Happy October, friends! If you enjoy being simultaneously terrified and comfortable, nothing beats curling up with a scary story on a dark fall evening. In addition to good old standbys like classic Gothic horror and Stephen King, consider broadening your Halloween reading repertoire this month with some spine-tingling graphic novels.

The comic-lovers among our staff have prepared a hearty selection of Halloween-themed graphic novels for your enjoyment and/or ruination. They run the gamut from “charming” to “you may never be able to sleep again”, so we’ve also created a handy Spook-o-Meter to ensure that you don’t unintentionally exceed your unique horror tolerance level. (We’re not kidding around.) On to the selections!

Anya’s Ghost: Anya is a young teenager going through the usual angsty adolescent awkwardness. She meets a ghost who at first seems like the answer to all Anya’s problems, but may have sinister hidden motives. A few creepy moments, but mainly a charming and satisfying story about growing up.
Rating: 💀

Bad Machinery: Less spooky, more kooky! Like a surreal British version of Scooby Doo.
Rating: 💀

Megahex: The perfect comic for sad, weird, stoned witches.
Rating: 💀

The Gigantic Beard that was Evil: Similar to Kafka’s Metamorphosis, except instead of a man slowly turning into an insect, he grows a beard. A gigantic, evil beard. This is a normally hairless man who is accustomed to a quiet, orderly, predictable existence. The beard’s unstoppable growth and chaotic influence upends his life. A darkly funny fable about facing fears and challenging norms, it also brims with luscious beard artwork.
Rating: 💀

 

Locke & Key: Yup, Stephen King’s son, Joe Hill, wrote a comic. Prepare to be spooked. After a family is shattered by the seemingly random murder of the father, Mr. Locke, they move into a big, old house. Naturally, this house might be a little bit haunted. The story is rich and there’s a constant sense of unease. The excellent balance of real life and magical terror will leave you thoroughly frightened.
Rating: 💀 💀

Revival: A “rural noir” set in the small Wisconsin town of Wausau. One day, the dead stop being dead. Unlike conventional zombies, however, these are not shambling brain-eating monsters. Instead, they simply go back to being alive, just like they were before. (Almost.) In the midst of unwanted attention from the media and government, the townsfolk must learn how to coexist with their newly revived friends and family. An absolutely fascinating concept, excellently executed.
Rating: 💀 💀

Johnny the Homicidal Maniac: Perhaps you read this in 8th grade. It was great. It’s STILL GREAT. From the creator of Invader Zim, it’s twisted, violent, and funny. Rating: 💀 💀
 

Through the Woods: Haunting, gorgeous, and poetic, this collection of short comics will mesmerize and terrify in equal measure. Elegantly eerie and Gorey-esque. The storytelling often has a delicate touch, but the horror is real.
Rating: 💀 💀

 

Beautiful Darkness: A gorgeous, sickening fairy tale. Stunning watercolors. Don’t be fooled by the cutesy style: this is not for children.
Rating: 💀 💀 💀

Uzumaki: A classic by a master of Japanese horror about a town haunted by spirals. Body horror, cosmic terror, totally nightmarish. Contains images and concepts that you will find yourself unable to stop thinking about, probably late at night when you’re trying to sleep.
Rating: 💀 💀 💀

In addition to these highly-recommended picks, we may also feature a rotating selection of other spooky comics that deserve your fearful attention. This display will continue to haunt our store until Halloween, so if you love an artfully-crafted scare, come check it out!

–Sara, Emily B, & Julianne