Five Must-Read Comics This Fall

No. 5: Trick r' Treat

Credit: Wildstorm

What It's About

The straight-to-DVD Hallowe'en film Trick 'r Treat gained almost instant acclaim from nearly every critic for the way it lovingly embraced the horror genre, and the respectful way it paid homage to and poked fun at some of the sillier cliches of the genre, so it should come as no surprise that the film was adapted for print. Trick 'r Treat is an anthology story about a seemingly normal town in Ohio where one of the biggest Hallowe'en parties is held, and where breaking the ancient traditions of the holiday may cost you your life. We follow four specific stories: a serial killer protecting Hallowe'en tradition; four kids and a zombie prank gone horribly wrong; a pack of werewolves out to have a good time; and a Hallowe'en-hating old man who gets a friendly visit from the spirit of the holiday itself. Truly a delightful look into the real world of Hallowe'en.

Credit: Wildstorm

Why You Should Read It

Movie adaptations can be a difficult thing for a comic to pull off. Intense action, a chilling soundtrack and audible screams of terror simply cannot exist on the printed page, so you end up asking yourself why you shouldn't just watch the movie — especially one that is only an hour and 22 minutes long. While you should watch the movie, what makes the comic version of Trick 'r Treat worth examining is the opportunity for four amazing artists in the space to take a crack at a truly suspenseful tale. Artists like Mike Huddleston, who managed to draw an incredibly brutal lollipop murder and make it every bit as gruesome as it was in the movie; Grant Bond, whose zombie school bus children remain a haunting memory; Christopher Gugliotti, who somehow managed to pull off a balance between scary, attractive and off-putting with his werewolf girls (giving one of them Hello Kitty underpants was an inspired comedic choice); and finally Fiona Staples (you might have heard of her before), whose depiction of Sam, the spirit of Hallowe'en, is both adorable and the most frightening thing in the comic.

The artistic teams that were brought together on this book bring their own flair and take on this cult classic, and while Marc Andreyko did a stellar job adapting the movie into a comic book, the fact of the matter is that the visuals are what make this book one for every Hallowe'en junkie.

So there you have it, five books that every one who claims to love comics and Hallowe'en should read. There are plenty of other comics you should read this time of year, and many books didn't make my own top 5 cut: Swamp Thing, Man Thing, Curse, Rebel Blood, Harrow County, Lock and Key, Corben's Edgar Allen Poe books and I Luv Halloween just to name a few. If you agree or disagree with this list leave a comment below, and share what book you think every Trick-or-Treater should find in their candy bag!

Cody Tomler is a Contributor to ComiConverse. Follow him on Twitter @Dan_Dashly