Halloween is the annual holiday synonymous with monsters, ghosts, ghouls, and all forms of the supernatural. In the DC Universe, things are no different, even if these themes are common all year-round. Over the years, the publisher has released an annual Halloween-themed anthology putting the heroes and villains in some terrifying situations.
While horror-based stories are the usual, a story comes along every so often that looks at the lighter side of the holiday. While some of these lighter stories are merely short vignettes, they help round out these anthologies, making them both a scary and fun read in the process.
10 Robin Learns That Some Monsters Aren't Always What They Seem In The Devil You Know
The Cursed Comics Cavalcade Holloween anthology, released in 2018, contains the story The Devil You Know starring the unlikely team-up of Robin (Damian Wayne) and Solomon Grundy. When Grundy shows up in the streets of Gotham looking for three kids, he calls his family, but Damian is suspicious of Grundy's motivation although soon learns that he is telling the truth as Professor Pyg has taken the kids.
Robin and Grundy work together to save the kids from being transformed into Doll-o-Trons and soon part ways as Grundy says he won't forget Robin for helping him. The story, written by Dave Wielgosz with art by Christian Duce, while not humorous, is lighter as it shows that monsters are not always what they seem.
9 Beast Boy Proves That One Is Never Too Old To Celebrate The Halloween Tradition Of Trick-Or-Treating
Garfield Logan and Victor Stone (Cyborg) may be best buddies, but it seems that even a friendship like theirs has limits when it comes to trick-or-treating and candy. The single-page story, Never Too Old in the 2009 Halloween special, written by Amy Wolfman with art by Jon Boy Myers, finds Cyborg on candy duty at Titans Tower on Halloween night. In an attempt to just get some candy, Beast Boy repeatedly rings the doorbell as different animals, hoping that Cyborg will give him candy, which never happens, even when Gar dresses as a ghost. This one-page story encapsulates and celebrates trick-or-treating but also shows that Halloween can also be for the young-at-heart.
8 Young Justice Dealt With More Tricks Than Treats When Mr. Mxyzptlk Crashes Their Halloween Bash
In issue #3 of the first Young Justice series, Robin, Superboy, and Impulse sponsor a Halloween Dance at the local high school, while Red Tornado drops in on his daughter, who is trick-or-treating with her friends. No sooner does the party start than young Mr. Mxyzptlk shows up after he is summoned from the 5th-dimension and starts to cause havoc on the young heroes and the attendees at the party.
From the creative team of Peter David and Todd Nauck, the issue is the last solo adventure the boys have until Wonder Girl and Arrowette join the group. The issue also allows the reactivated Red Tornado a chance to reconnect with his daughter, who thought him dead, and save her from some bullies who wanted her candy along with an unforgettable Halloween.
7 Klarion The Witch Boy Discovers The Joys Of Halloween In Medusa Non-Grata
Klarion the Witch Boy, the Jack Kirby creation reimagined by Grant Morrison for his Seven Soldiers from the underground community known as Limbo Town, takes center stage in this story as he journeys to the surface on Halloween night and decides to cause mischief. The story, written by Brian Q. Miller with art by Trevor McCarthy, also stars Miss Martian and Blue Beetle, who just happen to be in the same neighborhood when they discover that someone is turning people into stone and taking their candy. After a brief confrontation, Beetle and Miss Martian stop Klarion and help him find some acceptance on the surface, leading M'gann to realize that Halloween is not only for dressing up as someone else but a chance to be yourself.
6 Guy Gardner Throws A Costume Party Of Universal Proportions In Halloween The Guy Way
Halloween The Guy Way, from the 2009 Halloween Special, written by Adam Schlagman and featuring art by Mark Bagley, has Guy Gardner spreading his love for Halloween not only with his fellow Green Lantern Corps members but making the holiday a universal event. Guy hosts a Halloween party at his bar Warrior's on OA, requesting the presence of Hal, Kyle, and John, all of which promise to try and show. Guy also invites Ice, his girlfriend, but she declines, telling him she already made plans with Fire.
