From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: Two On A Guillotine (1965)

Posted on April 12, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another from Horror Movie To Horror Comic” updates. This time around, we will be taking a look at a classic 60’s film that featured a crazed magician who is a master of illusions and tries to bring fear to those he has decided to torment and I am of course talking about the film Two On A Guillotine! And what a cool and strange film to get the comic book treatment, but that was the thing about Dell Comics, they made some very interesting and cool comics based on all types of horror and sci-fi films, and I for one miss them as who knows what kind of cool comic adaptations we could have gotten over the years if they would have lasted past 1974. But if you guys are ready, let’s head to the update show as the great John Harley Duquesne is performing, and I heard that tonight he is going to o one killer guillotine trick!

Let’s start by taking a look at John “Duke” Harley Duquesne who was driven mad after a performance act gone wrong. The Great Duquesne was a masterful illusionist and magician who was well loved by his fans and who made lots of money performing alongside his wife, but after an accident that killed his wife, he stepped away from it all even gave up his own daughter, and after seeing a picture of his daughter grown up his mind snapped as she looked just like his dead wife that he lied to the world about saying she ran away. The Great Duquesne is a charming looking man in appearance, but his mental break makes him very dangerous as he is unstable and will do whatever it takes to prove his guillotine act will work and his wife’s death was truly an accident. But The Great Duquesne can shock people who see him after he faked his own death as they think he is a ghost and this can chill people to the bone. He is also very skilled with his illusions and the help him pull off his grand plan of faking his death to lure his daughter back home. Because he is mentally broken, this makes him unpredictable in nature as who knows what he is capable of all to make amends with the spirit of his wife. One of his main ways of getting into the minds of his “victims” is making it seem like he will rise from the grave and leaving little spooky tricks all around making you scared and feeding into your nightmares. He is also a skilled fighter when it comes to throwing fists and can handle himself in a fight. The Great Duquesne is not a violent man as his attacks are more mental and are not coming from a vicious place but more from madness. The Great Duquesne is a living person who can be killed like any normal person so being stabbed, shot, poisoned, crushed, burnt and all other manners of death can end his life. While The Great Duquesne has claimed one life due to accident, he is still a dangerous man as his mental break and illusions make him delusional and insane.

Now that we have talked about John Harley Duquesne and his way of dealing death and fright to those who find themselves apart of his crazed plans, I think that we should now take a look at the 1965 film that he is from and that is Two On A Guillotine. I will be taking the film’s plot from our pals at IMDB and then will write about the film’s production as well as my thoughts. So if you are ready, the house show lights are dimming so that means it must be show time!

Two On A Guillotine (1965)

“The daughter of a psychotic magician must stay in his mansion for seven nights in order to inherit his fortune.”

In the 1960’s Warner Brothers decided to make movies that would have directors brought in who mostly worked on TV Shows as they worked cheaper, and they wanted to see if they could find the next big movie maker. And Two On A Guillotine was one of those films as William Conrad was brought in to direct. He had worked directing such shows as The Rifleman, The Rough Riders, Bat Masterson, Route 66 and Gunsmoke to name a few, Conrad would also produce the film. The script was written by John Kneubuhi & Henry Slesar and was given a lower budget with such actors as Cesar Romero, Connie Stevens, Dean Jones, John Hoyt, Parley Baer and Virginia Gregg making up the main cast. The film would only have a three-week shoot time and once done the legendary composer Max Steiner would score it. For those who don’t know, Max is the one who did the music for the 1933 classic King Kong as well as Son Of Kong, Gone With The Wind and Casablanca and these are just a small amount of examples of his work. The film would be released to theaters on January 13, 1965 and it is unknown how well the film did at the box office. The film was met with very mixed reviews from both critics and viewers, but it was actress Connie Stevens and composer Max Steiner who both let it be known that they thought the movie was a stinker. The film was released in 1965 along side such other Horror Films as Color Me Blood Red, Die Monster Die!, The Embalmer, Monster A Go-Go, Orgy Of The Dead, Planet Of The Vampires, The Skull, Gamera The Giant Monster and War Gods Of The Deep to name a few.

So “Two On A Guillotine” is a film that I am not sure if I had seen before watching the DVD in 2023, as it seems like something I would have watched but I remember nothing about it…so maybe watching it for this update was my first time seeing it….but I am not sure. The first thing I want to say is that Cesar Romero is fantastic as John Harley Duquesne as I truly think he is such a underrated actor, most of you readers will remember Romero from the 1966 TV show Batman where he played The Joker and a small amount of you will remember him from the horror films such as The Specture Of Edgar Allan Poe (1974), Judgment Day (1988) as well as playing Count Dracula on an episode of Night Gallery. The film is often looked at as being a low budget throwaway film but when watching it again (maybe first time) I have to say that I found the film to be pretty dang entertaining as it is a mix of haunted house terror as well as crazed killer thrills. Also I have to point out that actress Connie Stevens is absolutely beautiful and is a great actress as she does a great job as Cassie in the film. The film while a slow burn does a great job of making you bond with both Cassie and Val as they stay in this haunted mansion, fall in love and uncover her family’s dark secret. Also for fans of rabbits this film has a white rabbit that runs around the mansion and is a character all it’s self, he even has his own theme song! I am not sure why this film over the years has gotten harsh words from viewers and critics as I found it to be a very fun watch and hope that someday it builds a bigger cult following than it has now. If you enjoy 60’s style Horror and have not seen this one track down the DVD from Warner Archive as well as the Dell Comics adaptation and give them a watch and a read as who knows you might just find yourself drawn into the world of Two On A Guillotine and find the breakdown of The Great Duquesne interesting as I did.

Now that we have taken a look at the crazed magician John Harley Duquesne as well as the film he is from Two On A Guillotine I think now that we should look at the comic adaptation of the film that was done by Dell Comics a classic comic publisher that made so many amazing comics based on Horror and Sci-Fi films. And when it comes to these adaptation comics in modern time I feel that Dell is often over looked but they really shouldn’t be as they made so many great spooky reads with many of them being based on films that starred Vincent Price. I would like to thank a Ebay seller for having this comic in stock and making this update possible, I would also like to thank Warner Brothers for releasing the film on DVD as apart of there Archive collection. I would like to also remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, it’s entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s head to the mansion and see if we can last for the seven nights with this psycho magician.

Two On A Guillotine # 1 ***
Released in 1965 Cover Price .12 Dell Comics # 1 of 1

Magician and Illusionist John Harley Duquesne along with his wife Melinda Duquesne are a big hit as their magic show is the talk of the town, and after a show John Harley Duquesne brings his press manager Buzz into a room to show him a new trick he is working on that would involve his wife being “beheaded” by a guillotine as he thinks this will take them to the next level for their tour of Europe. Many years have passed and John Harley Duquesne has passed away and his daughter Cassie shows up to watch her fathers coffin to be locked up with chains as his final words is that he will return! At the funeral she also meets many people including Dolly, a woman who has been a helper to the family for decades, Carl Vickers her fathers lawyer and Val Henderson, a fan of her father’s work who is also a member of the press. And with Cassie’s mother missing his estate is turned over to her, but only if she stays seven nights in his old mansion as he claims he will come back and speak to her…if she fails to, all will go do Dolly and other people who have helped him through his career. Cassie heads to the mansion and Val is waiting for her and the pair walk through the spooky mansion that has been rigged with all types of tricks that are sure to scare from plastic skeletons to weird plants the two wonder around as Cassie remembers back to growing up not known either of her parents. Days pass and Cassie and Val are becoming close and keep find more spooky tricks throughout the house, Val also in private confronts Dolly and Buzz as the pair are trying to spook Cassie to leave so that they can collect the estate. But when Cassie finds out that Val is a reporter she kicks him out of the mansion and that night has bad nightmares and wakes up to find her father is alive and is crazy as his guillotine trick back in the day killed his wife and now he thinks his daughter is his wife as they look alike! Dolly returns to the mansion and tries to save Cassie but fails and calls Val to hurry back to the mansion as John Harley Duquesne is going to try his beheading trick again this time with his daughter as his assistant. Val is able to get there in time and even after the trick works, John Harley Duquesne breaks down in tears as the police enter and arrest him for the murder of his wife those many years ago.

