Learn More About the Upside Down With the ‘Stranger Things’ Comics
Not only are there quite a few Stranger Things novels to sink your teeth into as we wait for season 5, but there are plenty of comic books to sate your appetite, as well.
In fact, there are so many, that by now, it might be confusing knowing where to start. In 2018, two years after Stranger Things’ popularity exploded, Dark Horse signed a multi-year deal with Netflix to publish various Stranger Things comics. The first of these would be published later that same year, and the rest is history. Now, there are dozens of issues, multiple miniseries, and a few graphic novels, all of which provide additional (though not necessarily vital) context on the lives of our favorite characters and their harrowing experiences fighting monsters and evil governments in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana.
If you want to be 100% in the know by the time Stranger Things season 5 finally premieres (which may actually be at the end of 2025?!), then there’s no better time to familiarize yourself with these stories.
Here’s how to read the Stranger Things comics in order.
Stranger Things: The Other Side (2018-2019)
Stranger Things: The Other Side provides the missing puzzle piece: What happened to Will while he was stuck in the Upside Down? The aftermath of his time there has been made clear in Stranger Things seasons 2, 3, and even 4, but the trauma of what he actually experienced and how he managed to survive has remained a mystery—until now.
Stranger Things: SIX (2019)
Ever wonder about the other children held captive alongside Eleven? Do they all have the same powers? Though Stranger Things season 4 may have made it seem like they did, that’s not the full picture. Alongside Eleven and Eight, you can now read the story of Six, a young girl with precognitive abilities who’s been taken advantage of by her parents and Dr. Brenner for years. When she sees an opportunity for her and the other children to escape, will she take it? Read this four-issue miniseries to find out.
Stranger Things: Into the Fire (2020)
After escaping Dr. Brenner’s malevolent clutches, two of his former test subjects hope to lead normal lives, but when they finally discover that Brenner’s lab in Hawkins was forced to shut down, they go on a search for Nine, a powerful pyrokinetic whose fractured mind poses a danger to everyone around them.
Stranger Things: Science Camp (2020)
It’s a neverending story! Learn more about Dustin and Suzie’s relationship and their time at Camp Know Where, as a mysterious figure arrives at camp to disturb the counselors and campers during their serene, science-filled summer. Things get even worse when the camp counselors begin to disappear, and Dustin and Suzie have to work together with the other (sometimes bullying) campers to save the season.
Stranger Things Halloween Special (October 2020)
This one takes us back to the start—six days before the disappearance of Will Byers, in fact, as Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Mike celebrate Halloween in Castle Byers. Ghost stories and candy abound, and the boys reveal one of Hawkins’ best-kept secrets: the Child Eater of Hawkins.
Stranger Things and Dungeons & Dragons (2020-2021)
How did these four boys become friends? Dungeons & Dragons, of course! Watch the first campaign that Lucas, Will, and Mike ever played with Dustin Henderson unfold in a love letter to the game that defined their childhood and their understanding of the Upside Down.
Stranger Things: The Tomb of Ybwen (2021)
Though Will and Joyce are still grieving the death of Bob Newby after the harrowing events of Stranger Things season 2, there are always more mysteries to be solved. When Will feels ignored by his friends (and their new girlfriends), he and Mr. Clarke discover a mysterious map Bob left hidden within one of his old collections. There’s a blizzard on the way, though, and when Lucas, Mike, and Dustin discover Will went out on his own, they follow him down an old mine shaft where plenty of booby traps, clues, and troubles await them.
Stranger Things Winter Special (November 2021)
It’s winter in Hawkins! As the kids gather to teach Eleven more about Christmas by regaling her with their favorite Christmas memories, the festivities take a strange turn when Dustin becomes convinced he saw something lurking around outside.
Stranger Things: Kamchatka (2022)
Espionage and horror—par for the course in Stranger Things, right? This time around, though, things are a little diffferent. Stranger Things: Kamchatka takes place in Russia instead of Hawkins, as a top-notch Soviet scientist is kidnapped to work on a top-secret project. That project, of course, is the Upside Down and the horrifying creatures that emerge from it. When the scientist tries to tamper with the project, his kids become involved, too, resulting in a thrilling battle for survival.
Stranger Things Summer Special (July 2022)
Learn more about the events of Stranger Things season 3 from an underutilized perspective: the sheriff deputies’! Officers Powell and Calahan keep a close eye on Hawkins, but as the town once again gets hit with some serious weirdness, they’ll need to use all their knowledge to survive.
Stranger Things: Tales From Hawkins (2023)
Stranger Things: Tales From Hawkins is an anthology series that takes a deeper look at ongoing mysteries in Hawkins, Indiana and the inhabitants involved with them. This series includes stories about Murray Bauman’s investigation into Barb Holland’s disappearance, Robin’s time at school, the rivalry between two pumpkin farmers, and the dangerous exploits of two amateur teenage hunters.
Stranger Things: The Voyage (2023-2024)
When a seafaring captain is offered a hefty sum to transport some shady-looking Russians back to their country from Alaska, he can’t say no. Little does he know what the Russians are bringing on board, and as the journey becomes ever more difficult, the presence of a murderous monster sets everyone’s teeth on edge. What will kill them first, the storm or the Demogorgon?
Stranger Things Graphic Novels
If you still haven’t had enough, there’s a few more graphic novel collections you can check out as well. These include:
- Stranger Things: Zombie Boys (2020) – It’s Spring in Hawkins, and our favorite friend group is still grappling with the horror of what happened to them in season 1. There’s no time to rest, though, as a new member of the AV club wants to film their very own zombie movie. As Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Will participate in a fictional horror story, they finally start to come to terms with the one they lived through.
- Stranger Things: The Bully (2020) – Set during Stranger Things season 2, The Bully sees Hawkins Middle School’s most formidable bully try to uncover the truth of Eleven’s psychic powers after she humiliates him and breaks his leg. These two don’t know what they’re getting themselves into, though. Are they strong enough to face down some Demodogs?
- Stranger Things: Erica the Great (2022) – Erica has two lessons to learn. First, how to work with one’s frenemy to save a lost Parakeet, and second, it’s okay to ask for help, even when you’re the smartest person in the room.
Now, if you really want to dig in deep, you can also check out Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things (2023), in which Mike, Eleven, Lucas, Dustin, and Will meet the oddly familiar Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles during a trip to New York City.
Happy reading!
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