One day, in the magazine aisle of a supermarket, he came upon a copy of Famous Monsters of Filmland.

NEWYORKER: Show The Monster

Ackerman founded a cult magazine, Famous Monsters of Filmland, and, more lucratively, became an agent for horror and science-fiction writers.

NEWYORKER: Show The Monster

In the 1960s, a monster-merchandise maker called Captain Co. sold a version, called the Monster Inside the Black Box, in magazines including Creepy, Eerie and Famous Monsters of Filmland.

WSJ: Looking for Something Useful to Do With Your Time? Don't Try This