This is such a fun read that does justice to the film it is based on as the moments of the haunted mansion works as does the suspense of John Harley Duquesne being alive and well…not to bring up the fact that the shocking truth about John Harley Duquesne comes to light with perfection on these panels. The plot is very simple and has a daughter coming to town for her fathers funeral as she grew up not knowing her parents and now must stay in the families old haunted mansion in order to receive her fathers money and estate…but there is a trick as her father claims he will come back from the grave in seven days! Our main character in this story is Cassie Duquesne a young woman who was raised by her aunt after her mother went missing and her father became a recluse and leaving his illusionist act behind. You have to feel for her as the press is harassing her, her father fakes his own death and thinks she is his dead wife and she grew up with a strict aunt…plus she is almost killed by her father who is trying to pull off his guillotine act. Val Henderson is also kind of a hero here as while he first starts off as a pressman looking for a story, soon finds himself in love with Cassie and wants to protect her from anyone or thing he thinks is out to get her. Plus I feel in the comic he is more likable of a guy than he is in the film. Plus he does try his best to save Cassie even if he is the one who bumps into the guillotine and causes the blade to fall. Buzz and Molly are good people and while it looks like they are trying to scare off Cassie they are really just trying to watch out for her. John “Duke” Harley Duquesne was a master of magic and illusions who set the world on fire with his act, but after by accident killing his wife and hiding her body he was become a crazed person who wants to fake his own death, lure his daughter back to him as he thinks she is his wife returned in order to pull off his trick to prove it would work…he is a broken man. The comic’s horror comes from the suspense of the haunted mansion and if John Harley Duquesne would truly return from the grave and for those wondering the comic is bloodless. I really like how it has a classic horror feel to it and it really is a fast read that does have a few spooky moments. The cover is great and features John Harley Duquesne grabbing Cassie who is over taken with fear. The interior artwork is done by Unknown Artist and its really good as you have to love that classic Dell Comics style where the characters kind of look like the actors who play them and while the style is simple its prefect. Over all if you enjoy the film and or like classic style horror stories, make sure to check this one out. Check out the art below to see the style that is used by Unknown Artist for this comic adaptation of a classic 60’s horror film.

Two On A Guillotine is a spooky film and comic, and once more I have to give credit to Dell Comics for making some of the 60’s best horror comic adaptations made for comic readers to chill their blood to. While both the film and comic are not for everyone, if you like classic style horror from the 60’s that is a mix of haunted house, mystery, crime and even a possible deranged killer make sure to check it out. But as you can see The Great Duquesne’s show has ended and that leaves us having to leave the theater and as we make our way out I would like to take a moment to let you know that our next update will about that 1973 cult classic film Don’t Look In The Basement and the Blood Scream Comics adaptation of it! So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local horror host. See you next update for a crazy good time with the patients at the Stephen’s Sanitarium.

From Horror Movie To Horror Comic: The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Posted on January 23, 2026 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink and to another “From Horror Movie To Horror Comic” update. For this one we will be revisiting a 90’s Horror Film that we have talked about before in 2017, but it was not a themed update like this one, and I feel that it deserves a second look as the film was a phenomenon when it came to horror cinema and was a early trend setter when it came to the “found footage” style that is going strong even to this day. Of course the film is The Blair Witch Project and for this update we will be also looking at the single comic issue released by Image Comics based around it. The Blair Witch Project really is an iconic film that captures the attention of not only horror fans but also that of the mainstream viewer as the film was said at the time to be one of the scariest films ever made and along with the buzz that the film was real made it a must see in the theater event for so many people. So if you are ready, let’s grab our backpacks, our cameras and head into The Black Hill Woods and see what horrors The Blair Witch has in store for us all.

Let’s start by taking a look at Elly Kedward who is also known as The Blair Witch and her ways of dealing death to those she has marked. Elly Kedward was a strange old woman who lived in the town of Blair when she emigrated from Europe in 1800’s and became the town’s creepy old lady. And after she was murdered by the townspeople, she became supernatural and with this came new powers that aid her in her quest for revenge on those who make the mistake of being in the Black Hills Forest and not taking her warnings serious. Elly is said to be able to change her appearance with her always looking like an older woman, but some have reported that she is covered in black horse hair and that just the sight of her is so frightening that it cause terror and panic in those who are unlucky enough to see her. She is also said to be able to get into the minds of people and cause them to commit murders as well as do self-harm, and this is very deadly as she can have another person do her evil deeds and end her prey’s life. Elly is also dead and that means she truly has supernatural powers and makes her an evil spirit that has dark magic. The Blair Witch’s main tools of dealing death are her curses that allows her to mess in the minds of her victims and make them see, hear and feel things that may or may not really be there. She can also mess with nature as well as things like compasses making you lost in her woods and travel in circles never getting close to being able to leave her woods once she has marked you. She can also sound like other people and make you follow it to a location that she wants you to be in. She also uses people’s personal items and body parts in her curses and finding one of her bloody bundles can scare a person to their very core. Plus just her name and story is something that people that live in the area do not like to mention and keeps them out of the woods our of fear. The Blair Witch is very powerful and as of now no weakness or way to defeat her as been found, making her very deadly to those who cross her path.

So now that we have talked about Elly Kedward and her killing ways, I think now we should take a few moments to talk about the film she is from and that is of course The Blair Witch Project. Like always, we will start with the film’s plot that I will be getting from our friends at IMDB, and then after that I will be writing about the film’s production and then my thoughts of the film. So of you are ready, let’s watch out for stick figures in trees and bundle of sticks with human teeth in them and see what The Blair Witch Project is all about.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

“Three film students vanish after traveling into a Maryland forest to film a documentary on the local Blair Witch legend, leaving only their footage behind.”

