Storm King Comics has announced the return of its “John Carpenter’s Tales of Science Fiction” imprint with the reveal of the new six-issue comic series “Pause.” Written by Matthew K. Manning (“The Batman Files”) and illustrated by Conor Boyle (“Judge Dredd”), with lettering by Janice Chiang, “Pause” is a bewildering sci-fi tale that explores what would happen if time suddenly came to a stop.
The series is set in Brooklyn and follows Henry Jacobs, who finds himself, as usual, having thrown back one too many. Henry is no stranger to the unexpected consequences of drinking too much, but he’s not prepared for what happens when he boards a subway and is the only person unaffected when, without warning, the world comes to a sudden stop.
“Pause” is the twelfth story in John Carpenter’s anthology series “Tales of Science Fiction” and invites readers to consider what might happen if they were put into the same position. Would they stay in the nicest Manhattan penthouse, ignoring the frozen owner standing in the center of the room? Would they eat at the finest restaurants—food paused in time and still hot on the plates? And what if, with just a touch, anyone could be unfrozen … would they keep this newfound playground for themselves, or would they take anything? Anything at all might be possible—unless, of course, the wrong people were unpaused.
“In ‘Pause,’ Matthew has taken a classic setup for a sci-fi thriller and brought it into the modern world with stunning flair, aided by Conor’s artistic vision, which helps ‘Pause’ play like a movie … one you absolutely do not want to pause,” said Storm King Comics founder and editor Sandy King. “We’re excited to release ‘Pause’ as single issues, which helps keep the suspense going. In an age when binging is everything, it’s a lot of fun to dole out such a captivating story in small pieces.”
Issue number one of “Pause” will debut exclusively in comic book stores on February 26, 2025, with subsequent issues available monthly through July.
