The Walking Dead gets a makeover in one of several new covers that celebrate Image Comics' upcoming 25th anniversary. In today's Horror Highlights, we also have a look at a "scare video" for The Bye Bye Man, information on a new Wattpad short story contest for The Magicians, DVD release details for Wolf House, a behind-the-scenes featurette for Pitchfork, and a look at a killer Jason Lives enamel pin from London 1888.

The Walking Dead #164 Variant Cover: Press Release: "Image Comics is thrilled to reveal the first 11 of 15 homage variants planned for February’s 25th anniversary theme month—“tribute covers” celebrating iconic cover images from throughout the company’s history.

Each month of Image’s 25th year will boast a theme for special anniversary variants, beginning with Wednesday, February 1st—the exact date of Image Comics’ founding in 1992, and the date of this year’s “Image Comics Day.”

“One of the great things about celebrating our 25th anniversary is that it creates an opportunity for us to look back at over two decades of history-making comics and showcase some of the wonderful work that made Image what it is today,” said Eric Stephenson, Publisher at Image Comics. “Everyone in the Image family is a fan at heart, and this month’s tribute variants give the participating creators a chance to show their admiration for some of comics’ greatest creator-owned triumphs by putting their own unique spin on classic images from that rich and varied past for a collection of covers as fun as they are stunning.”

Available in stores on Wednesday, February 1st:

  • Rick Remender and Wes Craig’s DEADLY CLASS #26 commemorating Marc Silvestri’s CYBER FORCE #1 (Diamond Code NOV168917)

Available in stores on Wednesday, February 8th:

  • Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta’s EAST OF WEST #31 commemorating Rob Liefeld’s TEAM YOUNGBLOOD #19 (Diamond Code NOV169165)
  • Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie’s THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #26 commemorating Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky’s SEX CRIMINALS #1 (Diamond Code NOV169053)

Available in stores on Wednesday, February 15th:

  • Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker’s INVINCIBLE #133 commemorating Rob Liefeld’s YOUNGBLOOD #1 (Diamond Code NOV169172)
  • Donny Cates and Geoff Shaw’s GOD COUNTRY #2 commemorating Erik Larsen’s SAVAGE DRAGON #1 (Diamond Code NOV169169)
  • Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Elizabeth Breitweiser’s KILL OR BE KILLED #6 commemorating Robert Kirkman’s THE WALKING DEAD #1 (Diamond Code NOV169051)
  • Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky’s SEX CRIMINALS #16 commemorating Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie's THE WICKED + THE DIVINE #1 (Diamond Code NOV169052)
  • Robert Kirkman’s THE WALKING DEAD #164 commemorating Jim Lee’s WILD C.A.T.S. #1 (Diamond Code NOV169171)

Available in stores on Wednesday, February 22nd: 

  • Charles Soule and Ryan Browne’s CURSE WORDS #2 commemorating Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker’s INVINCIBLE #1 (Diamond Code NOV169173)
  • Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen’s DESCENDER #19 commemorating  Dale Keown’s PITT #2 (Diamond Code NOV169174)
  • Tim Seely and Mike Norton’s REVIVAL #47 commemorating Marc Silvestri, Brian Haberlin, Michael Turner, and David Wohl’s WITCHBLADE #1 (Diamond Code NOV169170)"

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The Bye Bye Man Scare Video: "The following reel presents a “best of” compilation from an event where unsuspecting media were invited to participate in a “Real Life Bye Bye Man” encounter."

Synopsis: "People commit unthinkable acts every day. Time and again, we grapple to understand what drives a person to do such terrible things. But what if all of the questions we’re asking are wrong? What if the source of all evil is not a matter of what…but who?

From the producer of The Strangers and Oculus comes The Bye Bye Man, a chilling horror-thriller that exposes the evil behind the most unspeakable acts committed by man.

When three college friends stumble upon the horrific origins of the Bye Bye Man, they discover that there is only one way to avoid his curse: don’t think it, don’t say it. But once the Bye Bye Man gets inside your head, he takes control. Is there a way to survive his possession?

