October Magazine

comics
horrible comics
Horror has always been a genre
near and dear to my heart. I did my
thesis on horror films, so I like to
think I know a reasonable amount
about the genre. Horror comics on
the other hand are something I didn’t
discover till I was much older. I was
content for most of my life to read
super-hero comics and never really
look beyond that genre. But as
you get older you realise that comic
books have so much more to offer
than just flying people in tights, they
can also scare the living hell out of
you!
Today we will take a look at a few of
my favourite horror comics and what
makes them so damn scary!
Crossed
I’ve mentioned this one a few times
now, but if you want a scary comic,
it has to be Crossed! Crossed was
first created in 2008 by comics legend
Garth Ennis, about a horrible
plague that transformed people into
sadomasochistic monsters, happy to
rape, torture, kill and eat anyone they
came across, and not always in that
order... The comic is simply horrific
and only for those with the strongest
of stomachs. If you put the truly
nightmarish stuff of Crossed to the
side, what you will find is a deep, intellectual
story. Something that could
only come from a writer as good as
Garth Ennis. It tells a tale, not unlike
The Walking Dead of a group of
survivors trying to keep themselves
together in a world gone mad. They
witness acts beyond evil and still
keep fighting to stay sane and stay
alive. Ultimately Crossed might be
the most intense comic ever written
and it is only for die hards of the horror
genre. But if you love a gorefest
it is certainly the comic book for you!
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead has grown from a
small time comic to an international
phenomenon. With the help of a hit
TV show The Walking Dead and its
spin off Fear The Walking Dead, the
franchise has grown to become one
of the biggest comics on the planet.
The comic has a simple of survivors
dealing with a zombie apocalypse.
Created in 2003 by Robert Kirkman
and Tony Moore the series has
achieved an almost comic book royalty
following in it’s short run. Personally
I don’t really get the hype. It’s not
quite as well written as Crossed nor
does it have the full tilt horror impact.
I also find that once Tony Moore left
the book the art was never quite as
good. But that is all my opinion, an
opinion that is certainly in the minority.
There is no denying that The
Walking Dead has become bigger
than it’s simple origins. I am happy
to consider it an important part of
comic book history. It is probably the
biggest independent comic book hit
ever, that alone makes it important!
It serves up some gore and scares,
compared to Crossed it seems like a
children’s book, but it has enough to
satisfy horror lovers.
The Darkness
The Darkness is a fantastic comic
that blends the horror genre with the
superhero genre. It tells the story of
a young mobster named Jackie Estacado
who on his twenty-first birthday
inherits a dark power known as
‘The Darkness’ it gives him superhuman
powers and abilities. Jackie
becomes a monster capable of great
and evil things. He continues walking
a fine line between good and evil.
The comic is great as a genre mashup
and an interesting character study
of it’s tormented lead character. The
comic was also the basis of the hit
video game of the same name. The
video game was more of a re-telling
of the 2004 reboot. It removed some
of the more super-hero aspects such
as his suit and mask but was still a
great experience and is a must play
for anyone who read the comics, as
is the comic a good read for anyone
who played the game.
Army Of Darkness
The wildly successful Army Of Darkness
comics continue the adventures
of Ashley Williams the hero of
the Evil Dead film saga. Ash continues
his fight against the Deadites in
different times and places. Army of
Darkness continues the great horror
themes present in Evil Dead and
brings the humour of Army of Darkness
to create a truly unique series
that has stood the test of time. Any
fan of horror cinema is a fan of the
Evil Dead films and the comic advances
the established story pushing
it to new heights. Just last year
the story “Ash Saves Obama” was
published, featuring Ash saving the
president of the US from a Deadite
threat. It’s delightful little touches like
this that keep the Army of Darkness
comics in wide popularity and make
it a truly fun read.
People will always have a fascination
with horror. It’s a safe way to experience
fear and death knowing that