''Fangoria'' is an internationally distributed American
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, ap ...
fan magazine
A fan magazine is a commercially written and published magazine intended for the amusement of fans of the popular culture subject matter which it covers. It is distinguished from a scholarly, literary or trade magazine on the one hand, by the ta ...
, in publication since 1979. It is published four times a year by Fangoria Publishing, LLC and is edited by
Phil Nobile Jr.
The magazine was originally released in an age when horror fandom was still a burgeoning
subculture
A subculture is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs, often maintaining some of its founding principles. Subcultures develop their own norms and values regarding cultural, poli ...
; in the late 1970s, most horror publications were concerned with classic cinema, while those that focused on contemporary horror were largely
fanzines
A fanzine (blend of '' fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleasure of others who share ...
. ''Fangoria'' rose to prominence by running exclusive interviews with horror filmmakers and offering behind-the-scenes photos and stories that were otherwise unavailable to fans in the era before the Internet. The magazine would eventually rise to become a force itself in the horror world, hosting its own
awards show, sponsoring and hosting numerous horror conventions,
producing films, and printing its own line of
comics
a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...
.
''Fangoria'' began struggling in the 2010s due to issues arising from the internet, including difficulty in generating enough ad revenue to cover printing costs. Publication became sporadic beginning in fall 2015, and the magazine ran through a succession of editors in 2015–2016, culminating with the February 2017 announcement of Ken Hanley's December 2016 departure. After this, the magazine ceased publication. The magazine remained dormant throughout 2017.
In February 2018, Dallas-based entertainment company Cinestate bought ''Fangoria'' and, under new editor-in-chief Phil Nobile Jr., relaunched the magazine as a print-based quarterly publication.
In October 2018, Cinestate released the first new ''Fangoria'' magazine under their ownership, stylized as "Volume 2, Issue 1."
In August 2020, Tara Ansley and Abhi Goel acquired ''Fangoria'' from Cinestate under Fangoria Publishing, LLC, and, as of issue 9, are the publishers of the magazine and owners of the brand.
Origins
Kerry O'Quinn
Kerry O'Quinn is a writer, magazine publisher, director and producer, most noted for the creation of ''Starlog'', ''Fangoria'', ''Cinemagic'', ''Future Life'', Rock Video, Hard Rock and '' Comics Scene'' magazines.
Career
O'Quinn was a publisher ...
and Norman Jacobs first conceived of ''Fangoria'' in 1978 by under the name ''Fantastica'' as a companion to their science fiction media magazine ''
Starlog
''Starlog'' was a monthly science fiction magazine that was created in 1976 and focused primarily on ''Star Trek'' at its inception. Kerry O'Quinn and Norman Jacobs were its creators and it was published by Starlog Group, Inc. in August 1976. ' ...
''. Just as ''Starlog'' covered
science fiction film
Science fiction (or sci-fi) is a film genre that uses speculative, fictional science-based depictions of phenomena that are not fully accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial lifeforms, spacecraft, robots, cyborgs, interstel ...
s for a primarily teenaged audience, ''Fantastica'' was intended to cover
fantasy film
Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered a form of speculative fiction alongside science fiction ...
s for a similar audience. O'Quinn, who had previously published
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...
fan magazines, anticipated a groundswell of interest in the fantasy genre due to Hollywood's plan to bring
Robert E. Howard's
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Barbarian (also known as Conan the Cimmerian) is a fictional sword and sorcery hero who originated in pulp magazines and has since been adapted to books, comics, films (including '' Conan the Barbarian'' and ''Conan the Destroyer''), ...
to the screen, although that movie would not appear for another four years.
The first issue was assembled under the editorship of "Joe Bonham", a pseudonym taken from the quadriplegic hero of Dalton Trumbo's pacifist novel ''
Johnny Got His Gun
''Johnny Got His Gun'' is an anti-war novel written in 1938 by American novelist Dalton Trumbo and published in September 1939 by J. B. Lippincott. The novel won one of the early National Book Awards: the Most Original Book of 1939. A 1971 fil ...
