Publisher: IPC
Publication Dates: 1975 – 1976
Number of Issues Published: 73 (#1 – #73)
Color: colour
Information thanks to the Grand Comics Database
Monster Fun was a British comic for young children (7-12). It ran for 73 issues from 14 June 1975 to 30 October 1976, when it merged with Buster to form Buster and Monster Fun.
The first issue contained a free plate wobbler (a novelty item consisting of an inflatable rubber bladder and a hand-operated pump; the bladder is placed under a plate, and inflating it makes the plate wobble). Its comic strips included Mummy’s Boy, (drawn by Norman Mansbridge), X-Ray Specs, drawn by Mike Lacey, “Arts Gallery (drawn by Mike Lacey)”, “Martha’s Monster Make-up (drawn by Ken Reid)”, March of the Mighty Ones, Brainy and his Monster Maker, Cinders, Creature Teacher (drawn by Thomas Williams), Dough Nut & Rusty (drawn by Trevor Metcalfe), Draculass (drawn by Terry Bave), Grizzly Bearhug, The Invisible Monster, Kid Kong (drawn by Robert Nixon), Major Jump Horror Hunter, Monster Hits Jokes and Tom Thumbscrew.
The second issue had a Freaky Spider Ring.
The Third issue had a Super Shaking Skeleton.
Later in the series the popular Gums, Teddy Scare Terror TV (drawn by Ian Knox), began – all 3 of these merged with Buster.
Other later additional comic strips: 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.
The nominal editor was Frankie Stein, who had previously appeared in Wham!, Shiver and Shake and Whoopee!. Artists included Robert Nixon, Tom Williams and Trevor Metcalfe. The Bad Time Bedtime Books insert was created by Leo Baxendale.
The stories that made it into the merger were: Gums, Kid Kong, X-Ray Specs, Mummy’s Boy, Draculass, Teddy Scare, Terror TV, Martha’s Monster Make-up.
Martha’s Monster Make-up, which finished in 1977, Draculass finished in 1977, Teddy Scare, finished in 1978, Terror TV, finished in 1978. Kid Kong continued until the merger with Jackpot in February 1982, Gums continued until the merger with School Fun in June 1984, Mummy’s Boy continued until 1988 (before the merger with Nipper) the later years were reprint material only, 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.
The logo ‘Monster Fun’ was printed on Buster’s cover until the summer of 1979, due to the popularity of Monster Fun.
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.
Original strips
“Mummy’s Boy” (1975-1988), (drawn by Norman Mansbridge)
“X-Ray Specs” (1975-2000), drawn by Mike Lacey
“Arts Gallery” (drawn by Mike Lacey)
“Martha’s Monster Make-up” (1975-1977) (drawn by Ken Reid)
“March of the Mighty Ones”
“Brainy and his Monster Maker”
“Cinders”
“Creature Teacher” (drawn by Thomas Williams)
“Dough Nut & Rusty” (drawn by Trevor Metcalfe)
“Draculass” (1975-1977) (drawn by Terry Bave)
“Grizzly Bearhug”
“The Invisible Monster”
“Kid Kong” (1975-1982) (drawn by Robert Nixon)
“Major Jump Horror Hunter”
“Monster Hits Jokes”
“Tom Thumbscrew”
Later strips
“Gums” (1976-1984) by Roy Davies and Robert Nixon
“Teddy Scare” (1976-1977) by Barrie Appleby
“Terror TV” (1976-1978) (drawn by Ian Knox)
“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
Scroll down for quality-upgrade issues.
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1975 1975 1975 1975 1975
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Monster Fun 1975-06-14
Monster Fun 1975-06-21
Monster Fun 1975-06-28
Monster Fun 1975-07-05
Monster Fun 1975-07-12
Monster Fun 1975-07-19
Monster Fun 1975-07-26
Monster Fun 1975-08-02
Monster Fun 1975-08-09
Monster Fun 1975-08-16
Monster Fun 1975-08-23
Monster Fun 1975-08-30
Monster Fun 1975-09-06
Monster Fun 1975-09-13
Monster Fun 1975-09-20
Monster Fun 1975-09-27
Monster Fun 1975-10-04
Monster Fun 1975-10-11
Monster Fun 1975-10-18
Monster Fun 1975-10-25
Monster Fun 1975-11-01
Monster Fun 1975-11-08
Monster Fun 1975-11-15
Monster Fun 1975-11-22
Monster Fun 1975-11-29
Monster Fun 1975-12-06
Monster Fun 1975-12-13
Monster Fun 1975-12-20
Monster Fun 1975-12-27
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1976 1976 1976 1976 1976
============================
Monster Fun 1976-01-03
Monster Fun 1976-01-10
Monster Fun 1976-01-17
Monster Fun 1976-01-24
Monster Fun 1976-01-31
Monster Fun 1976-02-07
Monster Fun 1976-02-14
Monster Fun 1976-02-21
Monster Fun 1976-02-28
Monster Fun 1976-03-06
Monster Fun 1976-03-13
Monster Fun 1976-03-20
Monster Fun 1976-03-27
Monster Fun 1976-04-03
Monster Fun 1976-04-10
Monster Fun 1976-04-17
Monster Fun 1976-04-24
Monster Fun 1976-05-01
Monster Fun 1976-05-08
Monster Fun 1976-05-15
Monster Fun 1976-05-22
Monster Fun 1976-05-29
Monster Fun 1976-06-05
Monster Fun 1976-06-12
Monster Fun 1976-06-19
Monster Fun 1976-06-26
Monster Fun 1976-07-03
Monster Fun 1976-07-10
Monster Fun 1976-07-17
Monster Fun 1976-07-24
Monster Fun 1976-07-31
Monster Fun 1976-08-07
Monster Fun 1976-08-14
Monster Fun 1976-08-21
Monster Fun 1976-08-28
Monster Fun 1976-09-04
Monster Fun 1976-09-11
Monster Fun 1976-09-18
Monster Fun 1976-09-25
