6. American Vampire
If you love American history and “vampires” that American Vampire is a graphic novel that is big enough for your bite. American Vampire that tells a tale of two vampires Pearl Jones, a old time 1920s rising actress and rebellious vampire Skinner Sweet.. What makes Scott Synder’s American Vampire so satisfying is because the story not just highlight the important historical moments in American history it also goes deeper into exploring the ancient vampire lore. If you love vampire stories that goes deep into the mythology and the evolution of vampires than American Vampire should defiantly be your first choice of blood.
Written/Illustrator: Scott Synder and Rafael Albuqerque
Fun Fact: Stephen King wrote the first 5 issues of American Vampire.
Collected: Total of 7 Volumes
5. Wytches
Here is another Scott Snyder horror tale if you are carious what he dose beyond just doing Batman stories. Wytches follows a story of a young shy and troubled red headed teen name Sailor and the Rook Family who lives in a small town among the dark haunting woods. Sailor encounters supernatural nightmares and visions as Salior’s father Charlie tries to consult her the best way that he can. As Salior and Charlie try to overcome their haunting dilemmas. They become aware that the town and the forest that they live holds historical supernatural secrets. Similar to American Vampire Wytches digs deeper into the possibility of the Wicca mythology and offering a type of tale if the existence of “supernatural” witches lived in our reality. But I won’t spoil what’s inside the black Cauldron for you.
Media: The film rights for a Wytches adaptation is required for Plan B Entertainment both Scott Snyder and Jock will be executive producers alongside Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Keliner as producers. But their hasn’t been any recent news on the project since its been first announced on October 2014.
Reception: The first 3 issues Wytches is highly received by Comics Alliances, Comic Book Resources and IGN.
Writer/Illustrator: Scott Snyder and Jock
Publication: Image Comics
Collected: 6 issues
4. Hack/Slash
If you heard about the announcement of a Hack/Slash TV series and if intrigued with the synopsis than highly recommend the Hack/Slash to be featured on your list of graphic novels that you should read on Halloween night. Hack/Slash was a one-shot horror comic series that was written and illustrated by Tim Seeley which ran from 2004-2015. Hack/Slash was a popular horror cult title published by both Image comics and once by Devil’s Due Publication. Hack/Slash tells the story of hack slashing punk goth girl name Cassie Hack who was once a slasher victim similar to slasher victims in films such as Halloween, Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street etc. Cassie Hack one day decide to fight back against the slashers by slashing them. Throughout progress of the stories Cassie Hack becomes a horror slasher bounty hunter against any slasher that prey upon innocent teenagers.
Media: To know what’s going on about the development of the Hack/Slash TV show check out this link here https://taboocomics.wordpress.com/2015/10/16/major-graphic-novel-news-roundup-battle-angel-alita-being-directed-by-robert-rodriguez-the-boys-series-in-the-works-and-a-hackslash-tv-series-is-in-development/
Writer/Illustrator: Tim Seeley
Publication: Image Comics
Collection: Total of 5 Volumes
3. Walking Dead Series
You think the AMC show is gruesome, the comics books is just as deadly (no pun intended).Walking Dead is Robert Kirkman’s throwback to the old school zombies tales since the Dawn of Dead. Walking Dead is set in a God Forsaken world, where if you get bit by a Walker you either become one or be eaten by one there isn’t a third option. In the world of Walking Dead you can’t even trust anybody. Sometimes its humans vs zombies and then its often humans vs psychopaths. There is no freedom from such a world the only freedom is by truly dying, and that doesn’t include turning into animated corpse. I know the AMC TV show based on the Walking Dead comic is not fully unknown to the mainstream public, but I encourage to at least for you to check out the graphic novel series nearby your local comic book store or book store period. I promise you Walking Dead viewer that you will love the books as much as you love the TV show.
Media: Walking Dead is one of the or is the high rarest TV show on AMC and Walking Dead is renewed for a seventh season.
Collections: 24 Volumes (Trade Paperback), Twelve (Hardcovers) and counting
Writer/Illustrator: Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
Publication: Image Comics
2.Batman the Long Halloween
Every Halloween I read one of my favorite Jeph Loeb (writer) and Tim Sale (illustrator) Batman stories ever created titled The Batman the Long Halloween. Although Batman the Long Halloween features many holidays ( Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines Day Easter etc) the narrative story begins on Halloween day after a mysterious serial killer nicknamed “Holiday” kills one of Falcone and Sal Moroni Crime Family members. As the story progress The Holiday killer murders begin to appear in each holiday and its up to Batman (Bruce Wayne) Commissioner Jim Gordon and Harvey Dent (pre-Two-Face) have to investigate the bizarre occurring serial murders. What is also special about The Long Halloween to me personal I like how the story transitions of focusing on the evolution of the “freaks” of Gotham which includes fantastical characters such as Joker, Catwoman, Solomon Grundy, Scarecrow , Poison Ivy, Mad Hatter and so forth. And how the normal Mafia family like the Falcones and the Sal Moroni’s have to face such unwanted competition. Batman The Long Halloween also follow ups with Batman The Dark Victory and Catwoman: When in Rome. Long Halloween is also the continuation of Frank Miller’s Batman Year One.
Media: Batman The Long Halloween story elements heavily borrowed for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.
Reception: The Long Halloween has been raised for its art, film noir inspired narrative and its overall premise of the story. IGN also ranked The Long Halloween #4 out 25 best Batman Graphic Novels of all time!
1. The Hellblazer series
Hellbalzer is one of the defying horror DC/Vertigo comics that was published in the late 1980s all the way to 2013. The first Hellbalzer publication was written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Stephen R. Bissette and ever since its very first publication Hellblazer has been written by various writers over its long run. Many writers varies to Neil Gaiman, Grath Ennis, Mike Carrey, Grant Morrison among many others. To its core the Hellblazer series is a occult detective fiction that features narcissistic protagonist John Constantine facing against supernatural demons, but the story often focus on Constantine facing his own inner demons. Which at times are even more intriguing in a more human level. The Hellblazer series not just tackle horror elements but also political views which was depicted in issue 15 titled “The Fear Machine.” So if your more into mainstream comics than Hellblazer is probably not for you, but if your the type of demographic that enjoys psychological and horror that offers a lot of substance than I highly recommend the Hellblazer series.
Media: Live action adaptations of the Hellblazer comic series have been featured in the mixed reviewed Keenu Reeves 2005 Constantine film and the short lived NBC Constantine TV series. However, John Constantine played by Matt Ryan is promise to be featured on season 4 on Arrow. There is still no new news of a possible new season of Constantine show that will appear on the CW Network or other cable shows .
Reception: Hellblazer series is highly praised series of graphic novels form both critics and readers alike.
Collections: 300 Issues
Publication: DC Vertigo
Conclusion
So here are my list of so chilling graphic novels that I recommend you at least checking out to read. But more importantly I’m willing to know what’s your more frightening graphic novels that you like to share. Please comment on the comment section below.
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