Florida film students and friends Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick in 1993 decided that they wanted to make a horror movie, but wanted to make it a little different from the others being made at the time, as they wanted it to have a documentary feel that would break the mold of masked slasher killers. The pair would write the screenplay and put out a casting call for the three main roles being the college kids filming a documentary for a class project the actors hired were Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams with other actors hired for minor roles including Patricia DeCou, Ed Swanson, Bob Griffin, Sandra Sanchez and Jim King to name a few. The film had a budget of around $500 thousand with Artisan Entertainment stepping in at the end to distribute the film. The film was shot in Maryland with most taking place in Seneca Creek State Park with even some shots taking place in Burkittsville, the location the film takes place in. Almost all of the film’s dialogue was ad-libbed with the actors only getting left notes for them to talk about key things and move the story in a direction. Once done, the film would have a few reshoots thanks to Artisan and would be scored by Tony Cora and would have a theatrical release starting on July 14, 1999 and was met with mostly positive reviews from both movie goers and critics. The film’s marketing at the time was fantastic and truly built a buzz for the film as it was made to look like the film was really found footage of three real missing students that something supernatural might have happened to them. The film would have coverage also in many main entertainment sources like Rolling Stone Magazine, MTV and Fangoria Magazine to name a few. The film would make around $248.6 million and was a big success for Artisan as well as horror films in general. In 1999, the film was # 10 for the year and many viewers ranked it as the scariest film of the year as well. In 1999 The Blair Witch Project was released alongside such other Horror Films as Sleepy Hollow, Werewolf Of Ohio, The Mummy, Terror Firmer, Wishmaster 2, Candyman 3, Warlock III, The Clown At Midnight, Ragdoll, Virus, The Rage Carrie 2, Stigmata and Retro Puppet Master to name a few. To this day, the film has a massive following as it has spawned two sequels, comic series, tons of merchandise and has influenced indie filmmakers all over the world.

The Blair Witch Project was a horror film that truly was an experience and to be honest was the last film that built so much buzz around itself that many people truly believed that it was real footage from a real spooky event that took place in the woods of Maryland where three college students went missing. When I saw this film opening weekend, young ladies in the theater were crying at the ending believing that they just seen the last moments of peoples lives on the big screen. And after leaving the theater my friends and I all were buzzing about what we had just seen and all of us were fans. Some of them would end up turning on the film once it became cool to hate it…as like with all big hit films The Blair Witch Project started to gain its haters who wanted to complain about how boring it was or how bad the acting was. The one thing that I understood that people disliked about the film was all the shaky camera stuff made some people get motion sickness. The film’s woods and rundown house setting is what helps add the truly creepy nature of the film as do the screams of Heather who at times seems like she is losing her mind from fright. And to me it really is crazy that Heather Donahue did not become a big horror actress throughout the early 2000’s and beyond, but it is said this was also by her choice as she retired from acting in 2008 and in 2020 she even changed her name to Rei Hance, and even at one point in time was a medical weed grower. The film is also one that I have found myself watching once every year or so and this always sparks me to also watch the sequels. When the film was released and beyond I would have the films’ theatrical poster, trading cards, keychain, comics and the Movie Maniac figure from McFarlane Toys, plus owned the film on VHS and later DVD. The cultural impact of this film when released is really hard to explain to those horror Fans who were too young or born after its release, but let’s just say that it helped breath life into horror films in theater as well as kicked off the found footage craze that is still going strong to this day. If you have not seen The Blair Witch Project, watch it one dark and stormy night with the lights all turned off and allow yourself to be taken away to the cursed woods of the Black Hills and allow The Blair Witch to scare you silly! And that is also one thing I want to point out: the film makes you question if The Blair Witch is real or if someone is messing with the students, with one of my favorite theories being that Josh and Mike are the ones who are setting up Heather as they want her dead and they are the ones that lead her around the woods and are tormenting and scare her before they kill her in the old house…think about this theory when you watch the film next.

The Blair Witch in the 1990’s alongside such films as Scream (1996) and The Mummy (1999) really did help keep horror valuable at the box office and is what sparked the 2000’s boom of spooky releases. But now that we have talked about The Blair Witch as well as the first film she is from, I think that it’s time now that we review the one shot issue from Image Comics that was released in 2000. I want to thank Lone Star Comics for having this comic in stock and making this update possible. I also want to remind you all that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, its entertainment value and its art and story. So if you are ready, let’s get a little deeper into the Black Hill Woods as I hear that there are some really good camping sites for those of us that want to be scared silly by strange noises in the night.

BW: Dark Testaments # 1 **1/2
Released in 2000 Cover Price $2.95 Image Comics # 1 of 1

The year is 1986, and Davis Crane was a former school and principal who finds himself in jail after trying to kill two infant twins at the local hospital. His actions puzzle the law and Crane feels that something drove him to attempt this crime. While sitting in jail Crane remembers back to his youth and being friends with the twins Rustin and Dale Parr, and even as kids there was something wrong and dark about Rustin Parr but he watched him as he was kind to animals and skilled with a carving knife. He remembers back when the brothers had a fight over Dale killing a squirrel, and Rustin disowned his brother for the death. And that night as Dale was in bed sad, The Blair Witch came to him and promises that things will be ok. The next day at school The Parr Twins are once more speaking to each other but now refuse to talk to Davis as well as their fellow classmates, that is until Rustin is beaten up by town drunk Matt Patterson and tells Davis that The Blair Witch was real and that he hears her in his mind. As Matt Patterson is taking to jail, things start going wrong for him as he pukes up blood and a small tooth that was not his, his daughter strangely dies and the town is struck with fear as they think something supernatural is at play. And later Dale Parr is show and killed by his father while they went hunting, and while said it was an accident many think it was a way to stop The Witch who had touched the boy as rumor is that The Parr Twins were born thanks to The Blair Witch. Time passes and Rustin Parr never returns to school and when Davis finally see’s him he warns his friend to stay away so that the Witch doesn’t hurt him as Matt Patterson is hit by a truck in front of them and dies. And when Davis Crane grew up he stayed away from Rustin Parr and even moved away from Burkittsville to go to college, joined the army and fought in war. Once injured Davis returns home to become a teacher and even was there when Rustin Parr came out of the woods and the bodies of the kids were found. Back to sitting in jail, Davis knows that it was a shadow ghost of Dale Parr that made it look like he was trying to kill the twins, as he was really trying to save them. As the cops leave for the night Davis Crane sits in his jail cell and he knows that the ghosts of The Parr twins will be coming for him in the shadows and darkness.

This is a pretty interesting comic as while it is about The Blair Witch, it is more about The Parr Twins who at a young age were very odd and were said to be the spawn of the witch herself. One brother grew up to kill kids in the name of The Blair Witch, while the other was shot and killed by his own father while still a youth. And the story is told from the prospective of one of their childhood friends who watched their descent into darkness and is now being dragged into it at his now older age. Davis Crane was a good kid who grew up to be a good man as he went into teaching and even fought in a war protecting our country, and even when at the hospital and the staff thinking he was trying to kill two infants, he was really trying to protect them from an evil spirit. Davis was friends with The Parr Twins growing up and while they were odd, he still watched out for them as well as cared about their well being. And now because of them his life and reputation is ruined and he will rot in jail or even their spirits will take his life away. The Parr Twins Dale and Rustin when younger has very different personalities as they both were very odd and both caring and cruel at the same time. They are said to be the “blessing” of The Blair Witch as their mother was unable to have kids and after giving her an offering, the Witch allowed the two to be born and this also meant that they were connected to her. Dale was the first to show signs of being evil as he cursed a man who did his brother wrong that made the man’s daughter die…but before his evil got to out of hand he was shot and killed by his own father. While Rustin would try to get his under control but he did set up the killing of the man who hurt him and later would kill children in the woods. They were doomed from birth as they were touched by evil and that darkness consumed them. Matt Patterson was the town drunk and after losing his cool one-day and beating up one of the Parr kids, a curse is placed on him and his life goes terribly wrong filled with sadness and death. The Blair Witch is around and wandering the woods as well as talking to The Parr Twins gearing them up to do bad things all for her benefit. The comic is pretty bloodless and really the horror comes from the Blair Witch’s curses and the uneasy feeling that everyone in the town has because of her being around and causing issues for everyone with her thirst for revenge. The cover for this issue is a strange one as I am not sure who that is supposed to be on the cover surrounded by blue light and the stick figures, while weird I would say that it is eye catching for those who like the film. The interior art is done by artist Charlie Adlard and is pretty cool, while not overly detailed, it works as it has a kind of spooky appeal and his drawing of the witch always in shadow is great. Over all this is a pretty entertaining comic based around the legend and lore of The Blair Witch, but I do have to say that I wish it had featured more of her. Check out the artwork below to see the style used by Adlard in this comic book.

