Wasn't That Scary, Kids?

The most drawn-out Halloween in years has finally arrived. (If your city or hamlet is anything like D.C., you've seen costumed freaks and punks sashaying to parties since Friday.) Need a break from slipping razor blades into your trick-or-treat apples? Dip into the vast, Lovecraftian catacombs of the reason.com archives. You can start with Monday's interview with vampire historian Eric Nuzum and Tuesday's salute to a holiday under siege, then read on…

– In 1994, Jonathan Rauch played Van Helsing to enter the world of the vampire lobbyists.

– In 2002, the X-Files was taken out of its misery and Jesse Walker sang at the funeral.

– In 2003, as Buffy the Vampire Slayer went off the air, Virginia Postrel uncorked the meaning and message of the long-running series.

– Later that year Julian Sanchez discovered Eichmann at Hogwarts.

– Back in 2004, David Kopel reviewed the first decent (and first scary) Harry Potter flick. Jesse Walker delved into the terrifying world of fanfiction. Later, our managing editor survived the most horrifying event of all: the choice between George W. Bush and John Kerry for the right to run our lives.

– In 2005 friend-of-reason Matt Welch visited Romania, land of the vampyr, and came back with a feature story and two conspicuous neck holes.

– In 2006, Tim Cavanaugh boarded up his house, grabbed his shotgun, and pondered the meaning of the zombie's cultural comeback.

– That same year Jesse Walker pondered the legal problems of black magic and the gloomiest day for sex offenders.

– Earlier this year Katherine Mangu-Ward watched farm subsidies get forked over to the living dead. Jesse Walker asked if Kolchak was our modern Walter Murrow.

And are you shaking and trembling at the thought of missing the headline reference? Click the YouTube below… if you dare.