''. This was a cover for ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' contributor and screenwriter
Ed Naha
Ed Naha (born June 10, 1950) is an American science fiction and mystery writer and producer. His first known publication was artwork that appeared in the first issue of ''Modern Monsters'' magazine, dated June 1966.
Education and early career ...
and writer
Ric Meyers
Richard Meyers (born 1953), is an American author, ghostwriter, screenwriter, consultant, actor, editor, and teacher, who may be best known for his contributions to the martial arts film industry (Rim Films having called him "one of the men mos ...
. Shortly after the publishing trade press announced the coming launch of ''Fantastica'', the launch was delayed by several months when the publishers of a ''Starlog'' competitor, ''
Fantastic Films
''Fantastic Films'' was an American film magazine specializing in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. The magazine was published by Blake Publishing Corp. and existed between 1978 and 1985.
Direction
''Fantastic Films'' was intended as an ...
'' magazine, threatened a lawsuit because of the similarity in titles. This was eventually decided in favor of the plaintiff in court.
[Interview with Robert "Bob" Martin: ]ebook
An ebook (short for electronic book), also known as an e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Alt ...
Brainstorming sessions resulted in the name ''Fangoria'', over the objections of
Robert "Bob" Martin
Robert "Bob" Martin (October 8, 1948 – July 20, 2020) was the original editor of '' Fangoria'', an American horror film fan magazine. Martin steered the publication from 1979 to 1986, during which slasher films were popular.
Career
A colla ...
, who was hired as editor during the delay.
The first issue went to print July 31, 1979, with an August cover date.
Publication
Early years
The first issue of ''Fangoria'' was designed around the original "fantasy film" concept for the magazine and proved to be a notable publishing failure, as were the next five issues, all of which continued with the same approach. By the time issue four was released and issue six was in preparation, the publisher confided to Martin that the magazine was losing approximately US$20,000 per issue, an amount the small publisher could not sustain for long.
As described in one history of horror magazines, "The first issue of ''Fangoria'', published in 1979, was an abysmal failure, and subsequent issues did not fare much better. Apparently there was little or no interest in another magazine that did not deviate much from the already established ''Starlog/Cinefantastique'' structure."
But because of great reader interest in "a lavishly illustrated article on
Tom Savini
Thomas Vincent Savini (born November 3, 1946) is an American prosthetic makeup artist, actor, stunt performer and film director. He is known for his makeup and special effects work on many films directed by George A. Romero, including ''Martin' ...
's gruesome make-up effects for the 1978 film ''
Dawn of the Dead''," the magazine began focusing on "readers' macabre interest in gory images of monsters and carnage."
With the seventh issue, "with a bold shift to fright flicks by featuring a still from
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
's ''
The Shining'' on the cover", the magazine had become profitable.
Then "the 1980s gave rise to an endless offering of gory
slasher film
A slasher film is a genre of horror films involving a killer stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed or sharp tools like knife, chainsaw, scalpel, etc. Although the term "slasher" may occasionally be used informally as ...
s that ''Fangoria'' was more than happy to highlight, turning
Freddy Krueger
Freddy Krueger () is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in the ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'' film series. He was created by Wes Craven and made his debut in Craven's '' A Nightmare on Elm Street'' (1984) as the malevolent spirit ...
,
Leatherface,
Michael Myers and
Jason Voorhees
Jason Voorhees () is a character from the ''Friday the 13th'' series. He first appeared in '' Friday the 13th'' (1980) as the young son of camp-cook-turned-killer Mrs. Voorhees, in which he was portrayed by Ari Lehman. Created by Victor Mi ...
into unlikely lucrative newsstand idols."
Martin continued as editor into the mid-1980s, with co-editor David Everitt from 1981 to 1985.
