HEADLINE: Deadlines Are Fast Approaching!
10 days ago
– Wed, May 27, 2026 at 10:00:04 AM
Hello again from your friends at FANGORIA. This note is to provide you with an update on the status of the book as well as some early results from the fan voting for the sections you unlocked during our Stretch Goals. Thank you so much to everyone (all 9,000+ of you) who has already responded and filled out your backer surveys. Our response rate has been through the roof, but we still have nearly 2,500 backers who have not yet responded to our earlier emails, and the time to respond is now!
Time to Get Your Surveys Completed!
We need your help as we continue to work on completing First In Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium and the other rewards that will be sent to backers. Anyone who has not yet completed their backer survey should do so immediately by responding to the BackerKit Pledge Manager email that was sent two weeks ago. If you have not received your backer survey email, you can request that one be resent by clicking on the link below and entering the email used to set up the Kickstarter account that backed the FANGORIA Compendium project. Once you enter your email on the form at the link below, you should receive another email that will let you access the backer survey on the BackerKit profile that is automatically created for you.
Link to BackerKit Survey Request
The backer survey is the only way that you can let us know where to send your physical rewards or download your digital rewards when they become available, so it is important that you complete this step in the process. Also, the survey is the only way you can let your voice be heard in the voting for certain editorial sections that were unlocked by the stretch goals reached during the campaign (see more info on that below).
Anyone who wants to check their survey or needs to make any revisions (to addresses or orders) can also do so by visiting the link above and entering their email.
Another Reminder to Apple ID Private Relay Email Users…
If your Kickstarter account was set up using an Apple ID Private Relay email then we need your help! Please reach out to us at [email protected] with your backer number for the FANGORIA project and provide an email that we can use to update your BackerKit account. This will allow us to send you the backer survey to the new email you provide. Without a valid non-Apple ID email we will not be able to send you your survey, so it is important that you reach out to us as soon as possible.
LAST WEEK to Vote on FANGORIA Compendium Horror Characters, Films, and Hall of Fame!
As we wrap up the production of the book, we’re down to the final week to get your votes in for the special stretch goal sections that were unlocked during the campaign. This is the chance for your voices to be heard on the most iconic characters in horror history, as well as the opportunity to let us know your favorite films and who should be inducted into the FANGORIA Compendium Hall of Fame. Voting has been extended, but your opportunity to cast a vote will end this Friday, May 29th, at noon PT.
Cover Contest Also Closes This Week
What do Ash Williams, Freddy Krueger, and Godzilla have in common? They’re the subjects on the top three FANGORIA covers as chosen by our backers! For those who have ordered at the Collector’s Edition reward tier or higher, you have one final chance to get your selections in before the voting closes at noon PT this Friday and the top 100 covers are forever immortalized on the exclusive poster created for this project. Entering is easy: Go to FANGORIA Covers and enter your email. If you qualify, you’ll be able to pick your top five favorite FANGORIA covers of all time.
Pre-Orders Now Available
Our pre-order page is now live and features some great post-campaign add-ons that we’re making available as part of this project. You can access the following link which leads to our pre-order store on BackerKit:
FANGORIA Pre-Orders Now Available on BackerKit
This page will only be up for a couple more weeks so if you’re interested in any of these items for yourself or a friend be sure to head over there now to check out what’s available.
Update on the Book
Now, for the most important part of our update: we’re happy to report that the final pages are coming together and we’re in the home stretch for completing First In Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium. We’re planning to have the final book laid out and ready to send to the printer in a few weeks to have test copies printed and make sure everything looks as good as possible. Once we check out these samples and make sure there is nothing that needs further attention, we’ll give the green light to go into full production. If there are any issues, we’ll be sure to let all our backers know right away and we should have a final schedule to everyone on when you can expect to receive your rewards soon.
That’s it for now! Remember, if you haven’t already received and completed your backer survey then now is the perfect time to stop what you’re doing and go take a few minutes to finish up your contribution to the project. If you haven’t received the email or if you have an Apple ID email, please reach out to our team at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to assist you further.
Did you use your Apple ID with Kickstarter? Read this to make sure you get the backer survey!
23 days ago
– Thu, May 14, 2026 at 05:39:33 PM
Note: We have made a quick edit on the steps to find your email. Hopefully this is more clear. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us.
