Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Dark Horse Comics | Tagged: grendel, north carolina

Comic Shop Owner Arrested For Allegedly Giving Out Comics At Halloween

Comic store owner arrested on obscenity charges after allegedly handing out Grendel comics at a Halloween police event in North Carolina

Sunset Beach Police Department of North Carolina released a statement on Halloween regarding "evidence obtained from parents to a North Carolina Magistrate "regarding an incident at our annual Trunk or Treat." Trunk-or-treating is a form of Halloween tradition which serves as an alternative to trick-or-treating and involves candy or other treats being handed out of or taken from the trunks of vehicles, on or before Halloween, as a safer alternative to trick-or-treating.

They continued, "Probable cause was found to charge Kathleen Lincoln, Carolina Shores, NC, with a violation of North Carolina General Statute § 14-190.1 Obscene literature and exhibitions, a Class G Felony. The charges come after the department received multiple reports that inappropriate comic-style materials were handed out during the 2025 Sunset Beach Police Trunk or Treat event, held in Sunset Beach Town Park, on Thursday, October 30th, 2025."  Kathleen Lincoln is the owner of Marvelous Issues, a comic store at Sunset Beach, and attendees report that the comics in question were handed out as a promotion, including a flyer for the store. She posted bail set for $20,000.

A photo shared by attendees identified one of the comics as a thirty-year-old copy of Grendel Tales: Devil's Hammer by Rob Walton and published by Dark Horse Comics in 1994. A horror comic, it features full frontal male nudity on one page, in a non sexual fashion, but also sexual scenes later on. The comic book has Not For Children label on the cover.

One mother posted to Facebook, "If you went to the Sunset Beach park trunk or treat thing tonight & your kiddo was given a brown paper envelope with a comic in it – check it out before they do. Luckily, Emerald wasn't interested in it, but I started flipping through it and saw this at an event specifically for children." Adding, "we are thankful for the Sunset Beach Police Department & their quick jump to action regarding this situation. I love my community and feel happier raising my kiddo here. I was told from the get-go it would not get swept under the rug & he meant it."

Another added, "I'm so glad someone else complained. The one my daughter got was okay, but the one my son got had half-naked women! Thank goodness I checked them before they were allowed to have them." Bleeding Cool will update as and when the case progresses.

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