New and catalog comic books and graphic novels from the acclaimed independent publisher Storm King Comics will be distributed in the United States and in global English-language markets by SCB Distributors, both companies announced today.
The new relationship between Storm King Comics and SCB follows Storm King’s long relationship with Diamond Comics, and beginning immediately book and comic retailers can turn to SCB Distributors to order new titles from Storm King Comics, as well as titles from its extensive catalog of horror, science fiction, fantasy and kids’ titles from some of the most well-known and acclaimed comics writers, artists and creators.
The agreement with SCB would see Storm King Comics sold, for the first time, into the book trade.
For seemingly no reason, and with no advance warning, the world comes to a stop for everyone except one man, who goes on a mission to uncover the mystery in Pause, a new six-issue comics series fromJohn Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction, an imprint of Storm King Comics. John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction — Pause#1 will debut exclusively in comic book stores on February 26, 2025, with subsequent issues available monthly through July.
Written by Matthew K. Manning and illustrated by Conor Boyle, with lettering by Janice Chiang, Pauseis a dark, compelling tale that begins on an ordinary night in Brooklyn as Henry Jacobs finds himself, as usual, having thrown back one too many. Henry is no stranger to the unexpected consequences of drinking too much, but he’s not prepared for what happens when he boards a subway and is the only person unaffected when, without warning, the world comes to a sudden stop.
Pauseinvites readers to consider what might happen if they were put into the same position. Would they stay in the nicest Manhattan penthouse, ignoring the frozen owner standing in the center of the room? Would they eat at the finest restaurants—food paused in time and still hot on the plates? And what if, with just a touch, anyone could be unfrozen … would they keep this newfound playground for themselves, or would they take anything? Anything at all might be possible—unless, of course, the wrong people were unpaused.
What’s that you hear in the air? Could it be … slay bells? Do you see that in the lane? Snow is glistening … with blood. That’s the way holiday tunes might begin if Storm King Comics were writing them.
It’s the kind of holiday “cheer” that awaits horror fans and those who love to be frightened out of their wits. To help put everybody in a ghoulish holiday mood, Storm King Comics is offering a special Black Friday sale that begins Friday, November 29.
By using code SCARYXMAS20 at checkout, online shoppers will get 20% off all individual graphic novels andsingle-issue comics, apparel and more at StormKingComics.com. It’s a perfect time to build a Storm King Comics collection, including best-sellers like:
The God List by Steve Niles (“30 Days of Night”) and Scott Hampton
The newest issue of the popular John Carpenter Presents Tales for a HalloweeNight, which this year was featured in The New York Times
The grisly tale of revenge and murder in Long Haul by Cullen Bunn (“Uncanny X-Men”)
For younger readers, the two-issue Fetch wraps up with the critically acclaimed Fetch Book Two: The Rescue, a blend of heroic adventure and classical mythology.
BUT, WAIT! THERE’S MORE!
Storm King Comics has something truly special planned on Black Friday (Nov. 29) … two new very, very limited offerings that will be of enormous interest to fans of John Carpenter and his films.
That’s already revealing too much … so just know that all the details will be made public at 12 p.m. Pacific time on Black Friday exclusively at the Storm King Comics and John Carpenter Instagram pages: @stormkingcomics and @johncarpenterofficial. Last year’s special release sold out in record time, so be sure to get ready for this special surprise.
For horror fans … for graphic novel readers … for John Carpenter enthusiasts … Storm King Comics really does have something for everyone (well, almost), so be sure to visit StormKingComics.com — and to please let me know if you have any questions whatsoever!
For those “mature” enough to remember, 1979 was one of the most seminal years for fans of sci-fi, fantasy and comics. Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Black Hole, Moonraker, Phantasm and Time After Time were all in theaters that year — along with a particularly noteworthy box-office smash: “Alien.”
Many of us waited eagerly by our mailboxes for the next issue of Starlog or Fangoria, or, if we were very lucky … both!
