The Devil's Grin: Book One

Alex Graham's follow-up to her acclaimed Instagram-sensation-turned-graphic novel Dog Biscuits chronicles the intertwined lives of the residents of Henryville, Idaho—which involve demons, Jim Morrison, a cartoonist with supernatural talent, sewer rats, and much more. 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.