For kids, Halloween is all about the candy. Picking costumes and everything else is just a diversion from the real focus — coming home with a big bag or bucket full of enough delicious treats to last you till New Year’s. But there comes a time when we all outgrow trick or treating, and we must find other ways to make Oct. 31 special. There are a few things I find the season is just incomplete without.
1. Watching a really scary movie. For me, this is almost always the original “Exorcist.” I don’t scare easily — you can make me jump with little effort, but to me, a jump is totally different from being scared. A shock is something that just happens in the theater. Scared is something you take home with you. No movie got into my psyche quite like William Friedkin’s 1973 horror masterpiece. And I’m not talking about the “Version You’ve Never Seen” re-release with the unnecessary added footage. It’s all about the original version for me.
2. Visit a haunted house. There is bias in this choice, I admit, but my favorite is the Haunted Hydro Dark Attraction Park in Fremont. I worked there for four years as a performer/singer at the bar, though never as an actual scare artist. But Crazy Bob and his motley crew of horror professionals, now celebrating their 21st year,  put on a great show every Halloween.
3. See “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” A great new Blu-Ray has just come out in honor of the film’s 35th anniversary, but come on —the only real way to experience “Rocky” is in a theater, surrounded by people in costume and doing the Time Warp again. The Collingwood Arts Center will be running the film on Oct. 30 at midnight. Or, if you’d prefer to see it live and in person, the Croswell theater in Adrian, Mich., will be putting on a live performance of the show on Oct. 29, 30 and 31.
4. Play a scary video game. Many would put a “Resident Evil” or “Left 4 Dead” title here, but for me, no game has gotten under my skin quite like the original “Dead Space.” This sci-fi/horror epic set on a distant mining colony fills the player with an unrelenting sense of dread — you can never let your guard down. It’s as close to playing the original “Alien” in game form as I’ve ever seen. For those who want something a little on the lighter side, you can’t do much better than the PlayStation Network shoot-’em-up “Burn, Zombies, Burn,” a hilariously addictive arcade shooter.
5. Watch “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” It’s hard to believe the stop-motion animated classic is 15 years old, but the tale of Jack Skellington has enchanted kids of all ages since its 1994 debut. Neatly straddling two children’s holidays, and making it ideal viewing for either one, the film’s arresting visual look and wonderful Danny Elfman music never grow old with repeated viewings. If you haven’t shared the joy of Halloweentown with a child in your life, now’s as good a time as any to start.
6. Watch at least one episode of “Mystery Science Theater 3000.” Again, this one’s a little personal, but there are few things that get me more in the Halloween spirit
than a cheesy B-movie or two, and what better way to see them than with the commentary of the residents of the Satellite of Love?
The timeless television comedy that riffed on awful movies has been gone for a decade, but never forgotten, and thanks to DVD and the creators’ new projects (Rifftrax, Cinematic Titanic), fan love for MST3K has never been more potent.
A personal favorite: The 1994 lycanthropic stinker “Werewolf,” available for instant streaming on Netflix.
7. Watch the new Halloween cartoon on HomestarRunner.com. Yeah, this last one is pretty much wishful thinking. One of the most anticipated events of the season for fans of the wonderfully witty Flash-animated series was its annual Halloween toon, which has been delighting fans since 2001.
Sadly, these days Homestar Runner, Strong Bad and company seem to have been all but abandoned, as the site has not seen any regular updates since, well, last year’s Halloween. So fans will probably be left wanting for a new toon this year, and All Hallows Eve won’t quite seem the same.
But we can hope.