The Blair Witch Project was so popular that it had several comic series based around its legend from several publishers with Image being one and Oni Press the other. There are always rumors of new sequels or reboots of the film in the works and who knows, maybe one day we will get another film entry. Lionsgate is now the rights holder as they bought out Artisan Entertainment many years ago, and while the sequels thus far have not captured that lightning in a bottle like the first film did, they are very entertaining in there own way. And for fans of The Blair Witch Project if you have never seen the 1998 film “The Last Broadcast” that as well is a horror found footage film this time about the Jersey Devil and a public access show on the hunt for him, you should check it out as it’s a weird one that has lots of twists and turns. But as you can see, we have found our way out of the woods, and before we end this update I would like to let you know that the next one will take us to the waters of Mexico as we take a look at the film Black Demon and the comic series Black Demon Tales based around it. So until next time, read a horror comic or three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local Horror Host. See you next update as we talk about the Aztec version of Jaws…or is that The Meg?

Horror Host Icon: Dr. Shock (PA)

Posted on October 31, 2024 by bloodlinematt

Happy Halloween and welcome back to Rotten Ink. When thinking about horror hosts, a state that I feel at times does not get the recognition for having some amazing ones is Pennsylvania, and for me, one of the tops from that state is Dr. Shock who is the topic for his “Horror Host Icon” update. Like so many, this one is long over due as I have been wanting to cover him for awhile and went on a hunt to track down episodes to make this update possible, but while I could not find any, I did find a tribute show that is just perfect to showcase his style as well as is a heartwarming tribute to him done by the station that aired his show as well as his friends and fans. So if you are ready, grab a big bowl of popcorn and turn down the lights as it’s time to have a blood chilled and our funny bone tickled thanks to Dr. Shock and his Mad Theater!

Dr. Shock was the host of Mad Theater (along with all of its name changes) and was a fun natured ghoul who took his style from Horror Host Zacherley and even slightly looked like him. He entertained viewers on Channel 17 with his goofy jokes and magical tricks. Dr. Shock had grey skin, wore a black suit, and while friendly, he did have a slight mean streak as he would love to hit crew members with a plastic hammer when they would get on his nerves. He would also take time to give bad medical advice to those who would wander on his set and really loved hosting the films that he presented. The fact that he had that jolly ghoul appeal made his viewers bond with him quickly as he was that late night horror film watching friend who brought laughs to the horrors on the screen. Dr. Shock is truly one of those iconic horror hosts who did it right as he really did make viewers feel like he was their friend and entertained his viewers for almost a full decade, and for that he truly was one of Pennsylvania’s best horror hosts of all time. When Dr. Shock make public appearances, fans would flock to meet him as he would be one of the area’s most loved stars. All the way to his sudden passing, his show was must-watch TV and his passing is still felt to this day. I should also note that Dr. Shock’s sidekick was Bubbles, his young daughter that viewers watched grow up on the show, and she became a big part of the show’s history.

The original show that was hosted by Dr. Shock was “Creatures Features” in 1970, and after a very short time, the show had a name change to “Scream-In.” Oddly Channel 17 decided to fire Dr. Shock after only 13 episodes, and after getting several very angry letters and calls, they brought him back to air and the fans were happy! But when he was brought back, his original sidekick Igor was not. So Dr. Shock brought on Bubbles, a young girl who over the years grew up in front of viewers’ eyes. The show would go from showing a single film to a double film in late 1970. Scream-In would become “Mad Theater/Horror Theater” in 1972 and would be on air until 1979, before the untimely death of Dr. Shock. The viewers of Dr. Shocks shows enjoyed his cheesy comedy, magic as well as all the zany characters he would play like Wild-Man Of Pango Pango, Samurai Swordsman, Henny Himself, Food Man, Freaky Fairy and Great Grandma Shock to name a few. The show really meant something to Philadelphia fans and was well loved by all his fans and viewers who made his shows must views for the week. Despite the name changes and even the channel firing the host for a brief time, Mad Theater would be a staple or Channel 17 for over 9 years. Sadly while footage can be found on YouTube as well as trade lists, no known full episodes have been found, due to home media recorders being very rare in the 1970’s.

Joseph Zawislak was born September 14, 1937 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and from a very early age he had the creative and entertainment bug as he learned the accordion as a youngster as well as did impersonations of famous people to make family and friends laugh. When old enough he joined the Navy and was in from 1955-1957. It was after this that his love for magic was born and after becoming a master magician, he would perform going under the names Dr. Alky and The Fabulous Mister Joseph and his assistant Sylvia DeNardo would later become his wife by 1958. During this time Joseph would also own a steak shop, run a pinball arcade and even become an insurance salesman. He would also have five kids with his wife and would dress up as Horror Host Zacherley at family get togethers to make people have a good laugh. But his life changed in 1970 when at a barbershop he overheard a head of WPHL-TV Channel 17 talking about them not being able to find a host for their upcoming Horror Movie show, and Joseph went up to the man and did went into his Zacherley act and was hired on the spot! Joseph would become a local celebrity from the moment his first show aired and would remain one his whole career. But sadly his time on this Earth was cut short as at the age of 42 on September, 28 1979 he would pass away from a heart attack. While gone, his horror host legacy and memory lives on with his family, friends and fans.

On March 22, 2014 at HorrorHound Weekend, Dr. Shock was inducted into the Horror Host Hall Of Fame as one of the hosts of the Class Of 2014 and was inducted by Nibbles The Clown and Punkin of Freakhouse Flicks who did a fantastic job paying him respect and honor. The fans who attended as well as fellow Horror Hosts clapped as he took his place among the best the art of Horror Hosting has to offer. Also names in the 2014 Class were Crypt Keeper, The Ghoul, Grampa Munster, Mad Daddy and Penny Dreadful to name a few. And with Dr. Shock making it in, I am sure this was something that his family, friends and fans are really proud of and happy to see that his legacy still lives on.

Dr. Shock is a true icon and legend in the world of Horror Hosting and while he asked and got permission to use elements and even the style that Zacherley used, I feel that Dr. Shock took them and added so much more to the character and made them his own. One of the coolest aspects of Dr. Shock was his use of magic during his segments as at the time it was really something special that set him apart from all other hosts going in and around the Pennsylvania area at the time. Plus I feel that his jolly nature and the silly elements of his show are what really made him must watch for viewers who liked their horror host dashed with humor. I respect Dr. Shock so much that I almost was going to make a 17hr round trip drive just to visit his grave and pay my respect to him! I also spent lots of time searching the Grey Market as well as horror host tape trade lists trying to find any episodes of Dr. Shock and came up empty handed. When you talk to those who grew up in Philadelphia and the surrounding area that were able to view Dr. Shock, they all say how he was a big part of their lives and childhood, showing just how much he meant to the culture of that city and the state of Pennsylvania in general. For me Dr. Shock is a great horror host who is a Hall Of Fame member and shows just how great the horror hosts of Pennsylvania can be.

