Jacen Burrows is one of the most gruesome artist working comics today. Burrows is known for developing the grotesque world of “Crossed” with writer Garth Ennis, and for his terrifying take on the Cthulhu mythos in “Neonomicon” with Alan Moore. His artwork is insanely detailed and he has a keen ability for embellishing the details of some of the most disturbing depictions of brutal violence.

Normally Burrows is the one turning reader’s stomachs, but Bloody-Disgusting was able to find out what horror comics left the biggest impression on him. Burrows kindly sat down and gave us his Top 5 most memorable horror comics.

When asked about his selections Burrows said, “While I do believe I could make an admittedly biased case for both “Crossed” and “Neonomicon” to be list-worthy, I have chosen to focus on the horror comics that have stuck with me long after I read them. I believe these represent a variety of horror types and show what is possible within the medium and the genre…”

by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
‘Lock And Key’ combines horror with dark fantasy in one of the most memorable and unique comics I’ve ever read. Excellent character writing with dense, detailed histories and more ideas than any 10 comics you could name coupled with crystal clean artwork that creates a deeply realized, tangible reality. The award winning haunted story of the Locke family sets the bar incredibly high and should be at the top of any horror fans must-read pile. The final book of the six volume series should be on shelves later this year.

by Junji Ito
There is no single comic creator in the horror genre more effective than the great Junji Ito. All of his work is deeply disturbing on a visceral level in creative ways no one else has come close to duplicating. From Tomie to Uzumaki his work creeps out readers to the bone in almost inexplicable ways but my personal favorite is ‘Gyo’ which is about an invasion of rotting aquatic creatures that have bonded with mysterious legged machinery. The imagery lingers long after the last page. There is a reason he is the king of Japanese horror comics.

by Guy Davis
‘The Marquis’ is a demonic Lovecraftian nightmare set in the 18th century that really shows what can be done with horror in the hands of a master of the medium. It has amazing scale and character and possibly the best monster designs in comics. Davis, best known for his work on the ‘Hellboy’ spin-off ‘BPRD’ and the recent creature concept art for ‘Pacific Rim’ is at the top of creative game in this series. Amazing creature designs and an incredible setting really set this story apart. Monsters, action, brilliant art direction; what more could someone ask for?

by Eiji Ōtsuka and Shou Tajima
‘MPD Psycho’ is a long running hardcore crime/serial killer manga about impending madness containing some of the most creative and grisly kills ever drawn. Gorgeous artwork and more plot twists than you can count, this series really shows what can be done when you have time to do complex multi-layered storytelling. 10 volumes of the series were released by Dark Horse but that only scratches the surface of this intense, brutal series that was popular enough in Japan to warrant a live action miniseries directed by Takeshi Miike.

by Charles Burns
‘Black Hole’ is a nightmarish, surreal art comic filled with haunting characters and brilliant storytelling experimentation about a sexually transmitted disease that causes mutations in a group of small town teenagers. There is an overwhelming sense of dread and isolation and enough adolescent familiarity that make the book both personal and alien at the same time. Burns unique visual style is in top form here, creating a disturbing fantasy reality that has made the book unforgettable years after I finished reading it.