Posts Tagged ‘halloween comics’

10 MUST READ HORROR GRAPHIC NOVELS FOR HALLOWEEN

So, it’s our favorite time of year again here at Third Eye, and to celebrate, we’re going to be going over 10 of our favorite horror comics/graphic novels. All of these are currently well-stocked here at Third Eye, so if one catches your eye, feel free to come on by, so we can get you hooked up.

Walking Dead Hardcover 1 - $29.99

The Walking Dead - This one’s obvious, and we’ve raved so much about it before, that it’s hard to really elaborate on why we love this series. Honestly, the Walking Dead is not just one of the best horror comics being published, but one of the best comics in general being published. What happens when the zombie movie ends? Walking Dead throws you head first into a world where civilization has collapsed, and no one can be trusted. The zombies are just background pieces, to be honest, while the real horror is in how low man can sink in the face of extinction. The Walking Dead is available in many formats, deluxe hardcovers, a giant compendium, and softcover trade paperbacks. Pick up the volume 1 trade paperback for just $9.99, and if you don’t like it, we’ll give you your money back!

Saga of Swamp Thing Book One - $24.99

Saga of Swamp Thing by Alan Moore – The man behind such masterpieces as WATCHMEN and THE KILLING JOKE helped re-define horror comics with his amazing run on SWAMP THING in the ’80s. Moore managed to apply a literary horror approach to the world of comics, as well as a deep exploration of the environment, and man’s sense of self, in the pages of SWAMP THING. This is a deep, deep series, with a very creepy undercurrent running through the entire series. The character of SWAMP THING himself is seen almost as a Frankenstein’s monster, but much more intelligent. A real tragic creature. Start with SAGA OF SWAMP THING Book One, and work your way up. We know you’ll love it as much as we do!

30 DAYS OF NIGHT Volume 1

30 DAYS OF NIGHT – We thought the movie that was based off of this graphic novel was all right, but the original work is where it’s at. I was still early in my days of working as a clerk at a comic shop when this series appeared out of nowhere and surprised the hell out of everybody. It had been YEARS since a horror comic that didn’t carry the VERTIGO imprint sold well, and when this series by two relatively unknown creators hit the shelves… it blew everybody away. I’d go as far as to say that 30 Days of Night is the comic responsible for resurrecting the genre of horror comics to the fine standing it’s at today. Anyways, this story revolves around a small town in Alaska, and we all know what happens in Alaska.. a month without sunlight.. 30 days of night. And, the vampires that exist in this world know this too… so, they make it their plan to turn this place into their personal feeding ground for an entire month. Brilliant writing, and artwork make this one a fantastic read. The portrayal of the vampires in the series is exactly how you want vampires to be portrayed: blood-thirsty, cold-blooded, feral monsters with no feelings, no remorse.

The Nail

The Nail by Steve Niles & Rob Zombie – This one’s an often overlooked gem. It came out right around the same time that 30 Days of Night was experiencing crazy popularity (which was about a year or two before the film came out). Niles was doing lots of killer new horror comics, and out of all of them, I think this was one of my personal favorites. Now, Rob Zombie’s name is attached, but you can tell it’s really Niles who does a good deal of the writing on this one. The story is simple… a very Texas Chainsaw Massacre/Hills Have Eyes kind of scenario involving a family (who’s father figure happens to be a pro wrestler) gets terrorized by a band of crazy, inbred satanic bikers. It’s bloody, it’s twisted, and it has all the great vibes of a ’70s horror flick.

Essential Tomb of Dracula Volume 1

TOMB OF DRACULA - It seems like every decade has it’s brief golden age of horror comics. The ’50s had EC, the ’60s and early ’70s had Creepy and the other WARREN magazines, and the late ’70s belonged to Marvel. One of the most stand-out Marvel Horror series was Gene Colan’s classic TOMB OF DRACULA. Dracula is portrayed as the ultimate anti-hero in this legendary series, which puts the classic vampire count into some of the most interesting story scenarios that you could imagine. The real star of this series though was Colan’s atmospheric, moody art which was the perfect fit for the Count. This is classic stuff, and luckily, Marvel has reprinted tons of it in their ESSENTIAL series. Big thick slabs of black and white Tomb of Dracula (and trust us, it looks great in black and white).. what more could you want?