As we get ready to start sending out the backer surveys for the FANGORIA Compendium, we wanted to pass along an additional tip for those who may have difficulty accessing the backer surveys that will be going out.
If your Kickstarter account was set up using an Apple ID there is likely an issue that will prevent you from receiving your survey via BackerKit.
If you chose to "hide your email" when first logging into Kickstarter with your Apple ID, you WILL NOT receive the BackerKit survey properly. At the moment, we’ve identified a small number of you who fall into this category.
It’s easy to check to see if your account is impacted by this issue:
On Desktop: Click the circular profile icon in the top-right and select Settings from the drop-down menu. At the top of the Account tab, which is the default view, it will display either your email or say "Apple ID email" and list an email that ends in privaterelay.appleid.com.
On iPhone: Tap the circular icon labeled "Profile" on the bottom menu, then tap the Gear icon in the top-right to open the Settings menu, then select Account. If you have an Apple ID, it will show the privaterelay.appleid.com email address here. If there's an option to change your email, then you're not affected by this issue.
Android: Tap the three lines in the top-left, then select Settings, then Account. If you have an Apple ID, it will show the privaterelay.appleid.com email address here. If there's an option to change your email, you're not affected by this issue.
Once you confirm you are impacted by this issue, please contact us via an email to our support email at [email protected] or through Kickstarter messages. In your message, please include your full name, your backer number for the FANGORIA Compendium, and a valid email that we can use to update your profile that will reach you. We will then manually fix your record on BackerKit. Once your account profile is updated with the new email it will allow us to send your survey. Please allow up to a day for us to review and revise the email on your account.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Quick update on FANGORIA Compendium Pledge Manager / Backer Surveys
23 days ago
– Thu, May 14, 2026 at 04:00:25 PM
Hello to all of our legendary First in Fright backers! We wanted to give you a very quick update on the Backer Surveys that are being sent and give you some additional info based on feedback we received from the fine folks over at BackerKit.
First, a small change in plans: We're now looking to begin the "smoke test" that is randomly going to send surveys to the first 1,000 backers later this evening (Thursday, May 14). We're making sure that the survey we get out to you is as perfect as possible and we received some great feedback from the support group over at BackerKit that we felt was important to incorporate. This required us to delay our schedule by a day but we intend to have the test completed today.
Second, barring any issues with the test, we're still planning to have the rest of the backer surveys out to everyone by end of day tomorrow, Friday, May 15. Be on the lookout for this!
Lastly, we will be collecting responses from backers on the final editorial sections in the book via a form link in the survey. A second link to a special backers-only website, accessible if your reward tier includes the FANGORIA Top 100 Covers poster, will allow you to cast a vote for your five favorite FANGORIA covers of all time.
As always, thank you for your ongoing support and we can't wait to start showing you what we've been working on!
Everything You Need to Know About the Upcoming Pledge Manager Survey
29 days ago
– Fri, May 08, 2026 at 12:30:10 PM
Hello again to our wonderful community!
Today is the day: the campaign for First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium has come to an end. What an awe-inspiring ride this has been, and we can never say thank you enough to everyone who backed the project, shared it, or showed their support in any other way.
Now we move onto the next phase of the campaign – fulfilling the orders that have come in and making sure all of you get a chance to provide your input and, depending on your reward tier, add your name to the book! We have decided to partner with the folks over at BackerKit to handle our post-campaign pledge manager, which means that you’ll soon be getting an email that connects you to BackerKit. That’s where you will vote on certain things (like which FANGORIA magazine covers are in the top 100, selecting the most legendary characters in horror history, and deciding who deserves to be inducted into the Compendium’s Horror Hall of Fame), provide us with your mailing address so we know where to send your rewards, and give us a way to send download codes once digital items become available. In other words, the place where all the biggest Fango fans will be hanging out... when they’re not on Fangoria.com that is.
We’re preparing to send out our BackerKit survey beginning next week. If this is your first time backing a project on Kickstarter or using BackerKit for a campaign, we know you may need a little help in figuring out how this all works, and we wanted to be as clear as possible on what to expect and answer any questions you may have.
