In this horror graphic novel, American Gods meets Get Out in a dark retelling of the West African legend of Anansi the Spider.
DEVOUR
by Jazmine Joyner; illustrated by Anthony Pugh
Abrams ComicArts, May 2024
In the Deep South, something evil waits in the darkness . . .
This horror graphic novel tells the story of the Turner family, who move to Alabama to care for their ailing matriarch, Vassie, when she begins suffering from dementia. But Vassie isn’t just any old lady; she’s the last of a line of powerful root women who have been caring for the community since her ancestors were first captured and enslaved by white plantation owners. When Patsy takes a closer look at the Turner family home, what she finds is beyond her wildest nightmares.
In a magical room beneath the house, Patsy discovers the source of her family’s legendary skills: the Ghanaian spider god Anansi. Driven mad by the suffering of the enslaved Africans who worshipped him, Anansi was eventually captured and contained by Patsy’s ancestors.
With their legacy and the god’s imprisonment in the balance, Patsy and her brother, Demetrius, will have to take up their grandmother’s mantle—while she can still remember who they are.
DEVOUR is a terrifying new fable that delivers thrills and chills in equal measure.
Jazmine Joyner is a Black disabled nonbinary femme who has been working in various parts of the comics industry for years. They are based in Southern California and have written for Women Write About Comics, The Comics MNT, and others. DEVOUR is their debut graphic novel.
Anthony Pugh has worked on various projects in the creative industry, including marketing, advertising, storyboard art, character design, and comic book art. Anthony has worked with companies like IDW, Comedy Central, Ogilvy x Adidas, Kid Robot, and Pepsi Cola.
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