So as you can see, Dr. Shock is one of those hosts that will always be remembered in his home state of Pennsylvania and beyond and with being inducted into The Horror Host Hall Of Fame, his legacy truly will never be forgotten. Now sadly, like many older hosts at this point, his shows are lost to time and for this update we will be taking a look at a tribute show that aired after his passing that was filled with many amazing clips from the show. And like before, I will be taking the show’s write up from our friends at IMDB and I will be writing about the host’s antics the best I can. So if you are ready, let’s take a spooky laugh filled trip with the one and only Dr. Shock.

A Tribute To Dr. Shock
Starring – Rick Fox & Joe Zawislak Not Rated 1980

Host: This shows many clips of Dr. Shock bits as well as him talking to celebrities like John Carradine and Lassie The Dog! They also show photos and behind the scenes moments of Dr. Shock. A very well done tribute to Dr. Shock and his life and legacy as a Horror Host.

Movie: A tribute to Joe Zawislak and his horror host character “Dr. Shock”. As “Dr. Shock”, Zawislak hosted “Creature Features” (changing its name to “Scream-In in April 1970), then “Mad Theater” and “Horror Theater” (a double feature pair of shows) from 1972 until 1979 on WPHL-TV, Channel 17 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Dr. Shock is a true Icon in horror hosting and is one of Pennsylvania’s top hosts as to this day his fans talk about the joys of watching his show. He really is a truly awesome host, and I hope someday that I will be able to track down a few full episodes so I can experience this host like his fans did back during his original run on television. I hope that this update brought back some great memories for those of you reading this that grew up watching Dr. Shock. And to all you readers, I hope this added to your Halloween holiday and made it a little spookier as well as humorous. For our next update, we will be leaving behind the world of horror hosting and will be heading to the woods of Sherwood Forest in order to go on an adventure with Robin Hood and his Merry Men. So until next time read a horror comic or three, watch a horror movie of two and as always, support your local horror host. Also keep in mind Robin Hood starts our countdown to Thanksgiving 2024!

DC Horror Showcase: Man-Bat

Posted on May 12, 2023 by bloodlinematt

Welcome back to Rotten Ink. For years now we have taken a look at several Marvel horror characters and series like The Golem, Living Mummy, Dead Of Night and The Zombie up to this point, and I think that it’s time that we also showcase some of the characters that make up DC horror! Now DC horror is not as deep as Marvel’s, and while they have such titles as House Of Mystery and Swamp Thing, they have always mostly focused on their superhero comic lines like Batman and Superman with even many of the horror titles have that hero touch. One of those horror superheroes is the first topic for this DC Horror update, and of course it will be Man-Bat, that pain in the side of Batman who has been bad as well as good and has entertained comic readers for decades. So sit back, be ready to be scared and yet also pumped as this bat creature man is ready to deliver a heroic spooky good time.

Dr. Kirk Langstorm is a Chiropterologist who was working on a serum that would enhance humans senses like a bat’s sonar, and when using it on himself as a test, he turns into a bat creature that goes on rampages throughout Gotham City and has to clash with Batman as well as fellow superheroes over the years like Superman, Robin and Hawkman. From time to time Man-Bat would also find himself on the side of good and not be the monster the world sees him as but as a monster with the brain of the brilliant doctor. Man-Bat even has found himself discovering the Batcave and clashing with Batman in his own base and giving him a tough fight several times. By mistake, Man-Bat has infected his wife with the serum curse and turned her into She-Bat and once when losing control he believed that he killed his family, only for them to have survived. Man-Bat is dangerous and can fly and use his claws to rip flesh and can use his super sonar hearing to track his prey. He is also stronger than a normal man and is also super fast in speed making him a truly monstrous foe.

Man-Bat was created in 1970 and first appeared in Detective Comics # 400 with Julius Schwartz being his concept creator and Neal Adams being the artist to bring him to life on the comic pages. He was originally a villain for Batman and over the years would also have runs as a good guy helping Batman as well as other heroes and would even make appearances in DC Comics Presents teaming with Superman. At one time, he was a member of the Secret Society Of Super Villains and over the years has gotten his own comic mini series. He has also made the leap from comics to cartoons appearing in episodes of “Batman The Animated Series”, “Batman Beyond” and “Justice League Unlimited” but only in mention on the latter. He would also be in a few video games, mostly in the DC Lego series, and had many toys made of him from companies like Kenner and Mattel. And while Man-Bat never gained the following that other Batman villains did, namely The Joker, Catwoman, The Riddler, Two-Face and Penguin, he does have a cult following along the likes of Killer Croc, Killer Moth and Black Mask. He was always one of my favorites growing up as he looked cool and always seemed to be a threat to Batman, in fact he reminded me of the Lizard from the Marvel Comics series Spider-Man as many of the times both Batman and Spidey had to defeat their foes back to normal using science and both baddies are the way they are due to science. Say what you will, but if your read DC Comics and like your characters with a dash of horror then you know just how cool Man-Bat is!

Over the years Man-Bat has had his fair share of very cool figures come out and allow fans to have him go on adventures as well as fight the likes of Batman, Superman and even Killer Croc if they want to. And while not a ton of figures have been made of Man-Bat, the ones that have been are pretty cool stuff! Man-Bat has also graced other merchandise like posters, trading cards, shirts, stickers, toys and video games. While Man-Bat is a very cool looking character, he oddly does not get much merchandise and barely makes appearances in the games, movies and cartoons…I mean it would be awesome to see him in a future live action Batman film.

The Kenner Super Powers Collection was super popular with my brother and I growing up as we would collect all the ones we could get our hands on. Four figures I can remember getting the most as a kid were Superman, The Joke, Hawkman and Robin as they were some of my favorites but I also had The Flash, Aquaman, Penguin and Samurai. My brothers had Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Lex Luthor, Darkseid, Cyclorton and Steppenwolf. So as you can see, we had almost all of them. But sadly Kenner would pull the plug on the Super Powers Collection line before a series four could be released and over the years fans have uncovered the names that would have made up that series including Swamp Thing, Batgirl, Creeper, Catwoman, Blue Devil, Supergirl, Vigilante and many more, but most importantly on that list of planned figures was Man-Bat! That’s right, we almost got a Man-Bat figure by Kenner and that would have been awesome and would have been one that my brother and I would have harassed our parents to get for us as we both liked the character, and he would have been a great villain for our Batman and Robin Super Powers to have fought with. And with retro toy lines coming back I wish that Hasbro, who now owns Kenner, would get the DC Comics toy license once more and bring this series back and make them look just like they did back in the 80’s and that they would do the figures that were planned in the series that never got past the prototype and sketch phase and that would include Man-Bat…but sadly I think this will never happen.

Well now that we have taken a look at Man-Bat’s character and his history in comics and merchandise, I think that its time for us to get to the review part of this update. The Man-Bat series I chose to cover is the 1^st series that was released in 1975 and only lasted for two issues. I chose this series as I am a fan of the older comics from DC and plus these are the ones I remember owning and reading as a kid and would like to see if they hold up. I want to thank Bell, Book And Comic for having these issues in stock and making this update possible and I want to remind you that I grade these comics on a star scale of 1 to 4 and am looking for how well the comics stay to the source material, the entertainment value and the art and story. So if you are ready, let’s see what Man-Bat has in store for us, will it be scary or will it be superhero like?

