Two of the most iconic names in horror will come together for the first time next spring when John Carpenter and Storm King Comics debut a graphic novel adaptation of George A. Romero’s long-thought-to-be-lost film, “The Amusement Park.”
The George A. Romero Foundation and its artist-in-residence, illustrator Ryan Carr, adapted this artistic interpretation of Romero’s unique 1975 film. Together with writer Jeff Whitehead, a visually stunning interpretation of the film came to life on the page.
Seeking distribution for the project, the George A. Romero Foundation turned to another icon of cinematic horror: John Carpenter. Storm King Comics, founded by Carpenter’s wife, Sandy King, seemed the perfect publisher to help bring this version of “The Amusement Park” to readers. Storm King Comics has become the premiere publisher of horror graphic novels, and King felt “The Amusement Park” would make a fascinating pairing of the two names.
“John and George often talked about ways they might collaborate, and this project felt like a fantastic opportunity,” King explained. “We’re really happy to come together for this project, which represents George Romero’s vision through and through, filtered through the artistic lens of Ryan and Jeff.”
“George A. Romero’s films are legendary. They already were legendary when I was just a student, and ‘The Amusement Park’ has a fascinating history. This is a project that’s so important to his legacy as a filmmaker, so I’m glad to lend my name to it,” said John Carpenter.
More than a simple adaptation, “John Carpenter Presents George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park” is also a tribute to Romero’s enduring influence on horror, as Whitehead and Carr have reconsidered the nearly 50-year-old film in ways that will resonate with new generations.
“The Amusement Park holds a special place in George’s body of work because it tackles such a deeply human issue—ageism—through the lens of horror. Adapting it into a graphic novel allows us to bring his unique vision to a whole new audience. We are thrilled to collaborate with John Carpenter and Storm King Comics on this project, which honors George’s legacy in such a meaningful way,” said Suzanne Desrocher-Romero, founder and president of the George A. Romero Foundation.
In “John Carpenter Presents George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park,” an impatient businessman in his 20s meets an elderly man who spins a fantastic tale about a long-gone amusement park. As the conversation continues, the younger man is disturbed to learn the story of an elderly man eager to recapture the memories of his youth. Instead of pleasant memories, however, this trip to the amusement park becomes a surreal microcosm of aging and its inherent challenges as bodies and minds begin to break down. The old man finds himself abused and pushed into a horrifying series of attractions that mimic the later stages of life. Increasingly battered both mentally and physically, the man realizes he is trapped in a loop, forced to relive the harrowing experience over and over. The young man, William Lincoln, soon discovers that he and the old man have much more in common than they suspect.
“John Carpenter Presents George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park” will debut online and in comic stores on May 7, 2025, and will be available through booksellers on May 20, 2025.
George A. Romero’s “The Amusement Park” was initially conceived as a public service announcement and premiered at the American Film Festival in New York in June 1975. The film was then shelved and believed to have been lost to time. A 16 mm print of the film was rediscovered in 2017 and was restored in 4K by the George A. Romero Foundation shortly thereafter. The restored version premiered in Pittsburgh in October 2019 and was later made available to stream on the horror streaming service Shudder.