E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

Like many others, I often wonder, “Where did this originate?” It could be a word, like “OK,” “freedom” or “gay” or it could be a holiday, like … Halloween! One of my friends is convinced I hate Halloween. I do not hate Halloween. What is Halloween, though? Wear a costume, get your buzz on — either from sugar and/or alcohol — experience something “haunted” or “spooky” and go to bed? Why on Oct. 31?
Whatever I was taught in elementary school about Halloween I have forgotten, probably for the better, so I started to do some research. Several resources spit out information that doesn’t all match up, but I got a little taste of all the influences on our modern-day Halloween celebration.
I do remember learning about Dia de los Muertos in high school Spanish class. This is celebrated on Nov. 1 and 2, when Hispanics welcome the spirits of their ancestors back from the dead. Pictures, food and drinks are placed on altars, candles, trinkets and gifts are left as offerings, and picnics are held in cemeteries where the lost loved one is the guest of honor. Day of the Dead began as an Aztec custom, originally celebrated in August.
The Druids celebrated Samhain (pronounced sow-in) on the eve of Oct. 31 and Nov. 1. Also called Hallowtide, the Feast of the Dead, this signaled the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season.
They believed this was
when time stood still, and the souls of the dead walked the land.
Some legends say Druids chose children or animals to be burned in bone-fires (bonfire, anyone?) as offerings to the sun. The fat left over from the sacrifice was fashioned into a candle, and placed into a carved-out pumpkin (a vegetable with a round, sun-shaped design) to honor the dead and pay homage to the sun diety Woden (Wodens Day … Wednesday). Maybe this is why Halloween is so creepy!
After the Romans fell and Christian influence spread, All Hallows Eve, also called All Hallowmas, or All Saints, or All Souls Day … whew … was celebrated May 13, then was moved to Nov. 1 by Gregory IV. It began on the eve of Oct. 31 to honor all saints and martyrs.
It is thought that the tradition of costumes began by wearing masks to avoid being recognized by the ghosts, or spirits of the dead. Bowls of food left outside homes to satisfy the ghosts and prevent them from entering the home could be where trick-or-treating originated.
Black cats, bobbing for apples, witches on broomsticks, spiders, pumpkins, harvest, trick-or-treat, candy, candy corn — their relevance to Halloween all originated somewhere thousands of years ago, and are now merely a part of the multibillion dollar Halloween industry.
Religion, government and industry are all attempting to control beliefs and thus our actions through fear and an oppressive system. We have to dig deep to find a meaningful and real connection to holidays.
Most Americans are not purebred, our ancestral roots are a hodgepodge (see, where did this word originate?) of ethnicities and cultures from around the world. Whose traditions are we supposed to celebrate? Many of them were lost in the voyage overseas, many were erased by religious domination, and many that are still celebrated today were altered as they passed from generation to generation.
Perhaps it is time to modify our customs again. To re-establish meaning, connection, roots, pride and honor in the practices we celebrate with our family and community. A practice we all can agree on is eating! We all gotta eat, so even a simple ritual like sharing a meal can add a little sanity and comfort to the chaotic world outside.
I will probably dress up as a lumberjack, a baby, Pat from “SNL” or a burnt-out Uncle Sam for Halloween. I probably won’t eat any candy, I will bake pumpkin goodness, and I will go to a Halloween party or two. I may make offerings to spirits if I decide to seek them out (or if they, me), and I will give thanks to the season’s bountiful harvest and welcome the winter.
Happy Day of the Dead, All Hallowtide, Feast of the Dead, All Hallows Eve, All Hallowmas, All Saints Day, All Souls Day, Samhain, Hallow E’en … Happy Halloween everybody!

E-mail Star columnist Stacy Jurich at star@toledofreepress.com.

Lake Erie Paranormal (LEP), a nonprofit paranormal investigative team, seeks to explain the unknown. The team investigates unexplainable occurrences in businesses, homes and public spaces throughout Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
“Nine times out of 10 there are reasonable explanations for what our clients are experiencing. Whether it is the house settling, for noises, or doors that aren’t on all the way swing back and forth on their own,” said Steve Rogers, LEP founder.
What the team considers to be paranormal activity are things it cannot logically explain after going through its investigation material, he said.
Each investigation usually takes four investigators and between four to six hours to compete.
During an investigation the team uses several night vision cameras, digital cameras and voice recorders as well electromagnetic field detectors and temperature gauges in an attempt to verify a client’s claims.
After going through its evidence several times, the team presents its findings to the client. There have been many times where clients have been shocked or scared by findings, especially when presenting electric voice phenomena (EVP), said Jason Schneider, lead investigator.

From left, Steve Rogers, Jason Schneider, Shawn McMahon and Todd Althouse.

