NEW ARTICLE PUBLISHED!

Today I'm announcing a new article that I have published in the latest issue of PREHISTORIC TIMES (Fall #155). This time I'm covering Hammer's WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH, released on October 1, 1970. I discuss the making of the film with an emphasis on Jim Danforth's animated dinosaurs that appeared in the various scenes. Ray Harryhausen wasn't available for this one, so the producers selected Jim Danforth and brought him to England where he did quite an admirable job. And yes, there's plenty to say (and see) about the film's star, then recently-crowned Playmate of the Year, Victoria Vetri (aka Angela Dorian)!

This issue has some great stuff in it, including articles on prehistoric sharks (Jaws has got nothin' on these predators of the ancient ocean depths) and mammoths as painted by the legendary Czech artist Zdenek Burian. Plus, tons more paleo art await in the pages of the latest PREHISTORIC TIMES.

Head over to eBay and pick up a copy direct from the publisher HERE.

NEW ARTICLE PUBLISHED!

Released just last week is the latest issue of PREHISTORIC TIMES (#152, Winter 2025) with a marvelous wrap-around cover by Luis Rey of Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops ready to go head-to-head. You may notice that Rey has included feathers on T. Rex as in recent years paleontologists have discovered this distinct possibility from the fossil record.

Also included in this issue is my article, "Cavemen vs. Dinosaurs: Hammer Films' One Million Years

 B.C." where I write about the behind-the-scenes making of the picture, as well as discuss the various live action and stop-motion dinosaurs that Ray Harryhausen created. Oh, yes, and Raquel Welch gets a bit of copy, too, including how her now-iconic fur bikini was made.

As of this writing, PT #152 is available from eBay HERE. It usually goes up on the website a little later and you can access that from "The Magazine Rack" section on the left sidebar of this blog's main page.

NEW ARTICLE PUBLISHED!

Hot off the press is the 150th-issue of PREHISTORIC TIMES (Summer, 2024). Included is my article, "The Eighth Wonder of the World: The Making of King Kong". I'm proud to be a part of this excellent magazine that covers all things dinosaur. Order your copy right HERE. I also have an article in PT #148 about the 1925 silent dino-classic THE LOST WORLD. You can order that HERE.

Here's a write-up from the Everything Dinosaur site:

As always, issue 150 of “Prehistoric Times” magazine is crammed full of excellent articles and amazing artwork.  Editor Mike Fredericks wrote to Everything Dinosaur and outlined some of the magazine’s contents. It is 91 years since the first King Kong film hit cinema screens. This famous monster movie had its premiere in the spring of 1933. The film starred Fay Wray and Robert Armstrong. However, the titular character, the giant ape, was to become enshrined in movie folklore. Directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack the film grossed over $5 million USD. The stop-motion monsters were created and animated by Willis H. O’Brien. The 1933 King Kong film regularly features in lists of the top one hundred most influential movies of all time.

I invite you to visit my Amazon Author's Page where you'll see all the publications that I've contributed to recently that are available on Amazon.

Thanks, folks, for supporting my work and especially these publications!

MY WRITING UPDATE

Good news in my mailbox last week: I not only received one, but two contributor's copies of magazines containing my work. One is a resurrected classic monster magazine from the 60's and 70's that your'e sure to recognize and the other is from an up-and-coming horror 'zine.

"#1 NEW release in Comics History thanks to the second installment of our ongoing FEAR IN FOUR COLORS section (a 21-page spread). Thanks for supporting us!" was a message from Dead Letter Press who publish NIGHTMARE ABBEY and BLACK INFINITY.

While BI is on a temporary hiatus until possibly later this year, the new issue of NA has dropped HERE. Behind another great cover by the legendary Allen Kozsowski lies some dreadfully delightful fiction by Ramsey Campbell, Stever Rasnic Tem and Steve Duffy among others. Getting its due is an article on the underrated and underappreciated UK shocker, HORROR HOTEL starring Christopher Lee. And last but not least is my second installment of the ongoing series, "Fear in Four Colors: The Hideous History of American Horror Comics". This time around, I discuss in detail the first pre-EC horror titles that have a distinguished place in horror comics history. The first chapter is in issue #4 of NA which you can buy right HERE.

You can still get the special "Creature Features" edition of BLACK INFINITY HERE with my full-length feature on the history of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND.

Calvin T. Beck's venerable CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN is enjoying its third incarnation, this time from the folks who also publish the long-running SCARY MONSTERS. Issue #39 has just been released and I'm proud to have included my article on one of Hollywood's great men behind the camera, "He Filmed Frankenstein:The Cinematography of Arthur Edeson". In my estimation, this could be the most in-depth coverage of the highly-respected cameraman that not only photographed Universal's classic monster movie, but one of the greatest pictures ever, CASABLANCA. Order info is HERE.

