Horror legend John Carpenter is returning to Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and horror convention, from August 7–9, 2026. The Master of Horror will be celebrating a massive career milestone: the simultaneous launch of his debut original graphic novel, “Cathedral,” and its companion album.
The dual release marks the first time in Carpenter’s storied five-decade career that he has written an original graphic novel, representing his most ambitious cross-medium project to date.
“Midsummer Scream is exactly the right place to unleash ‘Cathedral’ on the world,” says Carpenter. “These monsters have been living in my head long enough. I can’t wait to share them with the fans who will truly appreciate what we’ve created.”
Arriving on August 4, 2026, from Storm King Comics, “Cathedral” is co-written with acclaimed producer/editor Sandy King and writer Sean Sobczak. The book features illustration by renowned artists Federico De Luca and Luis Guaragna, with colors by Ryan Winn and lettering by Marshall Dillon.
The graphic novel delivers a propulsive horror story centered on an abandoned church in downtown Los Angeles. When the brutal killing of a police officer draws attention to the long-ignored structure, Lieutenant Christine Marks and detectives Paul Hernandez and Steve Mayfield are pulled into an investigation that leads them deep into the catacombs—and face-to-face with a centuries-old evil.
Just days after the book drops, the companion album from Sacred Bones Records arrives on August 7—coinciding perfectly with the opening night of Midsummer Scream.
Created by Carpenter alongside longtime musical collaborators Cody Carpenter (synths) and Daniel Davies (guitar), the album functions as both a standalone record and a chapter-by-chapter score to the graphic novel. Leaning into a heavier sonic palette than the trio’s acclaimed “Lost Themes” series, Carpenter has described “Cathedral” as “kind of our first heavy metal album.”
“There’s no better audience than the Midsummer Scream crowd to be the first to experience ‘Cathedral,’” added co-writer and producer Sandy King. “This is a community that lives for horror done right, and John and I are thrilled to bring this nightmare to them first.”
Fans attending Midsummer Scream 2026 will have several exclusive opportunities to experience Cathedral firsthand:
VIP Listening Party
On Friday, August 7, Midsummer Scream will kick off opening night with an exclusive album listening party. The first hour (7 pm- 8 pm) is strictly reserved for a select group of pre-purchasers. It features a special appearance by Storm King Comics CEO Sandy King, who will share the definitive behind-the-scenes story of the project’s evolution.
Graphic Novel & Album Signing
In a rare opportunity to meet the director in person, John Carpenter will appear at the Storm King Comics booth on the convention show floor on Saturday, August 8, to sign copies of the “Cathedral” graphic novel and album. Sandy King and additional Storm King talent will be on hand throughout the weekend.
In addition to supporting the release of “Cathedral,” Sandy King will also be headlining the panel, “Crafting Fear: The Invisible Architects of Horror,” on Sunday, August 9. The deep-dive panel will explore the unsung artistry behind modern genre filmmaking. Moderated by Jim Branscome (film programmer for Cinematic Void and the American Cinematheque), the discussion will feature panelist insights from King, Editor Jeremy Cohen (“Over Your Dead Body”), and Composer Samuel Jones (“Didn’t Die”).
