The 25 Best Scary Comics For Kids feat. The Birth of Kitaro

Though the comic stands overflow with all kinds of treats for adult readers looking for some horror reading, kids have historically been more likely to walk home with a pair of wax lips or raisins after searching for any all-ages scary books. The last few years have thankfully changed that trend, with gorgeous reprints and new cartoonists stepping up to brew sequential art that won’t leave younger readers fearfully tugging on their parents bedsheets at 3 a.m. So if you know any little ones looking for an alternative to king-size bars this Halloween, may we humbly suggest these comics and graphic novels as a spooky (but not too spooky) delight.

The Birt of Kitaro
Writer/Arist: Shigeru Mizuki
Publisher: Drawn & Quarterly 

Drawn & Quarterly has been reissuing small compilations of Shigeru Mizuki's comics about Kitaro, a yokai (monster) boy who helps humans deal with the supernatural world. Provided your kids can handle something a little gross, tempered with plenty of humor, Kitaro is the original Margo Maloo, a mediator between the human and spooky worlds. These small comics are not only a fun way to give your kids some gentle chills, but they’re a fine introduction to manga and Japanese culture.