THE LEGENDS OF HORROR ~ Universal Monsters ~ BELA LUGOSI, BORIS KARLOFF and LON CHANEY Jr.~ WOLFMAN, FRANKENSTEIN and DRACULA 1996 by BUDD ROOT!

1997 - the year it got away! As I was walking up to Budd's table at Heroes Con I notice the guy in front of me holding the HOLY Grail of MONSTERS by Budd and it only set him back a mere $40!!! I was crushed, so much I couldn't even bring it up to Budd even though I did manage to score the back cover to Cavewoman #1 the same day. You see that same monster image had been used for our two day N. C. Armory show the year before in Raleigh on the back cover of our Dreamcon program. The ad was a petition by Budd for the three legendary horror actors (Lugosi, Karloff and Chaney) to also be portrayed on the upcoming US Postage stamps. Although the USPS did eventually release the stamps, it didn't depict the actors (beside their bitter half) nor was the art rendered by such greats as Basil Gogos or our buddy, Budd Root! What a missed opportunity! The illustration was used as Budd's table art for the show as well. My cousin and I were salivating but we figured the piece was long gone and never inquired about it until I happened to run across it the very next year at Heroes...five minutes too late. DANG IT!

Fast forward 18 years later as I awoke from a quick nap this week, my lovely wife, Jobi surprised the heck out of me with that very same piece that I never thought I'd ever have another chance to run across!!! She had tracked it down on-line and ordered it for me. My goodness, I am BLESSED with a WONDERFUL WOMAN!