Marvel started life in 1939 under the name Timely Comics. Over time, the brand has gone from strength to strength, growing from a comics company to a massive multimedia juggernaut with a roster of beloved characters and movies. A big reason for this growth is that, as the years have progressed, Marvel has shifted its products to match audiences’ demands.
While Marvel is famous for its superheroes, this is not all the company has produced. Over the years, the company published many horror-themed comics, especially in the 1950s and 1970s when horror comics were en vogue. Horror themes have frequently appeared in Marvel’s superhero books as well.
If you’re looking to read something spooky this autumn, here are some of the best scary Marvel comics.
12. Haunt of Horror
Marvel’s Haunt Of Horror series consists of short mini-series that adapt classic horror tales from famous writers. Two mini-series have been released, Haunt of Horror: Edgar Allan Poe in 2006 and Haunt of Horror: Lovecraft in 2008. Featuring illustrations by Richard Corben, each comic combines the original text with new art that perfectly captures the atmosphere of these classic stories. If you’re a big fan of classic horror, these act as a delightful way to revisit these tales.
11. Freddy Krueger’s A Nightmare on Elm Street
While the comics are rare and hard to find today, Marvel’s Nightmare On Elm Street comics are a fascinating bit of comic book history. In 1989, Marvel acquired the rights to the popular slasher franchise and made it into a comic. These comics told a new story that saw a new character, Dr. Juliann Quinn, clashing with Freddy.
However, while Marvel had plans for five issues, only two were ever released. It was later revealed that Marvel canceled the comics as they believed that anti-violence groups protesting other forms of violent media would protest Marvel and cause the company issues.
10. Marvel Zombies
Launching in December 2005 and written by Robert Kirkman, Marvel Zombies sees the Marvel Universe come under attack by flesh-eating zombies. This story picks up right where the Fantastic Four storyline, Crossover, ends with a strange condition called “Hunger” turning all the heroes on Earth-2149 into zombies. However, when Silver Surfer arrives and announces that Galactus is coming, the zombie problem gets worse.
This comic quickly became a cult classic and has received loads of spinoffs and sequels. Most notably, an episode of the recent What If…? returned to this concept. Disney Plus will be getting a Marvel Zombies series soon, making now the perfect time to dive into this legendary story.
9. Werewolf By Night
Werewolf By Night has had a strange publication history. Starting as a short story in Marvel Tales #116 from 1953, the series was dropped when the Comics Code Authority banned the depiction of werewolves in comics. When the code was eased in the 1970s, Marvel returned to the concept.
Hitting shelves in 1972, this series follows Jack Russell, a man who turns into a werewolf. This strange transformation causes Jack to end up in the middle of several massive conflicts. Later installments of Werewolf By Night introduced readers to Moon Knight, who has become a fan-favorite character.
Interestingly, this series may soon get a Disney Plus show, so now is the perfect time to dive into it.
8. Journey Into Mystery
Journey Into Mystery is known as the comic series that gave the world Thor. However, he didn’t make his debut until the comic’s 83rd issue. Before this, the comic featured short mystery stories, many of which featured sci-fi and horror elements. Some notable stories include “One Foot In The Grave,” from Journey Into Mystery #1, and “Fright” from Journey Into Mystery #5.
Both tales are perfect old-school horror romps with plenty of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
7. Immortal Hulk Vol. 1: Or is He Both?
The Immortal Hulk series was never scared to push the boundaries of the superhero genre, and the storyline, “Or Is He Both?,” is a testament to this. This series introduces the Immortal Hulk, likely one of the most terrifying forms of the Hulk character to ever exist.
This seemingly unstoppable Hulk comes out whenever the sun goes down, and he does so even if Bruce Banner’s body is killed. To make matters worse, transforming seems to resurrect Banner, though each resurrection comes with a heavy price.
Heavy on body horror and with a good dose of existentialism, the first volume of Immortal Hulk perfectly captures the ghastliness at the heart of the Hulk storyline and takes it in a unique direction.
