Monster Fun

Monster Fun's debut issue was dated 14 June 1975. Monster Fun Specials were printed in 1975 and 1976.

The magazine merged with Buster to form Buster and Monster Fun after the 30 October 1976 issue.[1] Due to its ongoing popularity, the Monster Fun logo was printed on Buster's cover until the summer of 1979.

Despite its short run, Monster Fun Annuals were printed every year, cover-dated from 1977 until 1985, though all contained some reprint material. They were all distributed in the UK from the autumn of the previous cover-dated year. Buster and Monster Fun Specials were printed (with much reprint material) every year from 1977 until 1996, making them one of the most long-lived of IPC / Fleetway titles. Almost all of the other original strips were reprinted in other titles in the 1980s and 1990s.

After Monster Fun's 1976 merger into Buster, the strips Gums, Kid Kong, X-Ray Specs, Mummy's Boy, Draculass, Teddy Scare, Terror TV, and Martha's Monster Make-up all made the merger.[6]

In February 1982 these merged magazines merged again with Jackpot. Kid Kong was terminated on this occasion.

In June 1984 the magazine merged with School Fun. The comic strip Gums was terminated on this occasion.

In 1988 the magazine merged with Nipper. Mummy's Boy was terminated on this occasion. X-Ray Specs had the most longevity continuing until Buster's end (4 January 2000) though as with the all but one of the last Buster strips as reprints.

In September 2021 it was announced that Rebellion, publishers of 2000 AD would be relaunching the comic in April 2022, "revived and reimagined for today's kids".[7]

Unlike the original IPC run, the Rebellion revival will be published every two months, rather than weekly. Characters who will appear within the comics include Frankie Stein, Kid Kong, Draculass, Sweeny Toddler, Gums, Teddy Scare, and The Leopard from Lime Street.[8]

A Monster Fun Halloween Special issue ("Halloween Spooktacular") was published in October 2021. Included in this issue were Frankie Stein; Kid Kong; Draculass; Teddy Scare!; Gums; Sweeny Toddler; Harry & Gary; Evil Eye; Tokoloshe; Birdman, Chicken & Sparrow; Martha's Monster Makeup; Hell's Angel; Gah! The Gobblin' Goblin; Wiz War; The Leopard from Lime Street; Hire a Horror; Jump Junior, Monster Helper; Creature Teacher; Scare Salon and Grimly Feendish.[9]

The first issue ("Easter Special 2022") was released in April 2022 (cover date 06 April - 31 May 2022). Included in this issue were Kid Kong, Steel Commando, Frankie Stein, Draculass, a stand-alone story The Story of Easter, Hire a Horror, Martha's Monster Make Up, The Leopard from Lime Street and Hell's Angel, as well as puzzles and reader-submitted art.[10]

• Arts Gallery (drawn by Mike Lacey)
• Brainy and his Monster Maker
• Cinders
• Creature Teacher (drawn by Thomas Williams)
• Dough Nut & Rusty (drawn by Trevor Metcalfe)
• Draculass (1975–1976; continued in Buster until 1977) (drawn by Terry Bave)
• Grizzly Bearhug
• The Invisible Monster
• Kid Kong (1975–1976; continued in Buster until 1982) (drawn by Robert Nixon)
• Major Jump Horror Hunter
• March of the Mighty Ones
• Martha's Monster Make-up (1975-1977) (drawn by Ken Reid)
• Monster Hits Jokes
• Mummy's Boy (1975-1976; continued in Buster until 1988), (drawn by Norman Mansbridge)
• Tom Thumbscrew
• X-Ray Specs (1975-1976; continued in Buster until 2000) (drawn by Mike Lacey)

• Gums (1976; continued in Buster until 1984) (by Roy Davies and Robert Nixon)
• Frankie's Diary
• Freaky Farm (drawn by Jim Watson)
• The Little Monsters
• S.O.S. Save Our Stan as well as many pull-out posters
• Teddy Scare (1976; continued in Buster until 1977) (by Barrie Appleby)
• Terror TV (1976; continued in Buster until 1978) (drawn by Ian Knox)