Body Horror in DC Comics?

The art is pretty cool

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Almost every episode of Batman Beyond lol. I’m watching it right now, and while there are some episodes that don’t involve it, it seems like in order to try to take over Gotham or fight against Terry you must have had some accident happen to you and gain some kind of super power from it. Brainiac Lex in Justice League Unlimited was also a bit weird to me… to… like… “you’re just OK with this??? Alright.” This is more of a watch recommendation rather than a read, but it’s DC.

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Yeah but those shows were made for kids so the body horro is really tame when you compare them to Uzumaki. I’m looking for ones that’s on the same level as Uzumaki.

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As @AlexanderKnox pointed out, the Comics Code Authority kept that level of body horror out of mainstream western comics for most of the 20th century. It’s only around 2011, when the CCA guidelines were finally abandoned, that you start seeing stuff like Animal Man show up on the shelves. Even then, that’s usually relegated to horror titles, such as the ones found in the Vertigo library- and, today, Black Label.

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Come to think of it, the “Death of the Family” story arc has some heavy body horror components, with Joker throughout wearing his own severed face as a mask.

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Okay :ok_hand:

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Just started reading the recent Martian Manhunter maxi-series and although not necessarily body “horror”, it does have several shapeshifting scenes reminiscent of the genre.

Martian Manhunter

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What a cool thread! Thanks, @American-Alien! Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing has a really great body horror, particularly with Anton Arcane and Matt Cable. Also Brian K. Vaughn’s Swamp Thing run with Tefe is pretty horrific. I think those are in line with Uzumaki.

I have to check out this Animal Man stuff.

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But why? We could’ve gotten great series if weren’t that rule. Well I guess better late than never.

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that is one story I do plan on reading down the line

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now that’s cool.

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I read Brian K Vaughan run on swamp thing, i liked it but it was really as gross or terrifying the same way uzumaki was.

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Oh and thank you for the compliment! :star_struck:

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Since we talked about the New 52 Animal Man, I feel obliged to bring up the original 1988 Animal Man series. Several creative teams came after Grant Morrison, who concluded his run at issue #26. The team that came on as of Animal Man #51, Peter Milligan as writer and Steve Pugh as artist, definitely dipped into an area that might be described as body horror.

These guys stayed on the title from #51 all the way through #79. Since they are Vertigo, I am sure they aren’t on the DCU streaming service, but if you are into that kind of horror, that particular run might be up your alley.

EDIT: Was it Vertigo? I don’t see the logo on this cover. Maybe it wasn’t. Apparently it was Vertigo by the end of the Milligan/Pugh run. Here is the cover to #79, with the Vertigo logo plain as day.

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Check out Byth from Hawkworld

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Yeah! Tim Truman art. Good call. I would not have thought of that one.

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Junji Ito is in a league of his own!

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I would suggest House of Mystery 1 from 2008 that is on DCU. It is a Vertigo book but I think that is exactly what you are looking for. I think maybe the second book featured body horror as well but after that, it has kind of become a little tamer. I am currently on book 6 so it might pick up again.

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I was reading that but I put it on hold since I’m more interested in reading other comics.

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We are reading it in the House of Horror club along with many other titles. Regarding body horror, the first issue is where it is at.

I am going to take a wild guess that you also dig David Cronenberg movies?

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