Oni Press will launch ESTUARY: A GHOST STORY #1 (of 4) this spring, delivering a chilling tale set along the Pacific coast. Writers Tim Daniel and David “D.B.” Andry (Crush Depth, Morning Star) lead the project, with atmospheric artwork by Maan House (Mine is a Long Lonesome Grave).
The four-issue miniseries blends coastal folklore, spiritual mystery, and modern gothic horror.
A Haunted Mission by the Sea
The story unfolds at the Mission at Arbués Point, a 400-year-old Spanish mission perched on a rocky cliff above the Pacific Ocean. The site stands as one of California’s oldest and most haunted landmarks.
Behind its weathered, tourist-friendly exterior, a reclusive nun has spent decades pursuing a hidden truth. Her search centers on a secret buried beneath the chapel and the dark waters of the tidal estuary below.
Marine archaeologist Maris Cristobal enters the mystery after accepting the nun’s invitation to investigate a legendary shipwreck. As the excavation begins, buried sins rise to the surface. Past and present collide in a surge of supernatural vengeance that refuses to stay contained.
Maan House on Building the Atmosphere
Artist Maan House says the project focused on revealing what remains unseen.
“Drawing ESTUARY was a process of searching for that which surrounds us but remains hidden,” House said. “I tried to capture the mystery of what the sea carries away and the heavy silence of the mission ruins, giving form to the invisible presences that inhabit the landscape. I intended to evoke an atmosphere where the hidden carries as much weight as what lies before us.”
Writers Draw From Personal History
Co-writer D.B. Andry connects the story to his Northern California roots.
“ESTUARY: A GHOST STORY is a pretty perfect example of Tim and I writing what we know,” Andry said. “Both of us hailing from Northern California and growing up in and around San Francisco, Bodega Bay and Monterey, this book captures the haunted vibes, the mystery, the romance and the sense of history of these areas.”
He also points to his Catholic upbringing as a key influence.
“Myself being raised Catholic, tying the other-worldly elements of ESTUARY to the very real past of the Missions I grew up making dioramas of, was both natural and cathartic,” Andry said. “This was a story that poured out of Tim and I, more like something waiting to be discovered rather than something created.”
Tim Daniel on a Modern Gothic Vision
Tim Daniel credits editor Bess Pallares for bringing the team together.
“With ESTUARY: A GHOST STORY, we were invited by editor Bess Pallares to be a part of Oni Press’ storied history with a modern gothic tale,” Daniel said.
He praised the creative team’s visual approach.
“Artist Maan House and colorist Steve Canon have combined their talents to conjure a book awash with a dreadfully thick atmosphere,” Daniel said. “Maan’s deep blacks and Steve’s Hammer Horror-esque colors bring every page to life.”
Daniel also emphasized the story’s emotional core.
“The mix of the spiritual and the supernatural is thick and present on every page,” he said. “A gothic tale is not complete without a touch of romance. In Maris Cristobal and Hunt Willis, readers will see unwitting sleuths discover both their desire for one another and a deep dark malevolence beneath the old Mission.”
He added, “ESTUARY: A GHOST STORY is a modern gothic tale for the smartphone age.”
ESTUARY: A GHOST STORY #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops everywhere on April 8.
The debut issue features multiple covers by Maan House, Vanesa R. Del Rey (Redlands), and Tim Daniel (The Plot).
In ESTUARY, secrets never stay buried for long. The series promises a haunting blend of history, romance, and supernatural horror set against one of California’s most mysterious coastlines.