After Everitt left, he was replaced by ''Starlog'' editor David McDonnell, who handled both magazines, with
Tony Timpone
Tony Timpone is the former longtime editor of ''Fangoria'' magazine,Gallagher, Danny.Fangoria Magazine Rises from the Dead Thanks to Cinestate, ''Dallas Observer'', February 20, 2018.Collis, Clark.Magazine of the Living Dead: The bloody rise and fr ...
under him as
managing editor
A managing editor (ME) is a senior member of a publication's management team. Typically, the managing editor reports directly to the editor-in-chief and oversees all aspects of the publication.
United States
In the United States, a managing edit ...
on ''Fangoria''.
In 1986, Timpone became editor-in-chief:
1980s and '90s
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, ''Fangoria'' tested numerous international horror markets, releasing issues of the magazine modified for various foreign languages. These foreign editions (released in Italy, Japan, Czechoslovakia and elsewhere) lasted only a handful of editions before being discontinued. Additionally, in May 1988, a sister publication titled ''Gorezone'' was first published. A second sister publication, titled ''Toxic Horror'' followed in 1989. ''Gorezone'' was cancelled after twenty-seven issues and one special ''
Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt may refer to:
* ''Tales from the Crypt'' (album), by American rapper C-Bo
* ''Tales from the Crypt'' (comics), published by EC Comics during the 1950s
** ''Tales from the Crypt'' (film), a 1972 Amicus film starring Ralph Ric ...
''-themed issue. ''Toxic Horror'' was cancelled after five issues.
In 1990, Timpone brought in managing editor
Michael Gingold
Michael Gingold is an American journalist, screenwriter, and former editor-in-chief of '' Fangoria'' magazine.
Career
In his teen years, young horror fan Michael Gingold wrote and self-published the photocopied horror-review fanzine ''Scareaph ...
, having been previously introduced to his horror-themed
fanzine
A fanzine (blend of '' fan'' and ''magazine'' or ''-zine'') is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleasure of others who share ...
, ''Scareaphenalia''.
[Fangoria – Meet The Staff](_blank)
In addition to his editorial duties at the magazine, Gingold posted the majority of the news updates on the magazine's official website. Under Gingold and Timpone's tenure, Fangoria rose to its greatest level of prominence, enjoying widespread recognition and influence in the horror community.
2000s
Creative Group purchased ''Fangoria'' (and its parent publication ''
Starlog
''Starlog'' was a monthly science fiction magazine that was created in 1976 and focused primarily on ''Star Trek'' at its inception. Kerry O'Quinn and Norman Jacobs were its creators and it was published by Starlog Group, Inc. in August 1976. ' ...
'') in the early 2000s, hoping to expand the brand identity of the magazine to radio, television, and comics. On December 5, 2007, a warehouse operated by Kable News, in
Oregon, Illinois
Oregon ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Ogle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,721 in 2010.U.S. Census BureaPopulation, Age, Sex, Race, Households/ref>
History
The land Oregon, Illinois was founded on was previously he ...
, which contained all back issues of ''Fangoria'' and ''
Starlog
''Starlog'' was a monthly science fiction magazine that was created in 1976 and focused primarily on ''Star Trek'' at its inception. Kerry O'Quinn and Norman Jacobs were its creators and it was published by Starlog Group, Inc. in August 1976. ' ...
'' magazines, was destroyed by fire. As back issues of ''Fangoria'' are not re-printed, the only remaining back issues are now housed in private collections or those available on the secondary market. After several failed ventures, Creative Group filed for Chapter 11 on March 21, 2008. In summer 2008, The Brooklyn Company, Inc., led by longtime Fangoria president Thomas DeFeo, bought ''Fangoria'' and all its related brands. Under DeFeo's ownership, the magazine overhauled the magazine's cover format, including the transformation of the company's long-standing logo. Starting with issue #281, the original ''Fangoria'' logo was re-designed, and the trademark "film strip", tagline, and embedded photos were removed. After consistent fan protest of the changes, the original logo returned with issue #305. The "film strip" photos returned briefly beginning with issue #309.