In Theaters January 13, 2017"

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The Magicians Wattpad Story: "Get ready for the next Wattpad Star, as the global entertainment platform for original stories launches the Battle the Beast contest. Based on the Syfy series, The Magicians, which follows the story of Quentin Coldwater on a mission to destroy The Beast, contestants are tasked with creating a chapter in his adventure that will be turned into a digital short to be featured on The Magicians social profile.

Writers are challenged to create a 1,500 word short story describing how Quentin and his friends battled The Beast. The top 10 stories will be presented before and judged by the show’s creator, Lev Grossman, and the winner will receive $10,000.

Stories must be submitted by February 8, 2016 and contestants must be 18 years or older and residents of the US. For more information and contest guidelines click here.

About Wattpad
Wattpad, the global multiplatform entertainment company for original stories, transforms how the world discovers, creates, and engages with stories. Since 2006, it has offered a completely social experience where people everywhere can participate and collaborate on content through comments, messages, and multimedia. Today, Wattpad connects a community of over 45 million people around the world through serialized stories about the things they love. As home to millions of fresh voices and fans who share culturally relevant stories based on local trends and current events, Wattpad has unique pop culture insights in virtually every market around the world. Wattpad Studios co-produces stories for film, television, digital, and print, to radically transform the way the entertainment industry sources and produces content. Wattpad Brand Solutions offers new and integrated ways for brands to build deep engagement with consumers. The company is proudly based in Toronto, Canada. Learn more at wattpad.com/about."

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Wolf House DVD Release Details: "New York, NY - Wild Eye Releasing has announced the January 17th nationwide DVD release of Wolf House. Directed by Matt D. Lord, Wolf House was scripted by Ken Cosentino and Elizabeth Houlihans and stars Cosentino along with Jessica Bell and Marcus Ganci-Rotella. A daring mashup of found footage and monster movies, Wolf House is currently an exclusive on Walmart shelves.

Six friends on a camping trip think they have discovered, captured and killed a Sasquatch. But what they have actually unleashed is something more evil, more ancient and more deadly than they could ever imagine - an army of supernatural terrors that will hunt them until none of them remain.

The DVD release of Wolf House (SRP $19.95) exclusively includes a feature-length commentary with director Matt D. Lord, a behind the scenes documentary, a featurette on "Making the Monster" and trailers.

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Pitchfork Behind-the-Scenes Featurette: Press Release: "Glenn Douglas Packard’s well-received indie horror ‘’Pitchfork’’ officially hits VOD this Friday the 13th.

An ultra-low budget film, made with only one camera and shot in just 21 days, ‘’Pitchfork’’ has struck a chord with film fans, horror buffs and filmmaking aficionados alike.

Despite its low- budget and guerrilla-style construction, ‘’Pitchfork’’ not only looks like a multimillion dollar, big studio movie but has been covered by major Hollywood publications like The Hollywood Reporter, L.A Times, Indie Wire and Deadline.

Like “The Blair Witch Project” and “Paranormal Activity”, “Pitchfork” is further proof that you don’t need big bucks, just a big idea and lots of drive, to make a solid genre film.

To coincide with the VOD release of the film, we are pleased to present a new behind-the-scenes featurette – which reiterates that a lot was done with a little! – and the terrific VOD artwork.

Having recently shared a life-changing secret with his family, Hunter recruits his friends to come with him from New York City to the farm where he grew up as he faces his parents for the first time. As the college students enjoy the fresh air of Michigan farm country, an older, more dangerous secret slowly emerges. While Hunter navigates a new place within his conservative family, a vicious creature from their past descends on the farm, putting the unsuspecting city kids in mortal danger as they start being stalked by a twisted, dark, and disturbing beast, Pitchfork.

‘’Pitchfork’’ is co-written, directed and produced by Emmy award nominee Glenn Douglas Packard, Director of Photography Rey Gutierrez. Producers Darryl F. Gariglio (executive/co-written) Shaun Cairo (associate) & Noreen Marriott.

Get Pitchfork on iTunes : https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/pitchfork/id1181779327"

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Jason Lives Enamel Pin: To celebrate the recent Friday the 13th, a Jason Lives machete enamel pin is now available from London 1888. Priced at $8.00, you can view the pin below, and to learn more, visit London 1888's website.

  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.