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If there’s one thing I love more than the DC Universe, it’s horror. From scary movies to creepypastas and immersive experiences during Halloween, there are no spine-tingling spooky things I don’t like. And to my surprise, when I was looking in DC Comics’ October solicitations, I discovered the publisher was launching a brand-new horror-based anthology.
This fall, the publisher is launching DC Horror Presents…, an anthology book set firmly in the DC Universe’s prime continuity. From the moment I saw it, I was already in love with the idea. But the more I thought about this, the greater my hopes started to climb. Read on to discover 5 reasons why I’m incredibly hyped for DC Comics’ daring new horror series.
5 DC Comics Finally Having a Consistent Horror Title
Horror is One of the Hottest Genres in Comics Right Now
In case you aren’t a horror aficionado, creepy stories have been absolutely booming in popularity in the last several years. Marvel and DC Comics may have the lion’s share of attention as far as superhero stories are concerned, but publishers like Dark Horse, IDW, Image, Mad Cave, Ahoy and others have all been quite successful at pumping out twisted tales of terror. I can’t even keep up with the ‘it’ horror title because the moment I finally discover a new, amazing horror series, several more have followed in its wake. No matter where you look, new horror books are flooding the market.
Now that’s not to say that DC Comics has never put out any horror books. It actually had an amazing imprint just a few years ago that I was a huge fan of, Joe Hill’s Hill House Comics line, which gave us amazing stories like Basketful of Heads and The Dollhouse Family. DC Comics has even recently put out a sequel to the Eisner-winning title The Nice House on the Lake, The Nice House by the Sea. Not to mention there were a few other cool, short-lived series like Soul Plumber and Sgt. Rock vs. the Army of the Dead.
But DC Comics has only been experimenting with horror, not fully committing to it. Granted, the publisher is known primarily for its superheroes, but a company that size has to know how big the horror genre is right now. It just makes good business sense to stop sporadically releasing horror-themed books every few months and actually try to capture some of the market and put out a book for horror fans. Hell, if anything, it helps expand DC Comics’ reach to readers who might not otherwise pick up a superhero book but are always down for a good scare.
4 Horror Stories Set in the Prime DC Universe
We’ll Finally See the Creepiest Corners of the DCU in Full Detail
The line that really got me interested from DC Horror Presents…#1’s solicitation was “a new collection of gruesome tales set in the DCU”. This isn’t going to be a book that takes place in some new, unexplored world. It’s set in the same world where Superman regularly saves the day and there’s an undertone of optimism everywhere you look. That might not sound like the right atmosphere for a horror series, but as movies like Midsommar and Get Out show, appearances can be deceiving. In fact, sometimes the most wholesome environments harbor the darkest secrets and the most terrifying monsters.
Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think this is going to be a cynical slasherfest or something as grotesque and nightmarish as the Human Centipede. But I do think there’s a lot of potential that hasn’t been explored in the DC Universe that would make for a perfect horror story. I mean, this is a universe where ghosts, werewolves, aliens, killer robots, and demons are real and heroes routinely run into them. When viewed through the lens of the superhero genre, that’s just another day ending in ‘Y’. But in a horror story, these things are fantastic and lethal antagonists.
Seriously, just think about how messed up the DC Universe is. You’ve got places like Hub City, a horrible place that makes Gotham look sane by comparison. There’s villains like Darkseid who have literally robbed the free will of millions. Not to mention if the Joker were a horror movie villain, he’d have a body count higher than Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees put together. All this to say that by exploring the darkest corners of the DCU, DC Horror Presents… has the chance to be one of the most unique horror anthologies on the market.
3 Covers That Truly Embrace Just How Creepy the DC Universe Can Be
From Amazing Artists Like Francesco Francavilla and Tyler Crook
When a new batch of solicitations drops, one of my favorite things is to look at all the covers and variants the publisher has prepared for their books. As one would imagine, DC Horror Presents… has some seriously creepy covers that will hopefully draw in any curious horror fan when these books are finally on the stands. Sure, maybe you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but damn it if the artists DC Comics hired didn’t go all out for this twisted new anthology. If you thought you’ve seen DC heroes in trouble before, lookie here.
