It’s Monster Mash season, baby! My favorite time of year. Porches are decorated with pumpkins and ghouls, bowls of candy are everywhere you look, and the options for your costume are endless. And with that comes all of the scary movies, books, and comics just waiting at your fingertips. You want vampires, you’ve got them. You want aliens? You betcha. You want horror that’s also sad? Signed, sealed, delivered. Even for the scaredy cats, there’s lighthearted horror or the cozy aspects of the holiday. Hot chocolate and chocolate and sweaters to stave off the fall chill. There’s something for everyone at Halloween, that’s what makes it so great.
Sometimes working full time or taking care of a family makes it harder to get into the Halloween spirit. I love comics and audiobooks and even podcasts full of scares to get me in the monster mood. Comics and graphic novels are great to read during my lunch break or for 15 minutes before bed. I fall asleep with the images seared into my brain, gorgeous and gruesome in equal measure.
If you’re wanting more horror in your life, here are eight Halloween comics to read this scary season (or anytime really)!
The Low, Low Woods by Carmen Maria Machado, art by Dani
Set in a Pennsylvania mining town, The Low, Low Woods follows two teenage girls who wake up in a movie theater with gaps in their memories. Others in the town have been afflicted by the same amnesia of sorts, and the girls are determined to figure out why. Read this one if you’re in the mood for creepy small towns and body horror galore!
Killadelphia, Volume 1 by Rodney Barnes, Art by Jason Shawn Alexander and Luis Nct
Get your vampire fix in Killadelphia as a cop comes back to Philadelphia after his father is murdered. It turns out, there are a rash of mysterious deaths like his fathers in the city and Jimmy gets wrapped up in finding their cause. With ties to a Founding Father and a blood-soaked story, this makes for a great Halloween read!
Monstress Volume 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu, art by Sana Takeda
After the loss of seemingly everyone she loves to the war between The Federation and the Arcanics waging around her, 17-year-old Maika is sold as a slave. But she has something powerful inside she’s trying to keep contained while dealing with the death and carnage around her. The worldbuilding is as exquisite as is the rage, making this perfect to get your scares.
Bones of the Coast: A Pacific Northwest Horror Anthology edited by Shannon Campbell, Jeff Ellis, and Kathleen Jacques
An anthology is perfect for scares of all kind! In Bones of the Coast, you’ll find ragtag groups, terrifying monsters, and a general sense of unsettling horror fans love, all set in the Pacific Northwest. You’re sure to find something to scare you in these pages.
Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV, art by Werther Dell’Edera and Miquel Muerto
Children keep going missing in Archer’s Peak and the ones that return tell strange tales of monsters that lurk on the outskirts. Erica Slaughter is certain she’s the one that can kill those monsters, no matter the cost. This fast-paced monster hunter story is a delight for the dark season.
Wytches, Volume 1 by Scott Snyder, art by Jock and Matt Hollngsworth
You can’t have a Halloween list without witches and Wytches is a dark and scary take on the concept. When the Rooks move into town, they’re trying to start fresh. But Sailor isn’t your typical teenage girl and what she was trying to escape from just might have followed her here. If you’re in the mood for dark and creepy things lurking in the dark, this one is for you!
Stillwater, Volume 1: Rage, Rage by Chip Zdarsky, Art by Ramon K. Perez and Mike Spicer
When Daniel gets a letter telling him his great-aunt died, he heads to Stillwater to get whatever she left him in her will. But Stillwater is a town full of secrets and the residents there can never die. Now that Daniel knows the truth, though, the town doesn’t want him to leave. If you’re in the mood for a spooky small town, this one is great.
My Favorite Thing is Monsters by Emil Ferris
Isolated at school and living in Chicago in the 1960s with her brother and mom, Karen Reyes dreams of getting turned into a monster. When her upstairs neighbor, a Holocaust survivor, is killed. Despite local law enforcement determining it a suicide, Karen is convinced it was a murder and sets out to solve it herself.
In the mood for more Halloween-perfect comics and graphic novels? Try these kid-friendly Halloween comics or these 20 scary comics!