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First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium

Created by FANGORIA

The Complete History of Horror From the Pages of FANGORIA Magazine.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Production Update for First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium
3 days ago – Sun, Jul 19, 2026 at 11:00:05 AM

First and foremost, thank you for your continued support of this project and FANGORIA. From day one, our commitment has been to create the definitive history of horror and we continue to make progress towards that goal. Today we'd like to share a few important production updates so everyone knows exactly where things stand going forward, as well as alert you to a couple other important things that will happen in the days to come.

Book Delivery Timeline Update

Our original estimated delivery window for the book was July. After reviewing the remaining production schedule with our printing and fulfillment partners, we are updating the estimated delivery window for the book and other rewards (including digital rewards) to September.

While we know delays are never welcome news, we're committed to keeping you in the loop and passing along information so you know exactly when to expect delivery of your rewards.

The good news is that production of the books and other rewards are moving forward, and we've received our first printed proofs! We're incredibly pleased with these samples and the quality that our printing partners delivered is very high. Each book weighs in at nearly five pounds, and we can’t wait to get them in your hands. 

We’re thrilled to be able to share the first sneak peek of the book and what’s between the covers below...

Printing of the book is scheduled to begin this week and will take approximately four weeks to complete. From printing to binding, from packing to shipping the final rewards to our fulfillment center (who will then get them sent directly to each of you), every step takes time, but we want to ensure we do this in a way that guarantees your book arrives safely and at the level of quality we all expect from something with the FANGORIA name.

VIP Party Update

For those of you who secured one of the limited tickets to our VIP Party, we're excited to confirm that the Los Angeles event will take place on September 12.

Our team is currently finalizing all event details, and attendees will receive additional updates in the next few days with all information, including location, schedule, and other scoop you'll need. 

We can't wait to celebrate this huge achievement with you in person and have you join past and current FANGORIA editors, as well as a number of special guests that are lined up to spend an evening with all the folks who helped make this project a reality.

We’ll also be making a very small number of tickets for this event available via upgrade to existing FANGORIA Compendium backers in the days ahead, so stay tuned if you have an interest in attending!

Add-On Charges This Friday

If you purchased any add-ons during the pledge manager phase on BackerKit, please note that payment for those add-ons will be processed this Friday, July 24.

On that date:

Add-on payments will be collected. 

Orders will be locked. 

Changes to addresses after that date should go through our support team via Kickstarter messages or directly to our support email after this Friday. Just reach out if you need us to adjust your address and we'll be happy to help out. 

If you have been considering making any final adjustments to your order or need to change your address, now is the time to do so. You can access your BackerKit profile by going to fangoria.backerkit.com and entering the email used to create the Kickstarter account that backed the First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium project. This will generate an email (to the email you enter) that will provide you with a link to get back into your account and from there you can make edits to your order and address.

Have You Completed Your Backer Survey?

We're still waiting on surveys from some backers. If you haven't completed your Backer Survey yet, please do so as soon as possible. We can't ship your rewards until we have your completed survey and shipping information. If you're having any problems accessing your survey or need assistance updating your information, please contact us at:

[email protected]

Our support team will be happy to help.

Thank You Again

Projects like this only exist because of passionate fans like you. Every decision we're making – including taking additional care in the completion of production – is focused on delivering a book that lives up to the legacy of FANGORIA and is worthy of the astonishing support you've shown this campaign.

We'll continue sharing updates as production progresses, including additional proof images, printing milestones, and fulfillment news as we get closer to shipping.

Thank you again for being part of this journey. We're excited to put the finished FANGORIA Compendium into your hands this September.

Reminder: Complete your FANGORIA backer survey!
about 1 month ago – Wed, Jun 10, 2026 at 12:36:12 PM

Hello again to all First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium backers! This is another reminder to everyone who has not yet completed their backer survey that now is the perfect time to take a few minutes and finish this important step in the Kickstarter journey. 

Why We Need This Completed

For those who are new to Kickstarter it is important to understand that we need you to complete this survey (being sent by our partners at BackerKit) so that you can provide us with important information like your shipping address and to confirm where you want digital rewards emailed. Without this information we will not know where to send your rewards, so it is critical that you complete this part of the process.

Completing this step will ensure that we have the information we need to ship your rewards to you on time.

Everyone who has not yet completed the backer survey should already have the email in their inboxes. Be sure to check your junk/spam folder if you do not find it in your inbox. 

If you still can't locate it and need to have the email resent (or if you need to update information you previously provided in the survey), simply go to the link below and enter the email address you used to set up the Kickstarter account that backed the First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium project. A new link to the backer survey will then be emailed to you at that address from BackerKit.

Link:  Resend Backer Survey

Apple ID Private Relay Email Users

Another important reminder goes out to those who used the Apple ID Private Relay email to set up their Kickstarter account. You will not be able to receive your backer survey until you provide us with a new and valid email. Anyone who used a private email should contact our customer support team at [email protected] and we will be able to assist you further by updating your profile and resending you the survey to your revised email address.

New Add-Ons and Upgrades

A quick reminder to all backers to check out the optional upgrades and add-ons that are available to everyone who backed the FANGORIA project. You'll find some new items that are being made available for a short period of time when you complete your survey. These additional items are completely optional and you do not need to revise your order in any way if you're happy with your original pledge. 

The Book is Complete! 

We will have another update to you ASAP with information about the fulfillment of the book and all other campaign rewards, but we’re happy and proud to announce that First in Fright: The FANGORIA Compendium is finished, and we know you’re going to love it. All the more reason to get your backer survey filled out sooner rather than later!

That wraps up this update/reminder! Remember that if you have any questions or need assistance with your order, the backer survey, or anything else you can reach out to us here on Kickstarter or send us an email at [email protected] and we'll be happy to help.

HEADLINE: Deadlines Are Fast Approaching!
about 2 months 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!
2 months 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
2 months 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!