LITTLE LULU'S HALLOWEEN FUN -- This probably goes along with my previous Hembeck post because I'm still remembering back when I was a little kiddiewinkies and all those comic books I used to be into. But this time I'm focusing on my Pa. You see, as a kid in the early 70's I got my comic books where all the other kids did: at the local convenience store. Then my grandfather started taking me to the venerable old Pennsauken Mart (which just recently closed after 700 years) where a used book store also provided me with those comic books that had their covers ripped off. (Gee, I don't think that was quite kosher but hey I was a little kid what did I know). Behind the counter, though, were ACTUAL comic book back issues that still had covers (I remember one of the first bagged back issues I ever bought was a Marvel Collectors Item Classics reprinting the Fantastic Four's battle against the Molecule Man). But I digress. For it was my good ole Pa that first took me to an actual comic book store (Eldorado Comics on Westfield Avenue in Pennsauken) as well as my first real comic convention in Philadelphia (it must have been around 1977). But you see, he had a sinister ulterior motive. It turns out he was also searching for long lost comics from his youth; specifically all those Little Lulu's he loved. And most of all, those Little Lulu giant Halloween specials which came out once a year. Pa had always been a big fan of Little Lulu (as well as all those Carl Barks' Donald Ducks) and together we hunted comic book stores and conventions until he eventually found all those Halloween Little Lulus he remembered. Fred Hembeck also has immense praise to heap on those old Little Lulu Halloween extravaganzas (scroll down to the October 26th entry) and, thanks to his website, I can provide a link to his favourite story from the 1959 Little Lulu Halloween Giant (click here). I know its nowhere near Halloween but it's always a good reason to enjoy classic Little Lulu!!! And remember to click on each page because the WHOLE story is there for your pleasure. So this goes out to my Pa: for his enthusiasm in enabling my early comic book mania as well as for his love of classic Little Lulu. Those magical days of childhood were that much more magical with super-heroes, crypt-keepers and, yes. . .Halloween with Little Lulu!