Who Spooked Rodney?

Rodney is a big old fraidy cat. If there's a superstition, Rodney is scared of it. Which one begs to reason... why does he even go trick or treating? Or even to a haunted house? Does he just relish pooping his pants or something? And what's up with that one kid while they're in the haunted house? Is he ok?

Originally Posted 10/25/2023

Trick or Trek

If you were a kid in Oakland County trick or treating on Halloween night 1995... you probably ran into the biggest wieners in the galaxy. Somebody's cousins decided to dress as a Klingon and host a 'fun' trick or treat party on public access TV. There, kids could have a safe and happy holiday while learning about Klingons. You can tell the kids loved it by Robin's excitement. No, no... he was excited... not ... the free candy wasn't worth it.

Originally Posted 9/01/2022

Witches Night

Last year I was pretty bummed. Witches Night Out had been bought up by some distributor and disappeared from all my streaming apps. Thankfully, it's now on Tubi, so it's easily watchable again! This is one of my favorite Halloween specials and it's admittedly pretty whacked out. I've posted it here every Halloween... but every season is someone's first. You've got some kids who are disappointed that their costumes didn't scare anyone and they meet a Witch who feels unwanted. Mayhem commences as the grown ups boring Halloween party gets a taste of the spooky shit! One thing that everyone notices is the solid colors the characters are represented in. I think first seeing this on Disney Channel made me make comparisons to Monsters in My Pocket and drew me in. Either way, it's pretty weird... and pretty great.

originally posted 10/28/2025

Only 84 Cents?

What would the local party store be without Halloween? One of the few times during the year you actually go inside because you know they put the Solo cups away and brought out the good stuff. You guys see that trick or treat bucket, it was only 89 cents. That's kinda amazing. Wait, pumpkin lawn bags? Only 84 cents? How do they plan on staying in business with those prices?

Originally Posted 8/10/2020

The Long Ass Halloween

Somebody, somewhere decided having kids trick or treat with a character would be a fun thing to do. In theory they were right. In practice they get your drunk Uncle dressed as Batman. In this special community event where a handful of kids get to meet the caped crusader and receive "a pot of gold". You know, it's hard to poop all over something like this... but something about... somebody help those kids. Not Batman.

Originally Posted 8/25/2022

Davey's Night

Trick or Treat isn't just fun words to say, they're words to live by. Davey, Sallie, and Goliath must have got one too many of those nasty peanut butter chews- because it's hell on earth this hallows eve! Some kids and a talking dog just want to watch the world BURN! Come to think about it, know who else was advised by a talking dog? DAVID BERKOWITZ! Wait... David... Davey... well shit. It all makes sense now.

Originally Posted 10/06/2022

Light Your Way At Burger King

I've said it a few times and for land's sake I mean it. You need a good light when out trick or treating. It's just the right thing to do. There's this weird paradox in which driving a car on Halloween night makes the driver unable to see people not normally in the street dressed as Power Rangers. All caution is to the wind and the only thing keeping you safe is a good light.

Fortunately Burger King is here with free flashlights and treat bags to use when you go trick or treating. Assuming the manager didn't take them all home. In all honesty, that's a pretty great freebie for a fast food place. Those are the type of flashlights normally sold at stores. Not too shabby Burger King! You might recognize it as the old flashlight your grandmother keeps by her bed.

So take your flashlight and be safe out there. Later, your parents will happily take your new flashlight and keep it by their bed. Another word of advice, wait until it's night time to use your flashlight. That damn kid's going to run out the battery before sunset.

Originally Posted 9/01/2020

Meet and Treat Yourself

This old PSA from the 70's advises it's best to trick or treat in groups. That's not the worst idea, though I can't help but to notice all the Tootsie branded candy. That's because Tootsie sponsored this spot. I guess they felt the need since so many of their products are handed out on Halloween night. Come to think of it, I never saw Tootsie Rolls outside of Halloween and Christmas as a kid. These days it's in every waiting room I see, full of Tootsie Rolls candy. They should really make a waiting room safety tape.

Originally Posted 8/30/2024

Trick Or Treat, Your Breath Stinks

Whenever I'd get gum in my treat bag, it was usually some Double Bubble or Bazooka. Hubba Bubba or Bubble Yum if I was lucky. Wrigley's thought to throw their hat in the Halloween ...hat pile... and pitched some good old fashioned Wrigley's Chewing gum as a more 'wholesome' treat to give out. I can't fault them for it. It's a standby of the candy stand, everyone loves it. Even inside the pack, each stick is individually wrapped and the stuff is cheap. At least 5 sticks for a quarter. Starting to think about handing out Juicy Fruit myself!