6. Rise Of The Midnight Sons
Rise Of The Midnight Sons was a massive crossover event. It was meant to launch a new series of horror comics for Marvel, though it didn’t pan out in the end. The event starts with Ghost Rider #28 from 1990, and the series also includes Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits Of Vengeance #1, Morbius: The Living Vampire #1, Darkhold: Pages from the Book of Sins #1, Nightstalkers #1, and Ghost Rider #31.
It sees Lilith, the mother of demons, get resurrected, forcing a group of unlikely heroes to band together to put a stop to her. However, Lilith’s children and her most devout servants have been waiting for this day and will do anything to protect their ruler. A fun slice of ’90s horror action, Rise Of The Midnight Sons, is great for superhero fans who want to expand their horizons.
5. Druid
Doctor Druid is often considered the worst-ever member of the Avengers. The character first appeared in 1961 and has featured in many Marvel comics. Whenever he gets into one of the core teams, he always betrays them or gets killed.
However, the Druid mini-series from 1995 takes the character and does something incredible with him. Written by Warren Ellis and drawn by Leonardo Manco, the series sees Doctor Druid realizing he sucks.
This eats away at Druid, leading to him attempting to become the world’s most powerful magic user. As his frustrations get to him, he begins to do riskier and riskier things. A fun character study that touches on the inherently terrifying nature of superheroes, Druid shows how varied the comic medium can be.
4. Tales of the Zombie
Tales of the Zombie was a horror comics magazine that Marvel’s parent company Magazine Management put out between 1973 and 1975. It was later collected into one Essential Marvel book, making it an official Marvel title. Due to officially being a magazine, Tales of the Zombie could sidestep some of the rules laid down by the Comics Code, allowing it to be much more adult than other competing publications.
This magazine was the home of Simon Garth, the titular Zombie. Garth was kidnapped by a man who hoped to use him as a cult’s human sacrifice, but a member of the cult turned out to be someone close to Garth. Unable to bring herself to totally kill Garth, she converts him into a zombie, one who can be controlled with the Amulet of Damballah. To handle her guilt, this woman sets out on a mission to help Garth reach his eternal rest. However, a sinister group wants to use Garth for their own evil ends.
A fun throwback horror series that stands out by making a zombie the protagonist, Tales of the Zombie is a super-fun read that holds up decently well.
3. Terror Inc.
Terror Inc. is a five-issue limited series released in 2007. This mini-series follows Marvel villain Terror, a man cursed to walk the Earth as a rotting corpse due to his evil deeds. However, he soon realizes that he can keep his body rejuvenated by taking parts from corpses and adding them to his own body, causing him to slowly spiral into depravity.
Terror finds work as a mercenary until an incident causes him to blow his cover, attracting the attention of an apocalypse cult. This cult has a strange link to Terror’s past, forcing him to confront his old demons. An exciting twist on some older concepts, Terror Inc. is a fun mini-series, perfect for a quick dose of action-packed horror.
2. Alien
Alien is one of the best horror films ever released, and it still holds up today. The franchise has moved into comics several times in the past. While most of these comics were published by Dark Horse Comics, Marvel got the rights to the franchise when its parent company, Disney, bought out Fox. Because of this, Marvel launched a new Alien comic last year. Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and illustrated by Julius Ohta, this series returns the franchise to its roots and does a fantastic job of conveying the sheer horror of the Xenomorph.
1. Tomb of Dracula
Tomb Of Dracula is both infamous and overlooked at the same time. Running from 1972 to 1979, this comic made full use of the newly relaxed Comics Code, meaning this original run is much more horrific than the comics Marvel published during the Comics Code era. The series frequently changes focus, sometimes featuring Dracula fighting against other supernatural foes or following groups of heroes who aim to slay the vampire once and for all, leading to all of the classic vampire action you would expect.
This series was turned into an anime movie in 1980. Animated by Toei animation as part of their cooperation deal with Marvel, this film is regarded as one of the worst films ever made due to its confusing plot and terrible English dub. However, if you’re looking for some old-school vampire action, the various Tomb Of Dracula collections make for a fun read, especially as these are the comics that introduced the world to Blade.