Midsummer Scream is the preeminent horror convention in the world and they’re showing it with one of their guests this year. John Carpenter already made his Midsummer Scream debut last year with Storm King Comics, but now he’s bringing his graphic novel Cathedral with him. From August 7-9th, 2026, John will be in attendance to celebrate the release of his graphic novel and companion album for Cathedral.
Cathedral is co-written by Sandy King and John Carpenter and it arrives in stores on August 4th, 2026. The companion album of the same name from Carpenter releases wherever you get your music on August 7th. This is the first time in Carpenter’s storied career that he’s written an original graphic novel, which marks his most ambitious cross-medium project to date. We might not be getting a new movie from the man behind Halloween and The Thing, but this is the next best thing.
Here’s what John had to say about the event.
Midsummer Scream is exactly the right place to unleash CATHEDRAL on the world, 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.
Sandy King added this.
There’s no better audience than the Midsummer Scream crowd to be the first to experience CATHEDRAL. This is a community that lives for horror done right, and John and I are thrilled to bring this nightmare to them first.
A Listening Party, Signing, And A Panel All In One Weekend
Midsummer Scream won’t just be a debut party for Cathedral, there are events planned all weekend featuring the graphic novel and companion album. Here’s the plot description from Storm King Comics.
A propulsive horror story, it centers on an abandoned cathedral in downtown Los Angeles concealing a centuries-old evil. When a police officer is murdered at the site, Lieutenant Christine Marks and her detectives descend into its catacombs and into a nightmare they may not survive. The book is also co-written with Sean Sobczak, with illustrations by Federico De Luca and Luis Guaragna, and lettering by Marshall Dillon. The companion album, created by Carpenter with longtime musical collaborators Cody Carpenter (synths) and Daniel Davies (guitar), functions as both a standalone record and a chapter-by-chapter score to the graphic novel.
A Listening Party On Friday
Midsummer Scream will be hosting a listening party for the new album on Friday, August 7th with an exclusive VIP portion. The first hour of the event 7PM to 8PM is reserved strictly for a select group of pre-purchasers, featuring a special appearance by Sandy King. During this exclusive window, Sandy will reveal the definitive story behind the project – from the dream that inspired it to its evolution as a groundbreaking cross-medium work.
To ensure your spot, you have to be at Midsummer Scream on Friday, and be one of the first 50 people to visit the Storm King booth and purchase the bundle, which includes exclusive access credentials for the special presentation for you and a guest. Following this initial hour, the room will be available for all Midsummer Scream guests to join in on the listening party.
A Graphic Novel And Album Signing On Saturday
John Carpenter will be in attendance on Saturday, August 8th at the Storm King booth on the convention showfloor to sign copies of Cathedral, the graphic novel and album. This is an incredibly rare opportunity for fans to meet and chat with John, as he doesn’t do many convention appearances. Sandy King and other Storm King talent will also be available at the booth throughout the weekend.
“Crafting Fear” Panel On Sunday
Finally, Sandy King will headline the “Crafting Fear – The Invisible Architects Of Horror” panel, a deep-dive into the unsung artistry behind modern genre filmmaking. It’ll be moderated by Jim Branscome, with a discussion about insights and industry experience from Sandy King, Jeremy Cohen, and Samuel Jones.
You don’t want to miss out on the weekend’s events at Midsummer Scream. This is just a small taste of what makes this convention so special and popular among horror fans. Weekend passes and single day passes are still available on their website.
We’ll be in attendance to cover all things Theme Parks, Horror, and much more on the weekend.
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