Celebrate Halloween DC Style
If you’re a DC fan, it really is going to be a happy Halloween. From a new batch of comics that just happen to be perfect for a little midnight reading (by candlelight, if you really want to go all out) to some fun Halloween treats that you can find right here on DCComics.com, we’re celebrating Halloween DC style, and we invite all of you to celebrate with us.
As you know, Halloween just happens to be on a Wednesday this year, and while that might put a damper on late night parties, it’s great if you’re a comic book fan. Wednesday is new comic book day, and you’ll notice that our slate today is particularly spooky. Even better, those books run the gamut from family friendly to turn-on-all-the-lights-and-break-out-the-happy-music terrifying, making there truly something in stores today for everyone, whether you’re a super hero fan or not.
Let’s take a look at what’s out today…
First, before you head to your local comic shop, login to the DC Digital Store and download the first installment of Batman: Li’l Gotham, a brand new, all-ages digital first series from the creative team of Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs. Yesterday, our brief article about Li’l Gotham received quite an enthusiastic response from Batman fans, and we’re excited to hear what they think of the first issue. If you missed yesterday’s post, you can read it here, or you can just go ahead and download the first installment of Batman: Li’l Gotham by clicking here.
Once you get to your shop, you’re going to want to keep an eye out for MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: THE ORIGIN OF SKELETOR #1. This one-shot tells the complex and often frightening story of Skeletor’s origin, courtesy of writer Joshua Hale Fialkov (I, Vampire) and Frazer Irving (The Shade). It may take place in an entirely different world and universe than ours, but this horror-tinged tale cuts close to home.
Not quite dark enough for you? Then be sure to seek out Lot 13, the bloody good new horror miniseries by Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Glenn Fabry (Preacher). And we do mean bloody. This comic follows one family as they make a disturbing discovery at an old abandoned apartment complex. You can check out a preview of the first issue here.
Over at Vertigo, prepare to be spooked by GHOSTS #1. This 80-page anthology comic features some of the biggest, best and most original writers and artists in comics joining together for the sole purpose of freaking us all out. Who’s responsible for our soon-to-be-sleepless Halloween night? How’s this list strike you? Jeff Lemire, Paul Pope, Gilbert Hernandez, Phil Jimenez, Cecil Castellucci, Geoff Johns (in his very first Vertigo project) and Joe Kubert. And that’s just start! You can check out a preview of this “spirited” new comic here.
There’s certainly no shortage of scary stuff, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing for the younger DC fans out there. In fact, there’s never been a better day to take your sons, daughters, nephews, nieces and little siblings to the comic shop—especially if your shop is participating in Diamond’s Halloween ComicFest. Why? Because they can get a free, full-size Batman/Scooby-Doo comic. (How’s that for an early treat?) Plus, many shops have cool Halloween events planned. You can find out more about Halloween ComicFest here, or just call your local shop.
Finally, we’d be lax if we didn’t point out that more than a few of our ongoing monthly comics promise some prime edge-of-your-seat reading as well. SWAMP THING ANNUAL #1 and JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK ANNUAL #1 offer super-sized stories and equally large-scale thrills. While at Vertigo, AMERICAN VAMPIRE #32 and THE NEW DEADWARDIANS #8 both present unique takes on the undead.
But not all of the fun is happening at the comic shop today. Here on DCComics.com, Halloween marks the last day of Super-Villains Month, and we’re wrapping things up in suitably sinister style. Surely you’ve noticed our updated homepage skin. That’s the work of the gifted Ryan Sook, and if you like what you see, you can get the full-size image at the DC Comics Facebook page.
We also just posted two remarkably villainous videos featuring the pumpkin-carving skills of Andy Bergholtz. Andy’s a sculptor who’s been making quite a splash around Halloween with his intricate and imaginative work with pumpkins. Be sure to check out our time-lapse videos of him carving an expressive Two-Face and a truly sinister Joker. All of a sudden, that vampire jack-o-lantern on our front porch is looking awfully sad…
Speaking of the Clown Prince of Crime, to celebrate the last day of Super-Villains Month, this morning we posted an exclusive new image of the Joker from the upcoming videogame Injustice: Gods Among Us. The image may have just gone up this morning, but that grin’s sure to haunt us well past Halloween…
Over on Twitter, we asked all of you to send us photos of your DC-inspired costumes and pumpkins, and you certainly responded. From "Commisioner Gourd-on" to lots of cute little super heroes, you're a fun and photogenic bunch. We put the photos together into a Facebook photo album to help get you in the Halloween spirit. Go on and check it out. And keep sending us your photos!
Finally, even if you live on the greatest street in the world, we’re pretty sure your bag of Halloween candy could never rival the treats you’ll take home if you’re the winner of the Big Score Sweepstakes. Today’s the last day to enter, so make sure you don’t miss out.
Whether you’re spending it trick-or-treating, partying with good friends and great witch’s brew or just staying in and watching Arrow, there’s much to enjoy from DC this Halloween. Stay safe, have fun and save us a jawbreaker!
(The cover for SMALLVILLE SEASON 11 #6 by Mico Suayan)