Last Updated on November 11, 2025 by Angel Melanson
We're sure we don't need to remind you, loyal Fangorian, but since 1979, FANGORIA Magazine has been at the forefront of our beloved genre, delivering the best in horror to millions of fans with on-set access, behind-the-scenes interviews and expert insights over 376 issues (and counting!) To celebrate not only Fango's legacy, but also the legacy of the fans and filmmakers who have helped to shape the face of fear, FANGORIA announces the launch of First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium, a limited-edition hardcover book and digital-archive project inviting fans to help preserve nearly five decades of horror history through Kickstarter.
First in Fright, one definitive volume, will meticulously curate stories from the magazine’s archives with modern commentary, including rare photography, and never-before-shared stories from fan-favorite films and artists who define horror, from Halloween to Sinners and beyond. Featuring more than 300 pages of stunning, full-color images and incisive analysis, First in Fright is a handsome hardcover book printed on premium paper, making it both collectible and informative for all serious fans of the genre.
The frights and fun don't stop at the compendium – with this campaign FANGORIA will also debut The FANGORIA Digital Archive, a fully searchable, indexed, interactive, remastered collection of the magazine’s complete original run (Issues 1–344). Each issue has been scanned and enhanced, offering fans more than 25,000 pages of restored content viewable in both original layout and text-readable formats for the first time ever. And backers who receive a copy of First in Fright will also receive access to this unparalleled archive of horror scholarship. Sounds like a damn good deal if you ask us.
The First in Fright project unites past and present editors (including Phil Nobile Jr., Tony Timpone, Michael Gingold and Chris Alexander) with modern journalists, filmmakers, effects legends, and horror icons to explore the genre’s evolution. Within its pages are exclusive contributions from genre legends Joe Bob Briggs, Sandy King, Ernest Dickerson, Neil Marshall, David Dastmalchian, Bryan Fuller, Don Mancini, Mike Flanagan, Barbara Crampton, Devon Sawa, Jeffrey Reddick, Tom Savini, Clive Barker and many more, as well as a brand-new foreword written by the horror master himself, John Carpenter.
Backers of First in Fright can receive exclusive rewards such as:
- Custom first editions and signed copies of the First in Fright hardcover
- Foil slipcases, collectors’ merch, and an original vinyl album
- A remastered reprint of FANGORIA Issue #1
- A poster featuring the top 100 covers from Fango’s 45-year history
- Access to the complete Digital Archive
- Your name in the book and a VIP invite to the exclusive book launch party
Fango Senior Editor Meredith Borders, who is leading the charge on the compendium, had the following to say in a new statement:
“FANGORIA has been at the forefront of horror journalism as long as horror journalism has existed. Tens of thousands of pages of genre knowledge, history and insight will now be at the fingertips of the fans who have made it all possible.”
Join the First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium campaign right here and help us preserve FANGORIA’s legacy for at least another half-century.