DC Horror Presents #1’s variant by an artist I’ve loved since Afterlife with Archie made me fall back in love with zombie stories. Francesco Francavilla’s made some creepy covers before, but this Batgirl cover is haunting. I don’t know if Barbara Gordon’s actually going to be hiding out from a rat in the first issue, but Francavilla’s cover certainly makes me want to see it! My second favorite variant has to be Tom Fowler’s cover for DC Horror Presents #2, which shows usually good boy Krypto sitting on a pile of bones with Batman’s arm in his mouth. Yeesh.
Of course, we can’t forget DC Horror Presents… main covers done by the master himself, Tyler Crook. Superman’s been in bad places before, but Crook’s cover for issue 1 has the Man of Steel tied up by some sinister-looking threads as he looks on in terror. If you think that’s bad, just look at the standard cover for DC Horror Presents… #1 (or don’t if you have a massive fear of rabies). Batman is strung upside down by similar looking thread as a bat exits his mouth. I can only wonder what’s going to befall other Justice Leaguers on future covers.
2 Bringing Horror Icons to Spin These Tales of Dread in the DC Universe
The Boulet Brothers, Latoya Morgan, and Aaron Sagers to Start
Creating an ongoing horror book beyond a special is going to take a lot of work. But in addition to the artists tapped for this project, who’s going to be writing stories of the unseen side of the DCU? Thankfully, we already know a few thanks to the solicitations and if you’re a horror fan, you’re most certainly going to recognize a few of them. The first issue is going to feature a story by the Boulet Brothers and whether you know them from their drag performances or their work in Heavy Metal, they’re the perfect fit for this anthology.
Were you a fan of The Walking Dead show or did you read Dark Blood? If so, you’re going to want to check out DC Horror Presents… #2, which will feature a story by NAACP Image Award-winning writer LaToya Morgan. Or maybe you’re more into the paranormal, in which case, this issue also has you covered since it features a story by paranormal journalist Aaron Sagers, founder of ParanomalPopCulture.com. And that’s just for the first two issues. If DC Comics has this crew to helm the first couple of issues, who knows who it will get for the next few?
Call me a dreamer, but I can already name a few people I’d love to see. Svengoolie teamed up with DC Comics for a couple of short stories back in 2019, so bring him back and let him run wild with a fun, spooky story. As a fan of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs, I’d absolutely love to see the man himself pen a tale in the anthology (or my fellow South Carolina native Diana ‘Darcy the Mail Girl’ Prince for that matter). Thankfully, there’s no short supply of talented horror icons DC Comics can reach out to.
1 David Dastmalchian Kicking Off DC Horror Presents… #1
Count Crowley Writer and Late Night with the Devil Star Comes to DC
Those who have already seen the solicitation for the first issue of DC Horror Presents… may have already noted I left one particular name off that previous entry, and for a very good reason: He deserves his own entry. Helping kick off this anthology is an actor and writer who’s had a meteoric rise to success in the last decade and become a hit among horror fans everywhere. Joining the Boulet Brothers in DC Horror Presents… #1 is Late Night with the Devil star and Count Crowley writer, David Dastmalchian.
Dastmalchian was always one of those people I’d see in movies every so often and recognize him but never know exactly where. But after roles in films and television shows like The Dark Knight, Ant-Man, The Flash, and The Suicide Squad, he’s become a name that I’ve started to look forward to every time I see it attached to a project. But while he’s an incredibly skilled actor, he’s also an amazing and hard-working writer. Not only did he work on Count Crowley: Reluctant Midnight Monster Hunter, but Dastmalchian’s got several other books coming out in the next year.
Not only is Dastmalchian working on a story for DC Horror Presents… #1, but he’s working with collaborator Leah Kilpatrick. Both of them worked on Headless Horseman Halloween Annual, so their story is sure to be a phenomenal one. Dastmalchian has quickly become a favorite of mine, and I suspect he’s a lot of people’s favorite too. It’s great to see DC Comics start this anthology out strong with a writer who’s no doubt going to bring a lot of eyeballs to whatever tale of terror he plans on crafting.
DC Horror Presents… #1 is available on October 23rd from DC Comics.
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