Horror Highlights: TALES FROM THE MORGUE, Glass Eye Pix Palooza-Con, OCCULT INCORPORATED

The contemporary independent horror landscape is experiencing a massive cross-medium revival, intersecting comic books, specialty apparel, immersive live events, and independent cinema. Across the United States, creators, distributors, and merchandise pioneers are leveraging both nostalgic analog formats and modern crowdfunding to deliver fresh frights to audiences just in time for the autumn season. From the debut of original terror anthologies and landmark retrospective conventions to high-stakes supernatural comic finales, the horror community continues to prove that physical media, localized events, and grassroots publishing remain vital to the genre’s enduring cultural footprint.

Fright-Rags Expands Into Original Horror Comics With Tales From the Morgue

After more than two decades establishing itself as a premier destination for horror movie apparel, vintage-styled shirts, and high-end collectibles, Fright-Rags is officially stepping into the realm of original comic book publishing. In a strategic partnership with American Mythology Comics, the apparel titan has launched Fright-Rags Presents: Tales from the Morgue #1, an all-new full-color horror anthology designed to evoke the classic EC Comics tradition of ghoulish storytelling and moral retribution.

Guiding readers through the 32-page debut issue is The Fantom, Fright-Rags’ resident ghoul and master of ceremonies. The inaugural issue features two distinct tales of terror crafted by notable industry writers James Kuhoric, S.A. Check, and G.O. Parsons, accompanied by atmospheric interior artwork from illustrators E.V. Cantada and Emanuele Tommarelli. The first segment, titled "Pyromaniac," follows a deranged individual consumed by a destructive philosophy that fire is the only true cleanser for a corrupted world, leaving a trail of ash in his wake regardless of who or what stands in his path. The second story, "Maul Santa," takes a darkly cynical holiday turn, centering on the long-serving mall Santa of a dying, desolate shopping center who finally breaks under the weight of commercial bleakness on Christmas Eve.

For comic collectors and apparel enthusiasts, the launch is accompanied by an extensive rollout of variant covers. Fright-Rags has manufactured an exclusive limited edition featuring cover art by renowned illustrator Justin Osbourn, whose signature retro-inspired aesthetic is simultaneously being made available on matching t-shirts. Additional variant covers illustrated by Roy Allan Martinez, Buz Hasson, Puis Calzada, and Gabriel Mangum arrived at comic book specialty shops nationwide on October 28.

Reflecting on the milestone, Fright-Rags founder Ben Scrivens emphasized how deeply rooted the company’s identity is in traditional illustrated media. "Comics were a huge part of how I fell in love with horror, so telling our own stories, with the Fantom as our host, is a dream come true," Scrivens stated. "These are original tales we’ve been cooking up for a long time, and we can’t wait for fans to dig in." The debut issue is currently available for purchase directly through the official Fright-Rags web store, signaling a potentially lucrative new vertical for the merchandise brand as it bridges the gap between wearable art and sequential storytelling.

Glass Eye Pix Marks Four Decades of Independent Cinema With Manhattan Palooza-Con and Retrospective Screenings

While Fright-Rags explores the printed page, legendary New York City-based production company Glass Eye Pix is celebrating a monumental milestone: four decades of uncompromising, independent-minded filmmaking championed by founder Larry Fessenden. To commemorate its 40th anniversary, the company is hosting the first-ever Glass Eye Pix Palooza-Con (GEP-CON), a one-day-only immersive brick-and-mortar pop-up convention and celebration in the heart of Manhattan.

Scheduled for November 7, 2026, from noon to 11:00 PM at Ideal Glass Studios (9 West 8th Street), GEP-CON serves as a physical manifestation of Fessenden’s cinematic ethos. The event is timed to coincide with the IFC Center’s prestigious "Optic Nerve" screening series—running from October 28 through November 3 at 323 6th Avenue—which spotlights 40 years of Glass Eye Pix history. The film retrospective features acclaimed works by visionary alumni such as Ti West, Jim Mickle, and Glenn McQuaid, alongside Fessenden’s own celebrated Monster Quadrilogy. Fessenden’s latest directorial effort, Trauma or, Monsters All, arrives in commercial cinemas immediately following the retrospective.

Attendees stepping into GEP-CON will encounter a meticulously curated environment designed to celebrate independent film culture. The venue will feature extensive displays of original costumes and props utilized across GEP productions dating back to the 1990s. The walls will be lined with historical posters and archival materials charting the company’s decades-long evolution, including tributes to late-1980s East Village performance art and stuntman David Leslie, widely known as "The Impact Addict."

