The Vysther's Halloween Haunt Journal: HORRORHOUND CINCINATTI 2013 and throught the past most darkly....

My wife and I have been doing the convention circuit for a good many years now, and I've been at it even longer...HorrorHound Cincy by far was the biggest zoo we've ever seen - add one part John Carpenter, one part Robert Patrick, one part Dee Snider and several members of the cast of THE WALKING DEAD and well...there you have it!

Here we are at the Sharonville Convention Center and

THE

LINE

FROM

HELL!

What can ya' say about these that hasn't been said countless times before???

How about:

BRING ON THE GOODIES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now THAT is a Holiday Tree!

Can you say Funkins?

Terrific sketch artist - click the pic to see the site!

Pssssst!!! Look in the upper right hand corner - I snagged copy of that Wonder Woman/Catwoman sketch....

....feeling gutsy...?

How to give someone the finger PROPERLY

And how is THIS for Body Art?

My Lisa shopping in a place - and with a view! - I approve most highly of....

One of the BEST producers of custom fangs out here!

For lovers of classic horror, this is the guy to see!

Here's a spot for you book lovers - they have titles going back to 60s and 70s....and some even further!

The Usual Suspects Indeed!

Yep, it's Christine herself!

Hey, it's Frankey-Baby!

An original piece of Ray Harryhausen's art of the Ymir from 20 Millions Miles to Earth...this was going for $2000

IT'S MONSTER ROD HEAVEN!!!!

And our "daughter" Celeste puts in an appearance as Dead Raggedy Ann!

....Celeste passing on the torch...or is should hat be the blade...?

John Carpenter and I

Lisa with THE WALKING DEAD's Jon "Shane" Bernthal

Lisa, Celeste and I with Norman "Daryl" Reedus and Michael "Merle" Rooker....

WALKING DEAD Group Shot - I ain't even gonna TRY to name everybody!!!

Some candid shots from the show - Jon Bernthal

Scott "Hershel" Wilson

Chandler "Carl" Riggs

....so, where did this all start for me?....

I'm no stranger to celebrity meet-and-greets - one of my first - this was in September of '94 in Cincinnati -AGAIN! - the late, great vocalist Ronnie James Dio and I at an after show giving the infamous "Devil Horns"...truly one of the kindest souls I've ever met...

From the same night, drummer Vinny Appice...

Face-to-face with my musical idol - Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and I in Columbus, Ohio, July of '95

(Can my grin get any wider????)

From the same show, the late drummer Cozy Powell - another one of the truly great souls in rock and sorely missed

One of the first conventions I ever attended...

The Men Who Were Godzilla - all the way from Tokyo, Japan, Mr. Haruo Nakajima - who was in the suit from 1954 to 1975 and Mr. Kenpachiro Satsuma, who donned the outfit from 1984 to 1995

"Oh no! It's Space Godzilla!!!!!!!"

The model kit room was A M A Z I N G !!!!!

Spectacular goodies in the merchandise area

Original art circa '96

Godzilla wants a light, it seems...Good grief, do I look young!

King Ghidorah is trying to eat me, it seems!

And if you're up for it, click on this here for all the details for this year's event, held July 12 - 14th in Chicago, Illinois

Moving forward, there was a small horror convention in Dayton summer of 2004 called Scary Camp - nothing particularly huge, but we got to meet the late Bill Hinzman and Kyra Schon of the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD there, so it was well worth the effort..not to mention this hilarious pic with Hinzman....

Krya did autograph this for Lisa's son, Kevin

Flash forward to March of 2010 and HorrorHound Indianapolis - finally got to meet George A. Romero himself!

One of the coolest and most accommodating guys *ever* - make-up master Greg Nicotero with "Fluffy" from the original "Creepshow" - it was his design, no less! - this was about seven months before THE WALKING DEAD first hit...