3rd Annual Halloween ComicFest Returns Saturday, October 25th 2014

Press release

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 25^th, 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 25^th. 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.

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)

7×10, 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)