The special mood of that particular year is brought to vivid life in a San Diego Comic-Con EXCLUSIVE mini-poster created by Storm King Comics featuring Starlog front and center. Featuring artwork from the brand-new Storm King Comics graphic novel The Killing Hole, it’s sure to evoke memories for a great many fans, and we’ll have a VERY limited number of these posters in the Storm King Comics booth #1935 every day (including preview night) – free only to the first 25 fans to show up.
Located at booth #1935, Storm King Comics has revealed its signing and panel schedule for San Diego Comic-Con 2024.
Thursday, July 25
11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – BOOTH 1935 — Creator Signing with Sandy King, Amanda Deibert, Jennie Wood, Neo Edmund, Jaime Carrillo, Sean Sobczak
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – BOOTH 1935 — Creator Signing with Sandy King, Amanda Deibert, Neo Edmund, Jaime Carrillo, Sean Sobczak
6 p.m. to 7 p.m. – ROOM 28DE — PANEL — The Future is Fright: The Indie Horror Comic Explosion, moderated by Bill Field, featuring Sandy King along with Scott Chitwood, Jim Ousley, Justin Beahm and Mel Smith
Friday, July 26
11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – BOOTH 1935 — Creator Signing with Sandy King, Amanda Deibert, Neo Edmund, Jaime Carrillo, Sean Sobczak
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – BOOTH 1935 — Creator Signing with Sandy King, Amanda Deibert, Jaime Carrillo, Neo Edmund, Sean Sobczak
Saturday, July 27
11 a.m. to 12 p.m. – BOOTH 1935 — Creator Signing with Sandy King, Steve Niles, Amanda Deibert, Jennie Wood, Neo Edmund, Jaime Carrillo, Sean Sobczak
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. – ROOM 25ABC — PANEL — The Horror Next Door featuring Sandy King, Steve Niles, Cat Staggs, Amanda Deibert, Frank Tieri and Sean Sobczak discussing Storm King Comics’ latest imprint, “Dark & Twisted.” Moderated by Wynter Mitchell.
6 p.m. to 7 p.m. – BOOTH 1935 — Creator Signing with Sandy King, Steve Niles, Cat Staggs, Amanda Deibert, Frank Tieri, Sean Sobczak
Sunday, July 28
2 p.m. to 3 p.m. – BOOTH 1935 — Creator Signing with Sandy King, Cat Staggs, Amanda Deibert, Jaime Carrillo, Sean Sobczak
Take a deep dive into The Killing Hole, discover the secret of The God List, get a taste of Blood of the Taken, and explore the enormous range of horror comics and graphic novels from Storm King Comics when the acclaimed independent publisher appears at San Diego Comic-Con, July 24 to 28.
Every day of San Diego Comic-Con, including “Preview Night,” the Storm King Comics booth (#1935) will be home to signings, appearances, plus opportunities to explore the vast range of horror graphic novels and comics from the minds and hearts of horror legends Sandy King and John Carpenter.
Every day during Comic-Con, Storm King will offer a highly limited, free SDCC-exclusive mini-poster that showcases a stunning piece of artwork created by comics artist Trevor Denham for The Killing Hole, the newest graphic novel from Storm King’s Dark & Twisted imprint. Titled “Back to 1979,” it’s a must-have for every Gen X horror fan. Only 125 posters will be available; each day, the first 25 visitors to the Storm King booth will receive a copy of this deeply nostalgic and evocative image.
Plus, twice a day, every day, visitors to the Storm King Comics booth will have the opportunity to take part in horror trivia. Think you know horror … and the work of John Carpenter? Prove your expertise for a chance to win Storm King exclusive merchandise and single issues. (Details and times for trivia will be available at the booth.)
The booth will also be home to in-person appearances by comic and graphic-novel luminaries, including Steve Niles, Cat Staggs and Amanda Deibert, Frank Tieri, Neo Edmund, as well as Storm King’s managing editor Sean Sobczak and president Sandy King, all of whom will be available to sign items purchased at the booth. (Please note that all appearances are subject to change.)
