Horror Week at Capes and Tights is our annual celebration of a genre we love and this week wouldn’t be complete without highlighting some of the best horror comics this year so far. This list features comics with issues released in 2025 and is in no particular order.
Beneath (Mad Cave)
(w) Steven S. Deknight (a) Michael Gaydo
Deputy Sheriff Jess Delgado is tasked with transporting the sole survivor of a mysterious attack along the Texas-Mexico border to CoreCivil, a for-profit immigration detention center closing down due to wide-spread protests. Housing only a handful remaining detainees and manned by a skeleton crew of disgruntled guards, the detention center becomes a desperate battle ground when something otherworldly emerges from deep below the earth. Something that only fears the light. Deputy Delgado must pull together the guards and detainees – two groups that hate and fear each other – to survive the night. Or fall to the vengeance of the things that live beneath.
Beneath is a beautiful blend of real-life horrors and supernatural terror that is both suspenseful and thought-provoking. Steven S. Deknight crafts a story that feels like an homage to classics such as The Thing and Tremors, while Michael Gaydos vividly brings these horrors to life in each and every panel. Together they’ve created a horror graphic novel that has the promise of being one of my favorites this year. Beneath is an absolute must-read horror comic. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review
Exquisite Corpses (Image)
(w) James Tynion IV, Michael Walsh, Pornsak Pichetshote, Che Grayson, Jordie Bellaire, Tyler Boss (a) Walsh, Valentine De Landro, Adam Gorham, Claire Roe, Gavin Fullerton
Every five years on Halloween, the wealthiest families in America play a game. Twelve of the deadliest people in the world are dropped into a small town with just one goal: last killer standing wins. For the citizens of Oak Valley, Maine — this year’s unlucky arena — the goal is much simpler. They must survive the night.
Exquisite Corpses #1 may have a familiar feeling, but James Tynion IV and Michael Walsh elevate the comic with their own spin, along with stunning visuals and interesting character work. The expanded, 60-page, first issue not only lays down the foundation for the series–which is likely to be a gripping and thrilling ride–but also gives each character introduction some breathing room. If the rest of the series is even close to this first issue, we’re in for something truly special. A must-read horror comic. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
The Exorcism at 1600 Penn (IDW)
(w) Hannah Rose May (a) Vanesa Del Rey
Kelly Doyle has just been elected the first woman president of the United States of America, and boiling political tension could spill over at any second. Having to balance being a mother to two teenagers and navigating the shifting media landscape, all while preventing World War III, has Kelly spread thin, but she could never predict that the nation’s hallowed halls would soon become a demonic battleground for good versus evil.
I was hooked after the premiere issue of The Exorcism at 1600 Penn and satisfied the feeling I felt from the outset carried throughout the entire story. Hannah Rose May and Vanesa Del Rey have created a gripping tale that defies genre conventions with its blend of political drama and supernatural horror. This miniseries showcases the kind of innovative storytelling that sets creator-owned comics apart from mainstream titles, more of what we want to see coming from outstanding publishers like IDW Publishing. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review
30 Days of Night: Falling Sun (IDW)
(w) Rodney Barnes (a) Chris Shehan
The town of Barrow has moved on. Those who remember the vampiric terror of two decades past would rather not talk about it. Those who don’t remember don’t believe the stories. Ignorance will be their downfall, because a dark memory is stirring in the heart of Romania and it has set its sights on Barrow, the death place of Vicente. While vampires seek revenge for their fallen leader in Alaska, troubled teen Jalen James seeks sanctuary. After fleeing gang violence in Los Angeles, Jalen needs a fresh start. But he’s unlikely to find it as the sun falls…
30 Days of Night: Falling Sun #1 is a truly stellar premiere issue. Rodney Barnes and Chris Shehan craft a tale that has the making of standing up to the original story. Their partnership of talented horror writing and stunningly terrifying imagery makes this series something you won’t want to miss. Hitting the marks for those fans of Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith’s creation while also allowing space for new readers to join the fray, 30 Days of Night: Falling Sun is a must-read horror series. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
READ ON AMAZON
Look Out (AWA)
(w) Dan Baillie (a) Tim Bradstreet
When Oscar, recuperating from a divorce, takes a job as a fire lookout in a remote forest outpost, he unearths a mangled sheet of paper inscribed with a strange set of rules that promise to keep him safe during his watch. Oscar laughs it off as a prank – a bit of light hazing from the other fire lookouts in the area – but when night falls, he discovers that the rules, and the threat they protect against, are all too real.
