It’s that time of year again so “Heeeeere’s Johnny!”
First off, Happy Halloween! That time for Horror, Ghosts, Goblins and undersized candy that is somehow supposed to be “fun sized” (Nothing fun about less candy, but that’s a topic for another day). With all the great seasonal classics coming out for Harvest season, it’s time to get in the mood for spooky season (wait your turn Christmas). What are my picks for Halloween this season? I’m glad you asked!
1. Marvel Horror
With the new Werewolf by Night special on Disney+, It’s a great time to check out some of Marvel’s old horror franchises from the 70s such as Tomb of Dracula, Man-Thing, Legion of Monsters and, you guessed it, Werewolf by Night. Some of the increasingly popular characters such as Blade and Moon Knight had their early appearances in these titles. Marvel Spotlight saw the early appearances of Ghost Rider. Also, who doesn’t enjoy some Marvel Zombies. Fun stories, good times and great characters.
2. DC Horror
Now I know what you’re thinking. DC has horror? Yes. It’s actually some of my favorite titles they are currently putting out. From the early Swamp Thing books, Preacher, Hellblazer (see my article from last year!), House of Mystery (at one point starring Elvira Mistress of the Dark) and House of Secrets, to modern series like DC vs Vampires, DCeased, and Sgt Rock vs The Army of the Dead (by Bruce Campbell of Evil Dead and Hercules/Xena fame), DC has been knocking it out of the park with horror classics for nearly five decades!
3. Hack Slash
At one point “slated to be a major Hollywood motion picture!”, why this book has not been green lit by any studio is beyond my comprehension. It’s about Cassie Hack, who hunts horror movie style serial killers (aka “Slashers”). With her sidekick Vlad, a would be a slasher but has a heart of gold, they hunt down these killers and take them out in like fashion. From killers, to cults, to Archie parodies and a Child’s Play/Chucky crossover, this is a series all horror fans should read
4. John Carpenter Presents Tales for a Halloween Night
While not by John Carpenter himself, this annual trade paperback comes out generally at the beginning of October for the last few years. It’s more of an anthology series than anything, like his movie Body Bags. I always like to recommend this with the question “Do you read Sutter Kane?” (10 points if you get the reference). If you are a fan of his movies, cue up his Lost Themes albums or put the Halloween 3 TV jingle on repeat and read these books. Also, I’m sad that McDonalds doesn’t do a “Silver Shamrock Shake”.
5. James Tynion IV
Probably one of the hottest writers publishing right now. From Something Is Killing the Children, to Nice House on The Lake, to Closet (which collects some of his ongoing web series), there is a good chance you have already begun reading his work. There is a reason SIKTC is filling the top 4 spots on our Top 50 Trade list for the last 3 seasons. It’s that good.
Honorable Mentions:
– Ice Cream Man (Image)– It’s a great horror anthology series. Kind of hit or miss as each issue is its own thing, but overall, its very good.
– Alien/Predator (Marvel) – Alien just rebooted again, and Predator just began publishing. Solid start so far
– Junji Ito – If you like manga and Japanese style horror (like Ringu of Ju-on) and you haven’t read Junji Ito, check out some of his works like Deserter, Lovesick, Gyo, Uzumaki and Tomie.
– Walking Dead – Seriously? you haven’t read this yet?
– Archie Horror – Afterlife with Archie was a blast as well as Jughead the Hunger. Also, the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina which the Netflix series is based on is great. All are very unique twists on the Archie properties.
Hopefully This gives you enough to get you in the Halloween Spirit. Have fun out there Tricking or Treating (may the harvest provide you with full size candy bars and not fun size) and kick back with some fun reads with It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown playing in all its glory. Stay Safe and Happy Halloween everybody!