TIDALWAVE TRIVIA: A SPOTLIGHT ON JOHN CARPENTER

On October 29, 2025, TidalWave Comics will be releasing a new biographical comic book devoted to the life and career of the American filmmaker and composer, John Carpenter. Aptly titled, 'Fame: John Carpenter', the aforementioned comic book was written by me, David Lee Andrews, and illustrated by Martin Giménez. Today, I will present a selection of tantalizing trivia I wasn't able to include, along with a few images from the comic. Please enjoy.





1) A Date With a Celebrity: John was born on January 16, 1948, in Carthage, New York, which is the same American village where several other notable figures were also born, such as Clay Dumaw, the filmmaker; Carla Balenda, the actress; and Tom Homan, the American law enforcement officer.

2) John and John: In 1971, John wrote a script tailor-made for the iconic actor, John Wayne, chronicling the adventures of an old riverboat rat who was secretly a U.S. Marshal. The script, titled 'Blood River', was optioned by Wayne's production company, Batjac Productions, and John was hired to rewrite it with Tom Kane and Wayne's son, Michael Wayne. However, the project was shelved due to John Wayne's declining health, and in the early 1990s, it was made into a TV film starring Wilford Brimley and Ricky Schroder.

3) Malevolent Music: In addition to directing and co-writing 'Halloween', John composed the score for the 1978 horror classic in just three days, using a simple 5/4 time signature to create an unsettling rhythm.

4) Stalking the First Wife: John met his first wife, Adrienne Barbeau, while they were making the TV film, 'Someone's Watching Me!'. John wrote and directed the film, while Adrienne played the part of the main character's friend and work colleague, Sophie. It first aired in 1978 and follows a confident female TV director who relocates from New York to Los Angeles for a fresh start. But soon enough, her life turns upside down when she begins receiving anonymous phone calls, strange gifts, and unsettling letters, all from someone who appears to know her every move.

5) Star Bus: Despite being a comic book fan, John's 1984 sci-fi film, 'Starman', has no connection with any of the characters of the same name associated with DC Comics. Instead, it was partly inspired by Frank Capra's 1934 romantic comedy, 'It Happened One Night', which in turn was adapted from Samuel Hopkins Adams's short story, 'Night Bus', originally published by 'Cosmopolitan' magazine in 1933.

6) A Tour With a Tune: In 2016, following the release of his album, 'Lost Themes II', John embarked on his first-ever music tour. He performed in venues across America, the UK, and the rest of Europe, playing themes from 'Halloween', 'Escape from New York', and 'The Fog', alongside original tracks from the aforementioned album.

7) Comic Book Connection: Since 2012, John and his second wife, Sandy King, have co-owned the comic book imprint, Storm King Comics, which is a division of Storm King Productions. He has contributed to a number of their titles, including 'John Carpenter's Asylum' and 'John Carpenter's Tales for a HalloweeNight'.

'Fame: John Carpenter' is a biographical comic book written by David Lee Andrews, illustrated by Martin Giménez, and scheduled for publication by TidalWave Comics. For further information, please feel free to check out the official website. Or if you prefer, click here to pre-order a copy via Amazon.