We’ve seen some chatter about concern over comics that were handed out during Halloween in North Carolina and an investigation concerning it. An issue has been raised, and retailer arrested, over comics handed out during a Trunk-or-Treat event in Sunset Beach, NC.
Kathleen Johnson, co-owner of Marvelous Issues was charged and arrested by the Sunset Beach Police Department on October 31st for some of the material in the comics provided to attendees.
This morning, Sunset Beach Police Detectives presented evidence obtained from parents to a North Carolina Magistrate regarding an incident at our annual Trunk or Treat. Probable cause was found to charge Kathleen Lincoln, Carolina Shores, NC with a violation of North Carolina General Statute § 14-190.1 Obscene literature and exhibitions, a Class G Felony.
The charges come after the department received multiple reports that inappropriate comic-style materials were handed out during the 2025 Sunset Beach Police Trunk or Treat event, held in Sunset Beach Town Park, on Thursday, October 30th, 2025.
Our investigation quickly identified Ms. Lincoln, leading to the felony charge filed this morning. We want to be clear, the safety and wellbeing of every child and family who attends our community events will always come first.
Trunk or Treat has been one of our favorite community traditions for many years. It’s supposed to be a safe, fun night for families and we are deeply disturbed by this incident. We have always trusted that the registered participants would respect the safety and well-being of our children.
If your child received something that seemed off, inappropriate, disturbing, or not consistent with a typical Sunset Beach Trunk or Treat event, please contact the Sunset Beach Police Department. No further details will be released at this time due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
On October 31, the police department posted on Facebook asking for parents to come forward and warning parents to review the comics before letting them have it. Shown was an issue of Grendel Tales: Devil’s Hammer #1 by Matt Wagner published in 1994 by Dark Horse Comics and which features male frontal nudity.
We want to make parents aware of a serious concern reported after last night’s Sunset Beach Police Trunk-or-Treat event. It appears that a registered participant, not affiliated with the Town of Sunset Beach, distributed comic-style materials containing imagery that is clearly inappropriate for children. We understand how concerning and upsetting these images may be to families. 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭. An image of one such comic is in this post.
We are actively investigating this incident. If you locate any items that appear inappropriate, disturbing, or not consistent with a typical Sunset Beach Trunk or Treat event do not discard it, please contact the Sunset Beach Police Department immediately. Our department is treating this matter seriously and actively investigating to identify the individuals responsible.
We appreciate the community’s help and understanding as we work to address this unfortunate situation.
The comments on the police department’s Facebook posts are all over with some supporting the store owner and others condemning her. Many called the comic, and Halloween in general, demonic. You can see the shop’s stand at about the 2 minute mark in the video the police department posted of the event.
A Class G felony has a maximum jail sentence of 47 months in prison and/or can involve probation, fines, or community service for first-time offenders. The law reads as:
§ 14-190.1. Obscene literature and exhibitions.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person 18 years of age or older, firm, or corporation to intentionally disseminate obscenity. A person, firm or corporation disseminates obscenity within the meaning of this Article if he or it:
(1) Sells, delivers or provides or offers or agrees to sell, deliver or provide any obscene writing, picture, record or other representation or embodiment of the obscene; or
(2) Presents or directs an obscene play, dance or other performance or participates directly in that portion thereof which makes it obscene; or
(3) Publishes, exhibits or otherwise makes available anything obscene; or
(4) Exhibits, presents, rents, sells, delivers or provides; or offers or agrees to exhibit, present, rent or to provide: any obscene still or motion picture, film, filmstrip, or projection slide, or sound recording, sound tape, or sound track, or any matter or material of whatever form which is a representation, embodiment, performance, or publication of the obscene.
(b) For purposes of this Article any material is obscene if:
(1) The material depicts or describes in a patently offensive way sexual conduct specifically defined by subsection (c) of this section; and
(2) The average person applying contemporary community standards relating to the depiction or description of sexual matters would find that the material taken as a whole appeals to the prurient interest in sex; and
(3) The material lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value; and
(4) The material as used is not protected or privileged under the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of North Carolina.
(c) As used in this Article, “sexual conduct” means:
(1) Vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse, whether actual or simulated, normal or perverted; or
(2) Masturbation, excretory functions, or lewd exhibition of uncovered genitals; or
(3) An act or condition that depicts torture, physical restraint by being fettered or bound, or flagellation of or by a nude person or a person clad in undergarments or in revealing or bizarre costume.
(d) Obscenity shall be judged with reference to ordinary adults except that it shall be judged with reference to children or other especially susceptible audiences if it appears from the character of the material or the circumstances of its dissemination to be especially designed for or directed to such children or audiences.
(e) It shall be unlawful for any person 18 years of age or older, firm, or corporation to knowingly and intentionally create, buy, procure or possess obscene material with the purpose and intent of disseminating it unlawfully.
(f) It shall be unlawful for a person 18 years of age or older, firm, or corporation to advertise or otherwise promote the sale of material represented or held out by said person, firm, or corporation as obscene.
(g) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, a violation of this section is a Class I felony. A violation of this section committed knowingly in the presence of a minor under 18 years of age is a Class H felony.
(h) Obscene material disseminated, procured, or promoted in violation of this section is contraband.
(i) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to preempt local government regulation of the location or operation of sexually oriented businesses to the extent consistent with the constitutional protection afforded free speech. (1971, c. 405, s. 1; 1973, c. 1434, s. 1; 1985, c. 703, s. 1; 1993, c. 539, s. 1194; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1998-46, s. 2; 2023-127, ss. 1(a), 3(a); 2023-151, s. 7(a).)
It’s unknown what organization will come to support Johnson in the court fight but it’s unlikely the incident was “intentional,” which the law specifies but also it’s hard to argue it lacks “serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value” which has been used to support previous successful defenses in other cases. The store’s listings are currently being “review bombed” by individuals giving it low scores and posting negative reviews.
We will be of course following the case as it makes its way through the court and process. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which has defended creators and retailers in the past, have said it was “on their radar.”
