I’ve seen a lot of horror comics praised lately, particularly Harrow County, Fatale, Wytches, Nailbiter, and Clean Room. But here are a few of my favorites off the top of my head that I enjoyed. These four may or may not have received the same attention as the others, but I’m emphasizing them because I hope others may take a look. Though not all from 2016, these are the ones I read last year and heartily recommend. I’ll keep it short and sweet:

The Squirrel Machine—19th cent. New England has never looked so beautiful with artist Rickheit’s meticulous illustrations. Animal carcasses as musical instruments, weird machines, and grotesque imagery. It reminds me of a Matthew M. Bartlett tale in comic book form.

Nijigahara Holograph—Crime noir, subtle allusions to an impending apocalypse, Inio Asano’s brilliant manga is challenging. It demands to be read three or four times before the whole tale can even began to be gleaned.

Rachel Rising—I may be on the verge of being witched-out, but Terry Moore’s latest take on all things malefic and evil is darkly comical, horrific, and filled with his usual endearing characters I can’t help but keep coming back to again and again.

House of Penance—A nightmarish telling of just how Sarah Winchester went about building the house we all know and love. The art is oddly cartoonish yet detailed and grimy at the same time. Excellent series.