In addition, Sandy will feature in two SDCC panels that will be can’t-miss experiences for every horror fan:
The Horror Next Door: Bringing Real-Life Terror to Storm King’s Dark & Twisted features Sandy, comics creators Steve Niles, Cat Staggs, Amanda Deibert, Frank Tieri and Storm King managing editor Sean Sobczak in a conversation that explores the newest imprint from Storm King and its intense tales of real-world terror—including serial killers, stalkers and kidnaping. Saturday, 5 p.m., Room 25ABC
The Future is Fright: The Indie Horror Explosion brings Sandy into a conversation with Scott Chitwood, publisher of Red 5 Comics; Jim Ousley, creator of The Atonement Bell; horror journalist and documentarian Justin Beahm; and Mel Smith, creator of Becoming Frankenstein. Friday, 6 p.m., Room 28DE
“As the overall comics industry goes through a cycle of major change, San Diego Comic-Con shines an incredible spotlight on comics, graphic novels, their creators and their fans, and with the incredible growth in horror comics, this is really an exciting year for Storm King Comics and our presence in San Diego,” Sandy King said.
New and upcoming titles from Storm King Comics that will be featured in Booth #1935 include:
The Killing Hole by Niles, with illustrations by Denham, which will be released July 10 to comic book stores and online at www.StormKingComics.com;
The God List, a collaboration between Niles and writer-illustrator Scott Hampton, available July 17;
Blood of the Taken, written and directed by Sian Mandrake, and available October 1.
Even more of the full range of Storm King Comics’ fast-growing library will be on display during San Diego Comic-Con, making Storm King’s booth a must-see for every horror fan visiting the annual pop-culture extravaganza.
Renowned producer and editor Sandy King and legendary filmmaker John Carpenter present Storm King Comics at the 2024 ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition from June 27 to July 2, 2024. Diehard fans of horror, scifi, and genre storytelling can find Storm King Comics at Booth #150 (Graphic Novel/Gaming Alley) in the San Diego Convention Center.
Horror fans can get an exclusive preview of the highly anticipated Summer and Fall 2024 releases from bestselling author Steve Niles and debut graphic novelist, Sian Mandrake.
Storm King Comics, home to the critically acclaimed imprints Dark & Twisted, John Carpenter’s Night Terrors,Tales of Science Fiction, and John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids, as well as the award-winning anthology series John Carpenter’s Tales For A HalloweeNight, will reveal exclusive previews of their upcoming graphic novels from an exciting array of creators.
THE KILLING HOLE by acclaimed horror author Steve Niles and artist Trevor Denham, with colors by Ryan Winn and letters by Janice Chiang.
Stuck in an isolated suburb in ‘70s Virginia, 14-year-old Stewart is a lonely and neglected child of divorce who slips through the cracks until, one day, he notices a new kid at school. Peter has it even worse than he does, and the two begin to form an inseparable bond in their mutual hatred of everyone and everything else. But as their friendship deepens, things take a very dark turn. In bookstores July 23.
THE GOD LIST, co-created by author Steve Niles and artist Scott Hampton, with colors by Jessica Lange and letters by Janice Chiang.
William is a vintage book dealer from Greenwich Village. Lydia is a mysterious agent for an otherworldly organization. Together they must match wits and do battle with sinister forces seeking to destroy… THE GOD LIST. Rumored to be a priceless collection of secret masterpieces commissioned by God herself, the List is so closely guarded that most scholars disagree on its origins, or even if it exists at all. In bookstores July 30.
BLOOD OF THE TAKEN created by debut graphic novelist Sian Mandrake (they/he), with letters by Janice Chiang.