Originally Posted 9/14/2021 

Halfway 2 Halloween~ Why so Glum?

Ultimately, Halloween is all about candy to some folks. Which is a big part of the night I suppose. Our little cowboy here sadly lost his before finding a new friend who offers to share a full sized bounty. But wait a minute... that a ghost! It's hard to make fun of this commercial, literally a perfect taste of Halloween. Since we're halfway there, it's a little of that scary flavor we all savor. With it our Halfway 2 Halloween special event comes to a close. Thanks to everyone that read along for some spooky fun. With code orange alerts to be going off soon in the summer before the Zone Base Halloween goes into full scary swing in August... I don't know what I was going to say. Happy Halfway 2 Halloween!

originally posted on 5/12/2023

Stripe [Ben Cooper Costume Kids/Neca]

You know, if you're not supposed to feed them after midnight, sending them out for candy at night is a risky scenario. Part of Neca's awesome tribute to the Ben Cooper Halloween costumes of old line is this Stripe from Gremlins. He was a gift from the Mrs. last Christmas and I've been waiting until this very moment to talk about him here on the site. Stripe was the central villain in the original Gremlins movie and an obvious costume for that years Halloween. Named after his trademark mohawk, Stripe is one nasty little critter that leads the Gremlins to overtake Kingston Falls during Christmas 1984. Christmas? I thought we were talking about Halloween? We are readers, for not only is this a toy based on a classic Halloween costume... but... look. Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas movie and yet it's everywhere all Halloween. We can have a little wiggle room y'all.

These Neca Ben Cooper figures are a great replication of those classic Costume & Mask sets that lined store shelves during my childhood. I did a quick Google to check and the little costume our Trick or Treater is wearing is a great reproduction of the one offered in 1984. That is very impressive as those old costume weren't digital files. Someone had to recreate them. Great job Neca! The figure under the costume is decently articulated and comes with a little Trick or Treat bag to carry up and down the streets. Completing the look is the packaging that replicates the old boxes these would often come in. It's funny, I've had some come on hangers and not in boxes. Of course those were Collegeville Costumes. I think their offerings came in boxes or on hangers. I don't remember any of my Ben Cooper costumes not being in a box.

These figures are available all year round for a dose of the spooky season whenever the mood hits, but obviously are perfect right now. If you've never worn one, I'm sure you've heard the same old worn out comments about them. Jokes about the name on the chest, the rubber band cutting into your skin or breaking. Wearing a jacket or coat over it in more colder areas where it snowed on Halloween. *sigh* Yes, we know Superman doesn't wear a jacket. *we've heard it* However it's impossible not to be flooded with memories of wearing these back then. Of course there's the comments told a million times that I was just being sarcastic about... but the other things. They had a smell that you'll never forget. That costume aisle at K-Mart was filled with it.

I'd always stick my tongue in the little mouth hole, sometimes cutting myself a little. The masks were also super hot. Even if it was freezing cold, the mask had a way of keeping all the heat from your face and breath. You'd regularly take it off for some air in between houses, or wear it more as a hat for a few minutes. The inside of the mask would be coated in sweat and that air felt amazing. Thing is... you still loved wearing it and looked forward to the experience. There's an indescribable feeling that many of us who spent our Halloweens in those outfits have. Despite the worn out jokes and odd complaints, they were pure love. There's a reason these Neca figures are so popular with a certain segment of people. For those of us who worn them, they're a bit of magic that faded away around the same time as we got too old to wear them. It'd be great to see a Ben Cooper Stripe at my door this year, though I'll gladly give the droves of Minecraft kids the same amount of candy.

What should I be?

The opening music to Garfield's Halloween Adventure is burned into my memory they way a channel logo is on your TV. At any random moment, there it is... that flute followed by the screams of Blinky the Clown. I don't know how many times I've seen this special, but it doesn't matter. I'll watch it even more times. It's wonderful. This is another of my annual Halloween posts. It's tradition! The perfect Halloween night as experienced by our favorite lasagna addicted cat. It's all there. Deciding on a costume, carving a pumpkin, trick or treating, and even something scary! Perfection.

Witches Night

Last year I was pretty bummed. Witches Night Out had been bought up by some distributor and disappeared from all my streaming apps. Thankfully, it's now on Tubi, so it's easily watchable again! This is one of my favorite Halloween specials and it's admittedly pretty whacked out. I've posted it here every Halloween... but every season is someone's first. You've got some kids who are disappointed that their costumes didn't scare anyone and they meet a Witch who feels unwanted. Mayhem commences as the grown ups boring Halloween party gets a taste of the spooky shit! One thing that everyone notices is the solid colors the characters are represented in. I think first seeing this on Disney Channel made me make comparisons to Monsters in My Pocket and drew me in. Either way, it's pretty weird... and pretty great.

