RIP, Forrest

Forrest J. Ackerman, the editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland. the original father of all monster magazines, and one of the largest contributors in monster cinema fandom, has passed away, apparently peacefully. The best, and best-informed tribute(s) to his genius, warmth and community impact, can be found here and here at Ain't It Cool news, including a Peter Jackson remembrance. I'm not too tough of a "gun guy" to say that this is very sad to a geek like me, and he will be missed - because he, too, was a monster, Sci-Fi, and horror geek. I never met him, but everything I've read so far tells me I would have liked him. I was aware of him years ago, as a writer's agent before I was born. and my first visit to Adventurecon brought me closer to understanding just what it was about the rubber and fur monsters of film that made him tick. He was the agent for both Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov when they were young writers, and without him, we may never have had their early works.

He also owned one of the largest collection of movie props, memorabilia and art, and apparently was always gracious enough to give a tour of it in his mansion. If you ever read Famous Monsters, or ever appreciated B-Grade monster movies of yesteryear, then take a minute and read up on the biggest figure in the monster flick genre, 4S Ackerman - He will be missed.

KsR