Look Out isn’t just one of the best books I’ve read in 2025; it’s also one of the most wonderful comics I’ve come across so far this year. Each page turned feature incredible storytelling, thanks to Dan Baillie’s amazing writing paired with Tim Bradstreet’s stunning illustrations. This unique graphic novella format seamlessly brings together the world of prose novellas with stunning imagery, making it a must-read for horror fans everywhere. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review
READ ON AMAZON
Those Not Afraid (Dark Horse)
(w) Kyle Starks (a) Patrick Piazzalunga
Two serial killers discover they are within reach of the state record for kills and enter a terrible competition to see who gets there first. Learn more about our awful killers Mark Christopher Ewing and Daniel Dodson and their grotesque activities as we enter a frightening game of cat-and-mouse between killers and police.
Those Not Afraid captures the horror and dark humor I have come to expect from the Kyle Starks, paired with outstanding and gruesome artwork from Patrick Piazzalunga. This debut issue is just what I needed to kick-off the year and while it is early 2025, this series has a real chance at being one of the best comics of the year. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
Event Horizon: Dark Descent
(a) Christian Ward (a) Tristan Jones
The Event Horizon was a revolutionary spaceship designed for one mission: faster-than-light travel with a top secret and experimental gravity drive. But upon activating the device, the ship journeyed across the borders of hell itself. In a nightmarish realm of torments beyond imagining, Captain Kilpack and the first crew of the Event Horizon must resist all manner of demonic forces including Paimon, the eyeless King of Hell, and their own descents into madness and bloodlust, if they’ve any chance of escaping back to their own world.
Event Horizon: Dark Descent nails the disturbing feeling and psychological horror that made the original film become a cult classic. While familiarity with the 1997 feature will add to your overall experience, this series stands on its own as a dark, mature, and stunningly crafted cosmic horror tale, well worth the nearly 30-year wait. Plus, all the more reason to rewatch the classic film over again. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
READ ON AMAZON
Let This One be a Devil (Dark Horse)
(w) James Tynion IV, Steve Foxe (a) Piotr Kowalski
In the early 1900s, Henry Naughton returns home to the family farm in the swampy Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey. One night, he encounters a strange predator stalking the woods. This sends the young scholar on a research project that uncovers the legend of Mother Leeds and the terrible birth of the Jersey Devil in 1735.
Let This One Be a Devil is a cryptic horror is truly unlike anything I have read recently. The debut issue from James Tynion IV, Steve Foxe, Piotr Kowalski, Brad Simpson and letterer Tom Napolitano captivated me from the very first page with this quick yet profound read. With many cryptid tales featuring the Jersey Devil exist across multiple different mediums, Let This One Be a Devil sets itself apart from the crowd. Tynion and Foxe truly have something special on their hands and have ensure the stakes are high for upcoming issues in the series. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
Athanasia (Vault)
(w) Daniel Kraus (a) Dani
Forrest Molson is going nowhere. One year out of high school — and one year into sobriety — she’s working with her father as assistant groundskeeper at Athanasia Cemetery, the final resting place of fallen members of the Dynamic Guild, Venture City’s resident superheroes. At her lowest point, Forrest discovers Athanasia’s darkest secret. At night, the cemetery soil bleeds a substance created from the spectacular substances that ooze from rotting superheroes. This ooze becomes Forrest’s new drug — and she’s intent on using her unpredictable new powers to be judge, jury, and executioner of Venture City’s evil citizens. But as she loses her mind to her new addiction, she inches closer to becoming the most evil of all.
Athanasia stands alongside some of the great, dark superhero tales such as Watchmen, Black Hammer, and The Boys as another pillar in the ongoing dissection of the superhero story. This is a tale about happens after the cape is folded and the world moves on. It’s a brutal tale, that is also beautiful in its own twisted way. A superhero tale told through a dark lens for sure. Athanasia by Daniel Kraus and Dani is a must-read for those fans looking for a superhuman story outside of the everyday of the big two. – CLICK HERE to read our entire review
The Beauty (Ignition)
(w) Jeremy Haun, Jason A. Hurley (a) Emanuela Lupacchino
Set in a world not unlike our own, The Beauty chronicles what happens when a new sexually transmitted disease begins to spread. Only, this is a disease that people actually want, as those who contract it are literally changed into more beautiful versions of themselves. The only hitch is a slight fever and, eventually, death. But isn’t that an easy price to pay to be gorgeous?
