While putting together the latest book, I realized twenty pages could have been dedicated to the horror institution that is “El Monje Loco” — part Cryptkeeper, part Zacherley, star of radio, newspaper strips, comic books, film and TV going on seven decades. Alas, I didn’t have those pages, so here’s some of what would have appeared:
I discussed the character briefly in reviewing the 1973 Agrasanches-produced Mil Mascaras and Tinieblas vehicle Leyendas Macabras de la Colonia in Zombi Mexicano, but I’ve never been clear if the character is an immortal undead, a ghost, a disfigured human or what.
Mad Monks from 60′s cinema and more modern TV
The comic books, however, were rife with outright zombie imagery, shambling corpses, grave poppers, vengeful victims and more.
How do you counter a zombie monk? Chair-shot to the head of course!
Particularly striking were the painted covers from Tradiciones y Leyendas de la Colonia, the other series that ‘inspired’ the ’73 film. These are positively stunning…
This one, however, is my favorite:
That coffin-burster could be the twin brother of my favorite zombie ever, the jaw-dropping skeletal screamer from the end of Return of the Living Dead.
DO YOU WANNA PARTY!?!?!?!?
See a lot more of these covers at the superb (and often gross!) Spanish-language site El Blog de la Muerte.
Tags: Monje Loco, Unused ZoMex, Zombi Mexicano
This time it’s something I did use in the book, albeit in the pink and orange scheme.
Here’s the much less psychadellic original line art for those of you who want something to color on your own.
A confession here — I cheated a bit in using these in the book, as the below are not actually my beloved momia/zombies at all. Rather, this is ad-mat art from the 1971 (or 73 depending on the database) Mexican creature classic Santo contra los asesinos de otros mundos (Santo vs. the Killers from Another World).
The Agrasanchez momia masks may have been used (or knocked-off) in this film for a series of grisly murder victim discoveries. The publicity line art was certainly inspired by the Guanajuato shamblers if nothing else…
If you haven’t seen this film, famous for its gladiatorial battle on what’s supposed to look like the moon (the set is executed with high-school play production values) and for the amazing Blob-like ‘monster’ made from an oily disgusting tarp, then cure that!
Tags: Santo contra los asesinos de otros mundos, Unused ZoMex, Zombi Mexicano
Something I truly regretted cutting from the book — this time for rights clearance issues and reproduction quality — was a short feature on real life ring workers who played various zombies, mummies and even El Monje Loco himself.
The early 2000s saw a spat of AAA luchadores in rubber Halloween masks, from devils to clowns to serial killers, but the practice was actually nothing new. Plenty of rubber-masked mummies, Frankensteins , vampires and yes, this “Momia de Guanajuato” scared opponents in the ring, and kids ringside, going back to the 60s.
Oddly enough (and contrary to my editorials in Zombi Mexicano delineating ‘Aztec Mummies’ and Guanajuato zombies) this wrestler’s simulated bandage ring suit is more Egyptian (and Universal Monster) style than the exhumed human-jerky-in-rags seen shambling around the old Mexican zombie flicks.
And there he is in the catacombs! Man that is some creepy shit…
Tags: Unused ZoMex, Zombi Mexicano
For the next three weeks I’m against crushing deadlines at the day job, but that doesn’t mean I’m not super dedicated to getting everyone’s book orders out ASAP, especially with how alarmingly slow the U.S. mail has gotten lately.
I’m also taking a moment to sign and doodle in each one before they go out, so you holiday gift (and self-gift) buyers get a bit of a bonus this month.
Tags: Zombi Mexicano
Got a nice review from some zombie-obsessed folk over at the Mail Order Zombie podcast. I was really hoping to connect with a zombie film fan-base who was less familiar with Mexican cinema with this book, and I’m delighted to have done so.
Hear it at around an hour in:
Mail Order Zombie
Tags: Zombi Mexicano
Couple of stills that actually made it into the book albeit in truncated or small form. The above is a detail from a Robo de las momias de Guanajuato lobby card, a nice shot of Mil Mascaras dropkicking two zombies at once.
This still from Las momias de Guanajuato was virtually identical to a slightly better frame from the same sequence, so it didn’t make the book. I really dig Blue Demon selling that zombie choke by leaping up slightly.
Tags: Momias de Guanajuato, Robo de las Momias de Guanajuato, Unused ZoMex, Zombi Mexicano
We featured some shots of this fotomontaje back-up story from the May 1964 issue of Lucha Libre magazine in the new book. Now here it is in its entirety.
CLICK ON EACH IMAGE TO EXPAND, WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
Special thanks to Tony Figueroa.
Tags: fotomontaje, Unused ZoMex, Zombi Mexicano
If you read the back page of the new book, I promise all sorts of supplementary content, mainly the stuff that didn’t make the final page count. I had more Mexican zombie stuff than a mere single ZOMBI MEXICANO could hold, and this series of posts will be some cutting room floor gems and other related goodies.
I loved the zombie in bondage cover of this anthology comic COUNT BARTOK, soooo green! However, neither he nor his undead ilk appear anywhere in the issue itself, so I thought pages were better spent on the Mummies of Guanajuato comics and the Jose G. Cruz panels of Santo fighting zombies that did make it.
More coming Sunday. In the meantime, Happy Halloween everyone!
Tags: Unused ZoMex, Zombi Mexicano
Great debut for ZOMBI MEXICANO at Monsterpalooza this weekend. It wasn’t a hard sell, as soon as people saw it, thumbed a few pages seeing vintage zombie flicks they’ve never heard of before and felt the quality of the product they had the Andrew Jackson hurling our way in a heartbeat.
I was particularly glad to se a bunch go to travelers from Mexico City, who’ll be bringing the book back home. I love giving back to the source…
AND, the primary mission of the book hit its target – all sorts of buyers kept asking where they could see the films in question.
Feels great to be back in print!!!
For those of you who pre-ordered, envelopes start going out Wednesday, with some bonuses for the earliest customers. And if you haven’t ordered yet, we’re shipping as of now:
Order ZOMBI MEXICANO here.
In the next few weeks we’ll be posting all sorts of content that didn’t make the final cut of the book online, and putting some of the unsold lucha merch from the show in the FPU Swapmeet section. Keep checking back…
Tags: Zombi Mexicano