In February 2010,
Chris Alexander, a
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
-based filmmaker and former writer for ''
Rue Morgue'', succeeded
Tony Timpone
Tony Timpone is the former longtime editor of ''Fangoria'' magazine,Gallagher, Danny.Fangoria Magazine Rises from the Dead Thanks to Cinestate, ''Dallas Observer'', February 20, 2018.Collis, Clark.Magazine of the Living Dead: The bloody rise and fr ...
as ''Fangorias new editor. Under his management, the magazine explored more esoteric genre content, had its cover layout altered a few times, and hired several new staff members. Alexander also brought back the original Fangoria logo. In 2011, ''Gorezone'' was revived with a special ''The Bloody Best of Gorezone'' issue before resuming regular publication with issue #28 in 2013. In 2012, ''Fangoria'' also began publishing a line of limited edition specials titled ''Fangoria Legends''.
2015 print cessation
In late September 2015, Alexander stepped down as editor-in-chief and left the ''Fangoria'' staff. By October, Gingold, who was then serving as managing editor, was hired as the publication's new editor-in-chief. Eight months later, Gingold was fired after twenty-eight years with the magazine and the former managing editor, Ken Hanley, was named the new editor-in-chief. Many within the horror community responded with shock at Gingold's termination and took it as a sign that the magazine had both lost touch with its fanbase and passed its glory days;
Guillermo del Toro
Guillermo del Toro Gómez (; born October 9, 1964) is a Mexican filmmaker, author, and actor. He directed the Academy Award–winning fantasy films ''Pan's Labyrinth'' (2006) and '' The Shape of Water'' (2017), winning the Academy Awards for ...
took to social media to voice his disappointment with the decision.
On February 11, 2017, Hanley announced that he too was no longer involved with the magazine and that he had been on hiatus from the company since mid-December 2016. He also stated that he felt that if the magazine remained under its current ownership, there would likely never be another new issue, especially as a print edition.
The last print edition of the magazine, issue #344, was released October 2015. After that issue, four additional issues were published exclusively in a digital format, leaving subscribers of the hard copy editions, as well as Gorezone subscribers, without the issues they paid for. Additionally, contributors such as Josh Hadley have stated that they remain unpaid for published articles and artwork. Fangoria responded to the statements made by Hanley and Hadley on February 13, in which president and owner Tom DeFeo thanked readers and subscribers for their patience and noted his intention to make amends with writers, artists, and subscribers that had been inconvenienced. The statement also noted that lack of sufficient ad revenue had been the reason for the disappearance of print editions but that DeFeo and his staff would continue their attempts to bring print editions back.
Cinestate acquisition and return to print
In February 2018, it was announced that Fangoria had been purchased by film producer
Dallas Sonnier
Joseph Albert "Dallas" Sonnier IV (born March 31, 1980) is an American film producer, publisher, and entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder of Cinestate and, from 2018 to 2020, the publisher of ''Fangoria'' magazine. He has producing credi ...
through his Texas-based entertainment company
Cinestate
Cinestate was a Dallas-based movie studio founded in 2016 by Dallas Sonnier. The company produced ten films under a variety of production labels, in addition to retroactively claiming the 2014 film ''Bone Tomahawk,'' produced independently by So ...
. Sonnier named Phil Nobile Jr., of the ''
Birth.Movies.Death.
The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is an American cinema chain founded in 1997 in Austin, Texas, which is famous for serving dinner and drinks during the movie, as well as its strict policy of requiring its audiences to maintain proper cinema-going et ...
'' website as its new editor-in-chief. The company further announced that they would bring back the magazine as a quarterly, exclusively print-based publication, and offer a one-year free subscription to anyone who never received the issues to which they were entitled under the old ownership.
