You Probably Forgot About the Stranger Things Comics (But They’re Actually Pretty Good Even if You Don’t Watch The Show)

The first part of the fifth and final season of Stranger Things is now on Netflix and while the series is making its way towards what will hopefully be a satisfying finale, the story is far from over. The Duffer Brothers created series has grown so popular that it has expanded well beyond the titular series, now encompassing not just the series but a stage play, a planned spinoff, video games, licensed merchandise, novels (including the new one set between Seasons 4 and 5), and one thing that many have probably forgotten about: comics.

Back in 2018, Dark Horse announced a multi-year partnership with Netflix to publish Stranger Things comics. Since then, there have been several miniseries, a few one shots, a handful of graphic novels, and even some crossover miniseries that saw Dark Horse and IDW co-publish stories featuring Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons in one and Stranger Things and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in another. While it’s certainly not unusual for a popular television series to get the comic book expansion treatment, what’s unique about Stranger Things going from screen to page is that the comics are actually a lot better than you might expect — and even people who aren’t necessarily into the Netflix series will enjoy them.

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For the most part, the Stranger Things comics tell new stories that function to flesh out the events of the series, usually focusing on individual characters. The first series from 2018 is centered on Will Byers’ experience in the Upside Down while the fourth series, Science Camp, gave Dustin the spotlight in a story set between seasons two and three. But there are other stories being told that aren’t necessarily directly tied to specific aspects of different seasons. The second series, Six, centers on the test subject Francine who was part of the experiments before Eleven and the third series, Into the Fires, operates as a sequel of sorts to that series.

It’s those stories that go into Hawkins history and others that expand the world beyond the characters and events fans already know that are perhaps some of the most interesting in the Stranger Things comics lineup and the most compelling. In addition to Six and Into the Fire, The Tomb of Ybwen is more of a small-town mystery which expands perception and perspective of the town. There are also comics that go even further out and explore the Russian aspect of it all which, admittedly, works a little better if you have an understanding of the show but is still good.

Even For Non-Stranger Things Fans, the Comics Are Solid

What is great about the Stranger Things comics is that, while already knowing the show is definitely a huge plus, these are comics and stories that are good even if your knowledge of all things Hawkins comes just from the show being such a big deal in pop culture. While they are certainly crafted with fans in mind, the quality of the writing is such that you don’t need to be one to enjoy the story. The first of the comics miniseries is a great example of that. It reads very much like regular horror comic, in this case one that merely feels like Will took a wrong turn and ended up in a nightmare. Most of the comics have that same energy of something familiar for fans simply packaged as straight horror comics and they’re all written with a tension and integrity that compel the reader to keep going in much the same fashion the show encourages viewers to binge.

The comics all have fantastic art as well. Each series and graphic novel has different artists and different styles, but they all have a cohesive look. It goes a long way with the overall world-building being done on the pages but also keeps things distinctive and not too much a copy of the series. The result, between the quality of the writing and the art, is television tie-in series that transcends the media it’s based upon to have something of a life of its own. And, given how popular Stranger Things remains, it’s very likely that the comics will continue. With more of the Stranger Things world expected — Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 — and the ending of the main series still to be revealed, there is sure to be plenty more for fans to explore. And the comics will be waiting.

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