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Graphic novels are one of the most iconic ways to enjoy a little scare. Whether you're a die-hard horror fan yourself or you're looking to share your scary passion with your kids or tweens, there's the perfect graphic novel out there for you. From vampires to serial killers and even sci-fi blends, there's no one size fits all, so you're sure to find something that captures your particular style.
Read on to discover our top 10 best horror comics, manga and graphic novels in the UK. We've chosen some excellent recommendations, including famous titles from comic and horror legends Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore, Junji Ito and even Stephen King!
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Table of Contents
Fancy a frightening read? This buying guide will help you to choose a horror graphic novel that's sure to send a chill down your spine. From genre to age recommendations, this section will cover all you need to consider. So, read on... if you dare!
However, you may find that series don't maintain suspense and momentum as well as standalone works. In which case, a self-contained story might be better for you. Not only does it guarantee some form of resolution at the end, but the pacing is ideal for building a sense of dread.
If you'd prefer a series of quick scares, a horror anthology is the perfect place to start. These comprise of multiple stories, usually connected by a central theme. As anthologies often contain the works of various authors, you can sample a variety of narratives and visual styles without having to buy more than one volume.
Horror as a genre is vast and varied, with many different interpretations, narrative structures, tropes and themes. That's why it's a good idea to think about what specifically interests you, whether that's the supernatural, vampires, cosmic or gothic horror.
As the old saying goes, you can't always judge a book by its cover, and landing on a title that you don't find particularly scary or intriguing won't hold your attention for very long. So we've included a few keywords alongside each graphic novel in our ranking to help you decide!
If you're buying a spooky story for your children, you're going to want to make sure it's age-appropriate. Unfortunately, this can be a bit tricky as there isn't one central rating system for comics and graphic novels in the UK.
Some publishers provide a recommended minimum age, but these tend to be broad guidelines, such as 'Teen' or 'Mature'. As with movies or video games, you should expect that the higher the age rating, the more likely it will contain graphic violence, explicit scenes, and mature themes and language.
For this reason, taking note of the maturity rating can also be helpful for those of any age who wish to avoid potentially upsetting scenes. After all, horror comes in many forms, so it's important to ensure the tone is suitable for the intended reader.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Price | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Stephen King, Scott Snyder & Rafael Albuquerque American Vampire|Volume 1 | £10.99 Mid | Graphic Novel Series Following a Lineage of Vampires | ||
2 | Junji Ito Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition) | £8.69 Low | Standout Work From Japanese Horror Master | ||
3 | Neil Gaiman The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes|Volume 1 | £10.49 Low Mid | Trailblazing Occult Fantasy by Neil Gaiman | ||
4 | Neil Gibson Twisted Dark|Volume 1 | £13.71 High Mid | Psychological Horror Anthology With a Twist | ||
5 | Vera Brosgol Anya's Ghost | £11.99 Mid | A Witty, Supernatural Teenage Drama | ||
6 | Robert Kirkman The Walking Dead : Days Gone Bye|Volume 1 | £9.37 Low Mid | Bestselling Zombie Survival Saga | ||
7 | James Powell, Jethro Morales & Josh Jensen House of Fear: Attack of the Killer Snowmen and Other Stories | £9.89 Low Mid | An Anthology of Scary Stories to Frighten the Kids | ||
8 | Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell From Hell | £17.99 High | Grizzly Graphic Retelling of Jack the Ripper | ||
9 | Charles Burns Black Hole | £14.99 High Mid | Capturing 70s Nostalgia in This Coming of Age Story | ||
10 | Kazuo Umezz The Drifting Classroom (Perfect Edition)|Volume 1 | £16.32 High Mid | Surreal Survival Horror Science Fiction |
Whether it's Anne Rice novels, Dracula, or even Twilight, Vampires never fail to capture the imagination, which is why American Vampire is our number one pick! This series traces the lineage of a vampiric bloodline, expertly blending horror and mythos with historical fiction.
Volume one follows the stories of Pearl Jones, an aspiring actress in 1920s L.A. who gets turned into a vampire following a deadly encounter with Old West outlaw Skinner Sweet. With Sweet's origin story penned by bestselling author Stephen King, this graphic novel series will certainly not disappoint!
Kurozu-cho is a town haunted by spirals. While this may not sound scary, the plague of tessellating patterns slowly drives the suburban inhabitants into madness and despair. It really is unlike anything else you have read before!