In addition to Gingold and Timpone returning as regular columnists, Cinestate further announced that the new writing staff would be composed of
S. Craig Zahler
Steven Craig Zahler (born January 23, 1973) is an American film director, screenwriter, cinematographer, novelist, comic book artist, animator and musician.
After beginning his career working briefly as a cinematographer, Zahler focused on scre ...
,
Grady Hendrix
Grady Hendrix is an American author, journalist, public speaker, and screenwriter known for his best-selling 2014 novel '' Horrorstör''. Hendrix lives in Manhattan and was one of the founders of the New York Asian Film Festival.
Life and career ...
,
Shudder curator Sam Zimmerman, Birth.Movies.Death's Meredith Borders, author and former ''
Rue Morgue'' magazine writer
Preston Fassel
Preston Fassel (born September 11, 1985) is an author and journalist primarily known for his work in the horror, science fiction, and crime genres. His work has appeared in Fangoria, Rue Morgue, Screem magazine, and on Cinedump.com. He is the a ...
, horror historian
Rebekah McKendry, and
black feminist
Black feminism is a philosophy that centers on the idea that "Black women are inherently valuable, that lack women'sliberation is a necessity not as an adjunct to somebody else's but because our need as human persons for autonomy."
Race, gen ...
critic Ashlee Blackwell.
Cinestate planned on branching the franchise into producing films, podcasts and novels.
On May 19, 2018, the magazine announced its first licensed novel,
Preston Fassel
Preston Fassel (born September 11, 1985) is an author and journalist primarily known for his work in the horror, science fiction, and crime genres. His work has appeared in Fangoria, Rue Morgue, Screem magazine, and on Cinedump.com. He is the a ...
's ''Our Lady of the Inferno'', under their new ''Fangoria Presents'' label.
The book was released September 11, 2018, to generally positive reviews, ultimately being named one of the ten best horror novels of 2018 by
Bloody Disgusting
Bloody Disgusting is an American multi-media company, which began as a horror genre-focused news site/website specializing in information services that covered various horror medias, including: film, television, video games, comics, and music. T ...
. A week later, on September 18, Fangoria released their second licensed novel, Michael J. Seidlinger's ''My Pet Serial Killer''.
In October 2018, Cinestate published their first issue of the magazine, stylized as "Volume 2, Issue 1," featuring a cover story on the 2018 film ''
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observan ...
''.
Cinestate controversy and new ownership
In June 2020,
The Daily Beast
''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008.
It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
published an exposé about producer Adam Donaghey's
sexual misconduct
Sexual misconduct is misconduct of a sexual nature which exists on a spectrum that may include a broad range of sexual behaviors considered unwelcome. This includes conduct considered inappropriate on an individual or societal basis of morality, se ...
on the set of a Cinestate film.
In August 2020, Fangoria was acquired by Wanderwall Entertainment CEO Tara Ansley and entrepreneur Abhi Goel, and quarterly printing continued under their ownership. The new owners plan to launch a multimedia studio and produce and distribute fiction and non-fiction content.
Other ventures
Starting in 1985, Fangoria branched out into other media outlets including television, films, radio, and comic books.
Beginning in 1985, ''Fangoria'' has sponsored annual horror movie conventions known as the
Weekend of Horrors in Los Angeles, New Jersey, and Chicago (with Austin, Texas, added in 2008). These conventions were produced in association with
Creation Entertainment
Creation Entertainment is an American for-profit entertainment company located in Glendale, California, which produces fan conventions for fans of various films and television series, mainly in the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres. Cre ...
. After breaking ties with Creation in 2009, Fangoria began their own conventions, titling them the "Trinity of Terrors".
In 1990,
Fangoria Films
Fangoria Films is a film production and distribution company based out of New York City, New York. It is a subsidiary of Fangoria Entertainment, which encompasses various branches of Starlog's ''Fangoria'' brand.
