MONSTER MASHUPS #60

 The DC humor feature ANGEL AND THE APE made one appearance in the company's showcase title, and then enjoyed three issues under that title. Apparently someone thought the word "meet" would be a grabber, for issues 4-6 bore the header "MEET ANGEL AND THE APE," and the last issue just read "MEET ANGEL." Though the characters never encountered any monster rallies in the stories, three covers included unflattering versions of Dracula and Frankenstein, possibly because the editors thought the JERRY LEWIS comic had done well by featuring Classic Monsters.

MONSTER MASHUPS #59

HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER, reviewed here, feels in part like an oddball homage to FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN. However, in the universe of MAKE A MONSTER, both the Teenage Werewolf and the Teenage Frankenstein initially have no existence save as fictional creations. Mad makeup artist Dumond then works his wizardry on two young actors wearing monster-masks, turning them into unwitting killers. So it's a monster-mash, though a referential one more akin to SCOOBY DOO 2.

MONSTER MASHUPS #58

"Transyvania Mania," an episode of the 1968 TV cartoon, "The Inspector," recycled some jokes from a 1950s Bugs Bunny cartoon but was still pretty good anyway. The Inspector (based on the Clouseau character from the live-action "Pink Panther" series) stumbles across an unnamed vampire who's also playing mad scientist, attempting to find a brain for his Frankensteinian creation. The vampire's  Urg appears to be a commonplace thug, but he makes some remark about his master giving him a brain, so his status as a Franken-stooge makes this a monster-mash cartoon.

MONSTER MASHUPS #57

 

I saw just one episode of MONSTER FARM on Youtube, and it was more than enough. The young human in the center of the above illo inherits a farm occupied by funny-animal versions of classic monsters, including Count Cluckula (a rooster), Cowapatra (a cow-mummy), Dr. Woolly and Mr. Ewe (a sheep with a double identity), Frankenswine (a pig), Zombeef (a bull-zombie), and Goatasaurus Rex, some sort of dragon-critter who's the only one not clearly based on a well-known movie-monster. It's a minor curiosity in being one of many cartoons distributed by Saban, best known as the re-packager of the "Power Rangers" franchise.

MONSTER MASHUPS #56:

 

The cover, appearing in 1965, sports a fairly early use of the term "monster rally," though as one might expect, the story inside has nothing to do with the opening shot. Not seen on the cover is a "Phantom of Loew's Bijou," and from left to the right we have a Black Lagoon refugee styled "the Beast from 1279 1/2 Fathoms," an unnamed mummy and "Vultura," a pretty clear Vampira spoof. All of them are life-size statues made from "monster kits" but given temporary life by some wacky aliens.

MONSTER MASHUPS #55: TOM THUMB AND LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD (1962)

 This wacky kid's film pits the two iconic folklore heroes against a motley mashup of monsters, which in this review I described as:

,,,a vampire, a Frankenstein Monster, a Siamese twin named “Two-in-One,” a boogieman, a guy with a carrot-head, a “Child Snatcher,” and a dwarf who can create hurricanes from his breath. Reigning over them all is the Queen of Badness, a dead ringer for the Queen from Disney’s SNOW WHITE...

 

 

RAR #48: MAJOR RED HAWK

 Appearing in five issues of BLAZING COMICS, Red Hawk took on the evil Japanese, though the positive racial depiction of an American Indian hero was somewhat nullified by the anti-"Jap" slurs.