Let’s start with timing. As we said above, we plan to start sending out surveys next week, beginning on Wednesday, with a randomly assigned 5% of backers at each pledge level getting the first batch, per BackerKit policy. This "Smoke Test," as they call it, is to verify we have everything set up properly and, if there’s any kind of issue, it’s better to catch it when only a handful of people are responding, rather than trying to address problems with thousands of backers all at once!
After we’ve confirmed all is good with this first batch of backers, we’ll start sending out surveys to the remainder of you.
If you don’t get the survey on Wednesday, please know that it is coming, and it’s coming soon. We’ll post a quick note here when the survey has gone out to everyone.
We’ve mentioned this a few times in previous updates, but just to reiterate: The BackerKit survey will automatically go to the email associated with the Kickstarter account you used to back the campaign – the same one where you should be receiving this update right now. If you haven’t received the survey by Monday, May 18th, when you (and we) expect you will, please leave a comment on the page or email us directly at [email protected] and we’ll investigate to make sure you get it. Please check your spam folder just in case.
As far as what is in the actual survey, you should find filling it out to be quite simple.
First, you’ll confirm your general location – your country and state or province, as necessary. Then, if applicable to your pledge tier, you’ll get a few short questions to answer based upon the tier you supported. This includes things like what name you’d like to appear in the book (plus a backup name if you’re worried about someone sharing your first choice), and a contact email if one is required for your rewards.
Next, if you purchased any add-ons through Kickstarter, you’ll see a list allowing you to confirm they look correct. On the next screen, you’ll have a chance to modify your order by including other add-ons that weren’t originally part of your initial pledge. Some of these will be familiar from the Kickstarter campaign, but you’ll also find a few surprises! We’ve added a few new rewards in response to backer feedback, too. There’s obviously no obligation to add on anything to your order, but you may find a few things that you simply can’t live without!
If your add-on selections require any additional information you’ll fill out a few more basic questions to provide those details.
Next, you’ll enter your shipping address. For those backers who may be moving between now and when the book delivers, don’t worry. You’ll be able to return to BackerKit and update your address (as well as other aspects of your order) until we lock everything closer to the ship date (and we’ll give you some advance notice before that happens).
As the final step, if you have any outstanding balance as a result of new add-ons, you’ll need to provide your credit card information to BackerKit. Please note, however, that you will not be charged until we collect funds, closer to shipping.
And if you don’t have any outstanding balance, all you need to do is click to confirm, and you’re all done!
We’re excited to start the BackerKit process with you and take this important next step in getting the book and rewards into your hands! Thanks again to all who have shown their enthusiasm for FANGORIA and the campaign – it is appreciated more than you can ever know!
All Good Things...
about 1 month ago
– Fri, May 01, 2026 at 12:32:22 PM
Six months ago we announced First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium and gave fans the opportunity to help participate in a project designed to preserve the history of horror and celebrate FANGORIA magazine. Your response was overwhelming, lifting the book past its funding goal in just over an hour and eventually carrying the project all the way to #12 on Kickstarter’s list of most funded books on the platform. This couldn’t have happened without our backers, and your enthusiasm for what we set out to do was matched only by our excitement in getting to work on such an important project. We can’t say “thank you” enough, so allow us this chance to once again extend our gratitude to each and every person who has supported FANGORIA and this campaign.
While Fango fans continue to find the project (more than 1,000 new backers in the last month!), we’ve decided it’s time to officially end new pledges so we can lock orders, launch our Pledge Manager (more on that below), and finish up all of the exciting rewards that you helped make a reality.
May 8, 2026, will be the last day that new orders are accepted, and there will be no way to purchase a copy of the special Kickstarter edition of the book or receive any of the other rewards and stretch goals that have been unlocked. If you have considered supporting First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium, now is our “last call” to be a part of this special campaign.
Where We’re At, Where We’re Going
We’d like to give backers a quick recap on the book as well as all the amazing upgrades and special stretch goals you will receive, based on your reward tier, for supporting this project. We also have new updates on the final roster of composers for The Music of FANGORIA Album, additional details on FANGORIA Comics, and some early information on the Pledge Manager and when we’ll be setting that up so you can provide your vote on the special articles that are being included in the book.