“[People are scared] because it’s the unknown and fear of the unknown. A lot of the time you can’t see [the spirits] or hear them, but then you get this contact with them and we play ii for the people that are living in a home and it can be an experience for the home-owner as well,” he said.
EVPs are voices caught by electronic voice recorders. The theory behind EVPs is spirits can manipulate the noise generated through a recorder and say whatever they want, Rogers said.
One of the team’s most active investigations was at a converted school house in Southeast Michigan, where it gathered a number of high quality EVPs.
“My favorite evidence that we can collect during an investigation are EVPs.  When we’re setting up and they’re commenting on what we’re doing, it is one of the most exciting pieces of evidence we can get,” Schneider said.
At the schoolhouse, the team experienced several incidents of EVPs commenting on what was going on during the investigation, Schneider said.
“Shawn and I were upstairs in the middle of setting up and there was a black spider on the ceiling. When we do our investigations it’s in complete darkness and we’re both babies and I kept saying we needed to do something with the spider before we start,” he said. “He and I are talking about how we’re going to knock it down and there’s a voice on the recording that says ‘You afraid?’”
At the same location voice recordings of males, females and children were all found.
The LEP team helps homeowners and businesses with paranormal experiences anyway it can.
The group works with a medium who has helped spirits cross at certain locations, Rogers said.
At one location, a dark shadow was bothering two young children. After investigating the house multiple times the team brought a medium with them and the family hasn’t experienced problems since, said investigator Shawn McMahon.
“That’s why we do what we do — to make people more comfortable. Hopefully, we can explain something to make them feel more comfortable in their surroundings,” he said. “The end thing is it’s their home. It’s not the entity’s home.”
LEP investigations are free, as the team does its investigating on a volunteer basis. Members of the investigation team all work for the Lucas County Sheriff’s office, giving them more credibility when entering an investigation, Rogers said.
“We approach everything in a professional manner, but we all have daytime jobs,” Schneider said.
In the future, the group is hoping to investigate areas around the state and put together footage of the most haunted places in Ohio.
“We really have quite a few [paranormal] locations within driving distance where the public can go and investigate,” Rogers said.
Rogers said the now-abandoned Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, where “The “Shawshank Redemption” was filmed, is a great place for paranormal investigations.
Those experiencing unexplained activity can e-mail LEP at
lakeerieparanormal@gmail.com to arrange an investigation.
Visit the group online at www.lakeerieparanormal.net.

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Most musicians have moments where their audience will sing along with them. But comic musician Jonathan Coulton may be the only one who has to give the crowd pointers on how to properly behave like zombies while they do so.

“That’s awesome, that sounds great,” he told a crowd at the Penny Arcade Expo. “In fact, it sounds a little too good. It doesn’t really sound like zombies. If you really were a bunch of zombies…”

His adoring crowd immediately responded by dropping their jaws, waving their hands and crying for brains. “That’s too real! That’s too real!” Coulton replied in mock terror.

Just par for the course for the 39-year-old singer and songwriter. Coulton — JoCo to his many fans — thrives on composing and performing pieces that are wonderfully unconventional, no matter the subject matter. He’ll write one song finding something odd in a normal situation, and another finding something normal in an odd one. And they are all written with sophistication and intelligence.

“It needs to be good. It needs to be really tight, lyrically and musically. If there’s a tiny piece of it that you just treat as a throwaway line, then you have failed to finish making it, I think. It’s not going to be good,” Coulton said in an interview. “Comedy music is constructed, and it needs to be a solid construction or it’s not going to work.”

Coulton

For Coulton, the experience needed to make that construction was learned over many years. He had been involved in music from childhood, and studied it at Yale in pursuit of a Bachelor of Arts degree. It was there he met longtime friend John Hodgman, best known from his work on “The Daily Show” and as the PC in the Mac commercials. Hodgman would play a big role in Coulton’s evolution as a musician.

“He essentially quit his day job as a literary agent to become a writer, and he started doing freelance writing for magazines,” Coulton said. “And it was just very audacious and bold, maybe even seemed foolish before it already happened. And then to watch him build that into exactly the career he wanted was really very inspiring.”

