Here’s a terrible recommendation of a horror comic if you’re a parent… The Closet, a three-issue series from Image Comics, written by James Tynion IV with art by Gavin Fullerton that counts among the most upsetting books I’ve ever read.
Here’s the concept, which is pretty simple. Thom moves his family, including his son Jamie, across the country. Jamie, a young kid, thinks there are monsters in his closet. And you may not be surprised to learn there are, as terrifyingly depicted by Fullerton. But the real monsters may be outside the closet, in Thom’s relationship (or lack thereof) with his wife and the rest of his family.
Like an excellent Twilight Zone episode in comic book form, The Closet refuses to give any answers or closure to the situation. It merely presents them in all their messed-up glory. And it is extremely upsetting throughout, in the mode of movies like Hereditary or The Babadook, where the parents and the kids both get the short end of the stick.
This book stands in stark contrast to the horror trope of a broken family brought closer by a traumatic experience. Here, it’s all trauma. It’s dealing with the things we keep hidden, in the back of the closet, if you will, and try to ignore. But they all come out eventually.
If you’re looking for a book you’ll want to read with one light on and the closet door locked tight, look no further than The Closet. Seriously, don’t look any further, it’s too scary in there.
Bonus: Don’t miss The Deviant from Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson, which is finishing up its run right now from Image Comics.
It’s spooky season, and you know what that means: time to curl up with a comic book or graphic novel that will scare your socks off. With that in mind, we’re posting a new horror book to check out every day of October, for our 31 Days Of Halloween Comics. Awoooo! Looking for the rest of our picks? Check them out on the Halloween tag.
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