As production company
Fangoria ...
was created with the goal of financing one feature film a year under this banner. The first film was 1990's ''
Mindwarp
''Mindwarp'' is the second serial of the larger narrative known as ''The Trial of a Time Lord'' which encompasses the whole of the 23rd season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who''. It was first broadcast in four week ...
'', starring
Bruce Campbell
Bruce Lorne Campbell (born June 22, 1958) is an American actor and director. He is known for portraying Ash Williams in Sam Raimi's ''Evil Dead'' franchise, beginning with the 1978 short film ''Within the Woods''. He has starred in many low-b ...
. They created ''Children of the Night'' in 1991 and ''Severed Ties'' in 1992, then ceased production. In 1996, Fangoria Films re-emerged as a distribution company, occasionally using their "Gore Zone" label, to release twenty low-budget horror features over the next ten years. In 2004–2005, Fangoria Films produced and distributed ''Fangoria's Blood Drive'', two DVD compilations of award-winning short horror films. The first volume was hosted by musician-turned-filmmaker
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and voice actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have be ...
, and the second by MuchMusic's (now called
FUSE
Fuse or FUSE may refer to:
Devices
* Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current
** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles
* Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...
)
Mistress Juliya.
In 1991, ''Fangoria'' began honoring horror cinema with their annual Chainsaw Awards, which were voted on by readers of their magazine. The winners were announced at an awards show in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
,
California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
, which was produced by Fangoria's managing editor, Michael Gingold. In association with
FUSE TV
Fuse is an American pay television channel launched in 1994 which was originally dedicated to music. After merging with the Latino-oriented NuvoTV in 2015, Fuse shifted its focus to general entertainment and lifestyle programming targeting multi ...
, ''Fangoria'' first televised its Chainsaw Awards in 2006. The event occurred on October 15, and was aired on FUSE on October 22. The event was not renewed for 2007, although the awards continued in the magazine.
From 1999 to 2003, they partnered with Bedford Entertainment to attain wider releases of certain ''Fangoria'' titles. Movies released during this time included ''
I, Zombie: A Chronicle of Pain'', ''
The Last Horror Movie'', ''Slashers'', and ''Dead Meat''. Many of these films featured the ''Fangoria'' logo along the top of their video/DVD covers, while ''Fangorias involvement in other releases was substantially more subdued.
From 2006 to 2009, Fangoria worked with Creative Group after it had purchased Fangoria in the early 2000s. ''Fangoria Entertainment'' was created as a result. This allowed both parties to agitate the ''Fangoria'' brand identity to a number of other media outlets in 2006. Creative Group also added a new "Vampire Skull" logo to Fangoria's properties, which was used extensively after its inception. In 2010, all of Creative Group's Fangoria brands were discontinued.
From 2006 to 2007 there was ''Fangoria TV''. Originally conceived as a network television station dedicated to horror films, it was eventually modified to fit a limited online format.
From 2006 to 2009 there was
Fangoria Radio. Debuting on Friday, June 23, 2006, it was a horror-themed talk radio program which aired on
Sirius Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio was a satellite radio ( SDARS) and online radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Holdings.
Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially la ...
Channel 108 and
XM Radio
XM Satellite Radio (XM) was one of the three satellite radio ( SDARS) and online radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Holdings. It provided pay-for-service radio, analogous to subscription cable television. Its s ...
Channel 139 on Friday nights. It was hosted by
Dee Snider and
Debbie Rochon
Debbie Ann Rochon (born November 3, 1968) is a Canadian actress and former stage performer, best known for her work in independent horror films and counterculture films.
Early life
When Rochon was ten years old, her parents were deemed unfi ...
, and regularly featured then-editor
Tony Timpone
Tony Timpone is the former longtime editor of ''Fangoria'' magazine,Gallagher, Danny.Fangoria Magazine Rises from the Dead Thanks to Cinestate, ''Dallas Observer'', February 20, 2018.Collis, Clark.Magazine of the Living Dead: The bloody rise and fr ...
