Epeolatry Book Review: The Amusement Park by Jeff Whitehead and Ryan Carr
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Title: The Amusement Park
Author: Jeff Whitehead
Artist: Ryan Carr
Genre: Horror Graphic Novel
Publisher: Storm King Comics
Publication date: 10th June, 2025
Synopsis: Two titans of horror come together for the first time ever, in John Carpenter Presents George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park, the graphic novel adaptation of George Romero’s lost 1973 film of the same name, presented by John Carpenter and Sandy King’s Storm King Comics.
William Lincoln, an impatient businessman in his 20s, casually asks a small-town coffee shop barista about a carousel horse atop its roof. Within earshot, an elderly man asks William if he would like to learn about the history of the sprawling amusement park that once stood on that spot, the carousel horse the final reminder of its existence. They settle into a conversation that immediately disturbs young William. It is the story of an elderly man hoping to experience the amusement park one last time to recapture childhood memories, to relish the rapidly fleeting remaining moments.
Instead of pleasant memories, each attraction becomes a surreal microcosm of aging and its inherent challenges as bodies and minds begin to break down. The elderly man is abused, pushed in a seemingly endless throng of elderly people through attractions that mimic the final stages of life. Finally, he winds up right back where he started, battered both mentally and physically. Instead of being able to leave the park, he realizes he is trapped in a loop, forced to relive the harrowing experience over and over. At the end of the elderly man’s tale, William is puzzled, concerned, and annoyed, irritated to have had his time wasted on such a story.
William quickly realizes that not everything in the coffee shop is as it seems. The elderly man with whom young William has been conversing shares his name. It is William Lincoln. Perplexed and scared now, young William attempts to leave, fleeing through the coffee shop’s front door. When the door closes behind him, William is back in the amusement park, transformed again into his elderly self, still trapped in the loop, forced to reconcile the reality of aging and ultimately, his own mortality.
‘George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park’ by Jeff Whitehead and Ryan Carr is as profound as it is eerie. Whether we like it or not, we are all subjects of Father Time, and yet our hubris would have us believe otherwise.
George A. Romero’s The Amusement Park was originally a film that was considered to be lost after its premiere in 1975. It resurfaced in 2017 and was released in 2021. Now its been made into this graphic novel.
As someone with aphantasia, I deeply appreciated Carr’s ability to capture the surreal and haunting atmosphere of this story in his illustrations. When I look at the artwork, dystopian chills slither down my spine.
Whitehead’s dialogue was awe-inspiring. Let it be known, I’m not an avid reader of graphic novels and comic books. Yet, I could not help but be impressed by how much Whitehead was able to say, in so few lines. I read online that he (as did Carr) went through the film frame by frame to ensure they delivered the most accurate portrayal possible. They did not disappoint.
In conclusion, the nightmarish artwork is brilliant. The dialogue is concise yet speaks volumes. The overall theme of the brutal treatment of the elderly in Western society is not only thought provoking but bone-chilling.
Therefore, I humbly bestow five ravens upon this graphic tome.
/5
- About the Author
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Luc Dantes is a high school English teacher by day and aspiring author by night. Their writing style is shaped by their experience living with ADD, as well as their identity as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Luc finds comfort in the horror genre, seeing it as a place to explore darker themes in a safe environment. Their work has been featured in Ghostwatch Zine’s Winter’s Warning quarterly issue in 2025, and they are set to be published in “Twisted Horrors,” a queer anthology curated by River Gardner in 2025.
As an avid reader, Luc has consistently ranked among Goodreads’ top users, placing in the top 25% of readers in 2023 and advancing to the top 10% of readers and top 1% of reviewers in 2024. Their literary interests span a wide range of genres, with a particular passion for horror, fantasy, and autobiographies.
As a writer, Luc aims to bring an honest, relatable perspective to readers through their work. Their experience as both a prolific reader and reviewer informs their writing, allowing them to craft stories that resonate with diverse audiences. Above all, Luc’s greatest passions are their loving spouse and children, who continue to inspire and support their literary journey.
Instagram: @thebibliobabbler