Theo, a 500-year-old vampire, has made a new home in a small town in Western Massachusetts, stalking its residents in search of just the right humans to spirit away to replace her lost brood. Tonight she thinks she’s found the perfect pair with lifelong best friends, Ed and Liam. As the two companions find themselves suddenly plunged into Theo’s rotting nightmare of a world, they quickly come to understand running isn’t an option. After all, when you’ve become one of the undead yourself, where can you call home except with the creature who made you? Ed and Liam must learn to navigate Theo’s world if they want to survive it. In bookstores October 1.
On Friday, June 28, at 5:30 p.m., the publisher will host an Opening Night Wine Mixer at Storm King Comics Booth #233 (Graphic Novel/Gaming Alley), where horror fans can enter a raffle to win a deluxe edition foil embossed box set collecting five bestselling graphic novels from the highly acclaimed imprint John Carpenter’s Night Terrors, including fan-favorite graphic novels 13 Horsemen,Black Sparrow, Graveyard Moon, Second Nature, & Sour Candy.
Visitors to Storm King Comics Booth #233 throughout the weekend can also enter to win a rare deluxe edition box set of John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight, collecting the first five volumes of the fan-favorite series, and signed by legendary filmmakers John Carpenter and Storm King Comics Editor-in-Chief Sandy King. Details at booth.
Storm King Comics will be showcasing an array of new releases and worldwide bestsellers ranging in genre from horror, science-fiction, and dark thrillers to tales for all ages, including, but not limited to:
JOHN CARPENTER’S TALES FOR A HALLOWEENIGHT is the bestselling horror anthology that includes stories by the legendary filmmakers John Carpenter, Sandy King, and a coterie of acclaimed writers and artists who bring fresh new horrors to life each Halloween.
Dark & Twisted presents DEATH MASK by Amanda Deibert and Cat Staggs about a young detective on the trail of a bizarre and gruesome serial killer that leads her to question her own feelings about justice and what it means to be “good” or “evil.”
Night Terrors presents USHER DOWN by Jason Henderson and Greg Scott tells the story of a psychic who joins a government expedition to explore the most legendary haunted house of all time, Edgar Allen Poe’s The House of Usher. The house is real, frozen in time below ground– but what the explorers find there is demonic, alive, and may well have called them for its own dark purposes.
Tales of Science Fiction presents THE ENVOY by David J. Schow and Andres Esparza about two former college best friends who engage in a fierce race to reach intelligent life first but encounter two very different contacts, each sparking distrust and fear of the other. Can the friends turned rivals figure out who to trust before it’s too late for humankind?
Storm Kids Presents FETCHBOOK 1: THE JOURNEY and BOOK 2: THE RESCUE by Mike Sizemore and Dave Kennedy is the highly acclaimed series following the adventures of young Danni as she braves the Underworld to bring back her best friend and beloved pet, Pirate, with the help of the legendary Ulysses and a few other figures from myth.
The sun-baked deserts and wide-open vistas of the American West may have inspired tales of romance and grand adventure, but Long Haul, the newest graphic novel from Storm King Comics’ “Dark & Twisted” imprint, isn’t one of them.
Written by Cullen Bunn and Heath Amodio, with artwork by Andrea Mutti, inks by Gigi Baldassini, colors by Valerio Alloro, and lettering by Janice Chiang, Long Haul is a sinister and violent tale of revenge rooted in the terrifying fact that there are more than 700 missing people along America’s interstate highways—hunted, taken and often killed by active serial killers.
In Long Haul, Sarah Blake is one of those missing: vanished on her way to work. Her disappearance proved too much for her sickly father to handle, and when he dies, her older brothers Danny and Carl are filled with rage and loss. With nothing and no one left to lose, the two men decide to spend whatever time they have left hunting down “long haul” serial killers, and uncovering the truth about Sarah.
Long Haulis available February 21, 2024, through StormKingComics.com and comic shops, followed by a March 5, 2024, release date at retail booksellers.
On their mission for revenge, Danny and Carl learn about a convoy of sociopathic killers known only as The Nine. When it becomes clear that one of The Nine stole Sarah from beside her broken-down car, the Blake brothers must violently work their way through the ghoulish gang—and their protectors—until they come to the horrific person who took her.
