If you thought John Carpenter was content with just letting his legendary filmography do the talking, the Master of Horror is here to prove that retirement is for mortals. Midsummer Scream, the world’s largest Halloween and horror convention, has announced that Carpenter is returning to the Long Beach Convention Center from August 7–9, 2026.
He isn’t just coming to sign old Halloween posters, either. He’s unleashing CATHEDRAL—his very first original graphic novel alongside a companion album of the same name. It marks the first time in his five-decade career that he has tackled an original comic. It is his most ambitious cross-media project to date.
The Blueprint: What Lies Beneath Downtown L.A.
Co-authored with Sandy King, producer, editor, and CEO of Storm King Comics (Carpenter’s creative partner and wife), the graphic novel officially hits shelves on August 4.
The story is a propulsive, claustrophobic nightmare centered on an abandoned cathedral in downtown Los Angeles. The holy ground conceals a centuries-old evil. When a police officer is brutally murdered on the site, Lieutenant Christine Marks and her team descend into the catacombs. What they find is a cosmic nightmare they may not survive. The book is co-written with Sean Sobczak and features artwork by Federico De Luca and Luis Guaragna.
Carpenter teamed up with his usual musical co-conspirators, Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies, to record a chapter-by-chapter score. Dropping August 7 via Sacred Bones Records, Carpenter has described the synth-and-guitar-heavy record as “kind of our first heavy metal album.” The debut single, “Lord of the Underground,” is streaming now.
The Weekend Itinerary: How to Experience the Horror
If you’re planning to worship at the altar of Carpenter this August, here is how the weekend breaks down at the convention:
-Friday, August 7 (The VIP Listening Party): Kick off opening night with an exclusive listening party for the album. The first hour (7:00 PM–8:00 PM) is a strict VIP affair hosted by Sandy King. She will share the definitive behind-the-scenes story of the project. You must be one of the first 50 people to buy the bundle at the Storm King booth. After 8:00 PM, the doors open to all attendees.
-Saturday, August 8 (The Main Event Signing): John Carpenter himself will be stationed at the Storm King Comics booth on the show floor to sign copies of the graphic novel and the vinyl. It’s a rare opportunity to meet the director in person.
-Sunday, August 9 (The “Crafting Fear” Panel): Sandy King will headline “Crafting Fear: The Invisible Architects of Horror,” a deep-dive panel exploring the unsung artistry behind modern genre filmmaking. Moderated by Jim Branscombe, the panel will feature editor Jeremy Cohen and composer Samuel Jones.
Get your Midsummer Scream tickets now. Secure your passes, pre-order the book, and prepare your ears for some heavy metal synths.
