John Carpenter hasn’t directed a feature film since 2010’s The Ward, but that certainly doesn’t mean he’s stopped creating or slowed down when it comes to delivering new horror stories. While fans continue to hope for another feature film from the legendary filmmaker, Carpenter has found another creative outlet for his love of the genre alongside his wife, the brilliant Sandy King. For years, the two have been building an impressive presence in the horror comics world through Storm King Comics, a division of Storm King Productions dedicated to bringing original, imaginative, and often downright terrifying stories to readers.
Earlier this year, we reported on Carpenter’s first graphic novel, Cathedral, which served as a perfect introduction to his work in the medium for many fans. But Carpenter and King aren’t new to the comics game. John Carpenter’s Asylum was an international sensation, and the award-winning anthology, John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight is now in its twelfth edition.
For more than a decade, King and Carpenter have brought together an exceptional roster of writers and storytellers from the worlds of comics, film, and literature, pairing their work with the distinctive visions of illustrators from around the globe to create a diverse collection of original horror stories. Now, Volume 12 continues the tradition with new tales of suspense, psychological unease, and outright terror.
This volumes creators consist of Carpenter, King, Elena Carrillo, Jaime Carrillo, Federico De Luca, Stefano De Paolis, Alec Worley, David Hitchcock, Jack Mandrake, Amanda Deibert, Cat Staggs, Kealan Patrick Burke, Damien Worm, Frank Tieri, Andrea Mutti, Valerio Alloro, Joe Harris, Nat Jones, Mike Sizemore, Ryan Carr, Sean Sobczak, Luis Guaragna, Ryan Winn, Jess Arcure, David Kennedy, Jennie Wood, Richard P. Clark, Paul Terry, Alex Sarabia, Hernán González, Sian Mandrake, Tim Bradstreet, and Marshall Dillon.
FANGORIA was lucky enough to get an advance look at the latest installment ahead of its release today, with the collection arriving in comic shops on November 17, 2026. Needless to say, horror fans will absolutely want to get their hands on this one. For starters, when John Carpenter delivers a new horror story, you say thank you and read it. It's that simple. Beyond that, King and Carpenter have demonstrated time and again that they have exquisite taste when it comes to the creators and stories they champion. If something has earned their seal of approval, there's a good chance it's worth your attention.
Elena Carrillo and Jaime Carrillo provide the interstitials, “Bastet’s Journey,” while Carpenter opens the book with his story, “Crush,” featuring art by Federico De Luca and colors by Stefano De Paolis. His tale serves as yet another reminder from the Master of Horror that perception is everything and following anyone or anything without discernment is a quick way to meet your own destruction.
The stories that follow showcase a wide variety of horror subgenres, and there isn’t a weak tale in the bunch. I was particularly struck by “Should I Kill Him, Chat? from Amanda Deibert and Cat Staggs, two of my favorite voices currently working in the scene. Joe Harris and Nat Jones’ “Tricksters” is a Halloween-set story that plays out like a retelling of a small-town urban legend, and Sandy King’s “Night Guardians” introduces a premise so compelling that if she decided to spin it off into a separate series with Hernán González and Sian Mandrake returning for the art and colors, I will add my name to the pre-order right this second.
There’s truly something for everyone in John Carpenter’s Tales for a HalloweeNight Vol. 12, and the completionist in me is screaming to go back and read all of the volumes that I’ve missed. Whether you're a longtime Carpenter devotee, a fan of independent horror comics, or simply someone looking for a fresh collection of frightening stories, this latest volume delivers.
The entire series is available through Storm King Comics, including signed copies. If you haven't been following, now is a great time to catch up.