The times we live in are terrifying enough, so creators of horror stories across different media have a challenge to out-scare the headlines. Storm King Comics founder and horror legend Sandy King Carpenter will lead a panel discussion about the topic as part of New York Comic-Con, the comics publisher announced today.
In addition, King Carpenter will hold a special hourlong exploration of the origins, impact and future of Storm King Comics as the publishing house celebrates its first 10 years, sharing insight into her work with longtime partner and iconic horror director John Carpenter.
On Thursday, Oct. 12, King Carpenter will host Creating Modern Horror: Scaring People in Scary Times (12:15 p.m., Room 406.1), joined by artist Cat Staggs and author Amanda Deibert, both of whom collaborated with King on Death Mask, the first graphic novel from Storm King’s “Dark & Twisted” imprint. They’ll also be joined by writers and creators Neo Edmund, Sara Richard, Sian Mandrake, Richard P. Clark and Sean Sobczak, all of whom have helped create terrifying tales for Storm King Comics.
On Friday, Oct. 13, King Carpenter will host a special panel for the 10th anniversary of the publishing house she leads: 10 Years of Chills, Thrills and Kills: Storm King Comics (12 p.m., Room 406.2). She’ll explore the simple mission of Storm King: to publish the best in horror from writers across film, television, comics and graphic novels. The hourlong panel will also showcase how Storm King has expanded into science fiction and children’s books, and bring exclusive news about the next 10 years, while joined by surprise guests in a panel that will be a highlight of the weekend for any lover of comics, horror and the macabre.
In addition to both panels, which are hosted by Storm King’s Wynter Mitchell, King Carpenter will appear at the Storm King Comics booth (#3461) six times throughout the weekend (please note that all times are subject to change; always check the official schedule):
THURSDAY, Oct. 12
2 p.m., joined by Cat Staggs, Amanda Deibert, Dennis Calero, Neo Edmund, Sara Richard, Sian Mandrake, Richard P. Clark, Janice Chiang and Sean Sobczak
5 p.m., joined by Neo Edmund, Richard P. Clark, Janice Chiang and Sean Sobczak
FRIDAY, Oct. 13
2:30 p.m., joined by Frank Tieri, Amanda Deibert, Neo Edmund, Dennis Calero, Richard P. Clark, Janice Chiang, Jack Mandrake and Sean Sobczak
5 p.m., joined by Neo Edmund, Richard P. Clark, Janice Chiang, Jack Mandrake and Sean Sobczak
SATURDAY, Oct. 14
1 p.m., joined by Cat Staggs, Amanda Deibert, Andrea Mutti, Neo Edmund, Richard P. Clark, Janice Chiang and Sean Sobczak
5 p.m., joined by Neo Edmund, Richard P. Clark, Janice Chiang and Sean Sobczak
SUNDAY, Oct. 15
11 a.m., joined by Cat Staggs, Amanda Deibert, Neo Edmund, Richard P. Clark, Janice Chiang and Sean Sobcak
In addition to the Storm King Comics panels, New York Comic-Con fans will want to make note that Suburban Screamsmakes its premiere on Peacock while NYCC is underway. Both John Carpenter and Sandy King Carpenter are among executive producers of the series from Storm King Productions and DIGA Studios. John Carpenter has returned to the director’s chair for the first time in more than a decade to direct an episode of the series, which combines real-life horror with cinematic vision to ensure that viewers will never look at their neighbors the same way twice.
Vigilantes are strange creatures. They walk a path paved by violence that shares more with horror than we like to think it does. Put under a harsh light, they can be viewed as a special kind of serial killer. The thing with their own brand of killing, though, is that theirs is guided by a moral compass that keeps them from being categorically identified as evil. Vigilantes, as is often the case, are wronged people that decide to take justice into their own hands once they’ve seen the legal system fail miserably at catching those responsible of extreme wrongdoing.
