Though it’s been 41 years since the cult daytime drama Dark Shadows originally left the airwaves, the coffin never really remained shut on vampire Barnabas Collins and the show’s cast of other creepy characters. Between spinoff movies, syndicated repeats on television, yearly fan conventions, a 1991 remake series, merchandise and numerous home video releases, interest in the gothic sudser has remained strong throughout the decades.

To celebrate the May issue of Rue Morgue and our coverage of both the original 1966-71 television classic and the soon-to-be released film version from Tim Burton (out this Friday, May 11), here is a look at some of the various Dark Shadows collectibles that have been produced over the past 46 years.

One of the things we love about Alice Cooper is that he’s a genuine horror geek with a big love for a lot of ghoulish stuff. That includes the original Dark Shadows. He was so excited to be in Tim Burton’s remake that he invited us to ring him up to talk about the show, his role in the film and vampires in general. Here’s what The Coop’ had to say…

Jonathan Frid, the actor who was known to millions of fans as reluctant vampire Barnabas Collins in the 1966-71 gothic daytime series Dark Shadows sadly passed away on April 13 at the age of 87.

Behold the illustrated cover of our May issue, featuring this regal portrait of Dark Shadows’ Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) by RM Art Director Justin Erickson. We gathered the cast of the original gothic soap opera to discuss the show’s enduring legacy, and then got director Tim Burton on the black and white-striped telephone to talk about his upcoming feature film adaptation starring Johnny Depp. On stands May 1! Also available for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android platforms, PC and Mac for only $4.99.

Click past the jump for a full-scale look at the cover!