For years, Sandy King and John Carpenter's Storm King Comics has helped horror fans get into the spooky spirit of the Halloween season with new releases from some of the most exciting comic book writers and artists working today, and this fall is certainly no exception. Throughout September and into October, Storm King Comics will bring a wide variety of nightmares to life on the paneled page, including Death Mask (the first installment of Storm King's "Dark & Twisted" imprint), the family-friendly frights of Stanley and the Haunted House, the sci-fi horrors of The Envoy (in trade paperback), and the ninth volume of John Carpenter's Tales for a HalloweeNight!
Below, we have the official press release with additional details as well as a look at the cover art for all four of these titles. We also have the NSFW trailer for Death Mask featuring music by John Carpenter, and to learn more about Storm King Comics' new releases, be sure to visit:
Press Release: HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (September 5, 2023) – As Halloween nears and the nights get darker, Storm King Comics—from horror legends John Carpenter and Sandy King—debuts four new comics that will captivate everyone who loves to be terrified.The new lineup includes DEATH MASK, the first title in Storm King’s new “Dark & Twisted” imprint, as well as STANLEY AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE, a horror-tinged comic from John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids that’s perfect for younger readers. Also coming this fall are the trade-paperback release of the acclaimed “Tales of Science Fiction” series THE ENVOY, as well as a brand-new installment of the anthology series JOHN CARPENTER’S TALES FOR A HALLOWEENIGHT.
“Fear is one of the most basic elements of humanity, and Storm King was created to embrace stories that scare us and remind us of the mystery that surrounds us everyday, and the thrill of being alive,” said Storm King Comics creator Sandy King, who founded the comics company in 2013. “We bring together the world’s best and most exciting storytellers and artists, and we’re incredibly excited by our 10th anniversary lineup.”
On September 6 comes Storm King’s newest imprint, “Dark & Twisted,” which proves the world’s most fearsome monsters lurk not in the shadows or the imagination, but in the everyday world. Storm King anticipates publishing two “Dark & Twisted” titles each year.
“This is the horror in the car next to you, the horror that’s unfolding in the café across the street, the horror you cross paths with every day and don’t even notice,” King says of the “Dark & Twisted” imprint. “These monsters are human.”
The first title from “Dark & Twisted” is DEATH MASK, from Sandy King and New York Times best-selling author Amanda Deibert, who teams with artist Cat Staggs and renowned letterer Janice Chiang for an unforgettably intense tale of murder and justice. DEATH MASK introduces Det. Sonia Maza, who is investigating what appears to be a series of cartel-related murders. But the corpses keep piling up. Each death is more gruesome and intimate. And as Maza realizes she’s seeing the work of a serial killer, she realizes the vigilante has mastered hiding in plain sight in horrifying ways. Maza pursues the killer at the expense of her personal life, embarking on a terrifying journey into the meaning of justice and the concepts of “good and evil.”
DEATH MASK debuts September 6 in comic shops and digitally, then comes to booksellers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble on September 19.
Then, on September 13, comes STANLEY AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE, a comic perfect for the “spooky season” and created especially for younger readers by writer Jeff Balke and artists Walter Carzon, and Horacio Ottolini and letterer Janice Chiang. In the story, Stanley doubts the existence of ghosts, so he and his friends try to stay a night in a haunted house—which might just make a believer out of him.
On September 27 (online and comic shops; in bookstores October 10) comes the newest terror-inducing volume of the award-winning graphic novel series JOHN CARPENTER’S TALES FOR A HALLOWEENIGHT. For the ninth volume of haunting stories, Carpenter and King have brought together more than 20 of the most terrifying storytellers anywhere—13 writers and 24 artists—for a compendium of creeps that will dare even the most hardened reader to make it all the way without turning on all the lights.
Also on September 27 (online and comic shops; in bookstores Oct. 10) comes the trade-paperback version of THE ENVOY, the graphic novel by author David J. Schow and artist Andres Esparza. Featuring cover art by Cat Staggs, THE ENVOY is the riveting tale of two cutting-edge scientists racing to be the first to make alien contact. One finds a golden entity that offers to cure the worst Earthbound diseases. The other discovers a creature much more monstrous. It may be Earth’s first contact … or last chance.
“This is always a special time of year for Storm King Comics, as they days shorten and cool, and the scent of fall, mystery and intrigue fill the air, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with one of the strongest lineups of titles in our history,” King said.
All titles can be pre-ordered at www.StormKingComics.com, where additional details and pricing for each can be found.
About Storm King Comics
Storm King Comics, formed in 2012 as a division of Storm King Productions, is headed by writer/producer and editor Sandy King. Along with her husband, director John Carpenter, King focuses on bringing the best writers from the worlds of comics, movies and novels together to bring their special brand of horror and sci-fi entertainment to comics. Their flagship comic book title John Carpenter’s Asylum has become a global fan favorite, followed by the award-winning annual anthology, John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight, and the monthly anthology series, John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction. More recent additions to the Storm King brand are Dark & Twisted, John Carpenter’s Night Terrors, and John Carpenter Presents Storm Kids, introducing horror and sci-fi to younger audiences.
NSFW Death Mask Trailer:
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.
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