Who Spooked Rodney?

Rodney is a a big old fraidy cat. If there's a superstition, Rodney is scared of it. Which one begs to reason... why does he even go trick or treating? Or even to a haunted house? Does he just relish is pooping his pants or something? And what's up with that one kid while they're in the haunted house? Is he ok?

originally posted 10/26/23 

We Need To Talk About Safety AGAIN

I don't know who needs to hear this, but... Halloween is a dangerous holiday. When you've got all sorts of ghosts, and monsters, and demons just roaming around - things are bound to happen. Add in trick or treating and that's just one more thing that's going on. I swear I was going somewhere with that train of thought. Oh well, fuck it. It's a damn fucking dangerous holiday full of danger and fucking devils and all sorts of evil spooky shit and we fucking love it. That being said, to quote Okefenokee Joe, you've got to be swamp smart. Somebody put a needle in your Twix? Sorry to say, things like that are bound to happen. It's best you take in a safety tip or two before the big night. Trick or treat, you're dead meat.

originally posted 9/28/21 

Hot Zam!

Party Stores may be slowly disappearing, but Halloween is a great time to look back at the fun they once offered. Your local party store was a great place to get balloons and cups for a birthday party, but Halloween... man. Not just party supplies, but these stores would have costumes, decorations, neat little doo-dads and trinkets... they were truly something special. Zam's looks like it would have been the best place for a Wolfman mask and some orange streamers. Really wish I would have had one local while they were around!

Still Going

It's probably hard for some in today's world of rechargeable devices to imagine it. That there was a time that keeping batteries around the house was absolutely necessary. These days I just keep some around for the Roku remote, but everything else just takes a USB charger. If anything, it's just a struggle to find a charging box sometimes. But back in the day, just about everything needed them and not an old one that lost it's power in the junk drawer. Once again seasonal appropriate commercials were there to remind you of the things you needed anyway... but with a little flair.

Duracell batteries last a long time, just like Dracula! This Halloween, you damn well better have a flashlight (or glow stick) on hand to light your way while trick or treating. For whatever reason the neighborhoods side walks become death traps and the ability to operate a car competently just escapes most drivers. YOU NEED THAT LIGHT. Hopefully there's a Duracell in it to ensure that not only will you be able to safely trick or treat... but also the rest of the year when your mom keeps it on her nightstand in case the power goes out.

Don't be a Halloweenie

Growing up is hard, especially in those early teenage years in that limbo of leaving childhood and becoming an adult. I was the youngest of my siblings, so there never was that little brother or sister still doing those things I was now 'too old' for. Big Pete, well, he has Little Pete to deal with. You try resisting him. Little Pete wants to set a new world record for most houses visited for trick or treat. Sounds awesome right? Well it is, but he needs help... and the only one who can do it is Big Pete... whose now 'too old'. Good thing he can wear a mask to hide his embarrassment right? Well... Halloween is a dangerous holiday sometimes. One such danger is older kids who like to bully Halloweenies.

originally posted 9/8/23 

Halfway 2 Halloween~Watch Halloween this Halloween

It's no surprise that a movie series named Halloween would be popular during Halloween. Though, if you're around my age, you'll remember it being a more forbidden thing. The escaped mental patient that killed kids on Halloween urban legend spread like wildfire during October. At the time, Halloween was a popular movie... but not the institution that it is now. Kids were often more sheltered by their parents from these movies, and Michael Myers was one of the more taboo movie monsters. So of course your local television station commercials had an aura of mystique. I'm glad these old local spots somehow survived and got uploaded. They're firmly a relic of days gone by.

Originally Posted: 10/12/2023

Happy Halloween from Zone Base!

Happy Halloween Zone Base readers! The big day is finally here and I hope you've got your costume ready. Thank you all for celebrating another Halloween with me here on the site. This is my favorite season and I look forward to it all year long. Thankfully tonight's the big night, so Halloween 2024 will go out with a bang! I hope each and every one of you enjoy the holiday. Give out some candy, go trick or treating, carve a pumpkin and watch the all night horror marathon. Whatever you do, I hope you have a great time doing it. Pumpkin Spiced Mayhem 2024 has been a great one. Thanks for reading Zone Base and sharing the site with your friends. Spooky Season might be coming to a close, but we've still got plenty of robots, monsters, and misadventure!