Coulton had already released a 2003 album, to limited success, when he quit his own job as a computer programmer in September 2005 to pursue his music full-time. He soon launched a project called Thing a Week — vowing to release one new song every week for a year.

“It was a trial by fire. Which is exactly what I had intended it to be. Part of the spirit behind it was, ‘Okay, sucker, you want this to be your job? Guess what? Get to work!’ And I think without that, I could have easily flitted away six months or a year without really doing anything. The real trick of it, when you’re trying to be a real creative person, is that you need to create things. And it’s very easy to get distracted by all the other things you need to do.

“It was excruciating in many ways, because it was relentless. I was so tired of writing songs by the end of the year. But so much great stuff came out of it — not just in terms of the songs that I was able to write that I would not have chosen to write otherwise, but also growth in terms of my own talents and confidence, that I could do this.”

From that year’s burst of creativity, many songs which helped establish Coulton with online fans came forth: A hilarious cover of “Baby Got Back,” the semi-autobiographical “Code Monkey,” zombie anthem “Re: Your Brains” and more. But perhaps the biggest milestone came in 2007, when he recorded “Still Alive,” the ending theme to the smash hit video game “Portal.”

“I don’t think any of us had any idea how big that was going to be. That really amped things up and exposed me to a wider audience — still of the same general neighborhood, gamers, but now worldwide. I mean, that game was huge,” Coulton said.

Coulton confirmed that he will be involved with the eagerly awaited “Portal 2.” “I don’t know exactly what it’s going to be yet. Sometime soon I will actually play through an early version of the game, and I’ll have some discussions with the writers about the plot. Yeah, I will be writing some music for that game.”

Revisiting “Portal” is just one of many events on the horizon for Coulton. Between his regular touring schedule, the upcoming “JoCo Cruise Crazy” Caribbean cruise featuring music and performances from a number of comic luminaries, and a new album produced by John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants, Coulton’s musical career continues to flourish.

With milestones like these, more and more people are getting to know who Coulton is. But he insists that breaking into the “mainstream” is never the real goal.

“The point of me doing this of this is to make a living creating the music I want to create,” Coulton said.

He then added, with a laugh, “Mission accomplished!”

For more information, visit Coulton’s website.

Coulton on his most popular Halloween songs

“Blue Sunny Day” This up-tempo ditty sounds like it would fit right in on a Beach Boys album, but its subject — a depressed vampire who longs to see daylight — probably wouldn’t.

“I was actually trying to write a happy song about a sunny day. That was my challenge. I had this music and I had the line, ‘blue sunny day’ somewhere. And then I realized that the word ‘blue’ has two meanings. And maybe, it was somebody who was sad about a sunny day. And then I realized, the person who would be saddest about a sunny day is probably a vampire. And once I had that, I couldn’t escape its gravity.”

“Creepy Doll” Almost a musical “Twilight Zone” episode, this scary song deals with a children’s doll that slowly drives its owner mad.

“I remember the moment. I was sitting on my couch, on a Tuesday or Wednesday, trying to think of song ideas for that week’s Thing on Friday. And across the room from me was my daughter’s doll, sitting in a very bizarre, slumped over position. And it all sort of came to me at once.”

“I Crush Everything” What’s more terrifying than a giant undersea monster? Maybe nothing — especially if you’re the monster itself. Coulton said this sad song about a self-loathing giant squid is one of his favorites.

“I was performing at a conference called PopTech in Maine, with a lot of thinkers and scientists and people speaking about really interesting things. One of them was an inventor, and he’d created these submersible vehicles that were really cool. And he was talking about giant squids and he was saying that it was no wonder that we’ve never seen one — at that time we hadn’t — alive, because when we go looking for them, we have these giant machines with these bright lights. And for all we know, the giant squid is a terribly shy creature. And I thought that was really interesting, to have a giant sea monster who was afraid of things, and was actually a very delicate creature.”

“Re: Your Brains” Imagine the annoying guy down the hall at work who can’t understand why everything isn’t done his way. Now imagine that guy as a zombie. One of Coulton’s most popular songs.

