Top 5 Horror Comics & Graphic Novels You Should Read

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, where indulging in the horrific is not only acceptable, but encouraged. At this point, you may have watched a scary movie or five, binged a few seasons of your favorite horror show, or read Frankenstein forwards and backwards. In this article, I hope to expand your media horizons by recommending (in no particular order) some of my favorite horror comics and graphic novels.
The horror genre flourishes in the comic medium because of the visual aspect. It allows the creators to show the reader something scary, like a movie, while maintaining an experience you endure alone as you read by yourself. Any of the following will leave you unsettled and unnerved, so I encourage you to give them a shot.

1. Uzumaki by Junji Ito
   I will always recommend the works of Junji Ito. He’s a true master of horror, specifically body horror. Any of his mangas are worth a read, especially Tomie and Gyo. His recent manga Remina won an Eisner award, and his adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein reimagines a classic in a frightening new style. As good as all these are, my personal favorite is Uzumaki. This graphic novel tells the story of a town in Japan that is cursed by the shape of a spiral. At first, I found myself asking, “how can a spiral be scary?” but quickly learned the many ways the spiral can make your skin crawl. It’s incredible how many ways Ito can take one simple concept and twist it into something terrifying. Ito specializes in horrific visuals, and Uzumaki features some of his most frightening. The story also focuses on normal people, which creates a sense of familiarity in the reader.
2. Infidel by Pornsak Pichetshote
   The horror genre can take a concept that’s difficult to face and make it digestible for an audience. It’s similar to comedy’s release-and-relief, where laughing at something serious makes the subject palatable and easier to talk about. When a horror story builds up to a scare, once the horror hits, we can take a step back and think about why it’s scary. Infidel uses this idea to analyze islamophobia and xenophobia in a chilling ghost story.The story centers around Aisha, a Muslim woman living in New York, and an apartment complex hautned by several vengeful spirits. The ghosts harbor a hatred for certain residents, due to a possible massacre that happened years prior. It’s a story of trauma and the refusal to heal, and is as eye-opening as it is frightening.
3. Black Hole by Charles Burns
   Body horror flourishes in graphic novels due to the importance of the visuals. Black Hole is another narrative centered around body horror, this time taking place in Seattle during the 70s. A mutant STD is spreading among high school students, causing monstrous transformations in anyone who catches it. A victim of “the bug” might sprout a second mouth or a tail, or grow scales along their neck — some sort of alien physical attribute that serves as a mark of shame. This one’s for mature audiences only — there’s plenty of sex, drugs, and monstrous visuals. However, it’s definitely worth the read. Charles Burns weaves a captivating story about identity, self-worth, growing up, and fitting in. Once I finished it, I needed to sit back and stare at the floor for a while to reflect on what I’d just read.
4. The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman
   Don’t watch the show. The actual series is way better. This is the comic that changed the zombie genre, and in my opinion, is what the zombie genre was working up to all along. Kirkman throws such interesting characters together into a doomsday scenario, and when their personalities collide, it’s glorious. If you’re a fan of character driven narratives, this series is for you. It’s about survival and humanity, and analyzes both sides of the coin. The focus on character is so strong, there’s no question about how the zombie outbreak even began. And it’s wonderful.
5. Wytches by Scott Snyder 
   Finally, we end this listicle with a monster feature. An incredibly talented writer, Snyder’s Wytches takes old folk legends of the Eastern United States and reimagines them into monstrous abominations for a new age. Exploring ideas of trauma, family, and trust, this graphic novel will change how you think of wytches. The story follows a family that moves to New Hampshire in order to start over and escape the memories of a recent traumatic event. Upon arrival, things begin to take on a sinister feel. The surrounding woods encroach on their home, and they swear something watches them from the trees.

Ian Hebeisen 

is a writer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Graduating in May 2020 with a degree in English Literature with a Writing Emphasis, Ian writes comics, poetry, and scripts. He is currently an intern for The Brain Health Magazine and aims to work in the comic publishing industry. In his spare time, Ian plays Dungeons & Dragons, board games, and bass guitar.