Archive for October, 2018
Happy Halloween!
Halloween (2000) 1
Michael Myers has come home so many times, there’s a key under the mat for him.
In 2000 Chaos Comics continued to delve into the franchise with the first of three holiday offerings simply titled Halloween. By this time seven movies had graced the silver screen. Another three would follow including a remake and sequel by Rob Zombie.
Currently a 2018 follow up to the original 1978 movie is garnering rave reviews in theaters.
Halloween began as a cheap slasher as envisioned by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Carpenter would also direct and score the film. Hill co-produced. By the end of its original run Halloween had grossed $47 million at home with another $23 million raked in internationally for a total of $70 million – or, $277 million by 2018 standards – on a $300,000 investment.
In addition, Halloween launched Jamie Lee Curtis’ career.
In Chaos’ installment, written by Phillip Nutman and penciled by David Brewer, Myers is given a deeper back story. Halloween (the comic book) begins with Tommy Doyle’s, played by Paul Rudd in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Meyers (1995), attempt to chronicle Myers’ hacking exploits in a true-crime novel.
Doyle is granted access to Samuel Loomis’ original notes that began in November of 1963. The writings reveal the tortured path both traveled as Loomis tried to cure his patient. The book culminates with another cliff hanger as Myers makes a horror franchise escape from death.
In keeping with the era, Chaos offered four variant covers including the iconic movie poster as a premium glow in the dark edition.
Spider-Man: The Short Halloween (2009)
A one-shot of mistaken identity, revenge and redemption in a short 33 pages.
Everybody loves Halloween. Well, almost everybody. For instance, not Spider-Man. Spider-Man and semi-sober friends caring for their very drunk friends.
An amusing story as told by Bill Hader and Seth Meyers. Yes, that Seth Meyers: comedian, writer, political commentator, actor and TV host.
And, yes, that Bill Hader. Both are Saturday Night Alumni.
Kevin Maguire handled penciling chores. Yes, that Kevin Maguire. His resume is too long to list here, but, trust me, if you aren’t familiar with the artist, take time to get acquainted.
Anyway, back to the story already in progress…
In New York City it’s hard to swing a dead cat without hitting a super hero. Or villain. Halloween multiplies the meta population as the citizens emulate favorites. Normally not a problem, but this Halloween eve is plagued by at least one too many Spider-Men.
Rather than give too much away, go pick up a copy and enjoy some holiday hijinks Spidey style.
Halloween ComicFest Jughead the Hunger
Halloween ComicFest Jughead the Hunger
Dust off some vintage Ben Cooper plastic or custom create a four-color favorite, Halloween ComicFest 2018 is heading to local comic book retailers Oct. 27.
The perennial event, in its seventh year, features the lure of free comic books and costume contests. Various publishers have provided a sampling of wares in both full-size and mini comic books.
One of this year’s offerings is from Archie Comics: Jughead the Hunger.
The title first grew fangs in a one shot in March of 2017. Response was positive enough that it became an ongoing series the following October, the first to bear the Archie Horror imprint. The Hunger is the third in line of Archie Comic’s monster mash-ups featuring beloved characters behind Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, respectively.
The Hunger unleashes lycanthropy in Riverdale in exponential fashion. Meek and mild Betty Cooper’s follows her birthright as a werewolf hunter. Archie is enlisted.
All you need to know to dive into a darker side of white bread America.
Swamp Thing Halloween Horror
DC Comic’s latest tome of terror compliments the undressing trees, bite in the air and darkness that descends earlier.
The Swamp Thing Halloween Horror features 100 pages of retold Halloween stories culled from previous specials and stand-alone ongoing series. Mostly. The first story is an original from scribe Brian Azzarello and penciler Greg Capullo entitled “Hollow.” This Halloween there are more to fear than just snakes and alligators.
Dan Didio’s “The Pumpkin Sinister” is the first of three stories lifted from The DC Infinite Halloween Special (2007). Blue Devil and Enchantress become honorary members of the Peanut’s gang in the homage to Linus’ obsession with the Great Pumpkin.
Swamp Thing Halloween Horror
The second of the lifts from the 2007 special is “Taert Ro Kcirt.” Paul Dini turns more than the letters around with Zatana. A happy Halloween is spoiled for trick or treaters causing the mistress of magic to reverse roles.
“Strange Cargo” is the final retread from 2007. Poison Ivy spins a yarn of Superman v. Zombies.
“The Ballad of Jonathan Crane” is a reboot of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with the Scarecrow playing himself – or, his alter ego. This one was pulled from the DC Halloween Special (2008).
Aquaman and Etrigan the Demon form an unlikely alliance in “Night Gods.” Together they tackle a Cthulhu clone and his army of darkness called forth from those claimed by the sea throughout the millennia. The story originally appeared in The Brave and the Bold (2007).
Batman (1940) 237 is an October favorite appearing in other specials. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Rutherford, VT, was a destination for comic book creators and fans during Halloween. Eventually the annual parade became peppered with floats and costumes representing both Marvel and DC’s stable of colorful heroes and villains. “Night of the Reaper” immortalizes some of the magic as a backdrop for murder and the Holocaust remembered.
Finally, Swamp Thing returns in this reprint from House of Secrets 92 featuring his muck-covered origin.
The special is an exclusive offered through Wal-Mart as part of the department store’s team up with DC.
Pink Panther: Trick or Pink
October already and time to think about Halloween. Kicking off the month is an animal of another color – even if the pastel panther is a shade more associated with spring – in his 2016 one-shot done in four parts.
“Pink Halloween” has PP crashing a party with the Universal classics.
“Scared Pink” is the second feature, and only other original story in the issue. PP shares a communal scare with strangers at the local theater during a zombie flick.
“Pink Chemistry” is a retread from Pink Panther issue 51 (1978) which was later reprinted in volume two in 1994. PP narrowly escapes a mad scientist bent on creating a world of chickens to satisfy his poultry cravings.
“The Pink Past” is another twice-told tale that originally saw print in Pink Panther 49 in 1978 and was trotted out again in 1993. A mishap at the patent office sends Pinkie traveling through time.
You can almost hear the Henry Mancini theme playing in the background as you read these.
Scooby-Doo! Team-Up 19
To honor the gang who gave us Halloween every Saturday morning for more than two decades, let’s take a look at 2016’s Scooby-Doo! Team-Up 19.
Scooby-Doo! Team-Up 19
Zatanna has more than just a presentation of prestidigitation in mind when she invites Mystery Inc. to her show. Her father, Zatara, has gone missing – again. With no leads of her own, the spellbinding siren seeks aid from Scooby and the gang.
One clue leads to another as they find Zatara isn’t the only mystical mystery. Assorted accoutrements from around the conjuring community are missing.
When both sides of the wizarding world prove blameless they decide to look in plain sight to solve the mystery.
With the 50th anniversary of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! just around the corner, it is only fitting to close out October and Halloween with Joe Ruby and Ken Spear’s creation.
Originally the franchise was to be called House of Mystery. It was later changed to Mysteries Five focusing on five teenagers with a bongo-playing dog named Too Much. The characters were overhauled again, this time as doppelgangers to The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.
Eventually the show was refined to what we know – and love – today as Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc.
Hope you and yours have a very happy and haunting Halloween.