Spider-Man: Magic Malice

Today at the blog I continue a small Halloween tradition: a cartoon featuring Spider-Man battling his arch nemesis, the Green Goblin. Here, Spidey stops the Goblin from obtaining a magician's powers in "Magic Malice." Enjoy!




Guess what, folks: unless I get a small window of opportunity over the weekend, which isn't likely--this is it for me for this year's Countdown to Halloween. As always, I had a great time showcasing all this cool stuff, and I sincerely wish you'll stick around after Halloween. There's more great stuff the rest of the year and beyond. Thank you for visiting, please come back. Most importantly,

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park Promo

We've almost come to a full stop here for the Countdown, so hang on tight. Today I feature a montage from the 1978 TV-movie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park.  The legendary rock band, here portrayed as superpowered beings (!) perform at an amusement park, where a curmudgeonly engineer (who looks like Don Imus to me) tries to ruin the fun for the band and their fans.  Hey, it's Kiss in the 70s, what do you expect?  It's goofy, but it was fun when I was five.  Enjoy!

Casper The Friendly Ghost: Peekaboo/Twin Trouble

It's not a good Halloween without a good ghost, and whose a better ghost to be around than Casper? Here, he befriends a young kitten, then he meets his not-so-friendly clone, as does Wendy the Good Witch, in "Peekabo/Twin Trouble." Bring the kids to the computer for these. Thanks!

Pumpkin Moon/The 13th Kitten

Today I have two promotional clips for two intertwined TV specials from the UK that, unfortunately, I know very little about.  Pumpkin Moon involves a league of tiny evil witches that try to take over the world one Halloween night, with only a small team of friendly enchanted jack'o'lanterns and a black house cat to stop them.  The 13th Kitten is a sequel to Pumpkin Moon, but I know virtually nothing about it.

The Internet is rather sparse with any futher information about it.  The specials' director, Hilary Audus, has a long career in British animation according to IMDB, but it makes no mention of her involvement with these specials.  They both look really cool, but I find no mention of them ever being released on DVD or home video here or in the UK.  If anyone can shed any light on these specials, please leave a comment.  Thanks!

Count Duckula, "No Sax Please, We're Egyptian"



Well, the last week of the Countdown to Halloween is here already.  I better make it a good one.  Today I present the first episode of the British 80s cartoon series Count Duckula.  It aired in the US on Nickeolodeon, and I fell in love with it.  It is filled with sophisticated humor that most American cartoons at the time wouldn't dare attempt.  Just look at the title of the inaugural episode.  Enjoy!

Frankenstein as Pitchman

Today I have four appearances of the Frankenstein monster plugging various products.  I've featured Frankie in commercials before, but never in a post devoted specifically to him.  On to it!

You know why you always see him moaning and groaning?  Stiff, achey joints!  But steady use of Osteo-Biflex clears it right up.



Here is one for Twix candy bars. Don't ever ask him to share them.



Next, here is Frankie alias Herman Munster in a commercial for Cheerios.  This has appeared in many Halloween-themed blogs in the past, so why not here?



Finally, Frank arises from his artic slumber--and writes a note thanking Bic pens for the help!



Although my post today is not a part of it, today is Frightful Frankenstein Friday at 17 other great blogs.  This is in celebration of the new collection of Dick Briefer's Frankenstein comics of the Golden Age.  Read more about it here.  Thanks!

Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling, "Ghost Wrestlers"

Going back to 80s Saturday morning cartoons, today I offer an episode of the infamous series Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling, which aired on CBS from 1985 to 1987.  The Hulkster and his rasslin' buddies become amateur ghostbusters (you even hear the Ray Parker Jr. tune!) when they try to clear spectres from a supposedly haunted retirement home.  Enjoy!  And if you do, you can sample another spooky-themed episode I posted last year.  Thanks!