Childhood Memories and Comic Conventions

Cool-Ghoul-by-Craig-Boldman

Recognize this dapper fellow?  Unless you lived in the Cincinnati television area you probably would not recognize one of the mainstays of my childhood, the Cool Ghoul.   I was too small to remember seeing him except in repeats of his Saturday night hosted horror movies but he still made appearances especially around Halloween up until his death in 2004.  I was fortunate not only to meet the Cool Ghoul’s alter ego Dick Von Hoene but was interviewed by him for a local show a year before his passing.

I know in the 70’s and 80’s, the horror hosts were big in other areas.  I remember being able to get Dr. Creep to come in from Dayton stations as well.  Any horror hosts in your towns?

What is also cool is that I picked up this picture at the Cincinnati Comic Expo.   I had friends exhibiting there including Tim Fuller of Zombie Marge cartoon, Darryl Collins, and Dave from Rockin’ Rooster Comic and Games but I am not what you would normally expect as a comic book junkie.  I couldn’t tell you who wrote or drew a comic but it seems others can and there are waves of fans lining up to get a signed copy of whatever.

I dragged my wife this year because we were heading to the Oktoberfest festivities just a few blocks away.  As soon as we got into the Expo we came across a large line of people.  My wife asked “What’s that line for?” to which I replied, “Probably some artist”, not knowing who was set up there.  Two fanboys waiting in line were appalled by my response because as we continued walking one of them said to the other incredulously  “SOME ARTIST???”

Speaking of artists.  The Cool Ghoul artist is actually better known as a writer.  Craig Boldman has written the Archie newspaper strip since 1992 and writes the Jughead line of comics as well.

About Bearman Cartoons



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68 Responses to “Childhood Memories and Comic Conventions”

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  1. Red says:

    Seriously cool. The art is great, and I miss the horror days.
    Red.

    • Bearman says:

      This guy was more campy than scary.

      • Androgoth says:

        I have never even heard of this guy before but you have a ghoulishly artistic way of portraying all of your subjects and so I will take your word for it on how wicked this cartoon really is, besides it is a fine example of your work whether I know the Cool Ghoul or not so well done Bearman 🙂

  2. Bo Lumpkim says:

    I need me a hat like that. We used to have a guy that called himself “Sivad” I have a sneaky feelin’ his real name mihgt have been Davis. (Of course back then we didn’t have electricity yet and we had to watch TV by candle light.)

  3. Tim Green says:

    I remember watching Elvira on TV in the Atlanta area, Wow, she really got my attention! I used to love watching those cheesy, low budget horror flicks!

  4. Jim says:

    Here in the Buckeye Capital, our Fritz The Night Owl is still ‘workin it’ at a local theater.

    http://niteowltheatre.com/

  5. Comedy Plus says:

    No I don’t believe that I know any horror hosts here. I wouldn’t be looking for them either.

    Isn’t is amazing the folks that make comments about what you say or what’s in your shopping cart? We went to Costco the other day and stocked up on champagne. Some really fat kid that was filling his pie hole with food from the vendors took great offense to my champagne. He told his father how out of control we were. I wanted to say, I drink and you eat, but I just smiled at the clod.

    Have a terrific day. 🙂

  6. DrFaust says:

    love the shading and highlights on this!

  7. Binky says:

    I’ve never heard of the Cool Ghoul before.

  8. Jande says:

    Horror is my most abhorred genre. I really dislike it. And clowns are creatures of horror. It’s saying something really good about the two horror webcomics I read semi-regularly: Scapula and Walking on Broken Glass. They surpass the genre even though they can still make my flesh crawl and I hate crawly flesh.

    At first I thought your cartoon was of Stan, of Stan and Ollie, all dressed up for Hallow’s Eve. Same chin. :`D

  9. Deb says:

    I’ve never heard of him before.

  10. I’m not sure we had any local horror hosts where I grew up.
    I’d like to have seen this guys version of the Farm Report, though.
    🙂

  11. Tony McGurk says:

    He’s a creepy looking kinda bloke.

  12. Mark Stokes says:

    Man I would have really dug watching a movie with that guy hosting! Thanks for sharing!

  13. Wooo! Flattered to have my Ghoul drawing on your entertaining blog! Great to meet you at the Cincinati Comic Expo.

  14. starlaschat says:

    I do not recognise the Cool Ghoul. I don’t remember any horror hosts. I asked Navar if he remembered horror hosts and he said no as well. I think we missed out.

  15. DadaHyena says:

    The only “cool ghoul” that I know of is one of the most famous horror hosts of all time, Zacherley (aka John Zacherle, aka Roland). I doubt they were related in any way (or associated), but it’s the first thing that crossed my horrible mind.

  16. In the Philly area we had good ol’ “Doctor Shock”… I can’t really said that I was much of a horror fan though… but we did have our share of the local campy TV shows!



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