The Headless Horseman Annual 2024 was released earlier this week from Dark Horse Comics. The cover features a headless woman and Frankenstein-like monster with a horse's head. There are five horror stories in this issue introduced by the female headless horseman. The first story is "Leech Lake" about three teen girls that usually goes trick or treating every year but two of them decide to go to a party instead. The second story is "Feeder" about a zombie just trying to survive after the zombie apocalypse. "Stingy Jack and the Cursed Lantern" is the third story that tells the origin of Stingy Jack O'Lantern (this is my favorite). The fourth story is "The Spice of Life (and Death)" that finds a couple not getting along with their new neighbors (this one is my second favorite). "Little Rabbit" is the fifth story about a girl escaping and running away.
Friday, October 25, 2024
Thursday, October 24, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 24: Blade: Red Band #1
Blade: Red Band #1 came out last week and takes place after Marvel's Blood Hunt event. He makes a new sword on Lupui Island in Southeast Asia when Damien in his astral form delivers a message from Spellguard. A helicopter arrives to take Blade to meet Damien in person. The Spellguard wants Blade to find Pontious Van Helsing, who is in charge of a hidden sect of vampires that are experimenting with magic. Damien wants him to kill a man horribly disfigured by them. Blade refuses to kill the man and track down Van Helsing so he kills Damien and his two fellow mystics. He then puts the deformed man out of his misery before using a mystical knife that will point to Van Helsing's location on a map. Not a bad way to start a new series.
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Breaking News: Tarzan and Doc Savage Star Ron Ely Dead at 86
Unfortunately, we interrupt the Countdown to Halloween with sad news. According to 'Tarzan' star Ron Ely dead at 86. He is best known for starring in the NBC tv series, Tarzan (1966-1968), and the 1975 Doc Savage, Man of Bronze movie.
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 23: Grimm Fairy Tales 2024 Halloween Special
Grimm Fairy Tales 2024 Halloween Special actually came out last Wednesday from Zenescope Entertainment but I decided to share it for this week's Women Wednesday post. The story's title is "Cinderella's Monster Mash" and for good reason. She meets Yertle the hunchback, Count Roberto Yeh the vampire, a vampire bride, Friday Barnes the ghost girl, Lily the mad scientist, a manbat monster, talking piranhas, a mummy, a werewolf and his four werewolf pups, and a bunch of ghosts (one that looks a lot like Wolverine). There is even a musical scene along with a homage to Scooby and the gang. This issue is full of puns and gags, but the artwork is good especially the page with Cinderella wearing her new black outfit.
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 22: Epitaphs from the Abyss #1-4
Epitaphs from the Abyss is the first new horror title from EC Comics in nearly seventy years. Oni Press partnered with William M. Gaines Agent, Inc. to present this new anthology horror series. The first issue is extra-sized with four stories of terror hosted by the gruesome Grave-Digger. The following issues each has three stories.
Monday, October 21, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 21: McDonald's Boo Buckets 2024
McDonald's Boo Buckets are back for 2024 with the Happy Meals for a limited time. They started October 15th. There are four of them again and the theme is fuzzy monsters. The colors are blue, white, orange and green. They include the sticker inserts instead of lids.
I wasn't planning on getting any of the Boo Buckets this year. However, my sister and I got a craving for cheeseburger Happy Meals with fries and Cokes. We both ended up with the Blue Boo Bucket. It has three different faces.
The front of the insert has eighteen stickers that can be used to dress up the Blue Boo Bucket. There is a witch's hat, a witch's broom, a ghost, a spider, a spider's web and even a Blue Boo Bucket with the stickers on it.
The back of the insert is a black and white drawing with how many can your find game. One can probably also color the drawing.
This is the fourth Boo Bucket that I have gotten in the last few years. I'm glad that I got a blue one this year. I already have an orange, green and purple Boo Buckets from previous years. I don't plan on collecting all four Boo Buckets for 2024.
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 20: Crypt of Shadows #1 (2024)
The 2024 edition of Marvel's The Crypt of Shadows #1 features Agatha Harkness now known as Lady Harkness, Scarlet Witch, Blade, Vision, Namor the Sub-Mariner, Jack Russsell aka the Werewolf by Night, Kraven the Hunter and Man-Thing on the cover. There are only four stories in this issue starting off with "Bad Reception" that features Lady Harkness viewing the other stories in her crystal ball. "Do Androids Dream in the Witch House?" features Vision and the Scarlet Witch. "The Green Tide" features Man-Thing and Namor. "Monster Games" finds Kraven battling the Werewolf by Night and Blade. The issue ends with Lady Harkness concluding the "Bad Reception" segment.
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 19: Batman: Full Moon #1
Batman: Full Moon #1 (December, 2024) came out last Wednesday just in time for Halloween. Batman battles a werewolf in Gotham City. Zatanna, John Constantine and Man-Bat also appears in this issue. Kirk Langstrom aka Man-Bat tells Batman about the origins of Christian Talbot, a British soldier that was bitten by a werewolf while on a classified mission in Romania. This issue ends with the werewolf battling Batman and Man-Bat.
