Eisner Award-winning writer Darcy Van Poelgeest teams with watercolor artist Erin Connally for The Cutting Garden. The standalone graphic novel arrives in hardcover this September from Image Comics.
The book explores companionship, legacy, and sacrifice. It does so through a quiet, haunting Southern Gothic lens.
A Mysterious Visit in New Orleans
The story unfolds on a quiet street in New Orleans. A mysterious girl seeks out a local florist. She carries a truth that will change everything.
Her visit becomes a final act of kindness. It also offers a moment of redemption.
The Cutting Garden draws from contemporary literary horror and reflective indie cinema. Its tone echoes Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V. E. Schwab, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and films like The Tree of Life.
The Creators Speak
“The Cutting Garden has been a labor of love for many years and I’m thrilled we can finally share it with the world,” said Van Poelgeest. “The process of writing and creating this story has sincerely changed me, as a writer, and a person. My hope now is that readers will take this journey themselves through the stifling shadows of Louisiana, and perhaps they too might feel a change.”
Connally calls the project deeply personal. “As my debut in comics, I wanted to offer readers a visual feast that represents both Darcy and my fascination with beauty and decay,” she said. “As a southerner, I needed to capture the landscape that’s inspired me since I was a child. The Cutting Garden is this combination. A weird little Southern Gothic lullaby that I hope readers will be entranced by.”
A Proven Creative Track Record
Van Poelgeest broke out with Little Bird, co-created with Ian Bertram. The series topped sales charts and sold out multiple printings. It won the Eisner Award for Best Limited Series in 2020.
Its sister series, Precious Metal, launched in 2024. It earned immediate critical acclaim.
The Cutting Garden graphic novel hardcover hits local comic shops and digital platforms on Wednesday, September 2. It arrives at bookstores on Tuesday, September 29.