Beyond museum-quality exhibits, the pop-up store functions as a massive marketplace for physical media and collector’s items. Visitors can purchase mountains of Glass Eye Pix films, including Blu-Rays and 4K Ultra HD discs distributed by Vinegar Syndrome and Dark Sky Films, alongside hard-to-find vintage VHS tapes and rarities. The newly established Glass Eye Pix video label will also offer exclusive releases highlighting early works by Ti West, James Felix McKenney, and Graham Reznick.

Merchandise offerings extend far beyond standard home video releases. GEP-CON will debut brand-new t-shirts, handcrafted Wendigo figurines sculpted by James Felix McKenney, and physical music formats including compact discs and vinyl editions of various film scores, as well as tracks from Fessenden’s pub rock band, Just Desserts. Furthermore, the event marks the physical release of back-catalog Glass Eye Comix alongside the debut of The Damned and the Dangerous, a thrilling new one-shot graphic novel written by Glenn McQuaid and Ted Geoghegan and illustrated by legendary artist Brahm Revel.

Integrating modern digital presentation with physical retail, Ideal Glass Studios will utilize digital displays throughout the venue to run continuous loops of mini-documentaries, rare behind-the-scenes footage, holiday horror shorts, sizzle reels, and early feature films in the auditorium section. Adding a deeply personal touch for fans, numerous Glass Eye founders, filmmakers, alumni, and extended family members will be in attendance throughout the day, participating in signing sessions and interacting directly with the public.

As evening descends, GEP-CON will transition from a pop-up marketplace into a live entertainment venue. The highlight of the evening programming is a live audio drama performance of a brand-new episode of Tales from Beyond the Pale, the acclaimed audio series created by Glenn McQuaid and Larry Fessenden, performed by a cast of special guests. Musical acts and celebratory events will follow, culminating in a communal tribute to four decades of gritty, New York-centric independent filmmaking.

Occult Incorporated #2 Reaches Crowdfunding Climax as Supernatural Finale Hits Kickstarter

Concluding the current wave of horror highlights, independent creator Michael Cornell Edwards has driven his supernatural comic book series toward its narrative conclusion with the active Kickstarter campaign for Occult Incorporated #2. Operating under Edwards’s Midnight Drive imprint in collaboration with Second Sight Publishing, the final chapter of the supernatural horror saga has officially earned a coveted "Project We Love" designation from Kickstarter, reflecting robust community interest ahead of its funding deadline.

The campaign, which runs through November 18, 2026, carries an initial funding goal of $3,000 to finalize production and distribution. In this climactic final issue, protagonist Amana Bello and her corporate organization face their most perilous trial yet: a literal descent into hell to prevent a catastrophic demonic entity from breaking free into the mortal plane, all while fighting to secure the survival of Amana’s family. The issue serves as the definitive resolution to the overarching narrative threads established in the series’ inaugural installment.

"Amana Bello’s story has been building to this moment," Edwards noted regarding the release. "Issue #2 is the descent into hell—and I wanted the finale to land in the hands of the readers who’ve been with this series from the start."

Maintained with an all-ages accessibility rating, Occult Incorporated #2 features a collaborative creative team consisting of Edwards as writer, Wee providing interior artwork, Woods handling coloring duties, Birch executing lettering, and Bradley Golden serving as editor. Backers supporting the campaign via Kickstarter have access to various reward tiers, securing their physical copies of the conclusion to a series that has steadily built a dedicated grassroots following.

Broader Implications for Independent Horror Media

The simultaneous emergence of these three distinct projects—Fright-Rags breaking into original comics, Glass Eye Pix solidifying four decades of physical media preservation through a brick-and-mortar pop-up, and independent creators utilizing Kickstarter to finalize comic book arcs—demonstrates a resilient ecosystem within genre entertainment.

In an era increasingly dominated by digital streaming algorithms and ephemeral online content, horror fans and creators alike continue to place a premium on tangible, physical artifacts. Whether through limited-edition comic variants, 4K restorations of underground cult films, handcrafted collectible figures, or community-funded graphic novels, the independent horror market thrives on direct engagement between creators and consumers. As October transitions into November 2026, these milestones underscore that horror remains a uniquely communal genre, sustained by nostalgia, physical craftsmanship, and an unwavering appetite for original storytelling.