With Halloween later in the week I thought I would share some of the great horror and Supernatural comics that are freely, and legally, available to read. This list of free horror comics has a lot of variety with large range of different kinds of scares. There are vampires, demons, zombies, home invaders, swamp creatures and even Batman. As you might notice the article is a little Steve Niles heavy with four of the titles written by him. But when you are the premier horror comic writer and regularly give your work for free you are going to appear on this list on more than one occasion.
Enjoy the free horror comics, but don’t blame me if you can’t sleep at night.
The Blood Hunter #1
Written and Art by Loren Meyer. Published by Zuda Comics/DC Comics.
Set in a world ruled by vampires, The Blood Hunter chronicles the struggles of the last few remaining humans. This was originally serialised in webcomic form as part of DC Comics’ now defunct Zuda Comics line and has now been released in three parts digitally.
You can read The Blood Hunter #1 for free on Comixology.
Vampirella (volume 2) #1
Written by Nancy A. Collins. Art by Patrick Berkenkotter. Published by Dynamite Entertainment.
Vampirella has always been one of those characters that has always been a little controversial for being overly sexualised. With a costume like that it is hard not to see why. Although, earlier in the year Dynamite relaunched the series under the pen of horror writer Nancy A. Collins to create a series that is more centered on more horror than titillating. Expect plenty of horror inspired action and creepy cults.
You can read Vampiralla (volume 2) #1 for free over at Bleeding Cool.
Halloween Comic Fest 2014 – Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Special Edition #1
Written by Jeph Loeb. Art by Tim Sale. Published by DC Comics.
Batman and horror is something that you wouldn’t think would mix. Although, when you think about Batman’s Rougues Gallery he has some pretty terrifying enemies. This Halloween themed Batman story sees Batman take on some of his most horrifying enemies including Scarecrow, the Mad Hatter, the Penguin, Poison Ivy and the Joker. It is an exploration of fear and how one can overcome it.
You can read Halloween Comic Fest 2014 – Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Special Edition #1 for free on Comixology or iTunes.
Our Neighbor’s House
Written and art by Emily Carroll. Published by Margaret K McElderry Books.
This beautifully crafted story by Emily Carroll tells of a group of sisters in an isolated house as they wait for their father to return from hunting. A stranger begins to appear at the house and one by one they slowly begin to disappear. The story is atmospheric and disturbing, building up the horror in the readers imagination by hiding the threat as much as possible. If you enjoy this story you will want to read Emily Carroll’s Through the Woods, which this story was taken from.
You can read Our Neighbor’s House for free at iO9.
Swamp Thing #1
Written by Len Wein. Art by Bernie Wrightson. Published by DC Comics.
After his lab explodes while working on a regenerative formula, Alec Holland is no longer a man – he is the Swamp Thing. While Swamp Thing has evolved into more than just a man turned into a monster type story, this issue from the 70s series has a great mix of pulp and horror that you would associate from the era.
You can read Swamp Thing #1 for free at Comixology.
Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin Part 1
Written by Jim Butcher and Mark Powers. Art by Joseph Cooper. Published by Dynamite Entertainment.
If you are familar with Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files then you will need no introduction. But if you are not, it is a series of novels about a private investigator wizard who investigates supernatural occurrences. This original story set between the first two novels sees Harry Dresden juggle his personal life while at the same time fight the forces of evil. While you might enjoy this more if you have read the novels, you shouldn’t need any prior knowledge to the franchise.
You can read Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files: Ghoul Goblin Part 1 for free at Bleeding Cool.
30 Days of Night #1
Written by Steve Niles. Art by Ben Templesmith. Published by IDW Publishing.
In Barrow, Alaska, there is a time of the year where the sun doesn’t come up for 30 days. During this time of darkness, vampires come out and feed on the townspeople. Will anyone be able to survive for an entire month? You’ll have to read to find out. This series spawned multiple sequels and a feature film and put both creators in a high regard in horror comics.
You can read 30 Days of Night #1 at Comixology.
Pieces for Mom: A Tale of the Undead
Written by Steve Niles. Art by Andrew Ritchie. Published by Image Comics.
This is not your regular zombie story. After the world is chaos after it has been taken over by the living dead, two teenage boys have survived the ordeal and are forced to fend for themselves while taking care of their rotting mother. That right, their mother is a zombie that has been tied to a chair and is fed flesh. This story explores how children are forced to adapt to such an extreme circumstance, full of violence and gore.
Pieces for Mom can be read for free on SteveNiles.com.
Edge of Doom
Written by Steve Niles. Art by Kelley Jones. Published by IDW Publishing.
What would you do if you found an army of tiny demons in your garden? What if you found out you were their next sacrifice? Are you scared yet? Unlike most of these free horror comics this is an entire graphic novel in which all 5 issues are freely available.
Edge of Doom can be read for free on SteveNiles.com.
Wake the Dead
Written by Steve Niles. Art by Milx and Chee. Published by IDW Publishing.
Wake the Dead shows the consequences for one man when he attempts to reverse death. Little does he know that his Frankenstein inspired experiement would go horribly wrong. Just like Edge of Doom, Steve Niles has made the entire miniseries available for free.
Wake the Dead can be read for free on SteveNiles.com.
Have Your Say
Will you be reading any of these free horror comics? If so, which ones? Also, if you find more horror comics that are freely available feel free to share. (Just make sure it is legal!) Let us know in the comments below or via our Facebook or Twitter.
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