Comic conventions are a dream and a nightmare. The chaotic crowds, the sleepless nights in line, and the holy grail of panels in the legendary Hall H all collide in Dread The Hall H, a new horror anthology arriving this July from Image Comics and Syzygy Publishing.
Writers Jordan Hart (Ripple Effects) and Chris Ryall (Zombies vs Robots) unleash a twisted love letter to con culture, transforming familiar fan experiences into spine-tingling horror tales. First teased in the holiday special Dread the Halls, this oversized one-shot dives headfirst into the madness of modern conventions—where the lines are long, the merch is limited, and something sinister lurks just beyond the showroom floor.
With artwork from an all-star roster including Nelson Dániel (Dying is Easy), Piotr Kowalski (Creepshow), Jimmy Kucaj (Come Find Me), and Chris Anderson (Heavy Metal), the issue explores the darkest corners of fandom: overnight campers chasing exclusives, cutthroat merch mobs, and the mysterious forces behind elite backstage access. At the center of it all is Hall H itself—the most infamous room in con history, where the screams might not just be from fans.
“For me, conventions started in hazy bowling alleys and evolved into the pop culture Valhalla of San Diego Comic-Con,” said Hart. “So it was easy to twist that experience into a horror story—complete with satire, spectacle, and some all-too-familiar chaos.”
Ryall added, “As someone who hasn’t missed San Diego Comic-Con since 1997, I’ve seen the magic and the madness. Dread The Hall H is both a celebration of that world and a cathartic exorcism of all the con demons we’ve gathered over the years.”
The comic features multiple covers, including a striking wraparound by Nelson Dániel, a con badge-style variant by Hart, and a main cover by Maria Wolf (Cosmic Ghost). Whether you’re a die-hard horror fan, a convention veteran, or just love a good satire, Dread The Hall H is a must-read.
Dread The Hall H hits comic shops July 23. Preorder now from your local comic store or preferred digital platform—and be careful in that panel line… you never know what’s waiting in the dark.
Check out a preview of LINE CAPPED by writer/letterer Jordan Hart, artist Jimmy Kucaj, and colorist Valdimir Popov. It’s one of the shorts from the anthology, below!
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