Appalachian Horror Takes Wing In All-New Graphic Novel

Oni Press announced the upcoming publication of the original horror graphic novel SILK HILLS, written by Ryan Ferrier (D4ve, Kennel Block Blues) and Brian Level (Avengers: Back to Basics, Chained to the Grave), illustrated and with colors by Kate Sherron (Chained to the Grave, The Amazing World of Gumball), and lettering by crank! (Invader ZIM, Rick and Morty). Silk Hills will be available Summer 2022. 

When Beth Wills comes to Silk Hills, a small Appalachian town that’s seen better days since the mines were abandoned, she expected a bit of culture shock…but not like this! Beth is someone who has a talent for finding people who don’t want to be found, and when she’s called to Silk Hills by a local titan of industry, she can tell that something’s not right. 

“Silk Hills was another chance to work with collaborators I adore and who, in turn, have faith in me when I say ‘Okay, but I wanna try something a little weird here.’ I prefer to tell dark tales in colorful ways, especially when there’s light and life to dig out from beneath burnt-black story-skin, and bless the boys for supporting such choices from the outset,” said Kate Sherron.

The town was once booming, but now the only reason people tend to come through anymore is to buy Mothman merchandise. Before long, Beth finds out just how wrong things can get in the woods, as her search for a missing troubled youth finds her running afoul of the local drug trade, too-friendly creepers, a very sinister deer, and psychoactive moth dust.

In the case of Ryan Ferrier, his goal was to push boundaries and create something that scared even himself. “Silk Hills […], was the chance to create something that genuinely scared me; to explore the unfamiliar and unsettling; to peel back the skin, so to speak, and do something finely tuned into never-quite-center,” he commented. “I was lucky enough to do so with the two most creative and remarkable souls I know. I’m excited for readers to fall through the rabbit hole of Silk Hills so lovingly and devastatingly crafted by Brian, Kate, and me.” 

Bursting with the themes of regional and cultural beliefs, and the exploration of superstitions that are often entangled over the course of generations, Silk Hills is the kind of story Brian Level has been waiting for. “Silk Hills, for me, has been a journey from its decaying streets into a dark hidden heart. Though violent and terrible, it’s filled with love and levity. The push and pull of tradition and transformation is covered in a layer of blood and soil. One part mystery, one part fairy tale, and one part unflinching horror, Silk Hills is a story that unearths its own hidden heart and devours it.”

Perfect for fans of Twin Peaks, The X-Files, and Sons of the Devil, Silk Hills weaves atmospheric and stylish suspense into an unsettling by quirky tapestry with elements of folklore, body horror, and themes calling back to Italian slasher films. Silk Hills will be available online and in stores on May 25, 2022.