Although American comics are closely associated with superheroes, perhaps to its detriment, the horror genre was actually a staple during its early years. The unconstrained medium of comics flourished when given the opportunity to depict supernatural characters in strange and expressive ways.

RELATED: 10 Scariest Movies Based On A True Story

Mass hysteria surrounding the influence of comics on young audiences put a dent in the genre's prominence in the medium. However, several notable horror comics have resurrected the tradition in recent decades. Now, in the era where comic-to-film adaptations have saturated the media landscape, these horror comics provide the inspiration for comic book movies that are perfect for the Halloween season.

10 Tales From The Crypt Captures The Magic Of A Historic Comic

The Cryptkeeper from Tales From The Crypt.

EC Comics is easily the most iconic name in horror comics, despite being forced out of the genre during the late '50s. It had a major influence on notable independent comic creators and figures like Stephen King and George Romero. In 1972, a British cast and crew adapted five stories from EC's horror anthologies into Tales From The Crypt.

The Tales From The Crypt film faithfully recreated its source material's black humor, progressive commentary, and pop colors while adding several refreshing tweaks to the stories. One segment even stars Hammer Horror icon, Peter Cushing. The film was followed by the equally excellent Vault of Horror in 1973.

9 Spawn Is The Ultimate '90s Superhero

A close-up of Spawn.

Writer-Artist Todd McFarlane's Spawn is the purest embodiment of '90s superhero comics, meaning he's always brooding and hyper-violent. The 1997 film adaptation of that blockbuster comic faithfully follows the story of Al Simmons as he becomes the leader of Hell's army.

RELATED: 10 Best Vertigo Comics Of The Nineties

McFarlane's unforgettable horror visuals are brilliantly realized, often using practical effects, while Martin Sheen and John Leguizamo deliver some appropriately hammy performances. Spawn is a trashy film that's perfect for a late night and a bowl of Halloween candy, and one can always follow it with the Emmy-Winning Spawn animated series on HBO.

8 Cemetery Man Is Supernatural Comedy With An Edge

The stars of Cemetery Man share an almost-kiss.

Technically, Dellamorte Dellamore was a novel before Tiziano Sclavi turned it into a comic, but the film Cemetery Man also borrows from Sclavi's long-running Dylan Dog comics, so it's probably okay to call it a comic book movie. Cemetery Man revolves around a caretaker of a cemetery infested by zombies.

The hero then cycles through a series of episodes that are gory, comical, and visually inventive, all while chasing a woman he can't have. Director Michele Soavi came out of the Giallo era, and fans of those iconic Italian horror films are guaranteed to love Cemetery Man.

7 The Crow Is The Apex Mountain Of Superhero-Horror Cinema

The Crow movie still.

Director Alex Proyas, who also helmed other underrated genre gems like Dark City and I, Robot, turned an underground comic about a wronged musician-turned-supernatural avenger into the ultimate superhero horror film. The Crow is bursting with style, from its hellish version of Detroit to its playful score.

Although The Crow shares the heightened comic book reality of films like Dick Tracy and Tim Burton's Batman, it is genuinely dark and disturbing. The film gained unfortunate publicity because of the accidental death of its star during its shooting, which adds another dimension to its haunting atmosphere.

6 Hellboy Is The Ultimate Supernatural Superhero

The BPRD welcomes Johan Krauss in Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

The Crow may be the most haunting superhero film, but the title of the best supernatural superhero undoubtedly falls to Mike Mignola's Hellboy. Guillermo Del Toro's 2004 film adaptation, Hellboy, and its sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, certainly live up to that reputation.

While Hellboy doesn't have the same creepiness as Del Toro's more frightening fair, it's the perfect Halloween viewing because of the way it realizes Mignola's monster designs with a seamless blend of practical and computer-generated effects. Plus, Ron Perlman's portrayal of the title character just oozes charisma.

5 Constantine Squandered Its Source Material, But It's Still A Good Time

Keanu Reeves' John Constantine escapes Hell in Constantine.

Fans of Vertigo's Hellblazer comic were justifiably outraged by Keanu Reeve's muted portrayal of John Constantine, which was a far cry from the punk magus fans have grown to love. However, if it's possible to forget about the source material, 2005's Constantine adaptation warrants a viewing on its own terms.

RELATED: 10 Classic John Constantine Comics For Horror Fans

Constantine is an efficient, visually arresting piece of pulp that fully earns the label supernatural-detective-thriller. Constantine's world is populated by eccentric characters, including a blasphemous but likable version of Chas, that have entertaining chemistry with their protagonist. And Tilda Swinton is an amazing Gabriel, obviously.

4 Blade Is A Major Cultural Touchstone

Wesley Snipes holding a sword in Blade.

The modern age of Marvel movie adaptations had an unlikely beginning, with 1998's superhero-horror film Blade, starring Wesley Snipes as the eponymous vampire hunter. The film is a tight, action-packed piece of entertainment that deservedly became a pop-culture sensation.

Writer David S. Goyer returned for Blade II, this time under Guillermo Del Toro's direction, which upped the ante considerably, especially in terms of visual flair. These two films make for a perfect double bill. For viewers' Halloween viewing pleasure, it's best to imagine that 2004's Blade Trinity doesn't exist.

3 Wes Craven, The Maestro Of Horror Films, Once Adapted Comics' Most Beloved Monster

Live-action Swamp Thing standing in front of a tree in the 1982 Swamp Thing movie.

Wes Craven, the horror icon who helmed films like A Nightmare On Elm Street and The Hills Have Eyes adapting DC's most iconic monster, Swamp Thing, sounds too good to be true. And frankly, it is. Craven's film is a mostly faithful adaptation of its comic source, but something seems to be lost in translation.

Still, the film is has a low buget-Roger Corman charm, which will be appealing to fans of sci-fi and horror B-movies like Creature from the Black Lagoon. Most importantly, it helped get a new Swamp Thing comic made, which paved the way for Alan Moore's historic revision of the character and superheroes in general.

2 Batman Is Good All Year Round, But Especially In October

The Batman's Robert Pattinson suited-up, standing in the rain.

Matt Reeve's recent film The Batman is explicitly set in the Halloween season, beginning with a lengthy opening sequence that places the Caped Crusader among trick-or-treaters on October 31st. Moreover, the film's plot borrows heavily from Batman: The Long Halloween by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale.

RELATED: 10 Best Bronze Age Batman Comics For Horror Fans

Incidentally, Loeb and Sale's four Batman Halloween-themed one-shot comics are always worth a read this time of year. Plus, Tim Burton's Batman Returns, despite being set during the winter holidays, has a macabre aesthetic and ghoulish themes that make it another great candidate for Halloween viewing.

1 30 Days Of Night Is A Visceral Cult Horror Hit

A bloodstained vampire in the 30 Days of Night movie.

Given that vampires are forced to operate under nighttime makes perfect sense that they would congregate around the poles during the winter. That's the setup for 30 Days of Night, based on the comic written by the renowned horror author Steve Niles.

30 Days of Night arrived at a time when the frightening presence of the vampire had been undermined by decades of familiarity and parody, and successfully tweaks the nature of this classic movie monster to create a genuine sense of dread. This is a horror movie of the suspenseful, heart-pounding variety combined with a claustrophobic atmosphere that recalls Dawn of the Dead and The Thing.

NEXT: 10 Terrifying Horror Comics From 2021 To Read For Halloween