Man-Bat # 1 **1/2
Released in 1975 Cover Price .25 DC Comics #1 of 2

Baron Tyme uses magic in order to turn Francine Langstorm into She-Bat with a mission to kill someone in Gotham City, and to his horror, Kirk watches as his wife flies away with a mission of murder on her mind. Kirk takes the serum and turns into Man-Bat as he needs to stop his wife from murdering a man, and while he looks for her, illusions created by Baron Tyme slow him down, but he is able to stop her just in time as she had found her prey. Man-Bat knocks out She-Bat and starts talking to the man who is Professor Raymond Arthur who works for a college and one of his co-workers is indeed Baron Tyme, but before he can get any more information to Man-Bat he is killed by She-Bat! The news breaks and now Batman is aware of the murder of Professor Arthur and hits the streets to find Man-Bat as it was clear that it was committed by a bat and he wants to stop him. Meanwhile Man-Bat uses the last of his powerful serum to turn She-Bat back into Francine, and as she changes back, someone cuts the lights and uses a sonar noise to confuse Man-Bat. It was Batman who set the trap and after a struggle, the two end up talking and Man-Bat alerts Batman that someone is using mind control on She-Bat and caused her to murder. Batman stays with Francine as Man-Bat heads to the college and comes face to face with Baron Tyme who uses illusions to keep our hero captive. Tyme then tells him that the murders are being done in order to please a demon and that he is going to also offer Man-Bat as well, but Man-Bat uses his low sonar sound to hurt the ears of Baron Tyme who ends up backing into an open flame and is caught on fire. As Man-Bat flies away, he wonders if his foes words of demons are true or if he was just a master of trickery who could use his hypnotizing ways to trick minds and mastermind murders.

This first issue of Man-Bat has more elements of superhero than horror but is still a very good read that features our creature hero on a quest to break a mind hold that a magical villain has on his wife, and with this mind hold he has her committing murder that gets the attention of Batman who gets involved. Man-Bat is in control and retains his smarts and is very angry that someone is using his ladylove as well as put doubt in the mind of Batman who knew that one of them had to be the ones committing the crimes. Man-Bat does his best to try and stop the super villains as well as at least one of the murders. She-Bat is out of control for most of the issue as she has a bloodlust and the want to kill and has to be knocked out in order to break those evil urges, and try to free her mind of these commands. Batman is around but besides having a brief fight with Man-Bat and staying with a subdued She-Bat he is not really a major player to our story. Baron Tyme is a man who is into black magic and can use it to control minds as well as create very realistic illusions, and he is doing all of this in order to send murdered souls to a demon that he has made a deal with. And while Baron Tyme is an interesting 70’s style comic book super villain, his motives are a little unclear and the way he is beaten in the end is a little rushed. But being set on fire and left for dead by the book’s hero does leave it open that his death could be one of his illusions so who knows maybe he will return in the next issue. The cover is pretty cool and eye catching as it shows not only Man-Bat but they also of course showcased Batman. The interior art is awesome as it is done by comic artist icon Steve Ditko! Over all this is a good read that did its best to try and make Man-Bat a hero when we all know he makes a better bad guy. With that, let’s see what the second and last issue in this series has in store for us.

Man-Bat # 2 **1/2
Released in 1976 Cover Price .25 DC Comics #2 of 2

Man-Bat is flying around Chicago on a windy day when he is attacked by unknown person who has a jet pack and clearly has been hired to take down Man-Bat, but for what reason is unknown. The two fight in the sky for a few moments and Man-Bat decides to dive into a river and take the serum to turn back into his human self Kirk and swims ashore and takes a taxi home confused on why he was attacked. Once Kirk gets home he gets the surprise of his life as his apartment is filled with his friends as well as his sister who are welcoming him back home to Chicago as he and Francine have moved back to his home city. But Kirk’s nerves go crazy when he finds Francine in her room fighting off not turning into She-Bat and outside on the balcony is his unknown attacker. So Kirk slips away and takes the serum and turns back into Man-Bat, but the attacker has a weird power that he can see using his fingers and once more he and Man-Bat start fighting in the sky and the attacker sprays weird sticky latex in the face of Man-Bat who ends up knocking out the attacker by causing pain to his fingers. While Man-Bat gets the sticky goo off his face he figures out that his attacker is really The 10 Eyed Man a villain from Gotham who was taken out of jail by the CLA group and hired to kill him! But as The 10 Eyed Man wakes back up he sets a bomb that he hopes will allow him to capture Man-Bat instead the bomb blows up and blinds the The 10 Eyed Man who falls off the building to his death. In the end Man-Bat wonders why the CLA wants him dead and then remembers he has to return to his apartment for the party.

This second and final issue of Man-Bat is an okay superhero comic mixed with a dash of horror and continues Man-Bat trying to cure She-Bat of her vampiric ways but finds himself being hunted down by The 10 Eyed Man who was hired by a group called the CLA and this causes Man-Bat drama and action. Man-Bat uses his brilliant mind to try and outsmart and outstep his attacker and in the end does so and it leads to the death of the attacker and no real questions answered, and while Man-Bat is strong and skilled his weaknesses do make him on the defense more then the offense. And that’s a shame as I would have liked to have seen Man-Bat going crazy and allow the animal side of him to go off, like the lost control version of Man-Bat who wanted to shred The 10 Eyed Man! Speaking of The 10 Eyed Man he is a very cheesy villain who uses his fingers to see and has to have his hands out in order to see and fight, and as you would guess this makes him super easy to beat up as take away his finger eyes and he is a mess and will loose. I am not sure if I like that Man-Bat is no longer in Gotham City and is now located in Chicago as to me the character just don’t fit in the Windy City. The big story arch that is showcased in this issue is the CLA getting super villains out of trouble and sending them to attack and capture Man-Bat and it’s a shame as the series had to have been such a poor seller that this story just kind of ends here with only two issues being released. I think that DC should not have made the comic series a superhero book and really should have played off the Horror aspects of Man-Bat as by making him just another hero it just was lost in the shuffle of late 70’s main company Superhero comics that flooded the market. The cover is very cool and eye catching and looks like a Horror Comic and the interior art by Pablo Marcos is really great and I like the way he draws Man-Bat as he does capture the monster aspect of the character. It’s a shame that this series did not last that long cause I do think it had potential to become a very entertaining series, but fate did not have it in the cards to have Man-Bat become a long running series. Check out the art below to see they style of art used in this two issue run.

While Man-Bat’s first solo series was more superhero than fright it was still a fun read and really did live up to my memories of reading them as a youngster. And yes before we move on I will say I do wish that DC would have played more on the horror aspect, but I would guess they got cold feet and knew that superheroes were what sold for them more. But with that our first look at DC Horror has came to an end. For our next update, we will be heading back to the world of Pro Wrestling and back to the Rotten Ink Arena as we will be talking Mr. Wrestling II! So until next time, read a DC Comic or three, watch a horror film or two and as always support your local Horror Host! And this next update is truly about a Wrestling Legend.

Horror Host Icon: Tim The Enchanter

Posted on June 5, 2020 by bloodlinematt

Many Horror Hosts over the years have aired on TV and been streamed online with some even having direct to video episodes….but what if I told you about one that was only seen on a VHS tape that was passed around to friends…could your heart and nerves survive learning about Scary As Hell Theater and its host Tim The Enchanter! That’s what I love about Horror Hosts, the world is filled with so many that you find new ones all the time and many of them are very entertaining and make you wonder why they did not get the fame that others have. I found Tim The Enchanter while surfing around YouTube and came across some clips of his show and knew that I had to cover him here on Rotten Ink, so it’s with great fun I bring you readers “Horror Host Icon: Tim The Enchanter”!

