This document analyzes six front covers of the Fangoria horror magazine to understand how they summarize conventions of horror magazines while creating a unique aesthetic. The covers embrace horror conventions like using red, black, and blue colors and focusing on antagonists rather than protagonists. Layout conventions are sometimes altered to highlight individual films, like reducing text for an art film. The level of text formality and types of rhetorical devices used also vary based on the films' genres to appropriately target different audiences within Fangoria's readership. While retaining core brand elements, the covers demonstrate how conventions can be adapted to different films to appeal to horror fans.

1. Front
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COVER
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2. 1. 2.
3.
4. 5.
6.

3. These six front covers are taken
from the ‘Fangoria’ horror
magazine, and have been
chosen because I feel they
relate closely to my own
magazine. Unlike more
established magazines such as
Empire and Total Film, these
magazines appreciate horror as
an important genre, and are
able to advertise it through a
more unique, tailored aesthetic
that appeals directly to the
horror movie fan.
In order to reflect this love of
the genre on to my own work,
the typical conventions of
movie magazines that are
altered and applied to these
front covers must be analysed.
The symbiosis recurrent on
each of the front covers must
also be noted, as it is of
paramount importance that
symbiosis is maintained
throughout my own
promotional package.

4. CONVENTIONS
Each of these six front covers abides strictly by all variants of conventions within the horror genre, but alter or ignore
the conventions of most magazine covers in general. Regarding the conventions of the genre itself, the magazines
subject matter means that the editors can fully embrace the theatricality and imagery that fans will come to expect from
horror. They do this through using colours on each front cover that are very suggestive of the genre, and this can be
seen in the recurrent red masthead across all six images, as well as the prominent uses of black and blue through
darkness and fog seen especially on covers 2-6. Furthermore, the editors have opted to place the antagonist instead of
the protagonist on every front cover – and although this is unconventional in terms of the magazine layout, this fits in
perfectly with all forms of horror film promotion, as the majority of posters and trailers always focus on the evil in the
film. Graphic and violent imagery is used on the majority of the front covers, with the exception of 3, which further
roots the magazine into the conventions of the horror genre, and all its relevant subgenres as well. Evidently, this is a
magazine that embraces horror and all that is used to promote it, as the editors are fully aware that it is this that will
entice their selective target audience of horror fans to buy the magazine.
Embracing the horror genre is an
obvious necessity for a horror film
magazine. Layout-wise, however,
Fangoria has the potential to alter
conventions of most magazines in
order to create a unique aesthetic that
will resonate more with what horror
fans will expect, and it does just this.
Although it abides to certain principles
of other magazines, it mainly retains its
own brand identity through it’s
recurrent alteration of conventions.

