Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 12: Wooden Halloween Decorations

I picked up these wooden Halloween Decorations last month at the local Dollar Tree. Each of them has a loop of string at the top for easy hanging. I can't really see hanging these up but I thought the haunted house would make for a good backdrop for small toys. I still haven't got around to painting them yet.

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 11: Elvira at Salem Horror Fest

From Salem Horror Fest Events: Meet Elvira, Mistress of the Dark:

"Cassandra Peterson is returning to Salem Horror Fest, and this time she is bringing Elvira, Mistress of the Dark with her! Visit the Haunted Harbor for photo opps, autographs, and selfies! For the first time ever, Cassandra Peterson will be hosting a super exclusive, private tea time event! Unpleasant dreams do come true."
(I bet you were wondering when I was going to post something to do with Elvira.)

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 10: Secrets of Sinister House 80-page Giant #1

This year's collection of horror stories from DC Comics is presented in Secrets of Sinister House 80-page Giant #1. The cover features a scared Joker with a blood-thirsty vampiric Batman from behind him. The original series started with #5 came out in 1972 (it was previously called The Sinister House of Secret Love, which debuted in 1971) and lasted for fourteen issues.

The first story features Red Rain Batman in "Nightmare Mist." He faces Talon from the Court of Owls as he tries to kidnap the very young Barbara Gordon. This was a very interesting story and a vampiric Batman should never try to make a toothy smile at a little girl.

The Atom is featured in the second story titled "The Footsteps of the Old Worm". Ryan Choi aka the Atom is asked to investigate why earthworms are coming to the surface after plenty of rain. The woman who asked for his help thinks it has something to do with the demolition foreman attacking his crew with a buzz saw. The old house that they were hired to demolish have no earthworms for a mile radius. What he finds under the old house is beyond words and makes me not to want to go fishing with earthworms ever again. Harley Quinn and Zatanna are featured in the third story titled

"Calling Dr. Bonkers!". Zatanna picks up Harley in the Nevada desert while on her way to a Halloween blow-out in Las Vegas. They stop at the Clown Around Inn when it starts raining at night. The inn is owned by Ernie Arthur aka Dr. Bonkers, who was a clown on a kids' tv show. Of course, Harley is a big fan and even sings the theme song. She asks to see him and the old desk clerk tells her that he is buried in the graveyard behind the inn. He shows them to their room and Harley immediately falls asleep. Zatanna opens the closet and there are clowns of various colors and sizes. The desk clerk is not what he seems and you know who shows up. The ending is hilarious and I would love to see Harley Quinn and Zatanna team up more in the future. The fourth story is titled

"Out of My Skin" and features Martian Manhunter. He investigates a swamp where a string of animals and a human were found skinned. It was nice to see him in his Detective Jones disguise. He finds an alien shapeshifter that was skinning the animals and human. The ending is a little depressing but the story is still worth reading.

The fifth story is titled "Dreamweaver" and features Justice League Dark. Bobo the Detective Chimp is the main character as he searches for his lost teammates. He finds out that he's in his worst nightmare but he wakes up and finds himself in the Oblivion Bar. Seated around the table are Swamp Thing, Wonder Woman, Zatanna and Man-Bat bound with purple tentacles. The real culprit of the nightmares turns out to be someone rather unexpected. A great story that makes me wonder why Bobo doesn't have his own series yet.

The sixth story is titled "House of the Dead" and is a Secrets of Sinister House original. A married couple and their daughter move into the creepy Drake Mansion. The little girl plays with her new unseen friend while her mom finds the history of the house on the Internet including the murderous dark priest that built the place. Of course, you find out who the little girl's unseen friend is and he asks her if she has any matches. The ending surprised me because it features one of my favorite dead man.

"Fear 101" is the seventh story featuring the Green Lanterns. Jessica and Baz are having breakfast together when they receive an alert to rescue starship survivors. He disappears early on the ship leaving her on her own. Of course, Jessica's fears mount while she searches the ship. Interesting story but it felt a little too short for me.

Finally, John Constantine is featured in the eighth and last story titled "Hell is for Dreamers". He is haunted by a dead actress that wants him to find the man that killed her. Unfortunately, the killer is also dead so she swears to haunt Constantine until she has her revenge. What he does makes Secrets of Sinister House 80-page Giant #1 worth getting.

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 9: Vengeance of Vampirella #1 Covers

Dynamite Entertainment is giving Vengeance of Vampirella a second volume for her fiftieth anniversary. The first volume debuted in 1994 and it was a great series. The original writer of the first volume, Tom Sniegoski, is back. The story takes place twenty-five years in the future with a destroyed Vampirella and Mistress Nyx has created a gloomy world. There are five covers for Vengeance of Vampirella and they are pretty cool.

Cover A by Joshua Middleton:

Cover B by Frank Cho and Sabine Rich:

Cover C by Ben Oliver:

Cover D by Lucio Parrillo:

Cover E is a cosplay variant:

Crafter's Square Halloween Ceramic Painting Sets

I picked up four Crafter's Square Halloween Ceramic Painting Sets at the Dollar Tree that opened just a few months ago. Each of them has a three inch tall unpainted ceramic figurine, three paint set and a paintbrush. Each figurine has a hook in the top of their heads with a loop of string. Unfortunately, the only paint colors are orange, purple and black. I couldn't resist them since they were a dollar each.