Tim The Enchanter is a wizard who hosted his show Scary As Hell Theater from 1998 to, well, 1998 for the show’s original run that had him hosting Black Sunday. Tim is a man with a long white mustache and bushy white eyebrows who wears a skullcap, carries a staff and dons a robe who loves to jam out to the sounds of Jethro Tull all the while hosting his creature feature from his living area. He was not an evil wizard but does have a sharp wit with a sinister side and didn’t mind taking a few jabs at people in the film’s productions as well as other pop culture stars. His hosting style has a very The Ghoul vibe to it as he adds his own sound effects and movie bits into the evening’s flick, adding to the comedy aspect. Scary As Hell Theater started in 1998 and only lasted one episode (that Tim hosted, more on that later) that acted as a pilot and a way to entertain friends of the host Tim The Enchanter. Stevie Gothing is the man who created and played Tim and made it for a fake TV network called SPUD-TV that he as well created. So while Tim The Enchanter might not be a household name, he is a Horror Host that you should check out as he has a very classic approach and look. I have also heard a rumor that Tim and his show Scary As Hell Theater might have a return some Halloween season down the line. Oh and I should also note that while only a small amount of Scary As Hell episodes were made, Tim The Enchanter himself made many other appearances on shows that appeared on SPUD-TV.

Tim The Enchanter is a very interesting Horror Host as he truly was a specialty host who was only marketed to friends of the host himself. So while searching the World Wide Web as well as all the magic shops I could think of, I found the one and only Tim The Enchanter who has been nice enough to take a few moments to chat with us and answer 5 Questions! That’s right we are going to have 5 Questions with Tim The Enchanter!

Me: Welcome, Tim The Enchanter to Rotten Ink. My first question has to be what or who got you into hosting?

Tim: First of all, thanks so much for the opportunity to dust the cobwebs off of the old SPUD-TV footage, and revisit my vintage “Scary As Hell Theater” activities… Well, my formative years were spent in Southern California, during the 1960s, when regional television stations all seemed to harbor a great deal more initiative and creativity than they do these days. My very first glimpses into the realm of Horror Hosts came with the arrival of KCOP Channel 13’s now-legendary “Jeepers Creepers” broadcasts, which was anchored by three different hosts over the years that it appeared on the air. My memories are understandable fragmented, retained in my awareness as marvelously spooky vignettes, steeped in sort of a misty dream state — but that only adds to the macabre allure of it all, I think. Actually, it required a genuine effort for a 7, 8, 9-year-old to successfully keep his eyes open until the 11 p.m. starting time on Saturday nights, and most often, I have to admit, I would typically be able to see the host’s introductory segment, the first piece of whatever movie they were showing, the second host segment, a little more of the movie… and then fast asleep I would invariably to go. But at the heart of it, I was inevitably charmed and delighted by the host’s gloriously spooky attire, their exceedingly creepy demeanor, all of that fake fog wafting in the on-screen atmosphere, and the ornately fashioned coffin as the studio set’s centerpiece. To me, at that highly impressionable age, it didn’t so much matter which movie they were exhibiting — it could’ve been one of those grand old Universal Horror films (so many of them particular favorites of mine, then and now), or it could just as easily have been one of Bela Lugosi’s el cheap-o Monogram flicks, but it was truly the host(s) that lastingly captured my imagination, and ultimately brought me back for more the following week… Furthermore, it cannot be under-estimated how much of an almost spectral presence and massive inspiration dear old Zacherley was during those times. While he was primarily regarded as an East Coast TV personality, enough of his larger-than-life persona and macabre humor seeped into the prevailing mix of things, through various means (novelty recordings, monster magazine articles, and so on) to help reinforce his presence within the wider Pop Culture of those times… A bit later on, more towards the early 1970s, the other measurably significant host whom really made a lasting mark upon my consciousness was the great Larry ‘Sinister Seymour’ Vincent (who notably did time on KHJ-TV and KTLA-TV, respectively). Since I was a bit older by that point, I was primed to understand and appreciate a lot of the over-the-top cynicism and sarcasm employed by him, and to a great degree, that’s where I really got a lot of the sense of how best to conduct my own grass-roots Horror Hosting efforts.

Me: Sinister Seymour, a true Hosting Icon indeed! Tell us how did Scary A Hell Theater as well as SPUD-TV come about?

Tim: My wife, my son and daughter, and I rather abruptly found ourselves relocating (by the mid 1990s) to a small collage town in Idaho, where my wife was employed (following graduate school at U.C. Berkeley) to teach English and Native American Literature courses at the University in Moscow. Truly a wonderful prospect in terms of her early academic career — but as time went on, to be honest, despite the beautiful scenery and charmingly rustic downtown culture, it became a little tedious having to cope with some of the thorny drawbacks of making a life in those surroundings. I won’t go into dreary detail, but some of the indigenous folks could’ve been from another planet entirely, and their strong suit didn’t include tolerance of people basically seen as ‘outsiders’. But hey, it’s entirely possible that they thought we were from another planet as well. Who’s to say? Regardless, all of us tried very hard to make things work, since there was clearly a lot at stake. After my wife and son gave me a video camera for one of my birthdays, I resolved to let off a little steam by creating a mock TV operation, and an exaggerated cast of characters to populate my various video projects, all of it very much fashioned upon the old-school regional TV station dynamic experienced during my younger years. In a way, it was very much a release, and a way to (hopefully) retain my sanity amid some of the lesser desirable aspects of living in Idaho. I lampooned the whole experience through my many video segments, and they were eventually shared with a small circle of friends that resided in other parts of the country (Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Diego, San Francisco, and Minneapolis). Owing to my inherent love of Horror Hosts, one of my characters became a rather arrogant / pompous fellow known as Tim the Enchanter, and he would host an array of short subject offerings, and macabre clips of one kind or another, things like that. Those segments were always delivered under the title of SPUD-TV’s “Scary As Hell Theater”. Well, the time ultimately came, however, to mount a full-blown program, wherein Tim would host a proper Horror film. I selected Mario Bava’s “Black Sunday” (a.k.a. “The Mask Of Satan”), because I had just seen Tim Burton host it on the old incarnation of American Movie Classics for the Halloween season, and off to the races I went with it all. Naturally, I don’t have to tell you exactly how much work it is to put together such an endeavor. And I was just one guy, and I did absolutely EVERYTHING. I wrote it, I taped it, I performed it, I edited it. It was exhausting, but also great fun. I loved it!!! Also, because I was operating in the murky realm of private home video release, I felt as though it was entirely appropriate to stick in whatever snippets I wished from any given source — whether it was a few song samples from a Goth band, or a goofy novelty recording, or even a Monty Python movie quote. I loaded it on pretty thick with Pop Culture references by design, and I ended up being pretty pleased with how the pilot episode came out. Not too terribly shabby for a beginner, but it was like I had been gradually preparing for most of my life to play the part of a Horror Host.

Me: So there is a rumor of you coming back, can you share with my readers what film you’re hosting and what antics we can expect?

