Image via Complex Original
Brightly-colored superheroes rule the comic book world 364 days a year, but on Halloween, it’s all about the monsters. Beginning with the legendary E.C. Comics horror titles from the 1940s and ‘50s, vampires, zombies, demons, and all other types of creepy creatures have made a major impact on the storytelling medium. For decades, horror books were the lifeblood of the industry (as they continue to be in cinema), and if they didn't get censored in the late ‘50s, we never would have experienced the '60s superhero trend that gave us Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, or Marvel Comics, for that matter.
As much as we love those characters, there is still a part of us that yearns for those old-school horror books to make a comeback. Thankfully, creators have still managed to squeeze scary elements into mainstream comics over the years, which again proves that you can’t keep a good genre down. So, to celebrate Halloween, the comic lovers at Complex count down The 15 Scariest Monsters In Comics.
Written by Jason Serafino (@serafinoj1)
15. Vermin (Marvel Comics, 1982)
A cannibalistic humanoid rat, mutated geneticist Edward Whelan is one more reason to never venture into the NYC sewer system. You know, in case the feces baths weren't enough.
14. Fin Fang Foom (Marvel Comics, 1961)
The origin of this shape-shifting dragon from outer space is a little hard to swallow, but there is no denying his terrifying appearance. Capable of leveling cities, this is a beast of pure power and malice with no empathy towards any living thing.
13. Man-Bat (DC Comics, 1970)
While Batman prances around in a pair of tights and a pointy mask, Dr. Kirk Langstrom turned into a real creature of the night after an experiment gone wrong. Now as the ungodly Man-Bat, Langstrom straddles the line between good and evil, but he mostly does whatever he wants. And who is going to argue with that face?
12. Werewolf by Night (Marvel Comics, 1972)
With a name like Jack Russell, could you expect this dude to be anything else than a creepy man/wolf hybrid? Werewolf by Night came along during Marvel’s horror renaissance of the early ‘70s, and he’s still one of the scariest looking characters to populate the Marvel Universe. It’s just unfortunate that there is so much wasted potential to go along with his horrifying appearance.
11. Tales from the Crypt Zombie (E.C. Comics, 1951)
The E.C. horror comics were the industry standard for so long that it would be a sin to leave them off the list. Though most of the monsters and creatures in these titles only appeared for a few pages, or sometimes just the cover, we think this zombie is the creeptastic highlight of the whole line.
10. The Zombie (Marvel Comics, 1953)
Back when Marvel was still known as Atlas Comics, the House of Ideas actually had a very proud history of horror comics, and one of its finest creations was The Zombie back in the early ‘50s. This dude was so creepy that he didn’t even need a proper name. It wasn’t until <em>Tales of the Zombie</em> came out in the ‘70s that this character took on new life, but it was worth the wait.
9. Morbius, the Living Vampire (Marvel Comics, 1971)
Spider-Man is mainly known for a colorful gang of supervillains that, while iconic, are about as dangerous as the League of Women Voters. However, when Morbius debuted during the end of Stan Lee’s tenure on The Amazing Spider-Man, he brought some much-needed horror flare to the book. Since then, Morbius has been Marvel’s resident vampire and one of the favorites amongst genre lovers.
8. Sadu-Hem (Dark Horse Comics, 1993)
The most impressive thing about Sadu-Hem is that it manages to stand out as the most frightening among the countless monsters that fill the Hellboy universe. This mountainous god of chaos is a pure beast that's able to crack whole worlds in half when it's having a bad day.
7. Etrigan (DC Comics, 1972)
Is there anything more terrifying than a demon from Hell that has an affinity for violence and poetry? Etrigan may be one of the “good guys” of the DC universe, but he doesn’t work in black and white like most comic characters. He speaks like Shakespeare, fights like a warrior, and looks like the devil. This is one character you wouldn’t want on your bad side.
6. Violator (Image Comics, 1992)
What Todd McFarlane lacked in storytelling ability he made up for with startling character designs. And the look he gave Violator is easily his best yet. There was nothing in comics that looked anything like him, but it was a design that was soon copied by all of his contemporaries. The gangly limbs, gaping jaw, and dead red eyes all spell doom for whoever crosses his path.
5. Man-Thing (Marvel Comics, 1971)
As Marvel’s answer to Swamp Thing, the Man-Thing is a swampy, murky mess of a beast. Dripping with swamp waters and foliage, this monster is a soulless ghoul capable of sensing human emotions and burning those who do wrong with his supernatural touch. Marvel has tried to turn Man-Thing into a hero over the years, but we think he’s best as an out-and-out monster.
4. Solomon Grundy (DC Comics, 1944)
In recent years, Solomon Grundy has been turned into a cliché supervillain for the Justice League to pound on, but when he first debuted, he was an ashen-skinned zombie with straggly hair and loose skin. He was absolutely terrifying, as no heroes fought the undead during this time, and when done right, he’s a terrifying beast that can rival the strength of Superman or the Hulk.
3. Killer Croc (DC Comics, 1983)
Taking a step back from Batman’s array of realistic villains, Killer Croc is a pure, cannibalistic animal that feels no sympathy for human life. He would rather roam the sewers feeding on flesh than enter society, which makes him nearly impossible to reason with. With razor-sharp teeth and claws that can cut through steel, Croc is a monster unlike anything the Dark Knight has ever faced.
2. Bernie Wrightson’s Frankenstein (IDW Publishing, 2012)
Ignoring the glamorous Hollywood version of the ‘30s, Bernie Wrightson’s take on Frankenstein has the spine-tingling look that Mary Shelly always intended for him to have. Ghastly, gangly, and gruesome, Wrightson replaced the neck bolts and flat head for a genuine corpse look that is still the best physical adaptation of the character yet. Whether you see his take in the straight-up Frankenstein adaptation from 1983, or the new Frankenstein Alive! Alive! series, this is how the classic monster should always look.
1. Swamp Thing (DC Comics, 1971)
Why does Swamp Thing land on the top of this list? Think about it: He’s a sentient force of nature fueled by an undying rage for any human who tries to ruin his home. Some writers have tried to make him more of a traditional hero recently, but Alan Moore made him a legitimate monster that could philosophize one minute, and turn nature into a living weapon the next.
He can literally turn miles of vegetation into his own house of horrors for anyone that does him, or nature, wrong. When you’re capable of controlling all of the plant life on the planet, you’re bordering on god territory. And it doesn’t get much scarier than that.