Anticipated Misfits Photo Book Vanishes From Publisher's Website

December 3, 2018 | by James Greene, Jr.

For much of 2018, publishing house Bazillion Points has been teasing the release of Teenagers From Mars: The Misfits Among Us, 1978-2006, a photo collection focusing on America's most celebrated horror punk band. Pre-orders shipped in November and the book had been scheduled for release on or around Christmas. Last week, however, fiends who've been eagerly anticipating this volume noticed all reference to Teenagers From Mars removed from the Bazillion Points website with no explanation. Questions about the book's status posted to Bazillion's Facebook page remain unanswered, though considering the litigious history of the Misfits it's not difficult to ascertain what may be unfolding.

Teenagers From Mars, authored by Ken Caiafa and Frank White, was not created with any cooperation from founding Misfits Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only (despite the fact Ken Caiafa and Only are brothers). The sudden disappearance of the book from online promotion suggests a cease and desist was issued by the Misfits. The situation feels not dissimilar to 12 Hits From Hell, the October 2001 Caroline Records release Danzig and Only halted after it had been shipped to retailers. Of course, nothing is certain until Bazillion Points makes a statement regarding Teenagers From Mars.

It would be a shame if this book were cancelled; it appears to offer a treasure trove of vintage Misfits imagery previously only seen via tiny jpeg files. Caiafa, who traveled extensively with the group during their salad days, takes half of the book to present what he captured in the late '70s and early '80s. White's half focuses on the reunited Misfits of the 1990s, when the band was signed to Geffen for one album and featured vocalist Michale Graves.

Bazillion Points also published Eerie Von's Misery Obscura, a 2009 compendium of Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig-related photography.