“It was a good example of a song that came nearly fully formed to me from the kernel of an idea. I don’t know where it came from, but I was thinking about a zombie who was trying to speak in a very rational way about his condition, his predicament. And the line that came to me first was, he’s explaining that all he wants to do is eat your brains. And he doesn’t think it’s unreasonable. That idea was sort of the foundation of that song, and once I had that, it sort of wrote itself.”

Lugosi and Beard.

Known throughout the world for his legendary portrayal of Dracula in the 1931 film, the late Béla Lugosi has become the host of a new horror comic from Monsterverse, “Bela Lugosi’s Tales from the Grave.” Debuting in time for Halloween, the book is an anthology of terror tales from a variety of writers and artists, with Lugosi looming large over the proceedings.
Lugosi, born in Austria-Hungary in 1882, died in 1958, but his indelible likeness has been shepherded since then by his son, Bela G. Lugosi Jr., who said he is thrilled to be able to present his father in this new 21st-century role.
Toledo Free Press: What really sold you on the idea of “Bela Lugosi’s Tales from the Grave”?
Lugosi: This has been something that has been on and off the table for years, because I thought it’s always been a good idea, but [there were] never the people with the talent and desire to help put the thing out as a good product. I didn’t want Dad’s family name to be associated with a product that we weren’t all proud of, so we found that combination of people, and, really, [Monsterverse founder] Kerry Gammill’s the lead person on this, responsible for putting together such a good team.
TFP: What is your role with the book?
Lugosi: Everything. In other words, I get submissions of artwork, I get submissions of storylines and, also, actual dialog, and my daughter Lynne Sparks has been helping with all aspects of the Lugosi rights.
TFP: It sounds like a real Lugosi family affair.
Lugosi: It sure is. What I like [about the book] is the diversity. This isn’t the same story over and over, since we have such varied writers who come up with such different ideas. I love the eclectic mix of all the different stories.
TFP: What is your favorite of your father’s films?
Lugosi: I like “Son of Frankenstein” where he played Igor. It’s hard [to choose]. I mean you’ve got “White Zombie”, and, of course, I was on the set of “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein,” so I always enjoy seeing that.
TFP: Your father has become a true icon since his passing. What has that been like for you, knowing him as a real person but witnessing this transformation?
Lugosi: It’s been very gratifying. You know, people may recognize the name or the face, but to become a real icon is very rare, and we’re cognizant of that and try to nurture that. By the time he died, he thought he was forgotten, and look now.

