5 Horror Comics That Will Make Your Skin Crawl

Two nosey Neighbors walk into a Black Barn in search of shelter from a Black Sun, only to encounter a Sick yet unkillable Cat. There’s no punch line, that’s just what you get if you combine all of these horror comics from across four different indie publishers. There are so many facets of horror, as it is a rather malleable genre. I personally prefer the kind that doesn’t play on jump scares, but rather an atmospheric sense of dread that leaves your skin scurrying. For those of us more inclined for a lurking haunt, rather than a blood-soaked thriller, I present to you these stellar horror comics to check out.

The Neighbors

By Jude Ellison S. Doyle and Letizia Cadonici

Genre: Horror, LGBTQIA+

Issues: 5, Completed

Image: Boom! Studios

After moving to a quaint little town with their teenage daughter Casey and toddler Isobel, the Gowdie family is greeted by suspiciously welcoming faces of strangers. Well, except for the mysterious old woman next door who seems utterly infatuated with the 2-year-old Isobel. Is it Oliver’s PTSD sending him chills, or is this town hiding a sinister secret? When Casey begins behaving strangely, Oliver sets off to uncover the dark forces lurking below the town and under his own roof. 

The Neighbors is a one-of-a-kind horror story that tackles the toll of being forced out of your community and into one that is just as reluctant to accept you for who you are. Artist Letizia Cadonici’s interiors offer layer upon layer of creep that beautifully complements the foreboding who-can-I-trust narrative spun by Jude Ellison S. Doyle. As the story begins to deal with Oliver’s queerness, you can expect sincere trans representation the likes of Neil Gaiman’s A Game Of You story from Sandman, which is sure to pull on the heartstrings of anyone who has ever felt ostracized for living life as their true self. 

Who this is for:

• Fans of A24 films
• Readers interested in LGBTQIA+ topics

Gideon Falls

By Jeff Lemire,  Andrea Sorrentino, and Dave Stewart

Genre: Horror

Issues: 27, Completed

Image: Image Comics

Welcome to Gideon Falls. Depending on when you are, this place may look drastically different. The story follows a conspiracy-obsessed trash scavenger and an ill-mannered Catholic priest who are intertwined across time and space. Together, they must unlock the secrets hiding within the Black Barn that haunts them with visions. But what, or rather who is waiting for them at the entrance of the Black Barn?

Jeff Lemire flexes his knack for the supernatural with the bold assistance of Andrea Sorrentino’s mind-bending art colored by the incredible Dave Stewart. Once you open the first issue of this Image masterpiece and meet Lemire’s unlikely duo of characters, you’ll know you’re in for a rollercoaster of dread and terror. The mystery of the Black Barn comes together like a puzzle that feeds you its pieces one at a time, and in the exact order it wants you to receive them. I highly recommend picking up the gorgeous hardcover collections as they are the absolute best way to experience this utterly terrifying tale.

Who this is for:

• Readers who appreciate elaborate and abstract art.
• Fans of urban legends and conspiracy theories

Hairball

By Matt Kindt, Tyler Jenkins, & Hilary Jenkins

Genre: Horror

Issues: 4, Completed

Image: Dark Horse Comics

When a wandering black cat imprints itself on a young girl, things in the girl’s life begin to fester and rot. Through abusive family dynamics, foster homes, and murder, she suspects it is the cat that is bringing her these bad omens. The only problem is, this cat is less than willing to rehome. Enter the worst idiom ever conceived by man (YOU know the one). 

A cat’s worst nightmare (or biggest dream?) comes to life as writer Matt Kindt does the unspeakable with the help of artists Tyler and Hilary Jenkins. This chilling comic pits an innocent little girl against her *potentially murderous* pet kitty. Readers beware, this book is not for the faint of heart, especially those sensitive to animals in dangerous/violent scenarios. Folks who can make it to the end are in for a truly delightful fright.

Who this is for:

• Fans of Stephen King
• Readers who enjoy myths and legends.  

Children Of The Black Sun

By Dario Sicchio & Letizia Cadonici

Genre: Horror / Sci-fi

Issues: 4 issues, Ongoing

Image: Ablaze Publishing

A Black Sun rises, forever changing the world, and leaving all of humanity living in fear of its return, after sending everyone exposed to its rays into an animalistic rampage. Four years later, it rose again to the same results. As paranoia strikes a boiling point when people speculate on the arrival of a third Black Sun, the odd-mannered children born under the Black Sun start to join together to reveal the strange effects the sun had on them.

Perhaps the strangest entry on this list, but it’s so excellently executed. Dario Sicchio weaves a plot so mysterious and menacing that even YOU begin to grow weary of the cold stares of the red-eyed and pale-skinned children of the Black Sun. Letizia Cadonici makes this list twice, as she is truly a master of crafting art that crawls under your skin.

Who this is for:

• Fans of movies like Children of The Corn and The Shining
• Fans of quiet yet jarring stories

The Sickness

By Jenna Cha & Lonnie Nadler

Genre: Horror

Issues: 4, Ongoing

Image: Uncivilized Books

An anxious teenage boy in 1945 named Daniel, and doctor George Brooks in 1955 find themselves linked by a mysterious illness. In 1945, Daniel grows disturbingly ill and begins having violent and upsetting hallucinations that he’s being pursued by a strange man. Meanwhile, in 1955, the same sickness finds Doctor Brooks as he reconsiders his retirement. The doctor then embarks on a search for answers connected to a series of peculiar murder cases via a similar illness. What could drive these otherwise ordinary people to dissolve into chaos? 

Lonnie Nadler brings the descriptive narrative style of Barry Windsor Smith’s Monsters to complement Jenna Cha’s twisted imagery similar to the likes of Junji Ito. Folks familiar with either work will know just how deliciously tempting that combination is, and a quick Google search of either will convince any scratching their head to pick this up. The Sickness is one of the most disturbing comics on shelves right now.

Who this is for:

• Fans of black-and-white comics
• Fans of Junji Ito