A Very Hebrew Halloween

For all of its convoluted heritage—a dash of ancient Celtic rite, a hint of Christian festival, a smidgen of pagan celebration—Halloween has long ago become an all-American holiday, a day of scary stuff and sweet treats. And monsters: Frankenstein’s creature and Dracula, the Mummy and Swamp Thing, a parade of classic ogres that comes out of the crypt every October to frighten and delight. If you look for a Melchiresa costume in your local store, or tell your friends you’re going as Samael to this year’s Halloween party, and you’re likely to draw blank stares. Yet these ghouls have been around long before Bela Lugosi put on his first dash of makeup; they come to us courtesy of the Bible, our very own menagerie of beasties. To celebrate Halloween with a Jewish twist, Tablet Magazine commissioned comic book artist Mike Dubisch to give these kosher creepers a new look.