5. Regarding the masthead of the magazine,
Fangoria generally places it conventionally at the
top of the frame – although this is altered for
front cover 3 to divert attention to the image.
This alteration suggests that if the editors and
reviewers are very enthusiastic about a new film,
they are willing to forsake the prominence of
their masthead in order to display said film in
greater clarity. Generally, this is a break of
conventions that established magazines would
never commit, and highlights how Fangoria is
truly made by fans of the horror genre. The
creators are willing to forsake their dominant
masthead in order to share their enthusiasm
regarding this film with the target audience, and
it is likely that this audience will appreciate this
and be able to relate to this sense of enthusiasm.
Similarly to most film front covers, Fangoria
litters their front covers with feature article
photographs and film titles in the place of sell
lines. Evidently, the content of such images and
titles differ notably to magazines like Total Film
– but this is due to the more focused target
audience that Fangoria are appealing to.
Elsewise, the FAPs and sell lines are mostly
placed conventionally upon the front covers, and
although front cover 1 places them at the bottom
of the image as opposed to the side, this is not
unusual amongst film magazines and allows for
a greater variety and depth of construction to be
shown (if each front cover looked exactly the
same within an institution, fans would easily
bore and look elsewhere for variety). The
placement of the cover image is also similar in
this regard – front covers 2 – 6 place it to the
more conventional right hand
side, whereas front cover 1 places it in the
centre of the magazine. Again, this only
allows for variation and the chance to
create exciting new aesthetics without
changing any of the features that fans love.
On the other hand, unlike most magazines,
Fangoria’s uppermost slogan changes
depending on the content within each
edition of the magazine, from 1’s ‘Darren
Aronofsky’s Dance of Death’ to 6’s
‘Hottest Horror Previews’. Some
magazines, such as Empire, alter their
slogans in a similar way, but still mainly
use a recurrent slogan to enforce the brand
identity. Due to Fangoria being a lesser-
known magazine, the select few who buy it
are likely to be more satisfied by the witty,
catchy summarisation of the magazine that
they provide. It is still effective in
summarising the brand identity, as it allows
new viewers to instantly familiarise
themselves with the chatty, excitable mode
of address that Fangoria encapsulates, but
it is achieved through other means.
Unconventionally, the barcode is also
placed in the bottom left hand third, when
it would usually be placed in the bottom
right. Although this creates less space for
the textual information on the left –
demonstrated by front covers 4, 5 and 6
especially – it creates more visual space for
the cover image. This implies that the
editors are Fangoria realise that the die-
hard fans of horror who buy their magazine
will be more interested in the content of the
images themselves,
presuming that they already have
sufficient knowledge of what films
are currently in cinemas. The
inclusion of the barcode within the
text appears to cheapen and
roughen the aesthetic of the
magazine, but the Fangoria editors
will see this as an advantage as it is
more befitting of the cheap scares
and mix of new and old films that
are being covered. It further
emphasises Fangoria’s success as
an old-fashioned, fanmade style of
magazine, and consolidates why
the editors have chosen to make the
convention-defying decisions that
are evident on their front covers.
The unique mode of address itself
is easily visible on the magazine
front cover, and this in itself is a
convention of all magazines. Puns
such as 3’s ‘Scarlett Johansson gets
under the skin’ and alliteration such
as 5’s ‘Supernatural boys vs.
Slashers’ enforce the witty,
enthusiastic approach of the
writers, and these language devices
are common across other film
magazines as well. This shows how
Fangoria recognises the importance
of their mode of address as a
convention, and how they want to
relate to the target audience as
much as possible.

6. Layout and text
Interestingly, the layout and text used on each front cover varies in order to fit the secular identity of the cover film being promoted. F
cover 3 exemplifies this notion, as the entire layout is adjusted in favour of ‘Under the Skin’ – a sub-horror science fiction arthouse fi
The amount of text is substantially reduced and appropriated to the bottom third of the magazine, and in the usual place of the left ha
strip, the masthead is unconventionally placed. Effectively, this draws more attention to the unique aesthetic and individuality of the co
image in an unconventional way, which in turn reflects the ‘unconventional’ nature of the film and it’s differentiation from other films
the horror genre. Moreover, the mode of address that enforces the brand identity is altered in a similar way, as the more plosive, fanbo
esque words seen on covers 5 and 6 are less prominent here. This further reflects the sophistication of Under The Skin, and a simila
approach is used in front cover 1 is used to mirror this ‘alternative’ style of horror film, this time with Black Swan. Here, the usual ‘fi
reel’ of FAPs is allocated to the bottom third, again to generate a greater sense of focus for the cover image and reflect the individualit
‘Darren Aronofsky’s Dance of Death’. As the directors’ name is used for the slogan here, it will reinforce audience’s presumptions ab
the film, especially as the target audience for Fangoria mostly consists of dedicated horror fans who will be familiar with his style an
understand why the magazine has shaped itself to fit Black Swan’s identity. However, the fact that a mainly conventional structure is s
used does suggest that Black Swan, although evidently revered by the editors, still contains many conventions of a typical psychologi
horror.
Ultimately, the other front covers are the more ‘typical’ of the Fangoria magazine, as they generally follow a repeated structural layo
with similar methods of address. Once again, however, this is largely due to the films being promoted on the cover image – and these
notably more ‘conventional’ than the ones used on front covers 1 and 3. This means they contain more elements of violence/supernatu
threat/danger, relevant to their subgenres of slasher and supernatural. Furthermore, front covers 5 and 6 represent this notion, as the fi
being promoted are clearly violent, gore-infested horrors that fall within the slasher and monster subgenre. Ultimately, this allows fo
more ‘cheesy’ approach to their text style, and this is reflected in the use of rhetorical questions (‘Can YOU take a donkey punch?’) a
extended use of informal imperatives (‘Get down with 2006’s scariest film!’). This insinuates that fans more interested in these type
films are likely to be younger than those interested in ‘highbrow’ horrors such as Under The Skin, and therefore shows how Fangori
consistently alters its mode of address to fit the audience relevant to each front cover. Alliteration is used more commonly in front cov
2-6 as well, such as the ‘special summer previews’ of front cover 4, and this enforces the younger, more quirky/comical mode of addr
associated with younger fans of the genre – teenagers are more likely to be interested in slashers, for example. Moreover, front covers
5 and 6 generally retain the same structural layout, consolidating how they are firmly rooted in appealing to the same kinds of audien
The font is also the same on these front covers, as opposed to the leaner, more supernatural-orientated font of front covers 1 and 3.

