After a well-rested hiatus, Vertigo is returning! This year at New York Comic Con, DC announced a slew of exciting new titles for its iconic imprint known for its sophisticated, mature and highly imaginative comic book storytelling. One could say, and I’m saying it, that this is the Vertigo Renaissance. So, let’s look at five horror-fueled titles you should read this Halloween if you want to start getting into that Vertigo spirit.
One note before we begin. With so many dark delights to choose from, I’ve decided to focus on more modern comics, including one or two you might be unfamiliar with. Alright, it’s time to buckle up, grab your pumpkin spice latte and turn down the lights. Let's get spooky for Halloween!
The Nice House on the Lake
Yes, yes. I know what you’re thinking. This isn’t actually a Vertigo title. It’s true that it wasn’t, but it is now! While The Nice House on the Lake was original published under DC’s Black Label imprint, The Nice House by the Sea—the series’ second chapter—will be the first title to bear the new Vertigo branding when it returns next year. It’s also simply too good to leave off the list, and a prime example of why DC needs an imprint like Vertigo.
Perfect for those who love cosmic dread and a good apocalyptic story, I recommend the entire series, both the twelve-issue Lake and the currently in-progress Sea. The Nice House on the Lake begins with a man named Walter hosting twelve of his friends at his lake house for the summer. These friends are all from different eras of his life and all have a special meaning in his heart. Some know each other well and some are meeting for the first time. However, things soon take a dark turn when the apocalypse begins and they watch everyone on earth die horrifically—save for them. Why? Well, Walter, who isn’t human, has chosen his closest friends to survive the end of days. Now, the posh house in which they were meant to survive has turned into their own personal hell as their new reality slowly sinks in and they start searching for answers. Surprising twists abound as they figure out what to do next—is it time to leave the house and venture into the ruins of the world or stay prisoners in this “paradise” forever?
Both Lake and Sea (which you should absolutely not read until after you’ve read Lake—it’s full of spoilers from the first series) are from writer James Tynion IV and artist Álvaro Martínez Bueno, whose design of the book’s other-worldly entities will disturb you down to the bones. All the attention to details and clues makes you feel like you’re in an immersive horror video game!
Imaginary Fiends
For fans of Something is Killing the Children and Hask/Slash, 2017’s Imaginary Fiends takes the concept of imaginary friends and goes crazy with it. It’s also criminally underread. Chances are you haven’t even heard of it, so there’s no better time to get acquainted with this truly unique tale of terror.
Imaginary Fiends tells the story of Melba Li, a troubled teen accused of stabbing her best friend when she was a child. Why would she do something so horrific? Melba claims her imaginary friend “Polly Peachpit” told her to do it. Now, over half a decade later, Melba is living in a mental health facility when she has an unexpected visitor. Virgil Crockett is an FBI agent who reveals to her that Polly Peachpit and imaginary friends are real. They are known as IMPs (Interdimensional Mental Parasites) and they are dangerous. As someone with the rare ability to see IMPs, Agent Crockett seeks to recruit Melba, offering her a chance at freedom. The caveat is that they won’t take her without Polly Peachpit. Now Melba must work with the monster that drove her to do the unforgivable and ruined her life!
From writer Tim Seeley and artist Stephen Molnar, Imaginary Fiends is full of world building and lore and has some delightfully creepy monster designs. Melba is a fantastic lead and will hold your hand as this story takes you on some wild twists and turns. The entire thing is only six issues long, which means you can devour this series in an afternoon!
iZombie
This is the comic that inspired the CW series by the same name, though there are few similarities between the two. If you want a fun, atypical zombie story similar to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sean of the Dead, with a sprinkle of Being Human in there, this is the comic for you.
iZombie is told from the perspective of Gwen Dylan, a zombie who works at a graveyard by day and moonlights as a gravedigger by night. Once a month, the otherwise fairly normal Gwen has to eat a human brain or she’ll begin to lose her mind and turn into a brain-thirsty George A. Romero-type zombie. When she eats a brain, Gwen gets the former owner's memories and personality till she consumes the next one, often motivating her to solve mysteries stemming from their prior life. But what begins as a sort of zombified cold case detective story eventually evolves into quirky supernatural epic involving Gwen’s equally unique friends, a mad scientist, a hit squad of dead presidents and the end of the world.
From writer Chris Roberson and artist Michael Allred, iZombie provides perfect light-hearted Halloween vibes. I do love an unexpected friend group brought together by supernatural forces. And the visuals! If you’re not familiar with Allred’s work, iZombie is the perfect book in which to discover it.
American Vampire
For fans of Penny Dreadful and Midnight Mass, the ambitious American Vampire has multiple volumes and spin-offs, but let’s start at the beginning with the first volume.
It’s the 1920s and Pearl Jones is living in Los Angeles and pursuing her dreams of being an actress. She gets invited to a Hollywood party that could change her entire career, but things don't go as expected—this is the night Pearl Jones dies. Drained of her blood and ditched on the side of the road, Pearl is the latest victim of a group of ancient and powerful European vampires living in America. Luckily—if you can even use the word “lucky”—the mysterious man who’s been lingering around her apartment saves her by turning her into a vampire. His name is Skinner Sweet, and he’s the first American vampire. Unlike the vampires that killed Pearl, he’s something else, something new, and something incredibly powerful, and now so is Pearl. The first volume also follows Skinner’s story in the late 1800s and how the infamous criminal became the first of a new breed of powerful vampires.
American Vampire Vol. 1 has a powerhouse creative team if ever one existed. Pearl’s storyline is written by Scott Snyder while Skinner Sweet’s is written by Stephen King (yes, that Stephen King), with stunning art by Rafael Albuquerque. The two narratives keep you on your feet as you’re thrust into a world of cowboys and ancient vampires, and this is only the beginning! From here, the series progresses forward throughout American history, showing the unique role vampires played in the Great Depression, World War II, the Red Scare and more. There’s a lot to love about the American Vampire comic universe, which spins believable mythology out of actual world events.
Flinch
For fans of Creepshow, Razorblades and Hello Darkness, as well as iconic DC horror anthology titles like House of Mystery.
Not sure what you’re in the mood for? This charcuterie board of horror stories is an anthology by some of the biggest names in comic history like Jim Lee, Greg Rucka and Brian Azzarello. In fact, Flinch contains Jim Lee’s first story art for a DC title! At sixteen issues long, there are dozens of stories that explore so many different concepts and subgenres of horror. And most important, all are equally able to keep you up at night as you read under the covers with your battery-powered flashlight!
Vertigo returning and entering its Renaissance era is something to be celebrated! From Doom Patrol to Fables, the history of Vertigo is one that is integral to DC as a whole. The imprint has put out so many incredible horror series and there’s no reason to think that tradition won’t continue in the future. But until then, find these five great titles on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE and dive deep into some of the best—and most terrifying—that Vertigo has to offer.
Sami DeMonster writes about superheroes, horror and sci-fi for DC.com and reviews comics every week on social media. Follow her at @samidemonster on Instagram and Substack.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Sami DeMonster and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