.
In June 2007,
Fangoria Comics
Fangoria Comics was an American publisher of horror comics, releasing issues solely in the year 2007. It was a distinct unit under the larger Fangoria Entertainment umbrella, which also included Fangoria Magazine, Fangoria TV, and Fangoria Radio ...
was launched. For various reasons, the line abruptly ended a month later in August. Only two series were published: the two-issue series ''Fourth Horsemen'', and the four-issue series ''Bump''.
In 2018, under
Cinestate
Cinestate was a Dallas-based movie studio founded in 2016 by Dallas Sonnier. The company produced ten films under a variety of production labels, in addition to retroactively claiming the 2014 film ''Bone Tomahawk,'' produced independently by So ...
, Fangoria's podcast network included the shows ''Shockwaves'', ''Nightmare on Film Street'', ''Post Mortem with
Mick Garris
Mick Garris (born December 4, 1951) is an American filmmaker and screenwriter born in Santa Monica, California. He is best known for his work in the horror film genre, as well as making Stephen King adaptations.
Early life
Garris was born in Sant ...
,'' ''Casualty Friday'', ''The Movie Crypt'', and ''Nightmare University''. The podcast network disbanded after the 2020 controversy.
In 2011 ''Fangoria'' partnered with producer Carl Amari to create ''Fangoria's Dreadtime Stories'', a horror radio drama series hosted by
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is a British actor, producer, and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Alex DeLarge in ''A Clockwork Orange.'' He was born in the Horsforth suburb of Leeds and raised i ...
and featuring original music by ''Fangoria'' editor-in-chief Chris Alexander.
In late 2020, ''Fangoria'' debuted the shows ''Colors of the Dark'' and ''The KingCast'' on their podcast network.
At one point, said longtime editor Tony Timpone, ''Fangoria'' "almost did a 'Fango Junior', for the young adult/
Goosebumps
''Goosebumps'' is a series of children's horror fiction novels by American author R. L. Stine, published by Scholastic Publishing. The protagonists in these stories are tweens or young teens who find themselves in scary circumstances usually ...
set."
Fangoria.com
Until 2016, the ''Fangoria'' online site featured daily updates about the world of horror, allowing the ''Fangoria'' brand to remain relevant to those who do not typically read print magazines. The website also featured several specialized horror blogs, including articles that continued ''Fangorias long tradition of being supportive of
LGBT
' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity.
The LGBT term ...
people working in the horror industry.
Following Cinestate's acquisition of ''Fangoria'', the homepage briefly went offline, replaced eventually by a front page of aggregated news. This version of the site was discontinued once Cinestate sold the brand to Fangoria Publishing, LLC. Fangoria.com returned in 2021.
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards
The Fangoria Chainsaw Awards are an award ceremony for
horror film
Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes.
Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, ap ...
s and
thriller film
Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre ...
s. Beginning in 1992, the awards were expanded and an annual ceremony was inaugurated to give out the awards.
[Ken Williams]
"Scary Films--and Fans--in Focus"
''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'', May 14, 1992.
See also
* ''
Cinefantastique
''Cinefantastique'' is an American horror, fantasy, and science fiction film magazine.
History
The magazine originally started as a mimeographed fanzine in 1967, then relaunched as a glossy, offset printed quarterly in 1970 by publisher/editor ...
''
* ''
Famous Monsters of Filmland
''Famous Monsters of Filmland'' is an American genre-specific film magazine, started in 1958 by publisher James Warren and editor Forrest J Ackerman.
''Famous Monsters of Filmland'' directly inspired the creation of many other similar publica ...
''
*
Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors
*
''Rue Morgue'' (magazine)
*
''Scream'' (magazine)
References
Further reading
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fangoria
Horror fiction websites
Magazines established in 1979
Magazines published in Texas
Mass media in Dallas
Monthly magazines published in the United States
Speculative fiction magazines published in the United States