Ad for Spring Heeled Jack, a penny dreadful (1886)
After a month of horror-themed fun for another of our non-profit’s programs, Haunting Ellensburg, Horrific History Podcast’s co-hosts Eric Slyter and Curtis Bender were in the mood for a change in pace and a spooky story to share with our favorite listeners (all of you)! Thank you for your patience during our frazzled month of October; we hope you will enjoy this Halloween special episode on Spring-Heeled Jack while you get in the mood for all your holiday festivities.
This historical character from Victorian England was known for assaults, attacks and pranks. Was he an imp, devil, demon or gremlin? Some thought so, but perhaps they were just primed to believe it. Jumping by leaps and bounds, he might remind you of John Carter of Mars, though some thought he was an alien. This story is full of conspiracy theories, from the “mad Marquis” to extraterrestrials and the occult. But don’t give in to mass hysteria or panic, we’ll give you enough details about this boogeyman to pique your interest, just like the “penny dreadfuls” he inspired.
So lock the door, sit down in a dark corner, and grab that bowl of Halloween treats while you join us for this episode; it just might put a spring in your step… just remember, no squeam allowed.
Join us again on Tuesday when we get back to our usual schedule and release Part Two of Child’s Play!
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Some of our favorite resources from this week’s episode:
Commercial break music by Dead but Dreaming.
Slideshow photo credit: Horrific History Podcast, all rights reserved.
Blog post photo credit: Public Domain, Link
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