13 is your lucky number, for I, the Cryptologist, am giving you a bonus-size 100-page horrorfest, lauding a true master of the macabre, Boris Karloff, along with his cohort, the Frankenstein monster. We begin with a look at Boris’ later films, then plunge into some of the darker moments of his well-remembered Thriller series. Our two-part celebration of 1944’s House of Frankenstein, the ultimate monsterfest of its day, herein reaches its climax. The origins of ol’ Frankie are revealed, before looking at some of his most gruesome appearances in the cinema and beyond. There’s a horribly fascinating interview with Marvel Comics’ artist Val Mayerik (who depicted the creature in his 1970s solo comic book series), and a selection of those infamous model kits from the distant past. Fans of Bernie Wrightson’s Frankenstein won’t be disappointed—I have uncovered an entire treasure trove of his sumptuous artwork for your delectation, along with digging up the creature’s pre-Code comics appearances. Fire, bad, but Cryptology, good! Don’t miss this oversized issue of my horrible little magazine, the consummate read for retro horror fans!