The Best Halloween Entertainment, 2011

What will the discerning pop culture critic be enjoying this Halloween? Well, besides the classics (It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown), here's a list of ten items I'll read or watch today. We'll bring you interviews with a few of the writers and artists mentioned in this story throughout the day, so check back for more! 1. I, Vampire #1-2 Joshua Hale Fialkov's continuation/reinvention of J.M. DeMatteis's classic DC vampire tale promises to be a fascinating and enjoyable ride. The first couple of issues have made it one of my top 10 new DC titles--and I'm buying more than three dozen of the New 52 titles as a regular reader! Find it at your local comic shop or on Comixology.

2. Echoes What made DC think Fialkov, whose name many readers didn't yet know, could handle a New 52 title? Well, it's impossible to pin it down but if I were to read this dark and twisted murder mystery, I might stand up and take notice. You can buy it at Barnes & Noble, Amazon or Graphicly. 3. Feeding Ground As noted yesterday, Feeding Ground is a smart and entertaining werewolf story set against the drama of the Mexican border. The fact that it's just been released in hardcover makes it a nice item to heft in your hand and read in the kitchen while you're waiting for trick-or-treaters. Find Feeding Ground at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, your comic shop or Target.com. 4. 30 Days of Night #1 Steve Niles's modern vampire classic has recently made a reappearance as an ongoing series by IDW, and what better time than October? Certainly 30 Days of Night is one of the creepier comics of our time, and IDW has shown recently that they have a good handle on licensed properties.

5. Rachel Rising #1-2 Terry Moore's terrific new series is creepy, moody and something like a Hitchcock film set in Twin Peaks. That can be nothing but awesome, and so far, it has been. While waiting for the third issue to hit in the next couple of weeks, what better to do than to pop into your local comic shop, get your hands on the first two and recline with them on a dark and stormy night? 6. Shinku #1-2 What's Shinku? Well, imagine if Blade was a bad-ass samurai chick and you can approximate this fun and clever new Image series from creators Ron Marz and Lee Moder. Like most other image books, you can find it on Comixology and Graphicly tonight if you want to read it right away, and with a little luck the third issue will be in stores this month! 7. Frankenstein, Agent of SHADE #1-2 Though the series itself is more adventure and sceince-fiction than horror, I'm going to allow it since I'm looking for an excuse to re-read this fantastic comic that features Frankenstein's monster as a strange and emotionally vulnerable hero. With massive weapons. Check it out at your local comic shop, where all those reprints should make both issues available, or at Comixology!

8. Ghostbusters #1-2 Funny, spooky and just about perfect in terms of what you want from a Ghostbusters comic, IDW has hit a home run with this enjoyable new series. Check it out at your local comic shop, and if you can't find a copy there (#1 is sold out and has gone back for a second printing), surf on over to pick it up Comixology. 9. The Walking Dead What, the TV show? The comic? Who cares. The Walking Dead is 24-karat awesome and when it gets late and my son's in bed, this will be what I'm enjoying, free from the guilt that comes when I have zombies out around him (he's only 18 months old). You can buy both the comics and the show...well, pretty much anywhere. This is a major crossover hit. 10. Red State Kevin Smith's much-ballyhooed horror flick about a redneck cult a la Fred Phelps's "church" is something I've been looking forward to for a long time. It didn't get to any theaters in my area, though, and so its recent Blu-Ray release allowed me to pick it up this weekend and set us up for the perfect latenight Halloween movie for 2011.