Halloween Hot Wheels 2026 - Hot Wheels High

 Getting us over the finish line for 2026 is Hot Wheels High.

Hold on!

 

 Hot Wheels High screamed on the scene in 2013 and this is the 17th version. Not surprisingly, a couple of the variations look like school buses. One of the 2019 releases was a rock n' roll tour bus with the same skull wheels.

 

 The original card back describes this as a twin turbine, jet powered bus, which I guess would be an improvement because speed is not usually what you expect when boarding a bus. I can picture this rocketing through a haunted forest while a tour guide rapidly calls out things outside.

 

I'm torn between this one and the Baja Hauler as my favorite for this year. I think the Hauler edges ahead just a bit with its pumpkin artwork but I also really like the idea of a haunted tour bus. Maybe it tours haunted places, maybe the bus is actually haunted? Maybe both?

 

If you enjoy the little factoids in these posts, drive on over to the Hot Wheels Wiki, which is where I get all my info. 

 

Hitch a ride with the ghostly gentleman to see the participating Countdown to Halloween blogs. 

 

Haunted House Ads of the 70s and 80s

In a rare moment of my social media feed serving me an ad for something I didn't know I needed, I found an incredible book!

  

American Haunted House Ads of the 1970s and 1980s is 165 pages of pure Halloween spirit. It's got over 800 newspaper ads from all 50 states covering every sort of haunted attraction you could want.

 

 I'm still making my way through it but I've also spotted ads for national chain restaurants hosting their own Halloween festivities and a few other seasonal business ads.

 

 Sprinkled among the clippings are B&W photos of haunts from the era. I worked at a local haunt for a couple years as Freddy and it was such a blast. Professional haunts have definitely taken over the scene over the past 20 years but there's some kind of magic to the no-budget, local attractions.

 

 Author Jake Kelly says in the forward "this book is the equivalent of eating all your Halloween candy at once, as soon as you get home, in a crazed orgy of sticky fingers and flying wrappers."

 

If this speaks to your soul like it did me, you can head over to PaveTheOcean,com and snag a copy for just $20. The book is limited to only 400 print copies and each one is signed and numbered. I ordered mine on October 9th and got 141 so hopefully there's still some left.

 

What's the cat looking at? The full list of Countdown to Halloween blogs!

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Now Hear This - Halloween 2026 The Revenge!

 I unearthed so much stuff this year, I had drag another Now Hear This out of the grave to share. That and some artists like releasing stuff as close to the big day as they can. Click the cover to visit Bandcamp where you can preview the music free and buy it if you like it.

  

Case in point, Mummula's latest drops on Friday but if you catch this post early enough, you can RSVP on Bandcamp for a listening party tonight at 7pm Eastern!

 

 Ectoplague just released Friday Nightmares last week. It's a great dark synth album that would make an aamzing 80s slasher soundtrack.

 

 I can't believe I did four other posts and didn't include any horror punk bands! Siblings of Samhain's self titled album isn't new but it was new to me. Great energy and songs about creepy things, perfect for your graveyard rave!

 

 Bojo is back with another fang-tastic Spooky Mixtape.

 

 And to close out the 2026 season, I'm reposting Sounds from the Haunted Bathroom. I mentioned it last year and I'm bringing it back because I love it so much. It's like a weird alternate universe version of Disney's Haunted Mansion.

 

 Click the witch to see the list of participating Countdown blogs!