John Carpenter is one of Hollywood’s greatest legends, a storyteller who is a master of horror and music. Carpenter has had a long illustrious career, best known for the Halloween films and The Thing, the two projects that helped him break out and become one of horror’s greatest voices. Carpenter’s films have always been works of art; he’s known for taking simple concepts, like an unstoppable killer or a shapechanging alien, and creating stories that grab the imagination and never let go. He’s also something of a polymath, known for writing, producing, directing, and, most importantly, soundtracks, creating amazing aural soundscapes. Carpenter hasn’t made a new film in 16 years, but he’s returning to horror in 2026 with a project that combines several of his interests.
Carpenter has announced a new comic from Storm King Comics called Cathedral, which will release on August 4th. Not only is he making an all-new horror property, but he’s also creating an album to go along with it. Carpenter’s movies are infinitely quotable, so the prospect of him writing a comic, a medium that uses dialogue to tell so much of its stories, is perfect. Add in the fact that he’s putting out an album to go along with the book, and Carpenter fans are going to be eating very well come this August.
Carpenter’s films are known for their amazing stories and Cathedral is no different. It’s based off a nightmare Carpenter had, with the visionary writer/director/producer/musician describing the genesis of it: “I saw it in a dream: a nightmare landscape deep underground filled with monsters too weird and sinister to exist in daylight. I knew instantly I had to get these things out of my head and into everyone else’s brains.” Anything that could give a master of terror like Carpenter pause is the kind of thing that is going to make horror fans very happy.
Cathedral revolves around, well, a cathedral. In downtown Los Angeles, there’s an abandoned cathedral, surrounded by a fence, and ignored by the passersby. However, this rather ordinary part of the city hides a terrible secret, as an ancient evil has been residing within its walls for years, growing in power and malice. When Lieutenant Christine Marks’ father is found brutally murdered on the abandoned property, the terrible structure is pulled into the spotlight. Marks, along with detectives Paul Hernandez and Steve Mayfield, has to enter the church to find out what happened to her father, leading them on a road that ends in one place: death.
The cathedral is home to a demonic force that shaman and warriors have been trying to destroy for centuries. Marks, Hernandez, and Mayfield have to unravel the mysteries of the demon, trying to find the secrets of those who failed to end the horror before them. As they spiral through the conundrums of the cursed cathedral, their resolve is tested again and again, pitted against a foe that even the most skilled have been found wanting against.
Carpenter is writing the book with his editor/producer/wife Sandy King, who owns Storm King, along with artists Federico de Luca and Luis Guaragna, colorist Ryan Winn, and letterer Marshall Dillon. De Luca has worked at Storm King before, drawing stories from John Carpenter’s HalloweeNight, Guaragna has credits from both Marvel and DC Comics, and Winn and Dillon are trusted hands in the industry. King expressed her excitement for her husband’s newest project saying, “We have a saying at Storm King, ‘Every dream should be a nightmare.’ By reading Cathedral, you can take John’s dream and let it become your next nightmare.”
Carpenter fans have been waiting years for more from the master and Cathedral‘s multimedia launch is just what the doctor ordered for those who have been waiting patiently for his return. As cool as it is to get a new Carpenter comic, the fact that he’s also making the story into an album is just as much cause for celebration. Carpenter has been quietly making excellent music for years – the man is one of the best synth players you’ll ever hear – and getting him to write and score a new project, even a comic, is a dream come true.
Cathedral is in stores on August 4th 2026.
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