You may remember last year around Halloween I posted reviews of a bunch of free comics I got from Halloween ComicFest. The highlight being I still haven't been able to dodge the "Brony" jokes after I said I was quite surprised at how good the My Little Pony book was...
Well, I'm happy to announce that now celebrating its third year, Halloween ComicFest will take place on Saturday October 25, 2014 and is similar to Free Comic Book Day where it's an annual event where participating comic book speciality shops across North America and beyond celebrate the Halloween season by giving away comic books absolutely free to anyone who comes into their shops. The event is always held the weekend before Halloween and is the perfect opportunity to introduce friends and family to the many reasons why comic shops are a great destination for Halloween themed comic books, products and merchandise. From zombies, vampires, monsters and aliens to costumes and more, comic shops have it all when it comes to Halloween fun!
I've attached the solicitations for the 19 books you can get this October below as well as the official press release from Diamond Distributors below, and make sure to stay tuned to the blog for updates as well as my official rankings and reviews as we get closer to the date.
HALLOWEEN COMIC FEST FULL-SIZED COMICS
ABSTRACT STUDIO
RACHEL
RISING #1—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W/A/CA)
Terry Moore
Halloween marks the return of a modern
classic, Rachel Rising #1! Rachel
wakes up dead in a shallow grave and climbs out to hunt for her killer. Seeking
the help of Aunt Johnny and BFF Jet, Rachel encounters a mysterious woman and
the scariest little girl in comics! This special reprint is just for Halloween
Comicfest 2014 and features a unique cover variation to mark the occasion!
(STK649689)
32pgs, B&W
ACTION LAB COMICS
HERO
CATS / PRINCELESS—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W)
Kyle Puttkammer, Jeremy Whitley (A/CA) Marcus Williams
A Hero Cat's life is exciting enough, but what happens when
imaginations run wild after a scary movie marathon at the local drive-in?! Ace,
Midnight, Cassie, Rocket, Rocco, and Belle will win your heart in this
frightfully fun-filled tale! Plus, an exclusive preview of the highly
anticipated new Princeless series!
(STK649936)
32pgs, FC
ARCHIE COMICS
AFTERLIFE
WITH ARCHIE #1—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W)
Roberto Aguirre Sacasa (A/CA) Francesco Francavilla
Celebrate the most frightening
day of the year with the most horrifying tale Archie has ever told!
"Escape From Riverdale": This
is how the end of the world begins… Harvey Award-winning writer Roberto
Aguirre-Sacasa (Carrie, Archie meets Glee) and Eisner-winning
artist Francesco Francavilla (Batman,
Black Beetle) take Archie and the
gang where they've never been before — to the grave and back! A horrific
accident sets off a series of grim events and Sabrina the Teenage Witch must
try to repair the unspeakable evil her spell has unleashed. Gasp in horror as
Riverdale faces an impending zombie Arch-pocalypse
in this reprint of the award-winning, sold-out first issue! But be warned,
kiddies, this one's not for the faint of heart! For TEEN+ readers. (STK649686) NOTE: Available only in the United
States, U.S. Territories, Canada, and the U.K.
32pgs, B&W
ASPEN MLT
MICHAEL
TURNER'S FATHOM: THE ADVENTURES OF ERNIE—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W)
Vince Hernandez (A/CA) Agnes Garbowska
A completely brand new and
unexpected Fathom tale for fans of
all ages! Join none other than Fathom's
Ernie the Seahorse as the playful ocean dweller finds himself wrapped up in a
magical Aspen-universes-spanning adventure that will test his limits! For the
first time ever, Aspen Comics' is excited to offer fans and readers a unique
comic and coloring book that includes a crafted full length story geared for
children to color, plus added puzzles, mazes and other fun-filled activities
for kids of all ages! It’s the perfect treat for the Halloween holiday!