Book Updates
We’ve been hard at work since the day this project funded to make sure that all of the rewards you’ll be receiving are the best they can be, starting, of course, with the Compendium book itself. We’re pleased to report that Meredith and her editorial and design teams are wrapping up pages at a quick clip. The sections we’ve seen so far are equally entertaining and informative, and dripping with the nostalgia of 40+ years of horror history that only FANGORIA could deliver. All is on track for the book to be uploaded to the printer on the scheduled date.
All Stretch Goals Reached
Crossing the $1 million threshold in backer support not only affirmed how incredibly passionate FANGORIA fans are for all things horror, it also helped unlock a dozen special Stretch Goals that will make your book even better and allow us to deliver some extra goodies that we know you’ll love. Below you’ll find a list of the items that are now being produced for supporters of First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium who backed the project at the digital and physical tiers:
- Increased book size to 9” x 12” to provide even more content per page!
- Red ribbon to hold your place in the book
- 48 Additional Pages to celebrate the top horror films, characters, and a Horror Hall-of-Fame as nominated by the editors of FANGORIA and chosen by you, the backers.
- Crimson red metallic gilded pages on every book
Additionally, physical backers will also receive the following items with their other rewards:
- Physical bookmarks featuring 9 different FANGORIA covers
- Physical 15-month Calendar highlighted with selected FANGORIA covers and special dates to remember
- Physical edition of issue #0 of FANGORIA Comics
Lastly, the following digital upgrades will go to all backers of both the physical and digital reward tiers:
- Access to the FANGORIA Vault with additional behind-the-scenes information, images and materials from the magazine and the projects it covered
- Access to 27 digital issues of GOREZONE, the FANGORIA companion magazine, via the Digital Archive
- A digital download of The Music of FANGORIA album featuring original music from top horror composers created just for this campaign
- Access to a digital edition of issue #0 of FANGORIA Comics
The Final De-Composers
One of the highlights of the campaign was working with many talented composers responsible for soundtracks to some of the biggest and most beloved horror films of all time. Our final roster of “de-composers” includes:
- Harry Manfredini (Friday the 13th)
- Joseph LoDuca (Evil Dead)
- John Harrison (Creepshow)
- Richard Band (Puppet Master)
- Charles Bernstein (A Nightmare on Elm Street)
- John Massari (Killer Klowns from Outer Space)
- Brian Satterwhite (Cell)
- Christopher Cozzi (The Ties That Bind)
- Ignacio Rosado (the next generation)
We’re so excited to have these amazing talents contribute to our Magazine Soundtrack and the work they’ve delivered has been amazing. Also, those who were lucky enough to be in the first group of De-Composer Edition backers, as well as anyone who backed the Leather Edition of the book, will receive a copy of the Album signed by Harry Manfredini himself!
FANGORIA Comics
We’re thrilled to announce Issue #0 of FANGORIA Comics. We partnered with Panick! Entertainment to create a brilliant, brand-new horror anthology comic with some of the biggest names in the biz. We’re announcing the rest of the contributors NEXT WEEK so be on the lookout for that, but we have already announced the amazing Tony Fleecs (Feral) as one of our anthology talents.
Pledge Manager Coming Soon
Longtime Kickstarter users know that once the campaign ends the next phase of the project is the Pledge Manager. This is where you will be able to provide us with important information like where to ship your physical rewards or vote on the bonus sections that will be included in the book. It’s also the way we’ll provide you with certain content like the codes you’ll need to access the Digital Archive when that goes live.
We will be sending you a more detailed introduction to how the Pledge Manager works and how your unique profile will be set up and how to access it in an update that you’ll receive on May 8th. We are currently targeting May 11th to activate the Pledge Manager and will be adding backers to the system throughout that week (just to make sure everything is running smoothly and everyone is getting onboarded without issue). We’ll have the details of how that will work and when, specifically, you’ll be added to the Pledge Manager in another update going out on May 8th so stay tuned.
That’s it for this update! Remember, if you or someone you know would still like to back First in Fright, the clock is ticking towards Noon PST on May 8th as the final chance to be a part of horror history and support The FANGORIA Compendium project on Kickstarter! Thanks again to everyone for their excitement and encouragement, and we’re looking forward to the next update.
