Comics
10 Love Stories Gone Horribly Wrong
With love in the air on Valentine’s Day, this list explores romantic love that turns out to be train wreck. What happens when forbidden romance turns into tragedy? Or when love at first sight doesn’t turn out the way you expected? Sometimes, emotions turn to obsession and the romance doesn’t end with a satisfying ending. Below are our top love stories gone wrong in comics.
1) Severed (Image Comics)
The budding romance between Jack and Samantha is about to be interrupted when a demonic serial killer known as The Salesman crosses their paths. Writers Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft delve into the awkwardness of a childhood crush and first kiss. Artist Attila Futaki illustrates a wonderfully scenic but foreboding illustration as Jack and Samantha share a kiss, while the sun is setting in the background.
2) Sin City: That Yellow Bastard (Dark Horse Comics)
Detective John Hartigan sacrifices his wife and career to save 11-year-old Nancy Callahan from a psychotic killer. After being released from prison, Hartigan must rescue an older Nancy from the same killer. Writer/artist Frank Miller presents an ultraviolent pulpy narrative where “an old man dies, a young girl lives” is a fair trade.
3) Y: The Last Man: Unmanned (Vertigo Comics)
Yorick Brown was about to propose to his girlfriend when the entire male population suddenly died. As the last human male on Earth, Yorick searches for his missing fiancée as the rest of society crumbles. Brian K. Vaughan’s nonlinear storytelling is well-matched by Pia Guerra’s artistic style.
4) Batman: Hush (DC Comics)
Just when Batman and Catwoman are becoming more intimate, their romantic feelings are put to a halt by the mysterious stalked called Hush. As Huh unites all the Batman villains, writer Jeph Loeb keeps the readers on the edge of their seat, especially when Jason Todd returns from the dead. Artist Jim Lee’s unforgettable artwork is a major reason “Hush” must be picked up.
5) Sandman: Season of Mists (Vertigo Comics)
Morpheus must travel to Hell and release his former lover, Nada, from her prison. But when the Devil decides to sell Hell, Morpheus must go through the highest bidder to save Nada’s soul. Neil Gaiman’s eloquent and sophisticated dialogue is evenly matched by Kelly Jones’ breathtaking illustrations.
6) Grim Leaper (Image Comics)
In a never-ending cycle, Lou Collins dies and is newly resurrected into a stranger’s body. But when he meets Ella, will Lou stick around longer or will he get his head chopped off again? Writer Kurtis J. Wiebe lets loose on the morbid humor and artist Aluísio C. Santos brings in the gore to this unlikely romantic comedy.
7) Kill Your Boyfriend (Vertigo Comics)
A young schoolgirl is seduced by a stranger to kill her overweight and uncaring boyfriend. Grant Morrison captivates the readers as the gun-toting lovers commit violent crimes across Britain. Inspired by True Romance and Natural Born Killers, artist Philip Bond captures the dark days of teen angst and rebellion.
8 ) Hellboy: The Storm and The Fury (Dark Horse Comics)
Just when Hellboy is enjoying himself with his new love, Alice Monaghan, the apocalypse happens. Writer Mike Mignola promises no happy ending as Hellboy fights to the death against The Dragon. Artist Duncan Fegredo shocks readers when Alice witnesses Hellboy die right in front of her eyes.
9) Hellblazer: Haunted (Vertigo Comics)
When John Constantine discovers his ex-girlfriend, Isabel, was murdered, he searches for the magician who killed her. Even if he finds her killer, Constantine must find a way for Isabel’s soul to find peace. Writer Warren Ellis and artist John Higgins mesmerize readers as the inconsolable Constantine struggles to find closure as he remembers the good/bad times with Isabel.
10) Hack/Slash: Me Without You (Image Comics)
After living alone for so many years, Vlad thought he found a true friend with Mari. In this origin tale, Tim Seeley presents Vlad as an outsider wanting to belong to a world that doesn’t want him. Artist Daniel Leister delivers the somber illustrations as Vlad learns what it means to be heart-broken.
List by Jorge Solis
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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