing portrayals of the Phantom of the Opera brought to us by Universal and Hammer. Which iteration was closest to Gaston Leroux’s literary original? Which mask was the best? Who was the most talented, and the most terrifying? From Lon Chaney’s skull-faced icon through to Claude Rains’ tortured composer and Herbert Lom’s sorrowful taskmaster, we check out the recurring themes in each of the movie Phantoms from these two studios, as well as their striking differences. It’s an engaging dive into horror that makes the Classic Monsters Annual 2024 such an essential for your collection.

Next up, Jamie Jones captures the essence of Classic Monsters, crossing between the worlds of the iconic and the niche with a look at the movies that took horror titans Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff away from the roles for which they were best known. Whether as voodoo masters, devil worshipping sadists or all manner of assorted mysterious maniacs, Lugosi and Karloff showed that they had plenty more to offer horror fans than Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster, and cinema was all the richer for it. Whether it was for low-budget studios or for the industry’s heavy hitters, these movies ran the gamut of quality and ambition, but the presence of these two figureheads was always a mark of familiar class.

However, there are other ways to get into the spirit of spookiness, as David Huckvale shows with a trip into the countryside and the eerie allure of folk horror. Packed with haunting imagery and a primal sense of vulnerability, this ever-beguiling subgenre is ripe with nightmarish happenings and a pervasive sense of the otherworldly, infused with cruelty and madness. This moody, informative part of the Classic Monsters Annual 2024 shows how movies like Witchfinder General and The Wicker Man helped popularise folk horror, but you’ll soon see that its influence stretches further afield, so head out into the sickly lushness of the fields and let the nightmares engulf you.

Of course, we all know part of the appeal of horror movies is the sheer variety of what’s on offer, and the Classic Monsters Annual 2024 reflects this with a look at one of the most populous ages in the horror genre. In an exploration of the highlights of horror movies from the fifties, Nige Burton examines the most memorable monsters from the era of science fiction and atomic angst. Considering the thirties are usually seen as the golden age, the fifties were no slouch, with the major studios giving us everything from the Creature from the Black Lagoon to the Metaluna Mutant, while other studios served up fiery demons and teenage monsters. You’ll meet them, along with plenty of other unforgettable fifties frights, in this whistle-stop tour of a defining decade for horror movies.

Having already traversed the territory of the enigmatic Opera Ghost, we move to some altogether different mysteries with a look at horror-based detective tales. There’s a surprising harmony between these two concepts, and the fusion of horror and detective work has brought us some memorable motion pictures. The silent sleuthing of 1927’s London After Midnight, with Lon Chaney catching criminals as the saw-toothed Man in the Beaver Hat, was just the beginning. Since then, we’ve enjoyed seeing Bela Lugosi as the sinister Count Mora, Basil Rathbone foiling all kinds of nefarity, and a wealth of mad scientists having their secret plans discovered. Detective work is never more exciting than when there are monsters involved!

The Classic Monsters Annual 2024 is only available on the Classic Monsters shop – you won’t find it on newsstands and it can’t be ordered from other retailers. Inside you’ll find:

• The Phantom: Universal vs Hammer – he might be hidden behind a mask, but there’s no mistaking the evergreen appeal of the Opera Ghost. Is he mad or simply dedicated to his craft, and which version is the most accurate? We offer our own thoughts on the matter here.
• Lugosi and Karloff beyond the mainstream – away from flowing capes and stitches, horror’s definitive monster actors brought us a wealth of different characters to light up the screen. In fantastical histrionics and subdued terror alike, they always had the power to surprise.
• Folk horror – the natural world offers plenty of threats to the unwary pilgrim. Drawing on real-world lore and mythology, whilst adding many a monstrous twist of its own, folk horror has a unique hold over its audience. We look at the movies which have cast the most powerful rustic spells.
• Iconic fifties monsters – with the novelty of the golden age having given way to complacency, new monsters were the order of the day. Looking back at their history as well as venturing into contemporary fears, these movies capitalised on their social context to wondrous effect.
• Detective horror – in the world of horror cinema, monstrous deeds aren’t always what they seem, so it’s worth having a detective on hand to unravel the truth behind the terror. Our line-up of sinister sleuths will tackle even the most dangerous cases…

The Classic Monsters Annual 2024 is simply not to be missed. Every page is designed to offer a clean, unfussy reading experience as you immerse yourself in our detail-rich articles, while high production values, sturdy paper stock and sleek matt lamination on the cover provide a luxurious feel throughout. Our use of full colour printing techniques rather than newspaper-style monochrome means even black and white stills have a richness and depth that you’ll struggle to find elsewhere; coupled with meticulous image restoration work, it makes every page a delight.

• 84 pages
• Full colour throughout
• Packed with stills, posters, articles and info
• Printed and finished to the highest standard
• Luxury matt laminated cover
• Hand-numbered