Friday, October 18, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 18: Halloween at SuperCity
I have been playing a lot of SuperCity on Facebook this week. I created an area on the City Center map devoted to Halloween. There are haunted houses, ghosts, skulls, pumpkins, spooky lights and more. This is what the area looked like on my first attempt:
I won a lot of Halloween decorations and buildings while playing the airship event at SuperCity Islands that I had to expand the area:
SuperCity can be a little tedious at times but there are always special events around the holidays. Around Thanksgiving, I might scatter the Halloween decorations and buildings in either the Highlands or Enchanted Forest map and then create a Christmas area on the Snow Plateau map
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 17: Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #1 and #2
Somehow I missed Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #1 that came out last month. The cover features zombified Black Widow, Iron Man and Captain America attacking Groot. I should have known that something was up when I saw the words "All Ages" in the lower right corner. The blood was toned way down for a Marvel Zombies title. Rocket Racoon and Groot are guests at the Raft island prison when the Avengers show up with General Ross to spring them. Groot is sniffling and Rocket thinks he has a cold. Groot sneezes on Captain America and a big blob on snot lands on his face. Yep, you guessed it for he is the first to turn into a zombie and he attacks his fellow Avengers. Captain America bites Black Widow, who in turn bites Iron Man.
Thor starts throwing his hammer around inside the quinjet making matters worse. Rocket Raccoon gets sucked out of a hole punctured by Thor's hammer and Groot fails to save him. Groot then has to save Bruce Banner from the zombified Avengers before they both go out the hole. They find themselves facing civilians that has also turned into zombies. Bruce hits himself with a brick to change himself into the Hulk.
The cover of Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay #2 features Thor reaching for his hammer while zombies are advancing on him from behind. The issue starts with Groot and Hulk talking. That ends with the Hulk wanting to find Space Skunk (Rocket Raccoon). Zombies try to bite Hulk then he's attacked by Thor, who is trying to fight the mutated zombie virus. Hulk and Thor battle while Groot tries to keep them from killing each other. He finally knocks out the Hulk by choking him. Hulk turns back into Bruce. Groot picks him up and they head down into the subway, where he hears cries for help.
Overall, the first two issues of Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay makes for interesting reads. The artwork is actually pretty good for an All Ages title. It's interesting to see flowers coming out of the zombies instead of blood and dangling eyeballs.
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 16: Witches of Past and Present Magazine
I picked up the copy of Witches of Past and Present magazine two weeks ago at the local Walmart's. I'm posting it today for this week's Women Wednesday post. There are five sections: Ancient Origins, Medieval Magic, Sorcery Under Attack, Out of the Shadows, On the Page, Stage and Screen. Each section ends with a one-page Witchcraft Through History article. The first is Witch of Endor with the second being The Witch of Ripabianca. The third is Mother Shipton while the fourth is Doreen Valiente. The fifth and last article is Margaret Hamilton, who is best known as the Wicked Witch from the 1939 movie, The Wizard of Oz. The magazine is also loaded with pictures of various sizes.
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 15: DC vs. Vampires: World War V #3
The cover of DC vs. Vampires: World War V #3 features Damian Wayne as vampire Robin fighting vampire Captain Marvel with the help of Batman, who is supposed to be dead. The issue opens up with vampire Scott and Barda then shifts to vampire Wonder Woman fighting Green Lantern Alfred. We then see vampires Aquaman and Gorilla Grodd having their discussion interrupted by a mysterious woman. The scene shifts again to Green Arrow and his merry band consisting of Zealot, Killer Croc, Wildcat and Black Canary capturing starving vampires and trying to question them. The scene shifts to Ghost-Maker reporting in as he tries to find Mister Miracle. Then we shift back to Green Arrow and friends as the questioning goes south.
Finally, we get to Robin and his army of vampires attacking a semi-truck. They get a big surprise as vampires Wonder Girl, Captain Marvel and Raven fly out of the truck's trailer and attack. They are joined by vampire Batwoman, who sacrifices herself. There is an interlude with Black Canary talking with John Constantine. We then switch back to an injured Damian as he is joined by Batman, who unmasks and reveals who he really is. Unfortunately, we have to wait until next issue to find out who is wearing the Batsuit this time. Yeah, there is a lot going on in this issue and it's pretty fast paced.
The backup story features Bat-Mite as Geo-Force's new sidekick. That doesn't last long and he searches for a new superhero to annoy. He ends up being Afred-Mite.
Monday, October 14, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 14: Boo Berry 2024 Box
Meow Berry the ghost cat is the frightful friend of Boo Berry this year and gets a marshmallow too. Her and Carmelia Creeper's pet snake, Scratch, are both females. I should be starting on the family size box this week and probably finish it off by Halloween.
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 13: Franken Berry 2024 Box
Franken Berry is joined by his frightful friend, Bennie the bat, this year on his cereal box. Bennie gets a marshmallow too. I still have one bowl left from the family size box. The flavor seems stronger to me this year.
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 12: Count Chocula 2024 Box
The local Walmart's actually stocked this year's Monster Cereals back in September. They had a whole pallet of them but I only picked up the main three since I wasn't a big fan of Carmelia Creeper last year. I started with Count Chocula this year and finished the family size box the first week of October. He is joined this year by his frightful friend, Igor the spider. Yeah, he gets a marshmallow too, which looks more like a broken sunburst than a spider.
The side panel features the marshmallows and Igor:
The backs of all the Monster Cereals are the same this year and is title "Monsters Have Pets, Too!" It shows the monsters and their frightful friends in their castle. There are two "games" with the first being picture not-so-perfect and match the pets to their rightful rooms.
Friday, October 11, 2024
Countdown to Halloween 2024 Day 11: Duke Cannon Candy Corn Soap
If you really enjoy the smell of candy corn, then you might enjoy Duke Cannon Candy Corn Soap. I'm seriously thinking of handing these out to those stinky little goblins that come begging at my door this Halloween.
