Welcome to our first annual Grave Decay horror awards! We covered an absolutely insane amount of horror comics over the past year, and we gave special attention to brand-new series. So, for our debut Best Horror Comic Book awards, we’re focusing solely on those new comic series that launched in 2018. All of the brand-new comics we reported on throughout the year were in our pool of consideration – the only criteria was that the series’ first issue must have launched in 2018. We then narrowed the field down to ten nominees which we ranked. Without further ado, here are the nine nominees & one winner of our first-ever Best New Horror Comic Book award.
Pumpkinhead
Kicking off our list of favorite new comic book series of 2018 is Dynamite Entertainment’s Pumpkinhead. Based on the film franchise of the same name, the five-part comic series was written by Cullen Bunn and illustrated by Blacky Shepherd & Kyle Strahm.
Elvira: Mistress of the Dark
Our ninth favorite new comic series of 2018 is Dynamite Entertainment’s Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. Dynamite brought Elvira back to comics with a bang (pun intended) this year with a ton of collectible variant covers. The Elvira comic reboot is written by David Avallone and illustrated by Joseph Michael Linsner & Dave Acosta.
Bedtime Games
Dark Horse Comics’ Bedtime Games is our eighth favorite new comic series of last year. The four-part comic centers around a group of young friends who unlock a supernatural game and must face its ghoulish creator Mr. Bedtime and his army of nightmarish fiends. Bedtime Games was written by Nick Keller & illustrated by Conor Nolan.
Night Moves
Our seventh favorite new comic series of 2018 is IDW Publishing’s Sin City occult noir-horror tale Night Moves. The five-part series, written by Justin & VJ Boyd and illustrated by Clay McCormack & Chris Burnham, will conclude early this year.
Brother Nash
Titan Comic’ Brother Nash placed sixth on our list of 2018’s best new comic series. The story of a werewolf/trucker is written & illustrated by Bridgit Connell.
Bone Parish
Our fifth favorite new comic series of last year is Image Comics’ Bone Parish. Written by prolific horror comic author Cullen Bunn & illustrated by Jonas Scharf, Bone Parish tells the story of a new drug made from human cremains, which has taken over New Orleans.
Jook Joint
The next new comic series on our list is also set in New Orleans, Image Comics’ Jook Joint. The comic centers on a nightclub in 1950’s New Orleans staffed by killer supernatural women. Jook Joint is written by Tee Franklin & illustrated by Alitha E. Martinez.
Dead Life
Our third favorite new comic series of last year is Titan Comics’ Dead Life. The apocalyptic zombie story is written by Jean-Charles Gaudin and illustrated by Joan Urgell & Mambba.
Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men
Dark Horse Comics’ four-part Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men is our second favorite new comic series of 2018. Author Evan Dorkin & illustrator Benjamin Dewey craft an inventive tale of intelligent pet dogs who battle the occult.
Farmhand
Our favorite new comic series of 2018 is Image Comics’ Farmhand, written & illustrated by Rob Guillory, with colors by Taylor Wells. The comic is about a family-run human organ farm that goes horribly awry.
Well that wraps up the 2018 Best New Horror Comic Book category. Congratulations to Image Comics & Rob Guillory for the win despite some incredibly tough competition, and thanks to all the nominees for creating these beautiful stories!