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As children, comic book lovers hid under their covers way past their bedtime, with a flashlight, reading anything they could get their hands on. Many adult comic fans forget that age does not mean they have to grow up in every single aspect. Comics are very much created for us to relish way past our childhood years. Every comic fanatic remembers those moments where they turned those spooky pages with suspense and jumped at the frightening words and images.
As Halloween approaches, let’s dig into the nostalgia that this season brings by taking a look at the comics that preserved such spine-chilling thrill and excitement. These comics are bound to evoke fright and entertainment, bringing readers back to their youth and providing them with quite a hair-raising Halloween!
Trick Or Treat, Give Us Your Brains To Eat!
MarvelZombies Halloween Vol 1 #1 (2012) has got it all: terror, suspense, mystery, and life lessons. This chilling tale has landed itself in the Halloween category, as its spooky story hits very close to home for many readers. Yes, goblins and ghouls are frightening, but what about having your own mother tell killer zombies that they can feed on her flesh instead of yours? The comic wraps love and family up into its madness, creating a very realistic and twisted nightmare.
Peter and his mother lived in a spooky abandoned house, where they were forced to murder zombies who approached the door. When Peter discovered what Halloween was, he begged his mother to go to the store and buy him candy. Once Peter’s mother left, his cat, Blackie, conveniently ran away. Right off the bat, everyone can relate to begging for something from your parents. However, in Peter’s case, there are hundreds of killer zombies waiting to dine on human flesh.
Peter wound up in great trouble, surrounded by zombie Karolina Dean, zombie Darkhawk, Alex Power, Mettle, and Squirrel Girl. Alex’s mother, who turned out to be Kitty Pryde, shot Power in the stomach and grabbed her son. Pryde begged the zombies to take her life instead of her son’s, but they were all too greedy and wanted his as well. Mephisto appeared, killing the zombies and telling Peter that he would one day return to take his soul. This spooky comic will have readers on the edge of their seats the entire time! Every page contains great in-depth detail about the next horror to come. (( “Fandom.” Marvel.fandom.com, 2012. ))
“You will have sympathy for what I did for you and your mother this night.”
Mephisto
Eventually, Peter and his mother safely returned home. Kitty assured her son that no matter what Mephisto said, he would always have the ability to choose his path in life. Peter was immediately put at ease by his mother’s assurance. Even without the candy that he had begged for, Peter hugged and thanked his mother, realizing he already had everything he wanted in life.
This spooky story ends on quite the wholesome note but brings great fear to readers who can relate to the bond between the two. Mothers always say they would take a bullet for their children, but no one ever wants to see that phrase come to fruition. This emotional and shocking comic will send shivers down the reader’s spine, as well as bring them to tears.
Believe Me… It’s A Killer!
Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special Vol 1 #3 (1995) is wickedly scary, bringing all of Bruce Wayne’s biggest fears to life… or so he thought. After the Penguin had crashed Bruce’s dinner party and escaped, Bruce returned home and restlessly fell asleep. Bruce woke to the voice of his late father, bound in chains, who told him he would be visited by multiple spirits. This spooky comic illustrated the Halloween version of “A Christmas Story.” Bruce was met with all of his largest enemies and the concept that all of his deepest worries were actually a reality. This type of psychological horror was extremely effective on-page.
Bruce’s first visitor was his enemy, Poison Ivy, who forced him to relive his childhood and how his father could never spend quality time with him. While this might not seem particularly “frightening,” it was evil, manipulative, and struck a chord deep down in Bruce’s psyche, paralyzing him. The Joker was next up to visit Bruce — truly a spooky ghost from “Halloween past.” The Joker tormented Batman that they weren’t so different from one another, which would scare anybody half to death.
“Only one man has that insane laugh.”
Bruce Wayne
The last ghost to visit Bruce was… well, Bruce, himself. This version of Bruce was a rotting corpse, who forced the real Bruce to watch an alternative reality where he had been killed. As Alfred was seemingly the only one to visit his grave, Bruce feared that he had been forgotten and was never loved. Bruce woke to wonder whether these spooky events were to come in the future or just an illusion.
The taunting by such horrid enemies playing out Bruce’s worst nightmares was the only thing that could truly scare the Batman. In the end, Bruce greeted trick or treaters at his door, which showed him that he will never be like his enemies; he could never be villainous. (( “Comic Online.” Comiconlinefree.net, 1995. ))
I’m Your Worst Nightmare
Many spooky comics focus on one character or one scenario, specifically. Superman/Batman Vol 1 #65 (2009) is extremely multi-dimensional and raises the fear bar to the next level by juggling several main character’s nightmares at once. In this comic, Scarecrow used his fear gas on Batman, Superman, Lex Luthor, and the Joker. This caused each character to experience horrific nightmares, where their largest insecurities seemingly came to life.
In these terrifyingly spooky dreams, Superman failed to save Lois from a plane crash, the Joker was laughed at in front of a crowd, Lex became Jimmy Olsen, and Alfred murdered Batman’s family, forcing Bruce to shoot his father. This comic is different because not only did it focus on the heroes, but the villains, as well. It shows the reader that fears are very real for everyone — good or evil. This comic is interesting because it almost humanized Lex and the Joker, which is a perspective that is not often explored.