Tim: Funny you should ask that. Well, yes, I’ve spent some of the past month or so in feverishly planning a return and a kind of swan song for “Scary As Hell Theater”. Contrary to my earlier hopes, it won’t end up appearing any time this year (2019), due to equipment problems and health care issues. But I have every hope that 2020 will see the return of Tim, perhaps in an ominous threesome of hosting stints, which I would call the “Scary As Hell Theater” Bat film trilogy. Three public domain movies from the olden days: “The Vampire Bat” with Lionel Atwill & Dwight Frye, “The Devil Bat” with Bela Lugosi, and “The Bat” with Vincent Price. And woven into the mix will be something of a behind-the-scenes story thread, which will show Tim in new surroundings, while being required to adjust to these public domain properties, and occasionally vexed and otherwise tormented by his gray-haired CRAB-TV show runner, who will come off as an effective enough foil for Tim’s brand of cranky / never-entirely-satisfied personality. All in all, it’ll be a real pleasure to revisit “Scary As Hell Theater”, and finally see Tim off into the sunset with these episodes. I’m definitely looking forward to it.

Me: Amazing news, and I myself am looking forward to Scary As Hell’s return! When you bring back Scary As Hell Theater will a new episode be released every Halloween time?

Tim: Despite what the fortune cookies may say, the future is unknown. Naturally, I would love to say “YES!”. However, we’ll have to see where we stand after the Bat film trilogy. Time and energy are at something of a premium these days, especially with doing everything myself as I would have to do. We’ll just leave it open-ended. A return is always a possibility, of course. I mean, if Universal Studios could resurrect their Frankenstein Monster, no matter how they might’ve cruelly dispatched him in the previous film, and if even Mr. Spock can be miraculously brought back from the land of the dead, then anything is conceivable. Still, we’ll have to wait and see how things shake out. Sorry to be so vague in my reply. As long as my heart continues to beat as it does, I will always adore Horror Hosts (both classic and contemporary), and I very much like the notion of popping up now and again.

Me: So if you could host any film, what would you pick?

Tim: Ah, what a vastly appealing prospect! Geez, how to chose? There are so many wonderful possibilities. Hmm, I would say (mostly because I had temporarily flirted with this idea just recently) it would be a real blast to host Rob Zombie’s “House Of 1,000 Corpses”. Just sayin’. The glorious possibilities for unbridled riffing, for genre-aware jokes, for pounding into the host segments presentation (preferably with an over-sized clown hammer) my own spin on all of the cinematic and real world references — it would be an extraordinary opportunity. Just think, to be able to drag my best Bill Moseley impression out of the moth-eaten closet, and send the audience into it by exclaiming: “I’ll bet you’d stick your head in fire if I said you could see Hell.”, and / or the classic “HOPE YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE!!!” And if I actually did it, sure, it would be massively satisfying beyond all earthly measure. But hey, thanks to the Copyright Overlords, only a very few people within my circle would ever see the result of those ambitious toils, as it would need to be released privately, with a painfully short list of prospective ‘victims’. Oh well, it’s a nice dream, isn’t it?

Me: And lastly, do you have any advice for future Horror Hosts that might be reading this?

Tim: In all likelihood, I would say: “Let your freak flag fly, my children!” No, seriously though. My advice, offered most humbly, would be to throw all caution to the wind and demonstrate your love of the Horror genre by adding your voice to the esteemed crowd. It’s not only a declaration of appreciation for everything which inhabits the realm of Horror (cinematic, literary… in whatever form that you might covet it), but it’s also an opportunity for self-expression and for adding to the magnificent community which is Horror Hosting. It’s also a way to honor the Old Guard, our Horror Hosting heroes. Most of us have them, regional personalities illuminated by the light of our shared times together, during our most impressionable years. All you need is a camera and a little imagination. Go for it, and never let anybody discourage you. Years ago, I sent my hosted “Black Sunday” episode to a friend of long standing, and I was quite excited to eventually hear what her reaction to it would be. Well, it came in its own time, and wasn’t really what I had hoped to hear. She simply said: “Wow! You must have a lot of time on your hands!” I’ll freely admit, I allowed that to somewhat dampen my spirits, and to hinder my momentum in continuing with a series of similar hosting ventures. Don’t let anybody rain on your parade! If you have the energy, the drive, the passion to do it, then by all means, allow no-one to chip away at your resolve. A decade or so ago, I actually had tangible fears that Horror Hosting might be fading away. Happily, I was mistaken. It has come on stronger than ever once again, all over the country, and it shows no signs what-so-ever of being rudely extinguished. You can be a part of all of that, and you will be, if your heart is dark and filled with desire… In any case, I offer my sincere thanks for your time.

Me: Great advice Tim, and thank you for answering these questions that my readers and I enjoyed! I am very much looking forward to seeing the Bat Trilogy, and I will make a promise to you readers that once they are done, I will have them up here on this very update as a well….so I guess you could say it will be an update to an update!

So we have heard from Tim The Enchanter himself and about the future of Scary As Hell Theater…but one thing I am sure you readers did not know is that a second episode with the movie being Evil Dead 2 was made but was not hosted by Tim The Enchanter! That’s right, Tim was replaced by a Host named Graveyard Guy who a little more raunchy and slightly more mean spirited, and yet still held a goofy tone. In fact this version of the show aired on the fake station called CRAB-TV and is surly the nemesis to Tim! So while Graveyard Guy is part of Scary As Hell Theater’s legacy, he is no Tim The Enchanter and let’s hope that in the new episodes Tim gets his show back and he and SPUD-TV show why their Scary As Hell Theater is the only one that matters!

I have always said that to me there is no such thing as a Horror Host that is too big or too small and that every host means something to their fans and viewers, and Tim The Enchanter is a prime example of that. And now we are at the part of the update where I will showcase the episode I have of Scary As Hell Theater. As always, I will not be rating the episode and will take the film’s write up from our pals at IMDB, and I will write about the crazy antics of Tim during the episode. So if you are ready, let’s see what Scary As Hell Theater has in store for us.

Scary As Hell Theater: Black Sunday
Starring – Barbara Steele & John Richardson Not Rated 1960

Host: Tim The Enchanter starts the episode lip-synching to a Jethro Tull song and then gives us a history of the night’s film as well as cracks a few jokes. During the movie he inserts himself into it to be part of jokes that he plays off the dialogue the characters deliver. He then comes back with a parody of The Blair Witch Project where he apologizes for the show and movie to all the viewers and their families as he freezes outside doing so. He then talks about witches and how much fun they can be! Tim closes the show with his staff and presents a cool look at classic Horror Host Sinister Seymour and then disappears.

Movie: A vengeful witch and her fiendish servant return from the grave and begin a bloody campaign to possess the body of the witch’s beautiful look-alike descendant, with only the girl’s brother and a handsome doctor standing in her way.

So as you can see, Tim The Enchanter is one of those Horror Hosts that only a few diehard Horror Host fans know about, and I hope that this Horror Host Icon update brings him more attention and more viewers and fans for Scary As Hell Theater. I am sure many of you also have caught on that Tim The Enchanter got his namesake from Tim The Enchanter, the character from “Monty Python And The Holy Grail”…pretty cool stuff indeed. So for our next update I will be leaving the world of Horror Hosting behind and will be heading to the world of the frontier as we will take a look at Night Of The Grizzly and the DELL Comic adaptation of this adventure/western film with a dash of Horror. So until next time, read a comic or three, watch a Horror Movie or two and as always support your local Horror Host. Beware the grizzlies are they are meat eaters!