It is freaking fantastic to have more of The Beauty in my life. This new volume adds so much to the already amazing storyline, while also allowing new readers to join the party. Jeremy Haun and Jason A. Hurley bring back to life a truly original story with the help from outstanding illustrations by Emanuela Lupacchino. The Beauty is a must-read comic. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
Far Down Below (Mad Cave)
(w) Chris Condon (a) Gegê Schall
It all begins in 1865. Somewhere beneath Pennsylvania, in darkness. A distant sound is heard. A whirring…Suddenly, the wall explodes and a gigantic drill bit bursts through, revealing a train-like cab and locomotive wheels encased by sharp, metal treads. This metal beast is known, simply, as THE MONOLITH. Explorers emerging from the cab look at the massive cavern they are standing in, and declare that they have found it–The Hollow Earth. From the darkness, something slithers up the cab, kills the lights, and the explorers are never seen alive again…
A century later. 1983. It’s a rainy day in Eastern Pennsylvania. Two friends, Mike and Brian, are bored at Brian’s house. While down in the basement, they uncover the key to Brian’s grandfather’s house –abandoned since the mid-60s and presumed haunted after his grandfather mysteriously disppeared.
Far Down Below is a true exploration of discovery and danger. With Chris Condon’s impeccable blend of intrigue and horror along with Gegê Schall’s phenomenal artwork, Far Down Below #1 has to be one of the best debut issue of 2025 and is poised for a top comic of the year honors if future issues are anything like this issue. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
News from the Fallout (Image)
(w) Chris Condon (a) Jeffrey Alan Love
In 1962 Nevada, a nuclear bomb test goes horribly awry and unleashes a contaminate into the atmosphere that turns people rotten. Otis Fallows, a private in the U.S. Army who is present for the test and is the only known survivor, flees the secret army base in search of a safe haven—but does such a place exist?
Chris Condon proves his ability to craft all types of comics as he lays the ground work for what seems to be a distinctive horror series in News from the Fallout. The atmospheric story got me from the outset and didn’t let go. Adding to the allure is Jeffrey Alan Love’s haunting black-and-white artwork, which eerily pairs well with Condon’s script. This first issue delivered a truly powerful introduction to the series, leaving me eagerly awaiting future issues. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
Buried Long, Long Ago (Mad Cave)
(w) Anthony Cleveland (a) Alex Cormack
Based on true events, from 1901-1908 Belle Gunness lured dozens of lonely men to her Indiana farm and savagely murdered them for their money. Because Belle managed to avoid capture and face trial, much of this story remains untold. Until now. This is a fairy-tale retelling of her brutal crimes from the perspective of her three young children…who soon discover there is something far worse, and far more evil, than their mother on the farm. Something Buried Long, Long Ago.
Buried Long, Long Ago is a historical fiction horror tale that combines real life events with a dark fairy tale element to create an enthralling narrative. Anthony Cleveland excels at exploring this unnerving tale while putting his own spin on it. Alex Cormack pairs wonderfully with Cleveland in brining his immense talents to the table to bring this comic to life in vivid fashion. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring (IDW)
(w) Patrick Horvath (a) Patrick Horvath
It’s been eight long years since a bloodlusting brown bear drove into the city, kidnapped a kind young duck, dissected his body, and buried the pieces in the woods. The duck’s family painstakingly sought justice… but this brown bear was smart… she covered her tracks… and in the ’80s, there simply wasn’t a way for the duck’s family to find answers.
But it’s not the ’80s anymore. Almost a decade after cuddly brown bear Samantha Strong solidified herself as the sole serial killer in Woodbrook, the world is entering a new era. As Samantha will soon find out, there are no secrets in the age of the internet. And those who lost loved ones to her massacre haven’t given up the flame of justice. A reckoning is coming to Woodbrook.
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees: Rite of Spring #1 delivers with its signature artwork and engrossing story, Patrick Horvath has truly outdone himself. This sequel has the same engird and suspense of the original series but takes it to a new level that I didn’t see coming. Horvath has me wanting to immerse myself in the world of Woodbrook and Samantha all over again! Like with the first series, Rite of Spring is a must-read. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
READ ON AMAZON
Murder Podcast (Ignition)
(w) Jeremy Haun (a) Mike Tisserand
Fans of true crime podcasts are noticing brand-new episodes of a show they thought was over appearing in their feed, but when they cue up the first episode, they find themselves overtaken by a murderous urge. One that only stops when the killer is stopped, leaving a gruesome death toll in its wake. For Mina and her friends, these killings are just another topic of their daily gossip, a potential new case for the next true crime show they can’t get enough of. Yet, as the killings get closer and closer to their own lives, it’s becoming clear that there is more going on below the surface than any of them realizes.
Murder Podcast is the perfect launch title for Ignition Press, blending true crime, a terrifying tale from Jeremy Haun, and stunning artwork by Mike Tisserand. This premiere issue hooked me with its plot and held me tight with fresh, gripping narrative, and breathtaking visuals. I’m not only excited for what’s next in this series, but I am also super eager to see more from Tisserand in the world of comics. – CLICK HERE to read the entire review of the first issue