Junji Ito is renowned as a master of modern Japanese horror, and for those not already familiar with his work, Uzumaki is a great place to start. Best of all, this particular edition compiles all three volumes into one, giving you the entire story from beginning to end.
It would be impossible to compile a list of the 10 best horror comics and graphic novels without including The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. A seminal work from a prolific author, it seamlessly combines occult mythology and the DC universe in an epic saga that's practically impossible to put down.
Volume one includes issues #1-8 of the original run and should give you a good idea of whether this story is right for you. It serves as an introduction to Dream, otherwise known as Morpheus, establishing the tone of what is yet to come.
Twisted Dark is an indie anthology of 11 psychological horror stories. As the title hints, each tale concludes with a devious twist, exploring themes of revenge, hate, loss, and even death.
The works in this volume showcase the skills of various artists, allowing you to sample from a buffet of visual and narrative styles. Unsettling and eerie, without a reliance on graphic imagery, blood and guts, it's guaranteed to draw you in!
An accidental tumble into an abandoned well results in an unlikely friendship, as Anya discovers the ghost of a girl who had perished inside that very hole ninety years prior. If navigating high school life wasn't hard enough already, the Russian-American teen now has a ghoulish pal in tow.
Wry, witty, and a lot of fun, Anya's Ghost is a teenage drama with a supernatural twist. Even though it isn't scary, this spooky tale of fitting in is sure to captivate horror fans of all ages.
You may already be familiar with the TV series of the same name, but here is where it all began. If you crave post-apocalyptic survival horror, and zombies are your thing, The Walking Dead refines genre tropes with edge-of-your-seat suspense and a dash of dark comedy.
Part action comic, part social commentary, volume one throws you right in at the deep end. With a storyline that spans 32 volumes, covering 193 original comic book issues, there's plenty to get your teeth stuck into!
For those of us who grew up on Goosebumps and Scooby-Doo, here's a contemporary horror anthology you can share with the kids. Filled with campfire stories of cryptids, monsters and ghouls, the vibrant illustrations and dynamic pacing bring each one to life.
Just scary enough for younger readers, without ever getting too gruesome, it's the perfect way to introduce a new audience to horror themes. With five short stories to choose from, they're just the right length for devouring before bedtime too.
From Hell follows the story of Jack the Ripper, a Victorian-era killer whose notoriety continues to blur the boundaries between fact and fiction. Serialised over a decade spanning from 1989 to 1998, it's much more than a grizzly retelling of the Whitechapel murders, earning this graphic novel masterpiece status and critical acclaim.
Alan Moore is best known for dense, conceptual works, including V for Vendetta and Watchmen. Here, he teams up with artist and illustrator Eddie Campbell, whose expressive sketchbook style fittingly evokes nineteenth-century penny dreadfuls and pulp magazines.
Set in 1970s Seattle and steeped in Americana, Black Hole is a coming of age story for flunkies, misfits and troubled teens. An epidemic bubbles under the city's surface in the form of an incurable STD, the manifestation of which is a host of bodily mutations.
Unexpectedly, the horror of this story comes not from the disease itself but the subsequent ostracisation from normal society. Heralded as one of the greatest graphic novels ever made, the visual style alone is enough to warrant a read.
Yamato elementary school vanishes in the wake of an earthquake. Thought to have been obliterated in an explosion, the students and faculty have instead found themselves transported to a treacherous wasteland, wherein they must battle to survive against both insect-like monsters and their fellow classmates.
First penned in 1972, The Drifting Classroom is unnerving, and at times surreal. Umezz' highly detailed artwork perfectly realises a host of grotesque creatures and harrowing scenarios, making it a must-read for fans of Lovecraft and Battle Royale.
Whether you long to be transported away by a Halloween appropriate novel, or you prefer to control your creepy entertainment with a PS4 controller, if you're a fan of horror, then we've got more where this list came from! Check out some of our other articles that are sure to give you the heebie-jeebies!
And so we conclude our ranking of the top 10 best horror graphic novels in the UK. We hope we have helped introduce you to some of the scariest and most exciting reads, although you may want to avoid reading them before bed!
Author: Wren Mann
No. 1: Stephen King, Scott Snyder & Rafael Albuquerque |American Vampire|Volume 1
No. 2: Junji Ito|Uzumaki (3-in-1 Deluxe Edition)
No. 3: Neil Gaiman|The Sandman: Preludes and Nocturnes|Volume 1
No. 4: Neil Gibson|Twisted Dark|Volume 1
No. 5: Vera Brosgol|Anya's Ghost
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
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