Happy Friday, kids! I don’t know about you, but I’m always in the mood for a good comic book. I’ve been on an especially big graphic novel kick lately, so today’s TBR is all about spooky kids’ comics. As always, if you have any recommendations for me, please tell me all about them in the comments. I’m always looking for new comics to read!

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This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

It’s the night of the annual Autumn Equinox Festival, when the town gathers to float paper lanterns down the river. Legend has it that after drifting out of sight, they’ll soar off to the Milky Way and turn into brilliant stars, but could that actually be true? This year, Ben and his classmates are determined to find out where those lanterns really go, and to ensure success in their mission, they’ve made a pact with two simple rules: No one turns for home. No one looks back.

The plan is to follow the river on their bikes for as long as it takes to learn the truth, but it isn’t long before the pact is broken by all except for Ben and (much to Ben’s disappointment) Nathaniel, the one kid who just doesn’t seem to fit in.

Together, Nathaniel and Ben will travel farther than anyone has ever gone, down a winding road full of magic, wonder, and unexpected friendship*.

*And a talking bear.

I hate to repeat the synopsis, but there’s simply no better word for it: this sounds utterly magical. I’m completely enchanted by the story already. I may be wrong, of course, but I feel like this is going to be a very special book.

Apocalypse Taco by Nathan Hale

Sid, Axl, and Ivan volunteer to make a late-night fast-food run for the high school theater crew, and when they return, they find themselves. Not in a deep, metaphoric sense: They find copies of themselves onstage. As they look closer, they begin to realize that the world around them isn’t quite right. Turns out, when they went to the taco place across town, they actually crossed into an alien dimension that’s eerily similar to their world. The aliens have made sinister copies of cars, buildings, and people — and they all want to get Sid, Axl, and Ivan. Now the group will have to use their wits, their truck, and even their windshield scraper to escape! But they may be too late. They may now be copies themselves…

This title had me at hello. I’m tripping over the words right now trying to explain how excited I am about this book. I’ve typed and erased at least 17 sentences in an attempt to convey my thoughts eloquently, but this is all I have: Y’all. APOCALYPSE! TACO!

House of Fear: Attack of the Killer Snowmen and Other Spooky Stories

Written by James Powell; story by Daxton and James Powell; illustrated by Jethro Morales, Adrián Bago González, and James Hislope; inked by Mike Erandio; colored by Josh Jensen; lettered and designed by Matt Krotzer

Welcome to the House of Fear, your new home for scary comics! Boyle, the creepy caretaker, presents five frightening tales of startling suspense and thrilling adventure. These chilling comics will engross even the bravest of young readers — and empower them with themes of conquering fear and saving the day.

Witness the cold terror of rampaging snow giants set on destroying a local park…and anyone who stands in their way! A wickedly evil Tooth Fairy wielding her waning powers to vanquish two tricky, quick-witted siblings! A pile of autumn leaves that poses a far more sinister threat than a couple of brothers realize! A mean and frosty old ghost with an unnatural hatred for trees who plans to end an age-old quarrel once and for all! A swamp monster that threatens to turn a group of young campers into a midnight snack!

I love horror anthologies. No, you don’t understand me. I LOVE horror anthologies. Creepy, Eerie, Tales from the Crypt, The Haunt of Fear, The Witching Hour, House of Mystery, House of Fear…I could go on, but you get the idea. So I don’t think I could love anything more than the idea of a kids’ horror comic anthology series. I am SO excited to read this book.

By the way, I warned y’all that I would be crediting all creators on comic books, so be prepared to get to know some rad inkers, letterers, and colorists!

Camp Midnight Volume 2: Camp Midnight vs. Camp Daybright by Steven T. Seagle and Jason Adam Katzenstein

Skye is excited to return to Camp Midnight as an older, seasoned camper when she discovers that her parents are putting her on a bus headed to her intended camp from last summer: Camp Daybright. Skye has a sinking feeling of déjà vu and wonders what could be worse than a sequel gone wrong? She’ll find out with new friends, a new camp, and a creepily familiar new arch-frenemy that all add up to big adventures and bigger scares at the camp with a happy name but a monstrous secret just beyond its fences!

I’m so excited to hear that there’s a sequel coming to Camp Midnight, and I’m thrilled that it will answer a question I had about the first book: what camp was Skye supposed to attend that fateful summer? (I wouldn’t have been surprised if her step-monster had never actually signed her up for camp and instead had just shown up looking for a bus with empty seats, hoping someone would take Skye off her hands.) I have high hopes that this will be even funnier than the original, especially with that hilarious premise.

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo

When a tragic accident takes the life of seventeen-year-old Raven Roth’s foster mom — and Raven’s memory — she moves to New Orleans to live with her foster mother’s family and finish her senior year of high school.

Starting over isn’t easy. Raven remembers how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can’t remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. When strange things start happening — impossible things — Raven starts to think it might be better not to know who she was in her previous life.

But as she grows closer to her foster sister, Max, her new friends, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she’s ready to face what’s buried in the past…and the darkness building inside her.

I’ve been a huge Teen Titans fan for as long as I’ve been reading comics, and Raven is one of my favorite Titans. I’m very curious to see where they take this story. It sounds a little similar to what DC’s doing with Raven in their television universe, but I highly doubt that this YA story will go as dark as that show has gone. I love Raven as a character, so — while I can’t promise there will never be any fangirl grumbling — I’m ready to follow her down whatever path she’s headed.

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What say you, friends? Do you have any comic book recommendations for me? Are any of these books on your TBR? Are you a diehard Raven/Beast Boy shipper like I am?