KISS!

When I was a kid, I was crazy about fantasy and adventure and super-heroes.  I also had a growing fascination with monsters and other spooky things.

In 1979, at the age of 4, I discovered KISS.

It was love at first sight.

I Was Made For Lovin' You!

They were fantasy characters come to life: giants in spectacular costumes, their faces hidden behind astonishing painted masks.

KISS were dark and mysterious; otherworldly; awe-inspiring!  Four supernatural beings on a quest to rock and roll.

And to top it all off, they were super-heroes!

In the beloved 1978 TV movie KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park, the band used their super-powers to battle an evil scientist and his android creations.

The Mystical Talismans That Give KISS Their Powers

Ace vs. Android Imposter

I was absolutely spellbound.  My imagination soared.  I couldn't get enough of KISS.

Paul Stanley was the dashing, flamboyant leader; Peter Criss, the scrappy, unassuming drummer; Ace Frehley was an androgynous cosmic enigma; and then there was Gene . . .

What a magnificent creature of the night he was . . .

This Trading Card Used To Scare Me!

His demeanour was menacing; his personality fiendish.  Gene was sinister and dangerous and frightening . . . but he was one of the good guys.  THAT was an irresistible combination.  A monster that was actually a hero; a monster that you could emulate.

And emulate him I did . . .

There was an old pair of platform boots at the back of a closet that I would dig out and stomp around in.  During the winter, I'd unleash streams of frozen breath, pretending they were torrents of fire.  I would ask my friends to "play KISS" and we'd fight imaginary bad guys with our super-powers.  I even tried applying the Demon makeup to my face (I didn't get very far--my naive enthusiasm was no match for such a painstaking, time-consuming task.)

With my career as a makeup artist going nowhere, I could at least find solace in some great KISS merchandise!

This Was On My Bedroom Wall

This Was On My T-Shirt

The crown jewels of my small KISS collection appeared on a glorious Christmas morning, delivered by Santa Claus himself:
12" tall Mego action figures!

Despite being one short of a full band, I was exploding with joy.  (My mom and sister had turned the Samko toy warehouse upside down looking for Ace Frehley, to no avail.)

I Still Have My Treasured KISS Megos!

In those days before the family VCR, the only way to see KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park  was on TV.  Airings of this Hanna-Barbera production were scarce, but when one came around, it was a big event--the anticipation and excitement were tremendous!

There's a scene in the film that's wonderfully spooky . . .

Our heroes, conducting a late night investigation of the amusement park, descend into a chamber of horrors . . .

Inside, a marvellous bunch of animatronic monsters act out a menacing scene . . .

Suddenly, the creatures break their routine and attack the band!

Terrific stuff!

It was a great time to be a young KISS fan.  Escaping into a world of dark rock and roll superheroes was a unique kind of magic.

Sadly, in just a few short years, it would all come to a heartbreaking end . . .

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  You'll be seeing more of KISS in the Gallery soon . . .

EARLIEST MONSTER MEMORIES

Do you remember the first time you saw a monster?

I don't, but I'm guessing it probably happened on Sesame Street.

Like most kids, I adored that magical show and watched it all the time.  The exploits of Big Bird, Oscar and the rest of the endearing bunch were full of charm and warmth.  Those strange animated segments were wildly imaginative, sometimes mesmerizing . . .

Sesame Street  had quite the cast of lovable monsters . . . 

Herry, Cookie Monster, Grover and Friends

The Two-Headed Monster

Telly

The Martians

Probably the First LP I Ever Owned

Two delightful creatures were even a bit spooky.

First, there was Sesame Street's resident cryptid . . . 

Mr. Snuffleupagus was a sweet and gentle fellow, but also rather mysterious.  Somehow, Big Bird was the only one who ever managed to see him.  The grown-ups, denied even a glimpse of the elusive beast, believed he was nothing more than Big Bird's imaginary friend.

Where did this strange, lumbering creature come from?  Why could no one ever catch sight of him?  Poor Big Bird was never able to convince his friends that Snuffy really existed.

The Count was a vampire who lived in an eerie, gothic castle adorned with grand windows, candelabra and lots of cobwebs; he lived there alone with his bats, seemingly far removed from the rest of the cast (I don't remember him interacting with the other characters very much.)

He looked a little sinister, but he was a friendly, benevolent monster.

High-spirited and passionate, the Count was always fully himself, despite his peculiarities.

He never missed an opportunity for a boisterous counting spree, laughing elegantly as a chorus of thunder and lightning rang out.

In a way, the Count was my introduction to Bela Lugosi . . .

Sesame Street's enchanting vampire was  essentially a Muppet version of Bela's immortal Count Dracula.

I don't remember feeling especially drawn to my first monsters (I loved the Sesame Street  cast pretty much equally.)  Nevertheless, those charming creatures made a big impression on me and remain treasured characters to this day.

WELCOME . . .

Thank you for visiting the Eerie Childhood Gallery.

My name is Frank and I'll be your guide.

I invite you to follow me on a tour through the past, celebrating all the spooky pop culture I encountered as a child in the 1980s.  You'll meet ghosts and witches, demons and aliens, monsters of every shape and size--some of them colourful and fun, others grim and frightening.  You'll visit strange worlds, filled with eerie sights and bizarre goings-on.  Paranormal phenomena and occult lore will send chills up your spine.  Haunting images and scary scenes will thrill you.  The mystery and wonder of childhood will be our domain, explored with reverence and affection.

Along the way, I'll share thoughts and memories, weaving the tale of how I became a horror fan.

So please join me, won't you?  The shadows of the past await . . .