After almost 10 years in the making, the Stranger Things finale is coming, and the Hawkins kids will have their final battle in the Upside Down. Like with every show that becomes a part of our lives, we start missing them even before they’re gone. So, we’ve prepared seven comics to read that’ll remind you of the series, and just might become your next obsession.
The following comics have a similar atmosphere or story when compared to Stranger Things, but they’re also so much more than that. Each of them is its own little world; as complex, moving, dark, and beautiful as the hit Netflix series. They range from stand-out, established works to hidden gems and recent successes, and they’re just waiting to knock you dead.
So while you wait to find out if Vecna murders all those kids (probably not), here are seven comics to help you make the wait feel a little shorter.
1. Paper Girls
Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artist: Cliff Chiang
Paper Girls is the most obvious recommendation for this list. It’s not only a must-read, but it also follows a group of friends you quickly grow to love as they find a world of weirdness in their small town. It’s just as nostalgic, while always subverting it with its endless creativity.
2. Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons
Writer: Jody Houser, Jim Zub
Artist: Diego Galindo
This story is set before and throughout the series. So, you can watch the kids from Hawkins meeting Dustin for the first time and follow them as their friendship grows. It’s a sweet comic that gives insight into some untold tales, such as how they met Eddie Munson, a fan-favorite character.
3. DIE
Writer: Kieron Gillen
Artist: Stephanie Hans
Die is based on many works that inspire Stranger Things, such as The Lord of the Rings and Dungeons & Dragons. However, it’s much darker, turning the kids’ fun plaything into a nightmare that traumatizes them forever.
4. We Can Never Go Home
Writer: Matthew Rosenberg, Patrick Kindlon
Artist: Joshua Hood
If you love a good group of misfits, you’ll love Duncan and Madison. They’re from totally different social spectrums, but have one important thing in common: superpowers. Follow them as they run away and find themselves on a tense, emotional journey.
5. Afterlife with Archie
Writer: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Artist: Francesco Francavilla
If you dislike that Stranger Things rarely kills its characters, the Archie universe will throw you for a loop. This zombie story has no problem showing the lovable cast literally spilling their guts out and devouring their friends. If that sounds gory, trust us, Francavilla’s art style makes it even creepier.
6. The Woods
Writer: James Tynion IV
Artist: Michael Dialynas
Do you miss the eerie, small-town horror feel of the show? The Woods will be perfect for you. However, the characters here are in no small town. More than 400 students and their teachers are transported to a moon filled with monsters and deadly forests. Watch as they solve the place’s mysteries and struggle to get home.
7. Home Sick Pilots
Writer: Dan Watters
Artist: Caspar Wijngaard
What if instead of DnD and Demogorgons, Stranger Things was about punk bands and haunted houses? Watters and Wijngaard create a story about trauma and grief with a similar nostalgia and love for music.
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