The Best DC Comics for Horror Fans

Graphic novels are a fantastic escape for horror fans, as they can turn a chilling tale into something even more tangible and terrifying. This is especially true for DC Comics, which has had years to perfect its unique horror format. DC offers countless horror stories, from sagas involving famous heroes to more speculative tales.

The best horror stories are the ones that get under the reader’s skin—the stories that linger in the dark. These are the stories all horror readers are looking for, and luckily, there’s a wide array available across the industry. DC Comics, in particular, is known for its take on cosmic horror and how it portrays larger-than-life monsters.

10

Deadman

A Ghostly Tale with a Tragic History

Deadman is a classic DC character. As the name implies, Deadman is quite dead, but he’s still kicking. He can possess people, from the unsuspecting to the careless. His curse is as tragic as his backstory is horrific, making his tale the perfect read for horror fans.

Deadman’s adventures were first published in Strange Adventures and are now available in a collection or omnibus, making them accessible to all readers. The story captures the horror of the supernatural, exploring themes like death, curses, and more. It’s a must-read for horror fans seeking a character-driven supernatural epic, as it is truly unique. Most fans agree that Deadman Vol. 2 is where the story gains momentum, delving deeper into Deadman’s origin and history.

9

Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: Witching Hour

Wonder Woman Falls to the Dark Side

Sometimes, a comic creator asks, “What would happen if this superhero went bad?” This has resulted in countless memorable series, including Injustice. In Wonder Woman and Justice League Dark: Witching Hour, it’s Diana’s turn to play around with the dark side.

At a glance, this arc may read like any other superhero tale. It starts with Wonder Woman taking charge of the Justice League Dark organization, designed to tackle more magical problems in the universe. Unfortunately, things quickly take a turn as the group finds itself against Hecate. More importantly, Diana falls to Hecate’s power, becoming one of the Witch Marked. It’s a dark tale that experiments with several horror tropes, including monsters, witchery, and mind control. Witching Hour becomes more memorable as it unfolds, introducing new stakes and horrors.

8

Green Lantern: Blackest Night

Lantern Powered Zombies

DC Comics is not unfamiliar with universe-level events. There have been over a dozen, but perhaps none quite so large or heavy-hitting as Green Lantern: Blackest Night. This event brought nearly every hero and villain into the mix, effectively throwing them against lantern-powered zombies. At the helm of this army is Nekron, a cosmic Grim Reaper of sorts. His presence adds to the horror elements of this adventure.

Blackest Night combines Lantern power with classic zombie horror. The stakes and graphic imagery are intense, and the audience loved it. The series blends zombie horror with superhero stakes while exploring themes of grief, loss, and death to fantastic effect.

7

The Low, Low Woods

A Surreal Mystery Meets Atmospheric Horror

DC Comics readers know that a tale is going to get dark and creepy when it has to fall under the Hill House Comics imprint. The Low, Low Woods is a twisted horror tale that is definitely not for children, as it plays with concepts such as body horror and the twisted descent into darker realities.

The Low, Low Woods is an exceptionally dark tale, made all the more horrifying by its grounding in reality. The story perfectly captures the fears many people, especially women, are raised upon. It’s set in a town ironically titled Shudder-to-Think in the middle of Pennsylvania. Here, the townspeople have found a way to keep the peace, but it comes at a terrible price for some.

6

Wonder Woman: Dead Earth

An Alternative Wonder Woman Sees the Death of a World

Many horror stories either begin or end with the death of a world. This includes Wonder Woman: Dead Earth. As the title indicates, this is the story of Wonder Woman and a planet too far gone to save. The series is published under DC’s Black Label, making the intended audience clear. This is not a happy superhero story made for children.

Wonder Woman: Dead Earth is a ponderous horror story with apocalyptic elements, full of monsters, death, and isolation. It begins with Wonder Woman waking up from a coma, only to find the world has been destroyed. She can’t remember what happened; all she can do is move forward. In doing so, Wonder Woman encounters all sorts of monstrosities—in true horror story fashion.

5

The Nice House on the Lake

A Nice Time Turns into the Apocalypse

Most horror readers know better than to stay in an isolated cabin in the woods or by a lake. However, as the characters in The Nice House on the Lake soon discovered, it’s the ideal foundation for a horror story. Upon arriving in this calm location, things take a turn for the worse – in the most chaotic way possible. It doesn’t take long for everyone to realize they’re trapped in this supposedly nice house with no clear path out.

The Nice House on the Lake combines classic horror with drama, mystery, and thriller elements. The end result is a claustrophobic quest for freedom. The atmospheric writing style makes this a tense read, full of cosmic horror and more. Best of all, now is the perfect time to get reading, as a sequel is officially on the way.

4

Justice League: DCeased

A Brutal Horror Story Following Fan-Favorite Heroes

There’s something so compelling about zombies and superheroes. Both major publishing houses have toyed with the concept, resulting in events such as Blackest Night and DCeased. In DCeased, the end of humanity comes at the hands of Darkseid, an infamous villain in this universe. Readers don’t need to be familiar with the villain to appreciate the stakes – or the hell he unleashed.

DCeased is a unique zombie apocalypse tale. The origin of the infection is a techno-organic virus. Not that the technological side slows down the infection rate, as the Earth quickly falls and becomes a horde of flesh-eating zombies. The series delivers on the graphic promise made by all zombie tales, with plenty of known heroes falling victim to this horde.

An Epic Tale Full of Cosmic Horror and Enemies

DC Comics has had plenty of time to perfect its cosmic horror, which has opened the doors to series such as Dark Nights Metal. This series combines epic action with cosmic horror, making it a memorable event in superhero history. The foundation plays around with the DC Comics Multiverse, bringing twisted variants of heroes and foes to the forefront.

Even casual readers of DC Comics found themselves enthralled by the horror captured in these pages. The Batman Who Laughs, Red Death, and several other iconic characters, took the internet by storm. The event perfectly portrays the potential of the DC Universe to tell cosmic horror, even within the context of a superhero story. The combination of the two makes events such as these stand out.

2

John Constantine: Hellblazer

A Hero Facing Unthinkable Odds and Horrors

DC Comic’s Vertigo imprint took tales like John Constantine: Hellblazer to horrifying new heights. Hellblazer follows John Constantine, an occult user with a morally gray center. Constantine is not the standard definition of a hero; he’s crass, willing to make sacrifices, and doesn’t always think about the price before diving into a situation. What makes him stand out, though, is his willingness to tackle the dark unknown.

Over three hundred issues, Constantine has faced off against enemies that would make a weaker-willed person flee for the hills. He’s faced insurmountable odds, from gods of old to demons with crooked bargains. There’s no denying that Hellblazer is a classic occult horror. It plays around with dark and twisted concepts, always finding new and creative ways to keep readers terrified.

1

The Swamp Thing

Pinnacle Cosmic Horror

Much like Hellblazer, The Swamp Thing found new life under Vertigo’s imprint. Here, the creators were allowed to tell tales without making them family-friendly. In other words, the series was allowed to get dark and complex. This opened the door to unique storytelling experiments, including the addition of lots of commentary and even a few new villains.

What makes The Swamp Thing a pinnacle cosmic horror series is how it pits larger-than-life concepts against its main characters.. For example, in “The Lurker In Tunnel 13,” Swamp Thing comes up against an ancient, horrid creature. The overall feel of this creature, and many others, is Lovecraftian in nature, making it perfect for any reader looking for a complex cosmic horror experience.