Get ready for a haunting journey into the darkness of teenage angst with The Killing Hole, a new graphic novel by Steve Niles, with illustrations by Trevor Denham. Set to be released this summer by Storm King Comics’ “Dark & Twisted” imprint, the novel will be available for direct sales on July 10th, and at retail booksellers starting July 23rd. Attendees at San Diego Comic-Con can also find it at the Storm King Comics booth.
Niles, known for 30 Days of Night and Remains, unfolds the gripping tale through the confession of an aging man, flashing back to 1979. In this bleak landscape, 14-year-old Stewart, a loner, meets Peter, a new arrival who is equally alienated. Together, the boys find solace in their disdain for school and love for edgy music, quickly forming a bond that helps them escape their dismal home lives. Yet, their friendship and the underground bunker they create as a safe space gradually morph into something darker.
As they bond over shared torments and fantasies, the boys’ descent into troubled territory begins. Their once-safe bunker becomes a place of danger as their fantasies turn deadly. The Killing Hole is an unflinching exploration of youthful alienation, set in the pre-tech late 1970s and offering a sobering look at the darker side of suburban life often sanitized in popular culture.
The graphic novel features colors by Ryan Winn and lettering by Janice Chiang, promising a deeply evocative and memorable read.