This is what Amanda Deibert and Cat Staggs have decided to put the spotlight on for their graphic novelDeath Mask, a vigilante story with an unrelenting view on justice and whether something else should take up the mantle when the law falls short. The book is the first in Storm King Comics’ new line “Dark & Twisted,” a series of comics that will be focusing on human horror. No ghosts or ancient gods here. Only the most dangerous monster known to humanity: Us.
Death Mask follows Detective Maza, a hard woman that still believes in playing things by the book despite the dire conditions of the system she’s a part of as a series of murders seem to initially point towards a new serial killer. Problem is, the victim pool is all deserving of the very gory ends they meet. They are part of a cartel with a vicious history of violence, and their deaths are actually welcomed by some in the police. But not for Maza. Therein lies the debate at the heart of the story: does every victim deserve to be served justice equally, or is there room for prejudice depending on the victim’s rap sheet?
Deibert’s writing navigates these complex waters well. A lot of character work is afforded to the story’s players to really fish out the tensions between the killer’s methods and the investigators’ view on how energy should be expended on solving the killing of criminals. Maza, for instance, deals with troubles at home as her wife struggles with the all-consuming nature of her partner’s work. It places her professional convictions as a legitimate stressor on her home life.
What’s interesting is that Deibert manages to portray Maza’s stubborn fealty to the letter of the law as a potential character flaw that’s bled over to her marriage. It’s a clever bit of characterization that makes Maza stand out as not just another detective character in a vigilante story, and it keeps the story feeling fresh throughout. The same goes for the killer, but going more into that would spoil the amazing work the creative team put behind the story.
Staggs approaches these themes with a rawness that frames the vigilante’s violence squarely in horror territory. Every single killing is gory, gruesome, and unsettling. The very first one involves a decapitation via golf club. Golf clubs aren’t sharp metal objects. They’re blunt instruments. You do the math.
While there’s a fair bit of fun had with the violence, it does point to the severity behind the vengeance the vigilante seeks. In a way, it builds up the character in surprising ways that makes the reveal of their identity hit with a well-earned sense of shock. It speaks volumes to the quality of the storytelling on display.
Nothing comes across as gratuitous. It’s all trained on adding layers to the question of vigilantism and to the characters entrenched in this very bloody situation. In fact, Staggs invites an interrogation of the violence to consider whether it fits the crimes the vigilante has deemed them worthy of. It’s why its explicitness works. Readers are supposed to engage with it.
Janice Chiang does an excellent job with the lettering, expertly weaving conversations, screams, and sound effects in between all the character work that graces most every panel. Characters are allowed breathing room with text placement that admirably affects the pace of the story. The SFX, in particular, accentuates the gorier elements without turning them into caricature, giving the art an extra push in its capacity for horror.
One point of note here. Death Mask uses horror in subtle and nuanced ways and it’s important not to take that for granted. Vigilante stories deal in the cruelty humanity is capable of, especially when it comes to violent crime. Deibert and Staggs are well aware of this, especially as it pertains to the need not to shy away from darkness to get at deeper meanings and explorations. The gore is reminiscent of slasher horror in parts, and it will satisfy readers that enjoy splatter, but the creative team here has managed to indulge that style while making sure it fulfills other narrative purposes. It achieves in doing what horror does best: confronting people with necessary darkness.
Death Mask is a great addition to the vigilante tradition. Deibert and Staggs have come up with a story that puts morality and justice under the unforgiving gaze of consequence to cast doubt on whether there is a right or a wrong way of making bad people pay for their bad behavior. It’s smart, urgent, and confrontational, and it uses the language of horror well to make its ideas land with brutal force. Death Mask has set the tone for future “Dark & Twisted” stories at Storm King. You can’t ask for a better start.
Story: Amanda Deibert Art: Cat Staggs Letters: Janice Chiang Release date: September 19, 2023 Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy, and never underestimate the power of a golf club.
Storm King Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
