Printed Perversions: Aleister Arcane (2004)

Being a horror host has to be one of the least thankful jobs in the world. Most hosts, though well known in horror convention circuits, live and die on late night public television without ever reaching the echelons of their mainstream counterparts. Its unfortunate that so many of these talented individuals have never been more widely accepted in today's "modern" culture given the popularity of "reality tv" and independently produced web-based content.

Luckily, horror scribe Steve Niles shares this fascination with the scream queens and kings of late night television and in late 2004 weaved a wicked tale entitled Aleister Arcane. Accompanied by the beautifully rendered paintings of Breehn Burns, Aleister Arcane is the story of Aleister Green, a B-movie horror host who is unfairly stereotyped out of both his career and, ultimately, his life.

Forced into retirement by his own townsfolk, Green loses his show and then shortly thereafter his beloved wife. Alone and in despair, he becomes the local shut-in who loves in a spooky house on the edge of town. As times passes Green grows older and more bitter at the world until one Halloween when he inadvertently manages to inspire a new generation of young horror fans (Lauren, Devon and Jacob) with his charismatic charm and tireless wit. As his friendship with the kids grow, Green educates them on the history of cult cinema and the secrets of his tricks.

Unfortunately, Green's health quickly takes a turn for the worse and the kids find themselves without their hero. Its at this point in the story that things take a supernatural twist right out of Evil Dead or Monster Squad as Green's death ignites a curse upon the adults of Jackson, OK which transforms them into hideous monster mash-ups of a B-movie creatures. I won't spoil the ending for you, suffice it to say that its a fitting demonstration of true horror.

EDIT: Seems as though great minds do really think alike. For those seeking a second opinion on the Niles penned Aleister Arcane, check out Freddy in Space's My Newest Purchase feature.

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