Comic Book Journal

Myth and folklore leave lasting impressions on any culture. Since it is now October, we’ll take the story of the Jack O’ Lantern for example. From folklore, it is rumored that a stingy man named Jack made a deal with the devil which took a wrong turn. Jack ended up tricking the devil, which saved his soul from Hell, yet, he was also barred from Heaven. Jack was doomed to wander the land forever, with nothing but a burning ember left to him by the devil to light his way. Jack, scared to lose his only light hollowed out a turnip and put the light inside of it. Thus, the legend of the Jack O’ Lantern was born. The myth later evolved to a pumpkin instead of turnip, and many Scottish and Irish families, used these “lanterns” to ward off evil spirits. We continue the tradition today. Comic books are one legacy we can leave behind. Sometimes the characters are borrowed from past myths and legends, others are completely original. Characters like Scooby Doo, Ghost Rider, Spawn, Evil Ernie, the Spectre, and Dr. Strange, all uniquely deal with the otherwordly, and are all perfect Halloween comic picks. Proving that horror comics have a future in the industry. Such titles as 30 Days of Night, Buffy, Angel, Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, and Moon Knight are still going strong. New twists on old familiar characters will surely haunt your world this October like the new Marvel:Zombies, Resident Evil, and Silent Hill. When considering a list of favorites however, don’t forget to include the classics in the stories you will tell such as The Witching Hour, House of Mystery, and Tales of the Crypt. As comic book readers, and also storytellers we have the power to shape our own mythos for generations to come. I think Buddy Scalera in his 1999 article for Wizard had the right idea by passing out comic books instead of candy for trick or treaters, this will ensure the embers will never burn out in the niche the comic book genre in the annals of literature. So happy October loyal readers, if you’re unsure of costume ideas for your collective parties be sure to check out my blog about the Top Ten Sexiest Superhero Costumes. It can be found here:http://www.comicbookjournal.net/top-ten-sexiest-superhero-costumes/