Halloween is upon us! As pop culture aficionados, this is one of our favorite times of year: there are tons of movies, TV shows, songs, and (most of all) comic books to enjoy for the spooky season! We picked five comics from our reading list that we think would be the gems of any fan's collection, let us tell you all about them.
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5) Showcase #60
Created by Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel with artist Bernard Bailey, The Spectre is DC Comics' macabre undead avenger! Murdered by gangsters, police detective Jim Corrigan was resurrected with divine powers and a thirst for vengeance. Appearing as a chalk-white ghoul, he roams the world battling human evildoers, rogue mystics, and evil demons alike. A creation of the Golden Age of Comics, he was brought back in the Silver Age and has stuck around ever since. We picked his Silver Age debut for inclusion on this list, because finding a pre-WWII first appearance for your collection is a tall order.
Estimated High Grade Value: $400
4) The Tomb of Dracula #1
For nearly two decades, the Comics Code Authority banished the undead from the pages of mainstream comics. They lightened up in the early 70s, amending their rules to allow for the use of monsters with literary traditions behind them. Marvel Comics leapt on this development, bringing The Tomb of Dracula #1 to newsstands in April 1972. The series, which brought Bram Stoker's classic vampire villain into the Marvel Universe, would go on to be one of the most iconic Marvel books of the 70s. It kicked off a horror craze, introduced the iconic vampire hunting hero Blade, and was even adapted as an anime movie!
Estimated High Grade Value: $600
3) Marvel Spotlight #5
Fun fact: the first Marvel Comics hero to be called Ghost Rider was actually a short-lived cowboy! A few years after that series ended, writer Gary Friedrich had the idea to reuse the name to revamp lackluster Daredevil villain The Stunt-Master as a demonic biker. Editor-in-Chief Roy Thomas liked the idea, but had one problem with it: it was too good for a Daredevil villain. With the grip of the comics' code having relaxed, the new Ghost Rider debuted in Marvel Spotlight #5. He was circus stuntman Johnny Blaze, a man who sold his soul to the devil in a failed attempt to save his adoptive father's life. Blaze was cursed to become the Ghost Rider, a spirit of vengeance with a flaming skull for head, who hunted the wicked. He's gone on to be one of Marvel's most iconic characters, played on the big screen by Nicolas Cage in two feature films.
Estimated High Grade Value: $2,000
2) House of Secrets #92
Muck monsters have a proud history in comics, going back to the debut of The Heap in 1942's Air Fighters #3. DC Comics' version would debut in July 1971 with House of Secrets #92! Dubbed Swamp Thing, there have been a few different versions of the character over the years but their origins are largely the same: a young scientist, working in the swamp, is killed by treachery. Their experiments mix the muck of the swamp to resurrect them as a plant-based monster man, battling supernatural and mundane foes alike. Swamp Thing is one of the better-known comic book monsters out there, having starred in two movies, two live action shows, and an animated series in the fifty years since his creation. He's currently slated for another big screen outing from DC Studios, though time will tell if that pans out.
Estimated High Grade Value: $4,800
1) Crypt of Terror #17
This is it, the white whale of horror key issues! This issue, along with Vault of Horror #12, is considered to be EC Comics' first ever horror comic. For those not in the know, the aforementioned Comics Code Authority was created specifically to reign in (some might say sabotage) the runaway hit that was EC's horror line. Their horror anthologies were so beloved that they continued to inspire fans like Stephen King, George Romero, Robert Zemeckis, Joel Silver, and more decades after the company went defunct. Three issues after this one, Crypt of Terror would change its name to the one it is best known by today: Tales from the Crypt!
Estimated High Grade Value: $10,000