(STK649797)
32pgs, B&W
AVATAR PRESS
MAX
BROOOKS' EXTINCTION PARADE #1—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W)
Max Brooks (A/CA) Raulo Caceres
Best-selling author Max Brooks (The Zombie Survival Guide, World War Z) takes the zombie genre to a
whole new level with Extinction Parade,
featuring the art of superstar Raulo Caceres (Crossed). As humans wage a losing fight against the hordes of the
subdead, a frightening realization sets in with the secretive Vampire race:
their "food" is dying off. This is the story of the Vampires' decent
into all-out war with the mindless hungry hordes of the zombie outbreak, with
humanity caught in the middle. Extinction
Parade introduces the "Vampires vs. Zombies" sub-genre with three
species in mortal conflict. This is how a species dies... (STK649796)
MATURE THEMES
32pgs, FC
DC COMICS
SCOOBY
DOO TEAM-UP #1 FEATURING BATMAN—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W) Sholly Fisch
(A/CA) Dario Brizuela
Just in time for Halloween, fans
of all ages can get this FREE special edition of the first issue of the
fan-favorite, all-ages series that features teams-up with the Scooby-Doo gang
and the greatest heroes of the DC Comics Universe! Rumors of a giant bat-creature bring Scooby and the gang on the run —
but Batman and Robin are already on the trail of their old foe, the monstrous
Man-Bat. Before long, the crooks behind a fake bat-creature will come
face-to-face with the real thing… with the good guys caught in the middle!
(STK650552)
32pgs, FC
BATMAN:
LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT HALLOWEEN SPECIAL—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W) Jeph Loeb (A/CA)
Tim Sale
Just
in time for Halloween, fans can get this FREE excerpt from the first chapter of
the critically acclaimed graphic novel, Batman:
Haunted Knight, which features dark tales of horror and intrigue featuring
Batman facing off against his most demented and wicked foes. Taking place on
the most evil of holidays, Halloween, the Dark Knight Detective confronts his
deepest fears as he tries to stop the madness and horror created by Scarecrow,
the Mad Hatter, the Penguin, Poison Ivy and the Joker. (STK650553)
32pgs, FC
IDW PUBLISHING
MY
LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W)
Jeremy Whitley (A) Tony Fleecs (CA) Amy Mebberson
The Cutie Mark Crusaders go to
the one creature that might just be crazy enough to help them get their cutie
marks... Discord! Is he up to the task? Find out in this madcap adventure,
perfect for all ages! (STK650029)
32pgs, FC
MARVEL COMICS
MARVEL
COMICS #1 (1939)—HCF 2014 EDITION
Action!
Mystery! Adventure! Reprinting the tale that started it all and sparked 75
years of storytelling in the Mighty Marvel Manner! Celebrate Marvel’s 75th
Anniversary with the very first appearance of two titanic Marvel mainstays —
android hero the original Human Torch, and aquatic anti-hero Namor, the
Sub-Mariner! Reprinting material from Marvel
Comics #1 (1939)! (STK650517)
32pgs, FC
MARVEL
SUPER HEROES SECRET WARS #1—HCF 2014 EDITION
Experience
the ground-breaking 1984 classic again — or for the very first time! Under
the watchful eye of an all-powerful being, the Marvel Universe’s greatest
heroes and vilest villains are transported away to a mysterious planet known
only as “Battleworld”. The only way to escape? Destroy their enemies! Now,
Spider-Man, Captain America, Thor, Wolverine and more must battle to the death
against Ultron, Galactus, Kang, Doctor Doom and many more! Don’t miss the first
issue in the genre-defining crossover that changed the Marvel Universe forever!
(STK650524)
32pgs, FC
VIZ MEDIA
RESIDENT
EVIL: THE MARHAWA DESIRE—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W/A/CA)
Naoki Serizawa
The highly virulent C-virus
became a global disaster, but where did the outbreak start? In this prequel to
the hit Resident Evil 6 game, the
terrifying origins are revealed! At the prestigious and elite Marhawa High
School in Singapore, a female student suffers a horrifying transformation.
Called in to investigate, Professor Doug Wright and his nephew Ricky find
themselves caught up in a deadly and growing tragedy. As things get rapidly out
of hand, Chris Redfield and his team from the Bioterrorism Security Assessment
Alliance arrive on the scene, while behind it all a mysterious figure looms...
(STK650213)
32pgs, B&W
ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT
GRIMM
FAIRY TALES HALLOWEEN SPECIAL—HCF 2014 EDITION
(W)
Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco (A) Jean-Paul Deshong & Various (CA) Mike Debalfo
A special reprint of the first
ever Grimm Halloween Special! A
couple is granted one wish for their dreams to finally come true only to have
that wish turn into a complete nightmare! Now Sela must try to stop Belinda's
act of evil before more lives are destroyed. From the original writers and
creators of Grimm Fairy Tales, Joe
Brusha and Ralph Tedesco, comes this re-telling of the classic story "The
Monkey's Paw", retold with a terrifying Zenescope twist that readers have
come to love! (STK650214)
7x10, 48pgs, FC
HALLOWEEN COMIC FEST MINI-COMIC
ACTION LAB COMICS
VAMPLETS:
THE UNDEAD PET SOCIETY—HCF 2014 MINI-COMIC (BUNDLE)
(W)
Gayle Middleton, Dave Dwonch
(A)
Amanda Coronado, Bill Blankenship (CA) Gayle Middleton, Bill Blankenship
Beware
the Bitemares! Vampyres have always been obsessed with their pets,
but now a new threat has arisen! Someone is releasing Bitemares all over
Gloomvania, causing chaos in their wake. Who will be able to stop them, and
what secret connection do they have to Cinder the Vampyre Kitten? The next
chapter in the Vamplets saga starts
HERE! (STK649934)
Mini-Comic, 6x9, 12pgs, FC
(Bundle of 20)
ARCHIE COMICS
BETTY
& VERONICA—HCF 2014 MINI COMIC (BUNDLE)
(W)
Dan Parent (A) Dan Parent, Rich Koslowski (CA) Jeff Schultz, Tito Pena
It's a dark and stormy night — a
fitting night for Betty and Veronica to stay inside and have a scary movie
festival! But things go from "reel" to real when Archie, Jughead and Reggie try to crash the girls'
private party — and come face-to-face with an axe-wielding maniac! Is
everything as it seems, or is it just a case of the boys' imaginations running
wild? Find out in "An Axe to Grind!" (STK649687)
Mini-Comic, 6x9, 12pgs, FC
(Bundle of 20)
BOOM! STUDIOS / KaBOOM!
BOOM!
STUDIOS HALLOWEEN SPOOOKTACULAR—HCF 2014 MINI-COMIC (BUNDLE)
(W)
Bryce Carlson, Various (A) Nichol Ashworth, Various
No tricks here, just treats as
BOOM! Studios imprints KaBOOM! and Archaia offer up spooky tales from Adventure Time, Peanuts, and Jim Henson's
Fraggle Rock in this mini-comic collection arriving in time for Halloween!
(STK650211)
Mini-Comic, 6x9, 12pgs, FC
(Bundle of 20)
DARK HORSE COMICS
PLANTS
VS. ZOMBIES: TIMEPOCALYPSE—HCF 2014 MINI-COMIC (BUNDLE)
(W)
Paul Tobin (A/CA) Ron Chan
Crazy Dave-the
babbling-yet-brilliant inventor and top-notch neighborhood defender-helps his
niece, Patrice, and young adventurer Nate Timely fend off Zomboss's latest
global attack in Plants vs. Zombies: Timepocalypse! This new, standalone tale
will tickle your funny bones and thrill . . . your brains! The hit video game
continues its comic-book invasion! (STK650209)
Mini-Comic, 6x9, 12pgs, FC
(Bundle of 20)
IDW PUBLISHING
ANGRY
BIRD COMICS—HCF 2014 MINI-COMIC (BUNDLE)
(W)
Nathan Crosby (A) Ivan Portier (CA) David Baldeon
When Professor Pig mistakenly
electrifies all the pigs in the graveyard, he unwittingly creates Zigs...
