I Am Legend (41/54) - The Omega Man Berkley Medallion Tie-In (1971)

 

In August of 1971, seven years after the release of the Bantam paperback, Berkley Medallion released a movie tie-in to The Omega Man. Despite the significant deviation from the source material, the original novel was reprinted, as opposed to a novelization of the film's screenplay (decades later, I discovered that an adaptation of the screenplay was published in the pages of Screen Stories magazine).

Featuring a wonderful cover painting by the legendary Mort Kunstler (another that I would absolutely love to add to the archive) of Neville, Matthias and the torch-wielding Family, the tie-in would prove to be quite successful, with a second printing issued in November 1971 — the first time for the novel in the US since Gold Medal released their 'Second Big Printing!' in 1957.

A Canadian printing was simultaneously released in August of 1971.

For the next 20 years, I only ever encountered first and second printings of the tie-in, and assumed that was the extent of the print run.

In April of 2016, I received a package from Kelly Laymon containing several Richard Matheson books from her Dad's colection. Richard Laymon was a dear fried who we had the honor of publishing twice — A Good Secret Place and A Writer's Tale — before his sudden passing in 2001. They knew I was a huge Matheson fan, and that I would appreciate these books from Dick's collection. What made it an even more special gift was that among the books was a copy of tie-in to The Omega Man — a fourth printing! 

Armed with the new awareness that there were (at least) two more printings than I had never encountered, I immediately set out on a search to find a third printing, which I eventually did. 

And low and behold, during that search, I found a copy that didn't match the others that I had accumulated. Sure, to the untrained eye, it appears almost identical. 

Until you compare the two side-by-side. Note the red Medallion is shifted from the left to the right, and the text that ran along the spine has been moved to the top of the book. Additionally, for the fifth printing, the ISBN and the price changed (an increase from 75¢ to 95¢).

Is there a sixth printing out there, waiting to be discovered? Based on my research (and the ease at which the latest printings can be spotted from the cover alone), I think the fifth was the final release until Berkley reissued the book in 1979. But I have long since learned to never say never!

Be sure to check back next week for another item from the I Am Legend Archive!

Creature from the Black Lagoon (40/54) - NECA Universal Monsters 7" Black & White Creature (2023)

Complementing last week's post, this week we look at NECA's black and white variation of the Creature.

Though I'm not a fan 

Once again they use poster art for the packaging, but it's one of the lesser Creature poster paintings. I would have recommended the 3D re-release poster from 1972.

The Creature comes with the same accessories as the color version, all in grayscale this time out.

 Check back next week for another item from my Creature collection!

Godzilla (39/54) - Bandai Godzilla Minus One Ichibansho Godzilla (Heat Ray Version) (2024)

Complementing last week's statue of Godzilla from 1995 is this similarly handsome rendition of Godzilla from his latest outing, Godzilla -1.0, highlighting his look as he's about to unleash his heat ray!

Once again, the detail and reproduction of the fantastic Godzilla design is spot-on. 

A Minus One/Minus Color version will be released early next year, but given the striking look with the blue spines and throat, I can't help but feel a monochrome version would pale in comparison (particularly side-by-side)!

Check back next week for another item from my Godzilla collection!

I Am Legend (40/54) - FollettBound Platinum Library Bound Mass Market Movie Tie-In (2008)

 

When you've managed to source nearly every edition of a book that was released, stumbling across the slightest variations is very exciting.

For years, libraries have used services that produce a hardcover binding for paperback releases in order to increase their longevity in circulation. New library bound hardcovers can occasionally be found on Amazon, but for the most part, these enter the marketplace as library discards, but considering how most collectors feel about library discards in general, the bulk are likely sent off to landfills, or to foreign countries (where a surprising number of unsold books are donated). 

This copy is in surprisingly good condition. It doesn't look like it was in the hands of too many (if any) readers.

I'm still on the lookout for the subsequent Tor mass market release in a FollettBound edition. I saw someone post a copy on Facebook (as with the Tor paperback, both FollettBound editions have the same ISBN).   

Check back next week for another item from the I Am Legend Archive!

Creature from the Black Lagoon (39/54) - NECA Universal Monsters 7" Creature (2023)

As I think I have mentioned previously, we're in the midst of a golden age of Creature merchandise. NECA's 7" figure is not only extremely articulated, it features three different Creature heads to choose from, as well as multiple hands.

And another thing NECA really focuses on is the packaging. I not only love the use of the original poster art on the front flap, but I also  appreciate the fact that rather than just use stills from the film, they use product photographs to decorate the packaging, demonstrating the full range of poseability the figure offers. 

Check back next week for another item from my Creature collection!

Godzilla (38/54) - Bandai Spirits Ichibansho Godzilla vs. Destoroyah 1995 Hong Kong Landing Version (2023)

When it comes to Godzilla designs, you may have noticed that the variations on the burning/meltdown Godzilla from 1995's Godzilla vs. Destoroyah is high on my list. This particular statue, sculpted by famed monster prototype sculptor Yuji Sakai, is one of my favorites. 

He stands about 9" tall, and almost twice that long, what it lacks in articulation is more than made up for in the sculpt, right down to the tongue!

Be here next week for another item from my Godzilla collection!