But wait -- that's not all! My article of the 1925 version of Arthur Conan Doyle's THE LOST WORLD is in a recent issue of PREHISTORIC TIMES. You may have already recognized this as it's up for a Rondo Award in the "Best Article" category for 2023. It got a nice review from the Everything Dinosaur blog:  "It was also a pleasure to read John Navroth’s account of the filming of “The Lost World”, the cinematic adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel of the same name. Any article featuring an image of stop motion pioneer Willis O’Brien is fine by us. As Mike Fredericks (editor) comments, perhaps this article is a prelude to a later piece that will feature the classic “King Kong” film from 1933." And indeed, it is! Hint! Hint! Grab your copy of PT direct from the publisher HERE. 

That about wraps it up for this time. I'll be filling you in on all the new stuff in the hopper for this year as it happens. I appreciate the support, especially for the great magazines they appear in. You can also follow me at my Amazon Author's Page, as well as conveniently order BLACK INFINITY and NIGHTMARE ABBEY HERE.

MY WRITING UPDATE

Fans of King Kong will know that last year was the 90th anniversary of the first (and best) movie featuring the big guy. I was invited by the editor of PREHISTORIC TIMES to write an article celebrating the momentous occasion and I recently completed and submitted it. It will appear in this year's Summer issue (#150). If you are at all interested in dinosaurs and paleontology you owe yourself to check out this very well done, one-of-a-king magazine HERE. PT is also sold at Barnes & Noble.

My second installment of "Fear in Four Colors: The Hideous History of the American Horror Comic" will appear in the next issue of NIGHTMARE ABBEY by Dead Letter Press. The publication date has not been set, but it should be out soon. In the meantime, you can purchase issue #4 with the first installment HERE.

Besides writing daily here at WOM, I've got other writing projects in the hopper this year and will keep you up-to-date with the details.

JACK KIRBY'S DEVIL DINOSAUR NO. 1

Last week I posted an announcement about my new article published in PREHISTORIC TIMES.

In the spirit of that, today I'm sharing another title by the ever-creative and inventive mind and hands of Jack Kirby, DEVIL DINOSAUR. Published in April 1978, the last year of Kirby's last stint with Marvel before he went freelance until his retirement, this book is considered a cult favorite among Kirby fans. It includes the usual cast of crazy characters and a T-Rex inspired dinosaur with super powers and thinks like a human. Inks are by Frank Giacoia and letters are by Gaspar Saladino.

Come back for more of DEVIL DINOSAUR later today!

ANOTHER ARTICLE PUBLISHED!

This has been a good year for my writing. Earlier, I had an article on the history of FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND published in BLACK INFINITY, and just recently an article in PREHISTORIC TIMES on the 1925 silent film, THE LOST WORLD. Just available on Amazon is the latest issue of NIGHTMARE ABBEY, where you'll see the first installment of my new series, "Fear in Four Colors: The Hideous History of American Horror Comics". Inspired by posts right here at WoM, I'll be covering the gamut of horror comics from the beginning.

My list of published works has been updated behind the "About Me" tab under the WoM title at the top of this page.

Here's a rundown on the contents of NIGHTMARE ABBEY.

• 4th gigantic volume of this critically-acclaimed horror magazine/book.
• Haunted places, tormented souls & the creeping unknown!
• Heavily illustrated with photos and art by Allen Koszowski.
• Paul Finch (Terror Tales series) interviewed by Matt Cowan
• 10 terrifying tales by today's top writers.
• New Ian Rogers' Black Lands novella.
• The History of American Horror Comics (part 1; by John M. Navroth).
• Retro movie review: Val Lewton's The Body Snatcher (with Boris Karloff)
• See what Dear Abbey has been up to!

Support independent publishing and order a copy HERE!

ANOTHER PUBLISHED ARTICLE!

I have yet another article published, this time in the excellent magazine, PREHISTORIC TIMES. If you at are all interested in dinosaurs and paleontology, this is the magazine for you. Each issue usually profiles one or two dinosaur species as well as at least one artist. Besides the science-side, it also covers everything from dinosaurs in pop culture, toys, collecting and even movies -- that's where I come in. I wrote about a small aspect of the 1925 silent film, THE LOST WORLD for another publication and felt it needed to be further expanded. So here it is, in issue #147 of PREHISTORIC TIMES.

SUPPORT DINO CULTURE!

Order a digital copy HERE.

Visit the PREHISTORIC TIMES website HERE.

More Dino stuff HERE.

MONSTERS UNLEASHED: NEW AND RECENTLY RELEASED