“Rocky Horror Picture Show” enthusiast Crystal Howard said she was hooked after first seeing the film at the age of 14.
“You can go anywhere in the world, and when it comes to Halloween time, you can find a Rocky Horror cast. It’s the one time of year when freaks are allowed to be themselves,” Howard said.
Collingwood Arts Center, 2413 Collingwood Blvd., will host a science fiction double feature of “Repo! The Genetic Opera” at 9:30 p.m. and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at midnight Oct. 30. Both films will be shown with a shadow cast.
In Adrian, the Croswell Opera House, located at 129 E. Maumee St., will offer a live stage version of “Rocky Horror” on Oct. 29, 30 and 31.
Howard, cast manager for the Collingwood Arts Center show, described the “Rocky Horror” experience as “unlike any other.”
“You could sit at home and watch the movie, and that’s wonderful, we highly encourage it. These are low-budget movies we encourage people to watch. You’ve not actually seen it until you’ve experienced it in the theater with the shadow cast — where you’re watching the movie and the shadow cast at the same time. It is an experience unlike any other.”
The shadow cast acts out the movie in front of the screen as it is playing. Actors dress as characters from the movie and typically do not speak the lines. “Repo! The Genetic Opera” has a cast of 43 and “Rocky Horror” has a cast of 25.
“With shadow casting, your voice is not heard. It gives our actors the opportunity to feel more comfortable. It’s a great introduction to being onstage,” Howard said. “A lot of people who join are brand-new at acting. Most of these people have never been on the stage prior to this, and will probably never be onstage after this.”
“Rocky Horror” is celebrating its 35th anniversary. Although it first opened in the U.S. at the former United Artists Theatre in Los Angeles in September 1975, its cult following began after its midnight showing at the Waverly Theatre in New York in April 1976.
“It’s a Halloween tradition. ‘Rocky’ has been a Halloween staple since 1976. It goes with Halloween like Dracula and witches,” Howard said.
The tradition of participation in the movie continues to evolve, as audience members call out responses to certain parts of the movie and make up new comments.
“The audience is what makes both of these movies what they are today. Without the audience, nobody would know them. It’s what is keeping the tradition alive,” Howard said.
Dressing up as characters from “Rocky Horror” or in Halloween costumes is another longstanding tradition that fans have kept alive.
“It’s a big costume party. You don’t have to dress up to get in, but we’re not going to stop you,” Howard said. “We’ve had people come in dressed as characters from the movie. It’s amazing to watch the people coming in and to see the detail that they go through in order to make their costume. As exact to the character as they possibly can — from the rings on their fingers to how many buttons on the front of their suit.”
“Repo! The Genetic Opera” was released in November 2008.” Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, the film is about an organ-financing program similar to a car loan, but with a deadly repossession clause.
“‘Repo! The Genetic Opera’ is very new, it is going to be 2 years old in its current form next month. It’s had the exact same start that ‘Rocky’ did. Low-budget, nobody wanted it, it was a black sheep. The directors and producers of both movies did everything they could do to get a showing,” Howard said.
Doors for “Repo! The Genetic Opera” open at 8 p.m. and the pre-show begins at 9 p.m. The ticket window will be closed from 9:30 p.m. to 11:15 p.m., when it will reopen for sale of “Rocky Horror” tickets. Tickets are $10 per show, and both can be purchased at once.
According to Howard, the pre-show gets the audience ready to participate in the movie.
“It’s a bunch of skits — Anything that ranges from musical numbers to games that we play where we give away prizes. We’ll have a fire eater for the Rocky pre-show as well.”
Jere Righter, artistic director for the Croswell,  said Equity actor Eric Parker, who plays Riff Raff, also directs the production.
“The show is very bizarre and strange, and he totally showcases the rock music aspect,” Righter said. “He has a fabulous voice and makes it really fun.”
Righter said that at 9 p.m. Oct. 28, the Croswell will try to break the Guinness World record for “Most people doing the ‘Time Warp’.” For information, call (517) 264-7469 or visit the website www.croswell.org.

Start up some Halloween scares on the PlayStation 3 as the “Castlevania” game series continues with “Lords of Shadow,” featuring first-class voice talents, interactive visuals and even a Facebook feature. This dark-themed one-player adventure features the Brotherhood of Light’s battle against the evil supernatural. Gabriel Belmont, voiced by Robert Carlyle, leads the charge as Patrick Stewart voices Zobek and provides great narration. Natascha McElhone (“The Truman Show”) voices Marie Belmont while Jason Isaacs voices the ultimate villain. The antagonistic Lords of Shadow (Necromancer, Vampire and Werewolf) provide familiar scenarios as the game draws on general Castlevania characters and references.

The story engages and the graphics impress. Players can always skip cutscenes to reduce the double-digit hour conquer time, but these amazing cinematics should not be missed. The highly interactive environments enhance the expanded movement capabilities like climbing, swinging, and special powers. Dodges, aerial battle options, wide attacks and dagger throws help players manage the challenging enemy waves. The puzzles, unlockables and item discoveries provide additional story details.
Gather items, buy special moves, gain experience points, perform button combinations or recover health — these familiar actions represent basic level action that game developers used as a good foundation. Game developers present easy navigation through the world map and travel book, which provides hints and records player progress. Glowing indicators prompt available interactions.
The right analog stick is not used for camera navigation so players do not have to stop and scan high-level areas for items. This simplifies the controls and keeps players from getting stuck in a view mode while being attacked though replenishing health at nearby fonts still causes issues. Other complementary characters occasionally get into battles and can be welcome distractions when battling large foes since developers wisely kept the “friendly fire” damage off.
Complete stage exploration or additional difficulties (squire, warrior, knight or the unlockable paladin) provide higher challenges for more experienced players. The subtitles and original musical score by Oscar Araujo enhance this great installment. (***, rated M for blood, gore, nudity and violence, also on Xbox 360 — limited editions on both consoles also available).