7. IMAGE AND
Similarly, the image and colours
used throughout each front cover
varies depending on the genres
being covered in that particular
issue. For front cover 2, for
example, washed out blacks and
blues are emulative of the
supernatural/gothic subgenre that
Dark Shadows belongs to, and these
colours are mainly repeated in the
FAPs placed correspondingly to the
image. This creates a sense of flow
and visual continuity across the front
cover, allowing the well-familiarised
audience to immediately make
assumptions based on the subgenres
covered in that particular issue and
see whether they appeal to their
desires. In addition to this, the mise-
en-scene of each particular image
will be the next logical indication of
this, and Fangoria utilises this across
each of its front covers here – in
front cover 2’s case, the period
clothing, pale skin, and blood allow
them to see Barnabas is a vampire
and therefore belongs to a gothic
horror film. Similarly, front cover 5
depicts a masked figure armed with
the prop of a machete – both
conventions of a slasher film. This is
further
COLOURS
enforced by the heavily emphasised
use of red through blood spatters and
general colour scheme on this front
cover, a colour mainly found in
slasher films due to their violent
nature. The content of the FAPs on
this front cover also mirror this, as
they display two other leering masked
figures directly addressing the
audience. This represents how slasher
films are more visually explicit than
other subgenres and often force the
audience into being scared as opposed
to creating a tension-inducing
atmosphere. With the exception of 1
and 3 – which appear almost modern
in their minimalism and sophistication
- Fangoria often uses a juxtaposition
of faded out colours associated with
age and vibrant, bold reds and blacks
that suggest the ‘in-your-face’ effect
so symbolic of the genre. For
example, front cover 6 uses scratched
out purples and yellows to emphasise
the amateurish ‘homemade’ effect that
symbolises the editors’ love for the
genre. However, it is contrasted with
the stark darkness and yellow lighting
of the antagonist on the cover image,
creating a bold visual identity that
could only be associated with a
magazine such as Fangoria.

8. Overall, these six front covers will influence my own in a
variety of ways. The deliberately amateurish effect highlighted
on most of the front covers will be replicated in its own
individual style on my own front cover. However, my masthead
will be placed at the left hand side in a similar fashion to front
cover 3, although I will substitute text for FAPs and sell lines in
the bottom third. This is because, to me, front cover 3 is the
most visually striking of all the ones analysed, and the film
being promoted resonates more with the unique aesthetic and
premise of my own supernatural horror. The horrific and
bloody subject matter of the FAPs across most of the front
covers here will be emulated through my own images of blood-
soaked figures and otherworldly ghouls, as I want to fully
signal the genre of the magazine to audiences in order to
differentiate between my target audience and the general
audience who want a film magazine covering all genres.
Generally, however, I want ‘Overlook’ magazine to retain a
level of sophistication matched by front covers 1 and 3, and it is
this sophistication that will set my magazine apart from the
nerdy mode of address used across Fangoria.