Locke & Key

LOCKE & KEY: WELCOME TO LOVECRAFT – When you’re the son of Stephen King, you’ve got pretty big shoes to fill. This is pretty much a fact. And, when we heard that Joe Hill (who just happens to be the son of Stephen King, and a talented author himself, with books like HEART-SHAPED BOX under his belt) was going to be writing his own comic book series, we were really intrigued. Now, I gotta admit, when I first saw the promo pages, I wasn’t wild about the art. However, after reading the first issue, I was hooked. The art is the perfect match to the amazing ghost story that Hill has laid out. And, man, let me say it has been a long time since I’ve seen a good ghost story told in ANY medium. The fact that Hill manages to tell a creepy yet compelling story of hauntings, and some very Lovecraftian ideas… it’s impressive.

Hack/Slash Omnibus

HACK/SLASH – Sometimes you want cerebral, creepy, and sinister stories….. and sometimes you want blood, guts and rock-n-roll! Well, Hack/Slash is the perfect read for those of you who’re just looking for a fun, visceral read with tons of in-jokes for horror fans, and some nods to ’80s slasher flicks. The story? Cassie Hack is a lonely outsider as a child, and her mom, the lunch lady, decides to start killing and cooking the kids who’ve tormented her. And of course, the kids team up, and kill Cassie’s mom.. but then she comes back, as a vengeful “slasher” (a slasher in the world of Hack/Slash is basically an undead spirit that’s so angry it can’t be killed, and will just keep on killing, in the vein of Jason, or Freddy), and Cassie has to stop her. Soon after, Cassie befriends Vlad, a hulking brute that resembles Jason Vorhees, and has been mistaken for a slasher. The two of them work together to bust all sorts of throwbacks to classic horror movie bad guys, be it Pinhead, Pennywise, or more obscure fare like the rocker killer from Rock N Roll Nightmare. We know it sounds cheesy, but trust us, the series rules.

Haunt of Horror by Richard Corben

HAUNT OF HORROR by RICHARD CORBEN – You know, it’s a shame some of the old guard don’t get the props they deserve. If you told me Richard Corben had been doing comic art for 30 years, I’d say no way. Why? Cause his style has always seemed so fresh, and unique to me. It’s never felt stiff, and it always feels like he’s evolving. Anyways, one thing I thought Corben always did well was horror tales, and with this Marvel MAX graphic novel collecting both of his Haunt of Horrors, it really shows he’s a master of it. In this book, you get several tales based off of the stories of both HP LOVECRAFT and EDGAR ALLEN POE, brought to life by the talented pencils of Corben. A must for any Lovecraft, Poe, or Corben fan. Give this one a shot.

WELCOME TO HOXFORD – Ben Templesmith (artist of 30 Days of Night) put this little mini-series out last year, and man, it is one of the most brutal werewolf stories you’ll want to read. Basically, you’ve got one delusional murderer, along with several other death row inmates, going head to head with a prison staff composed of entirely werewolves. It’s gory, it’s clever, and it’s great. Give it a look!

Creepy Archives

CREEPY – In the post-Comics Code world of the 1960s, it was nearly impossible to make horror comics. Dr. Wertham, and his book Seduction of the Innocent came down very hard on horror comics like Tales from the Crypt, and as such, most publishers were afraid to go near the genre. This is where the Warren Co. comes into the picture. How did they get around the Comics Code? They published their lurid, sinister stories in the pages of black and white magazine-sized comics. The art was gorgeous, and a lot of legendary artists got their starts here. The stories were the great pulpy, lurid masterpieces you’d expect from a horror rag. Dark Horse has been reprinting all of these in beautiful deluxe hardcover editions. Check it out!