Top Horror DC Universe Comics

August Tales delivers an enthralling journey down the eerie lanes of renowned DC Comics’ best horror-themed productions. As an address to Halloween season, we’ve concocted an exciting collection that immerses you in the grim tales of DC’s terrifying characters. However, the anthologies like ‘House of Mystery’, ‘The Unexpected’ and comics external to the DCU, like the ‘Vertigo’, won’t make an appearance. Also, ‘Batman: The Long Halloween’ is on a sabbatical.

10. The Demon: A Kirby Classic

Jack Kirby’s creation, The Demon, has carved its place into the elaborate world of DC Comics. This spooky tale follows Gotham’s occult expert, Jason Blood. He carries a millennium-old secret of a magical transformation into a rhyming demon, Etrigan. A spell from Merlin in the Arthurian times binds him to this fate. Over 16 issues, this story delivers a concoction of witches, evil immortals, and monsters portrayed through Kirby’s horrific lens.

9. The Batman & Dracula Trilogy: A Dark Battle

The Batman & Dracula trilogy marks a defining collaboration between writer Doug Moench and artist Kelley Jones. This Elseworlds story grasps the audience with its depictive account of Dracula preying on Gotham’s unhoused population. Batman turns into a vampire to challenge Dracula eventually leading to an ultimate showdown. The subsequent chapters, ‘Bloodstorm’ and ‘Crimson Mist’, reveal Batman’s uncontrolled bloodlust and the horrifying fate of his well-known villains.

8. Blackest Night: Zombies vs Heroes

Led by Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis, ‘Blackest Night’ emerges as a unique choice for those seeking flashlight-under-the-blanket-reads. This Green Lantern-centric crossover introduces The Black Lantern Corps, fuelled by death’s energy itself. The climactic battle between the terrifyingly detailed Black Lanterns and DC heroes adds a unique twist to the zombie narrative.

7. The Spectre: The Ghostly Guardian

The Spectre, an 80-year-old supernatural character, was initially portrayed as a proactive ghostly narrator fighting crime in the afterlife. However, John Ostrander’s take on the character from 1992-1998 has been iconic as The Spectre, openly fighting supernatural threats and embodying God’s Wrath in the DCU.

6. DCeased: Alternate Earth Apocalypse

The most recent horror comic, ‘DCeased’, spikes public interest significantly. Author Tom Taylor centers the plot on an alternative Earth afflicted by a zombie apocalypse. The popular mini-series crafted a thrilling narrative introducing the majority of DC’s heroes in their undead form, told through Lois Lane’s perspective.

5. Justice League Dark: Supernatural Combat

The Justice League Dark portrayed through James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez from 2018 to 2021 stands as an exemplary blend of characterization and creepy supernatural adversaries. The team, inclusive of Zatanna, Swamp Thing, Man-Bat, Detective Chimp, John Constantine, Doctor Fate and lead by Wonder Woman, combat challenges through its magically endowed capabilities.

4. Deadman: Ghostly Vigilante

The creation of ‘Deadman’, or Boston Brand, by Arnold Drake and Neal Adams, introduces a unique character who helps the helpless by possessing living people. While other Deadman series had their own charm, the original remains unparalleled with its blend of mystery and horror.

3. Batman: Arkham Asylum – A Serious House on Serious Earth

Grant Morrison’s original graphic novel, ‘Batman: Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth’, drenches the audience in the chilling history of Gotham’s notorious asylum. The gripping narrative coupled with eccentric art by Sandman’s Dave McKean offers a distinctively frightening portrayal of Batman’s rogues gallery.

2. Hellblazer “Dangerous Habits”

John Constantine, introduced by Alan Moore in Swamp Thing, quickly became a favourite, earning him the series ‘Hellblazer’. Of the numerous editions penned by various iconic writers, Garth Ennis’ interpretation from the early ’90s steals the limelight with its chilling storyline revolving around Constantine bargaining with demonic forces to cure his lung cancer.

1. Saga of the Swamp Thing

Alan Moore revolutionizes the struggling horror comic ‘Saga of the Swamp Thing’ by reimagining the character as a plant that transformed into a man. This reinterpretation delivers a chillingly philosophical discourse on existence mixed with traditional horror elements such as werewolves and ghosts, making it a must-read this Halloween.