JAWS and the creation of 'Horror Hound' Issue #53
You can catch The Shark Is Broken from 25th July 2023 at the Golden Theater, New York, NYC.
Hello, Islanders!
It all started with a casual conversation. My friend Dominic Mancini was in Kansas City with a couple of his clients at a convention. We went to dinner, and he remarked that he had been asked by Nathan Hanneman, the publisher of “Horror Hound” magazine to provide images of many of his JAWS collectibles for an upcoming issue to celebrate the film’s 40th Anniversary. Never one to shy away from anything JAWS-related, and in the home stretch of completing the JAWS 2 book, I reached out to Nathan, explained that I had just finished a book and asked if there was anything I could do to be part of the proposed issue. He replied that if I wanted to I could write a piece about the history of the film. Oh, and it had to be at least 8000 words!
You may think it’s easy to write about something that you love, but with this assignment I had two rules I set for myself. The first was to make what I wrote not only informative, but entertaining. I didn’t want to come across as a “talking head,” just spouting facts like a robot. Secondly, try to include information that, in the past 40-years, other authors hadn’t dwelled upon. I likened this challenge to a rule Richard Dreyfuss has when he does his fan question and answer questions. If you ask him a question he’s heard over and over, you have to pay him $10 (and he takes it!). My goal was to not owe myself any money when I finished.
As I noted earlier, I was putting the finishing touches on the JAWS 2 book, which was due to the publisher at the end of June 2015. The “Horror Hound” issue was due to be released in late May 2015. To make sure I could finish both projects, I took two weeks off from work, with the majority of the time off spent in front of the computer.
As a writer I can tell you that the best part of the process is the research. No matter how much you think you know about a subject, to me it’s always a thrill when you discover a new or overlooked fact. This assignment was no different.
About a week in I received an email from Nathan that included an image of the proposed cover of the magazine designed by artist Nathan Thomas Milliner. It was an amazing painting featuring Brody recoiling in horror as Quint battles the shark on the deck of the ORCA. I have seen an “alternate” cover online for this issue, featuring the red sunset art made popular by the advance poster for JAWS 2 but I’m not sure if this was ever published. If so, I need to find one!
When the issue came out, it was well received. In fact, my understanding is that it was, at the time of issue, the only issue of “Horror Hound” to completely sell out its run. When I got my copy (I ended up scouring local book stores – remember those – and purchased a few more copies. I still do the occasional search for them on Ebay but when there is one it's usually pretty pricey.
Two more things. In the article the dog that chases the stick on the beach is referred to as PIPPIN!! As someone that, politely, corrects fans that call the dog by that name (the correct name is PIPIT) I was mortified. I called Nathan and he told me that, while I had spelled it properly the spell-check software they use “corrected” it. Lastly, I was surprised to see an ad for the JAWS 2book included in the issue, a much appreciated “thank you” from Nathan for my work.
Words by Michael A Smith. Michael is co-author of Jaws 2: The Making Of The Hollywood Sequel. You can order the book by contacting Michael at OsFanMike@aol.com.
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