Though AMC is set to unleash “The Walking Dead” on unsuspecting viewers this Oct. 31, the concept is celebrating seven years as a comic book success story. Local comic shops are gearing up for what most likely will be a new wave of zombie interest, spurred on by the new TV program and fed by the more than two dozen collections of the comic in print.
“I would have to say it’s the best damn comic currently out there,” said Jim Collins of JC’s Comic Stop. “I feel it’s unlike any zombie comic that’s been produced before.”
Paul Shiple of The Game Room concurs, noting the title “has proven itself to be one of, if not the, most consistently ambitious series of the last five years. [Writer] Robert Kirkman has taken many of the most worn tropes in horror fiction and pushed the boundaries to such a degree where the narrative seems almost completely new.”
“It’s the zombie story that never ends!” said Monarch Cards & Comics’ Ed Katschke. “Kirkman has done a great job of not only creating a convincing post-apocalyptic landscape, but also of introducing us to a series of characters with whom we can’t help but become emotionally engaged. His masterful juggling of domestic drama and stark horror is perfectly balanced and his adherence to the rule ‘No One Is Safe’ creates moments of such jarring violence and death that can cut you to the core.”
“True, you have the zombies to worry about, but you know what you’re up against with them,” Collins said. “The ‘normal folks’ you run across … you know nothing about. They can be a thousand times more dangerous, since they have their own agendas.”
The upcoming TV production also has our local comic vendors charged with interest.
“The writers and directors handling the first season of the series have contributed to some of the smartest and most sophisticated television of the last decade,” Shiple said. “Their combined resume includes work on ‘The X-Files,’ ‘Dexter,’ ‘The Shield,’ ‘The Wire,’ ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘24.’ Personally, I can’t imagine that the show will be anything but excellent.”
While Katschke feels the comics’ “open-ended episodic nature and soap-opera narrative easily lends itself to television and the zombie hook makes it irresistible to those of us with a penchant for horror,” it’s Collins who boils it down to basics. “It looks like they got it right,” he said. “So bring out your dead; I got my popcorn and I’m ready.”

Twenty-one years in business is impressive for a seasonal business that was built to haunt and horrify its clientele.
Bob Turner (aka Crazy Bob) and his wife Beth (aka Vanna Fright) own and operate the Haunted Hydro in Fremont. “We’ve been running the Hydro for 21 years because of the passion we have for the art of entertainment,” Beth said.
Entertaining and satisfyingly scary, the Haunted Hydro has attractions well-suited for the hardcore fright fan and the average family.

A friendly face at Haunted Hydro.

“The attractions change every year. We update the themes and give them a fresh look. About 70 percent of the rooms in the Hydro are redesigned every year,” Beth said.
The “Evil Inferno,” this year’s theme for the Hydro, is dark, dingy and ingeniously lit; there is enough light to walk, but not enough to always see who — or what — is in the darkness waiting for you. Cast members in the Hydro sport Hollywood-worthy makeup and are masterful at misdirection. Just because you watched the last “monster” reposition, doesn’t mean there isn’t another fanged clown waiting for you nearby.
The Haunted Hydro also features a second outdoor attraction, the “Lair of Scare.” While most walk-throughs are less intimidating because of their openness, that’s not the case with this fear factory. The Lair makes expert use of trick doors, dense fog and chainsaws.
If you’re not a fan of voluntary fright, you can also play “Zombie Paintball,” “Hit The Haunted Hooptie” or have your tarot cards read.
“People visit haunted houses to escape reality,” Beth said. “This allows them to experience a human 3-D interactive entertainment experience where they can feel many different emotions including fear, apprehension and laughter in a totally safe environment. We have a special vampire and werewolf event on Halloween night. All of our actors are encouraged to dress as vampires or werewolves and we have a special fire presentation that night called the ‘Flame Effect’.”
For dates, hours of operation and ticket information, visit thehauntedhydro.com.