Devil's Grin: Book One

Alex Graham

Book cover for Devil's Grin: Book One
Book cover for Devil's Grin: Book One

Devil's Grin: Book One

Devil's Grin: Book One

Alex Graham

View full details

Description

Robert wasn't born into an ordinary life. It began in a rush: flushed down a toilet by his mother and carried into the sewer by a demon. This monstrous presence stalks Robert into adulthood, haunting his dreams. Robert just wants to be like his idol, Jim Morrison, writing poetry, playing rock 'n' roll, and chasing beautiful women. But the demon soon begins haunting the entire city of Henryville. Dandelion, a young poet, falls in love with Robert and begins having confusing, terrifying romantic visions of the demon she can't seem to shake. Gary, a cartoonist, becomes convinced that his vengeful cartoons are channeling the word of a righteous God, capable of manipulating reality in powerful and destructive ways. They and other residents of Henryville find themselves tangled in a web of sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, newspaper funnies, and demonic possession. Will the town's residents find a way to escape?

With its mix of comedy, horror, magic realism, anthropomorphism, naturalism, humor, psychedelia, and pathos, The Devil's Grin is a remarkable work of contemporary fiction by one of comics' most distinctive storytellers. Weaving together multiple character arcs at a brisk, deft pace, Graham juggles their secrets, desires, and insecurities in continually surprising ways, slowly introducing layers of malice that lead to an unexpected darkness. Graham's clear yet loose cartooning perfectly unfolds every twist and turn with creative precision.

Critical Reviews

Artistic smut.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

Graham's style harkens back to gritty underground comics from the 1960s and '70s, with lightly anthropomorphic characters, droll humor, an anything-might-happen atmosphere, lots of genuinely scary scenes, and plenty of sex. This packs a singular punch.-- "Publishers Weekly"

Her storytelling, however weird its twists and turns, often feels so true to life it hurts.-- "ArtReview"

Undeniably fascinating, enthralling, mysterious, and altogether singular. Freeform creativity that trusts in its own ability to make everything "work" according to the dictates of its own internal logic.-- "Four-Color Apocalypse"

Publishing Information

Publisher: Fantagraphics Books
Pub date: 2025-06-17
Length: 464 pages

The Allstora Membership

Membership Perks:

  • Save 30% on all online store purchases
  • Exclusive access to author's content
  • You pay less, but authors still earn double

Membership Terms:

First Month: $0.00
Monthly price: $5.00
  • To access membership discount simply log in and add to cart, discount applied automatically.
  • One month free trial, cancel anytime. Membership renews on the 15th of each month.