EL MONJE LOCO – The Mad Monk

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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:

monje_loco_02

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.

monje-locos
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.

MonjeLoco-comic
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…

tradiciones_1

tradiciones_3 tradiciones_2 tradiciones_4 tradiciones_5

This one, however, is my favorite:

tradiciones_6

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.

ROTLD-doyouwannaparty

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.

 

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