“Everything is possible in your dreams. Including nightmares so terrible that the strength of the mind takes over…”
Batman
Batman eventually woke and took the Scarecrow down. In the end, the reader gets a sneak peek into the Scarecrow’s worst nightmare. In this dream, a young girl, seemingly Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, states that the Scarecrow isn’t very scary without a brain. Dorothy’s dog urinated on the Scarecrow as if he was absolutely worthless. This nightmare was imperative because it added to the fears of villains. Even the Scarecrow was insecure about being useless and unintelligent.
This comic is unnerving because superheroes are known for being completely in control, calm, and collected. Seeing your favorite superhuman’s largest insecurities is almost surreal. We never expect to see the moment where Superman can’t rescue Lois Lane or Alfred turns against Batman. These spooky scenarios are completely unnatural in the superhero realm. It’s also creepy to witness the doubts of villains, as we never want to even dream of sympathizing with them. (( “Read Comic Online.” Readcomiconline.to, 2009. ))
Dear God In Heaven… Just A Dream!
DC House of Horror Vol 1 #1 (2017) illustrates several spooky stories, however, “Bump in the Night” is certainly one of the most chilling. This comic explores everything that goes against the “happy ending” scenario. The story focuses on Superman’s parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, but Clark was nowhere to be found. Without their son’s protection, Martha and Jonathan were left wide open for attack. A story where Superman was unable to rescue his own parents is pretty unheard of and makes the reader think that superheroes won’t always be there to save us.
In this comic, a spaceship released a horrifying sound that immediately killed Jonathan Kent. This event reveals how anything could happen, as readers would never expect Superman’s father to be killed right from the start, or at all. Readers are already wondering, where on God’s Earth is Superman?!
Martha found her lifeless husband by the UFO. Martha was chased throughout her home by an unknown figure wearing a red cape. After being thrown through her backdoor, she unsuccessfully tried to escape to the barn. The spooky figure blasted Martha and the barn, causing a great explosion. Running for her life, Martha made her way inside her car but was blindsided by the figure, an alien child, who threw the truck across the land.
“Do your worst because you can’t be real!”
Martha Kent
After the explosion, the alien approached Martha, who laid brutally injured on the ground. The alien watched as the car exploded, killing Martha. After Martha’s death, the alien child flew away into the night sky. In the last shot, the Superman symbol could be seen on his chest. (( “Fandom.” DC.fandom.com, 2017. )) There is a lot left unsaid in the comic and many questions that linger after reading such a terrifying tale. Could this child really have been Superman? If so, could he really have it in him to murder both Martha and Jonathan Kent?
This comic makes the reader think about what Superman is, what he could have become, and what his true intentions are. It is horrifying to think that Superman could have murdered both of his parents without thinking twice, as this is a superhero that readers would call a saint! This comic also sparks thoughts about who we can and can’t trust in life. If Superman can turn on his own parents, could our loved ones turn on us?
I Wonder How A Slayer Tastes
Buffy The Vampire Slayer Classic #2 (1998) teleports the reader into Halloween in Sunnydale with Buffy and the gang. Buffy The Vampire Slayer may not seem like the obvious choice for this ghostly list, but it does make the cut for several spooky reasons. During the comic, Willow got into a raging fight with her parents. While walking along the streets, she was abducted into a truck full of vampires. This premise is immediately alarming, as being kidnapped is a great fear for any teenage girl.
Buffy, of course, sprang into action and gathered the gang together to investigate Willow’s disappearance. Buffy discovered Willow’s purse on the ground next to tire track marks. Later that night, Buffy went searching for more clues. She discovered a spooky abandoned house with a truck in the driveway. After examining the car and finding Willow’s shirt, Buffy decided to kick the door down. Buffy found the vampires who kidnapped Willow, as well as several other abducted children who were about to be turned into Halloween dinner. Naturally, she kicks ass, slays the vampires, and saves her best friend and the children’s lives.
Yes, this story revolves around a group of vampires, but the symbolism goes much deeper than that. In real life, abductions are all too common and are beyond terrifying. Thrown into a car, trapped in a basement, and waiting to be eaten… sounds like a pretty darn horrifying and realistic storyline. (( “Fandom.” Buffy.fandom.com, 1998. ))
Happy Haunting!
Each spooky story on this list shares several commonalities. Fear is an extremely real emotion, and while many Halloween stories surround mystical creatures, what is truly terrifying are the underlying factors that these tales illuminate. True fear is our most realistic nightmares coming to life: losing family/friends, turning into horrific versions of ourselves, being killed, etc. These comics also teach readers life lessons and create connections between normal people and superheroes. At the end of the day, superheroes have real emotions and fears, just like the rest of us, and it’s refreshing to see comics that reflect that.
These comics keep the spirit of Halloween alive and allow readers to reconnect with their childhood. They provide a bundle of fear, excitement, and thrill — emotions that comic book fans will remember from their growing up years. There are thousands of fantastically terrifying comic books out there. So get under the blanket, and find the old flashlight, because this list tells you horror comic lovers exactly where to start!