Monster Fun 1976-10-02
Monster Fun 1976-10-09
Monster Fun 1976-10-16
Monster Fun 1976-10-23
Monster Fun 1976-10-30
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ANNUALS ANNUALS ANNUALS
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Publisher: IPC
Publication Dates: 1977 – 1985
Number of Issues Published: 9 (#1977 – #1985)
Color: Colour
Binding: Hardcover
Publishing Format: Was ongoing
Monster Fun Annual 1977
Monster Fun Annual 1978
Monster Fun Annual 1979
Monster Fun Annual 1980
Monster Fun Annual 1981
Monster Fun Annual 1982
Monster Fun Annual 1983
Monster Fun Annual 1984
Monster Fun Annual 1985
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SPECIALS SPECIALS SPECIALS
============================
Publisher: IPC
Publication Dates: 1975 – 1976
Number of Issues Published: 2 (#1 – #1976)
Color: Colour cover; black and white interior with some colour
Publishing Format: Was Ongoing Series
Publication Type: magazine
Monster Fun Summer Special 1975
Monster Fun Summer Special 1976
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QUALITY UPGRADES
============================
Monster Fun 1975-10-04
Monster Fun 1975-10-11
Monster Fun 1975-10-18
Monster Fun 1975-10-25
Monster Fun 1975-11-01
Monster Fun 1975-11-08
Monster Fun 1975-11-22
Monster Fun 1975-11-29
Monster Fun 1975-06-21
Monster Fun 1975-06-28
Monster Fun 1975-07-05
Monster Fun 1975-07-12
Monster Fun 1975-07-19
Monster Fun 1975-07-26
Monster Fun 1975-08-02
Monster Fun 1975-08-09
Monster Fun 1975-08-16
Monster Fun 1975-08-23
Monster Fun 1975-08-30
Monster Fun 1975-09-06
Monster Fun 1975-09-13
Monster Fun 1975-09-20
Monster Fun 1975-09-27
Monster Fun 1975-12-27
Monster Fun Summer Special 1975
Monster Fun Summer Special 1976
Monster Fun Summer Special 1975
British Comics 
Monster Fun had a total of 9 Annuals from 1977-1985.
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Thanks for the information, i saved it on the page.
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Monster Fun Date and numbering guide in dropbox now. Monster Fun Annual 1979 coming soon.
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Monster Fun
Original strips
“Mummy’s Boy” (1975-1988), (drawn by Norman Mansbridge)
“X-Ray Specs” (1975-2000), drawn by Mike Lacey
“Arts Gallery” (drawn by Mike Lacey)
“Martha’s Monster Make-up” (1975-1977) (drawn by Ken Reid)
“March of the Mighty Ones”
“Brainy and his Monster Maker”
“Cinders”
“Creature Teacher” (drawn by Thomas Williams)
“Dough Nut & Rusty” (drawn by Trevor Metcalfe)
“Draculass” (1975-1977) (drawn by Terry Bave)
“Grizzly Bearhug”
“The Invisible Monster”
“Kid Kong” (1975-1982) (drawn by Robert Nixon)
“Major Jump Horror Hunter”
“Monster Hits Jokes”
“Tom Thumbscrew”
Later strips
“Gums” (1976-1984) by Roy Davies and Robert Nixon
“Teddy Scare” (1976-1977) by Barrie Appleby
“Terror TV” (1976-1978) (drawn by Ian Knox)
“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
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Monster Fun #37 – the Badtime Bedtime Book is missing its second page. In its place is a second copy of the seventh page of the story..
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Thanks, i will look out for a complete version.
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The comic was a bit before my time but my Monster Fun annuals brought me so much happiness when I was a wee girl.
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I have been looking for those comics over 9yr. Thank you
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You are welcome, we have a saying over here “one who keeps on searching will find eventually what he’s looking for”.
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Hello, you say there is 76 issues, so you are missing 3 then ? looked through your updates then and couldn’t see any , also your monster fun annual 1980 ,clicked on it 5 times and it seems dead as a door nail
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Hello, it’s not saying there are 76 issues on this blog, but that there are 76 issues published. I tried downloading the annual and i had no problem, i noticed that sometimes when i push download, it starts awhile later, 1 minute even.
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Hi, there were 73 issues. Must be a typo.
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Thanks, i’ve changed that.
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A complete high quality cover of the 1975 summer special is available here:
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Thanks
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Thank you so much for these. I was introduced to monster fun by my cousins some thirty years back- specifically the 1982 annual. I tried deperately to hunt these down over the years but to no avail. You have brought back many fond memories of an otherwise bleak childhood. Thanks again.
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