There is a Dracula Ceramic Painting Set:

There is a Frankenstein's Monster Ceramic Painting Set:

There is a Pumpkinhead Ceramic Painting Set:

Finally, there is a Witch Ceramic Painting Set:

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 7: DCeased: A Good Day To Die #1 Cover

While DCeased #6 won't be out until November, there is a one-shot special. Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Blue Beetle and Mr. Terrific fight a horde of zombies on the cover of DCeased: A Good Day To Die #1. Mr. Terrific gathers Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Blue Beetle and Booster Gold to try to save the world from zombies. They try to recruit John Constantine, Fire and Ice. Unfortunately, the magician refuses and the superheroines are now zombies. The best part of this issue is Constantine's attitude towards Waverider and Dr. Fate. The cliffhanger ending could easily lead to another special in the future.

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 6: DCeased #5 Cover

Wonder Woman faces a zombified Superman armed with a sword and shield on the cover of DCeased #5. In this issue, Lex Luthor offers a truce to Superman in order to help the human race survive. He suggests leaving earth in arks while Superman refuses to leave. Gotham City becomes a jungle haven thanks to Poison Ivy while the Amazons of Themyscira welcome survivors of both sexes. They start building arks before a zombified Martian Manhunter invades the Fortress of Solitude where all the superheroes are gathered. Superman then finds out what happens when he flies faster than a speeding bullet into a zombified Flash that is running faster than the speed of sound (it's not pretty, folks).

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 5: DCeased #4 Cover

The cover to DCeased #4 features Sgt. Rock and Easy Company being ambushed by zombified versions of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. I really would have liked to see this battle take place inside this issue. Instead, the highlights include a giant zombified Giganta attacking Metropolis and a microscopic zombified Atom causing Captain Atom to go nuclear in Washington, D.C..

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 4: DCeased #3 Cover

The cover of DCeased #3 features Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman fighting a horde of zombies (the latter kind of looks like he may be using his heat vision against a zombified Power Girl). Harley Quinn blows away a zombified Joker in this issue.

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 3: DCeased #2 Cover

The cover of DCeased #2 features Batman being attacked by zombified versions of Batgirl, Nightwing and Robin. The best part of this issue is when Black Canary destroys a zombified Green (Hal) Lantern and gains his power ring.

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 2: DCeased #1 Cover

The cover of DCeased #1 features Batman fighting a bunch of police zombies. Many people call this series DC Comics answer to Marvel Zombies but this issue has very little humor in it. The last page will really shock you.

Countdown to Halloween 2019 Day 1: DC Trinity Candysticks

Welcome to Day 1 of Countdown to Halloween 2019. I picked up this year's Candysticks (or Candy Sticks) from Dollar General the day after Labor Day. Instead of the usual Spider-Man Candysticks that they have had for the past few years, this year's bag features Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman. I call them DC Trinity Candysticks even though the logo just shows Candysticks.

Batman looks like he's flying on the back of the bag.

Batman seems to be the big winner in the bag I picked up for there were three different versions of him with each version having four boxes. The first one features him swinging on his bat-rope.

The back of the first version Batman box features the DC Trinity.

The second version Batman box features him squatting (that explains why the picture is so blurry).

The DC Trinity is once again shown on the back of the second version Batman box but they are shown in different order and poses.

The third Batman box version features him leaping.

Batman looks like he's starting to leap on the back of the third version box.

Superman is featured on two different boxes and I only got two of each. The first version features mostly his head.

The back of the first Superman box features the DC Trinity but in different order and poses. Wonder Woman is holding a sword.

The front of the second Superman box features him with his cape blowing in the wind.

The back of the second Superman box features him taking off flying.

Wonder Woman got the short end of the Candysticks for she only appears on one box and I got four of them. The front features her posing with her hands on her hip.

The back of the Wonder Woman box features a nice close up of her.

I might have to pick up another bag of these to see if they have any other versions of Wonder Woman. They should at least have one more featuring the DC Trinity of the back.

Women Wednesday: Batwoman TV Series Poster

Here is the official poster for the Batwoman tv series that will premiere on Sunday, October 6, 2019:

Happy 68th Birthday To Cassandra Peterson AKA Elvira

Women Wednesday: Supergirl Gets New Costume In Season Five

Here is the official poster for season five of CW's Supergirl that starts on Sunday, October 6, 2019 that features Kara in a new costume:

Here is a better and full look at Supergirl's new costume:

She also gets a new hairstyle, which makes her look a little older.

Goodnight Luke Perry

Sad news for Luke Perry died today at age 52. He is best know for his tv roles on the original Beverly Hills 90210, Jeremiah and, most recently, Riverdale. I watched only a few episodes of 90210 but my sister was a big fan of that show. She cried when she heard the news. I watched and enjoyed him on Jeremiah and Riverdale. He also starred in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie.

Elvira with Luke Perry

Goodnight Peter Tork

Peter Tork of The Monkees died today at the age of 77. My birthday is the same as his and I turned fifty-four this year. My mother passed away at 74 exactly two months ago and it has been rough for my sister and I. We used to watch reruns of The Monkees on tv whenever we could. I had several of their record albums and cassettes. I, for one, enjoyed their movie, Head, even if it didn't make a lot sense.

Peter Tork
February 13, 1942 - February 21, 2019

Elvira and Stan Lee

Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee died at the age of 95 today so it only seems appropriate to share this picture of him with Elvira: