John Carpenterhas broughtGeorge Romero’sunderrated classicThe Amusement Parkto life in graphic novel form.The Amusement Parkwas originally intended to be released in 1975 as the zombie expert’s fifth movie. However, the movie failed to find a distributor following its American Film Festival premiere. It was considered a lost film until it was found decades later, much to everyone’s surprise.
John Carpenter Presents George A. Romero’s The Amusement Parkhas been released to bookstores, comic shops, and digital libraries everywhere by Storm King Productions. Written by Jeff Whitehead with art by Ryan Carr, a preview of the graphic novel’s on-panel artwork and cover art can be found directly below.
Founded by Sandy King, Storm King is the comic book publishing company of John Carpenter. The company is collaborating with the George A. Romero Foundation to revisit and recontextualize a once-lost film,marking the first-ever collaboration between these two legends of horror.
The Amusement ParkReturns as a Graphic Novel, Shining a New Light on George A. Romero’s Forgotten Masterpiece
The Amusement Parkis about an old man who reminisces with an impatient 20-something businessman about an amusement park that once stood on the grounds of a coffee shop. The result is a surprisingly grounded tale compared toGeorge Romero’s more infamous supernatural efforts, withthe movie serving as an allegory for the mistreatment of elderly people left behind by society. John Carpenter offered the following statement regarding the importance of Romero and this movie:
George A. Romero’s films are legendary. They already were legendary when I was just a student, andThe Amusement Parkhas 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.
The graphic novel adaptation began to take shape after the George A. Romero Foundation restored the film nearly 50 years after its original release. As horror fans gradually become aware of the movie’s existence, the graphic novel aims to expand the legacy ofThe Amusement Parkand further cement George A. Romero’s impact as a filmmaker. Since the film was lost for decades, many younger audiences, and even some older ones, may have never heard of it.The graphic novel offers a new opportunity to bring visibility and appreciation to this long-overlooked project.
John Carpenter and George A. Romero Finally Unite Through Comics
The Amusement Park Graphic Novel Marks a Historic First for Two Horror Legends
When George A. Romero was still alive, he never had the chance to collaborate with John Carpenter in any capacity. While Romero remained focused on the zombie genre he helped define,Carpenter turned his attention to slashersand monster-driven stories. As a result, there were few opportunities for the two horror legends to join forces. Now, thanks to the comic book medium, that long-awaited collaboration has finally become a reality. AdaptingThe Amusement Parknot only breathes new life into the film but also marks a historic moment for fans of bothJohn CarpenterandGeorge A. Romero.
John Carpenter Presents George A. Romero’sThe Amusement Parkis available now from Storm King Productions.
