10 Webcomics that Will Keep You Up at Night
Words By Mac Bowers
What is it about scary stories that intrigues us? Is it the supernatural elements? The eerie characters? The uneasy feeling they leave us with? Whatever it is, these 10 webcomics definitely have it. Short and (not so) sweet, horror webcomics are a perfect way to send chills down your spine without the time commitment that comes with sitting down to watch a film. Some have interactive experiences that make you feel as though you are inthe comic. Some have panels that are so dark it’ll feel like every light in the world has gone out. Some will have you itching to look over your shoulder, unable to move, frozen by the fear of what might be lurking behind you.
1. Milk for the Ugly
by Kate Redesiuk & Anna Podedworna
This comic is the ultimate immersive experience. Between the sound effects and the ability to move your mouse around to explore more of the frame, reading this comic is almost comparable to watching a short film. That immersion is part of what makes this comic so scary, as if the idea of a ghastly old woman hiding a strange, dangerous secret isn’t terrifying enough.
Read Milk for the Ugly
2. The Dreaded Question
by Kurt Huggins and Zelda Devon
Have you ever asked an author where they get their ideas from? If you have, you’ll think twice about doing it again after reading this comic by Kurt Huggins and Zelda Devon. When a bright, young, aspiring writer searches for inspiration from his favorite author, he gets much more than he bargained for. Little does he know he is about to become inspiration.
Read The Dreaded Question
3. The Groom
by Emily Carrol
Emily Carroll is a master of scary webcomics, and The Groom is no exception. This already creepy story about a pipe-cleaner doll haunting two young girls is made even creepier by the dark, black and white art style. Black and white, that is, except for the selective splashes of color that make the panels even more active. This comic will reawaken that old, childhood fear of your dolls being alive.
Read The Groom
4. Out Of Skin
by Emily Carrol
Emily Carroll’s mastery of the creep webcomic form necessitated the inclusion of two of her comics in this list. What would happen if an old woman found a pile of dead bodies in the woods behind her house? Using gruesome images, flashes of red amongst black and white, and a sketch-like art style, Out of Skin finds out. If there is a comic in this list that will make you wary of friendly old women, this is it.
Read Out of Skin
5. Copy Protection
by Kevin Church and Paul Horn
People weren’t kidding when they said that video games are making kids violent. Copy Protection by Kevin Church and Paul Horn is that very fear come to life. The events are shown as though they are part of a young man’s vlog as he sits down to recount what happened when a new patch for his favorite game took a turn for the worst. The whole comic is contemporary, from the art style to the use of popular internet and gaming culture, which makes this story feel that much more possible. What would you do if you were being controlled by a video game?
Read Copy Protection
6. A Mother’s Love
by Sam Costello and David Hitchcock
A Mother’s Love takes the idea of old town superstitions and adds gruesome illustrations that both captivate and terrify. When pregnant women start dying, the townspeople blame it on a 100-year-old curse, and thus begins a comic that will haunt the reader long after they finish it.
Read A Mother’s Love
7. Wayfarer
by Mike Walton
In this story, a woman’s kindness is tested when she picks up an old, confused woman by the side of the road. The moral of the story? Never pick up a hitchhiker. You never know who, or what, could be getting into your car.
Read Wayfarer
8. He Sits at the Foot of my Bed
by Edward Gore
This limerick by Edward Gorey may be short, but it sure isn’t sweet. The smudged, dark art style only adds to the feeling of sudden fear that the last line brings the reader.
Read He Sits at the Foot of my Bed
9. Rain Drop
by K.S
Somehow this comic is made scarier by the fact that it has no words. As part of the “silent horror” genre, this story is composed of only a few black and white panels, leaving exactly what happens at the end up to the reader’s terrified imagination.
Read Rain Drop
10. Knock Knock
by Horang
Make sure you have your volume turned up when reading this comic, and maybe heed the warning at the beginning. Knock Knock combines the re-telling of an urban legend with dark, blank panels to build up to what is ultimately one of the most unsettling endings I have ever come across.
Read “Knock Knock”
With a perfect mixture of chilling storytelling and unnerving art, these comics were made to terrify their readers. They artfully maximize their online medium through the use of sound and special effects, creating immersive and entirely unique reading experiences. But this list of 10 webcomics is only a highlight of what’s out there. There are plenty more to find where these came from. If you dare to go looking.