Disappointed but undeterred, Guy goes ahead and throws his Halloween Bash giving his 'ten essential rules for enjoying Halloween to its fullest' that alternate with panels from his rough childhood and abuse he suffered at the hands of his father on Halloween as a kid. In the end, Ice does show up to the party in a costume that leaves Guy speechless, something hard to do.
5 The Light KDay Returns To Help Lois Lane On Halloween Night In Metropolis
World's Shoddiest: Light KDay Returns, written by Kal-El Bogdanove from the 2007 Infinite Halloween Special, is the short story of The Riddler recounting his run-in with Batzarro to the other Bat-rouges from the year before. The Riddler explains how he left Gotham to get away from the Halloween nonsense there only to have a run-in with Batman's backward doppelganger. When one of Riddler's goons captures Lois Lane, it is Batzarro, not Superman, who comes to her rescue.
While Batzarro deals with the thugs, Riddler tries to escape, only to be taxed by Lois, who then nonchalantly informs Clark of what just transpired and asks if he wants her to pick up Chinese on her way home, none too worried about what just happened.
4 To The Finish Line Pays Homage To The Superman/Flash Races With A Light-Hearted Twist
Over the years, Superman and The Flash have raced to see which of the two superheroes was the fastest. To The Finish Line, written and drawn by Bill Tucci, pays homage to these unforgettable races. Told from Flash's point of view, the hero reminisces about the many times he and the Man of Steel have raced, be it for charity or the fate of the world.
The race ends as the story takes a heartwarming turn, revealing that The Flash and Superman are two trick-or-treaters racing to the neighbor's door, culminating in a minor disaster. This story pays tribute to the DC's and the two characters shared history, as well as young kids' innocence and excitement about Halloween.
3 Green Lanterns Simon Baz & Jessica Cruz Spend Some Downtime On Halloween With Family
As the Rebirth Era of the DCU began, Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz were left responsible for protecting the Earth's sector while Hal rebuilt the Corps. The two Green Lanterns formed a friendship as partners, even spending their downtime together. In the calm before the storm of the Phantom Lantern story arc, writer Sam Humphries and artist Ed Benes had Simon and Jessica interacting with Simon's family during Halloween.
While searching for Rami, the rogue Guardian they are trying to protect disappears and the two go with Simon's nephews, who are trick-or-treating around the neighborhood as Green Lanterns. Their evening is eventually ruined when Dominators attack; but it is still a nice reminder that even heroes deserve a Halloween night with family and friends.
2 Blue Devil Runs Afoul Of Charlie Brown And Linus In The Pumpkin Sinister
The adventures of the magical superteam Shadowpact have always mixed mystical elements with a dash of humor. The Sinister Pumpkin, written by Dan Didio with art by Ian Churchill, does not disappoint. Blue Devil and Enchantress pass out candy as Blue Devil mentions that he got his first kiss on Halloween. In a pumpkin patch nearby, the man and his best friend plot their revenge by summoning the Sinister Pumpkin.
Blue Devil and Enchantress easily defeat the summoned evil pumpkin and reveal their motives behind the act. The aspect of the story that makes it funny is that the two guys are Charlie Brown and Linus analogs who summoned the Great Pumpkin because Charlie believes Blue Devil stole the Little Red-Haired Girl from him, and things also don't turn out s0 well for Snoopy.
1 Harley Quinn Stands Up To Darkseid And Bloody Mary In The 2021 Halloween Special
A story involving Darkseid and Bloody Mary doesn't seem like it would be a story on the lighter side of a Halloween story. Still, when Harley Quinn enters into the equation, all bets go out the window. In the 2021 Halloween anthology Are You Afraid of Darkseid?, the Teen Titans are on a camping trip and telling ghost stories. Red Arrow's contribution is a Bloody Mary story involving Harley Quinn and Darkseid. Harley meets a group of kids also hunting Bloody Mary.
Darkseid soon makes his entrance and reveals that Blood Mary was part of Granny Goodness' Female Furies, whose Mother Box malfunctioned, trapping her in limbo and blames Darkseid for her fate. When Blood Mary appears, it takes both Harley and Darkseid to banish her. The story, written by Kenny Porter and drawn by Max Dunbar, is the perfect mix of horror and humor as Harley and Darkseid verbally spar with each other, neither giving an inch.