zombie pigs with only one need — Eggs! Can Red and the rest of the Angry Birds
stop this ghoulish grab at their precious unborn flock? An all-new, all-ages Angry Birds Comics tale just in time for
Halloween! (STK649939)
Mini-Comic, 6x9, 12pgs, FC
(Bundle of 20)
ONI PRESS
MERMIN—HCF
2014 MINI-COMIC (BUNDLE)
(W/A/CA)
Joey Weiser
Mermin,
the Mer-Man from Mer, returns! In this special Halloween-themed
one-shot, Mermin and his human friends introduce Halloween customs to Mer. How
will the undersea inhabitants embrace the dry land holiday? What kind of treats
will they exchange in place of tricks? And, most importantly, what costumes
will everyone wear? (STK650210)
Mini-Comic, 6x9, 12pgs, FC
(Bundle of 20)
VIZ MEDIA
LBX: Little Battlers EXPERIENCE—HCF 2014 MINI-COMIC (BUNDLE)
(W/A/CA)
Nase Yamato
Welcome to the world of Little Battlers eXperience! In the near future, a boy named Van
Yamano owns Achilles, a miniaturized robot made of a new super-strong
industrial cardboard. But Achilles is no ordinary LBX. Hidden inside him is
secret data that Van must keep out of the hands of evil at all costs! (STK650212)
Mini-Comic, 6x9, 16pgs, FC (Bundle of 20)
Press Release: (BALTIMORE, MD) — (June 18, 2014)
— Diamond Comic Distributors announces a celebration of
comics, comic shops, and pop-culture in October with the third annual Halloween
ComicFest (HCF) event! Communities are encouraged to check out their local
comic shop and get free comics while also participating in shop’s special Halloween
events such as costume contests, sales, character appearances and more on
Saturday, October 25th, 2014!
During
Halloween ComicFest, adults and kids can go into a local participating comic
shop and get free Halloween and horror themed comics and mini-comics published
specifically for Halloween ComicFest. This year there are 19 titles available
to choose from that are great for kids and adults with twelve full-sized comics
and seven mini-comics. Titles for this
year include: DC’s Scooby Doo Team-Up
with Batman#1 , Marvel’s Secret Wars #1, Afterlife with Archie #1, My Little
Pony, Hero Cats, Rachel Rising and other haunting and fun tales.
This
year, retailers will also be selling HCF mini-comics in packs of 20 copies for
fans to purchase and pass out on Halloween to trick-or-treaters, providing an
entertaining story for kids that also lasts longer than candy. The mini-comic packs will be available to pre-order
from the July PREVIEWS catalog found only at comic shops starting June 25th. Pre-ordering allows fans to order as many of
the packs they want and ensures they will get them once they are available in early
October.
“This year we want communities to participate
in the Halloween ComicFest events at their local comic shop, which really is a
great destination to get the latest comics and pop-culture items, meet new friends,
and celebrate in Halloween fun,” said Halloween ComicFest Spokesperson, Jason
Blanchard. “What makes this year unique for Halloween ComicFest are the HCF
Mini Packs available for fans to purchase and use not only as a healthier
alternative to candy on Halloween, but as an opportunity to pass on the fun of
discovering and reading comics to the next generation.”
Designed
to celebrate comic shops as unique community businesses, and reach new
customers, Halloween ComicFest helps retailers and the entire industry
springboard into the end of the year holiday selling season. Comic fans are
encouraged to check out www.halloweencomicfest.com
over the coming months for more information on the event and local retailer
activities.
