It’s only treats no tricks, it’s “So You Want To Read Comics.” This is our weekly feature where we take a look at a single topic or genre, then give you two comic book recommendations, perfect for new readers,  based on that topic or genre.  This week we’re getting you ready for everyone’s favorite holiday,  Halloween.

The origin of Halloween is the source of many tales and theories, with most pointing towards ancient Celtic traditions surrounding harvests.  In modern days, Halloween traditions such as dressing in costumes and trick or treating have roots in Medieval times.   As time has gone on Halloween has taken on a popularity that has altered it from a folk celebration to a full blown cultural phenomenon that is rivaled only by Christmas in terms of commercial appeal.  Fans of all the spookiness, macabre, and frights,  have no shortage of movies and TV shows to choose from, but comics also have their fair share of Halloween goodness.

Here are a pair of comic books that are must reads for all Halloween fans.

PAPER GIRLS

Writer: Brian K. Vaughan
Artists: Cliff Chiang and Matt Wilson
Publisher: Image Comics

For many, Halloween is something that they’ve learned to appreciate in different ways as they’ve grown older, but there are some who will always associate Halloween with the mischief and excitement of running rampant on Halloween night.  This comic is for them.  Paper Girls is a wild series featuring a group of teenage paper delivery girls who inadvertently get wrapped up in war between rival time travelers.  This leads the group down many adventures that criss-cross eras and dimensions.  While the premise is pretty out there, at the heart of this series is a celebration of being young and rambunctious.  The relationships between the characters take center stage here and you get the sense that it’s the desire to simply create memories with each other that is influencing the decisions and actions.  This series was adapted into a TV show and it is currently collected into 6 individual volumes or one complete omnibus that contains the whole thing.

BATMAN: LONG HALLOWEEN

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Tim Sale
Publisher: DC Comics

There are a handful of Batman stories that routinely end up featured on “best of” lists. The Killing Joke,  Dark Knight Returns, and The Long Halloween.  Here,  Batman is tasked with tracking down a killer who only kills on holidays and after missing them on all the other ones,  Halloween is when Bruce sets out to put things to an end.   This graphic novel features a version of Batman who’s a bit younger and earlier in his crime fighting career, which is great because those who are unfamiliar with some of Batman’s supporting cast are introduced to them at the same time as Batman is.  Also, this graphic novel has a tone that is a bit different from most of the live action depictions of the characters that tend to focus on the darker and grittier side of the Batman mythos.  This series can be read in a single volume, and due to its popularity there are plenty of special editions that include bonus materials as well as some spin-offs for those who really enjoy this one.

What are some of your favorite Halloween stories?  What did you think of these recommendations?  Let us know in the comments section below.

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