Crownsville (comic)
| Crownsville | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Oni Press |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | 2025 |
| No. of issues | 5 |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Rodney Barnes |
| Artist | Elia Bonetti |
Crownsville is a five-issue horror comic book miniseries written by Rodney Barnes and illustrated by Elia Bonetti. It follows three strangers brought together by a mysterious death at the modern-day shuttered Crownsville State Hospital. The series won the Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics and was nominated for the Eisner Award for Best Limited Series.
Plot
[edit source]Taking place in the modern day, the story involves the death of a guard at the closed Crownsville State Hospital that gets labelled a suicide. Three men are brought together by the death; Todd Hicks, a security guard that had recently started working at the former hospital and a co-worker of the deceased; Paul Blair, a reporter and the son of one of the hospital's nurse; and Mike Simms, a detective hunting down a trail of homicides.[1][2][3]
Background
[edit source]Barnes' grandmother worked as a nurse at the real-life Crownsville State Hospital, and additionally had family member who were inducted into the hospital.[4][1]
Reception
[edit source]Reviews for the first issue were positive.[2][5][6] Collier Jennings of AIPT Comics praised the art, especially the horror imagery in the first issue's back half and the distinctive appearances of the three main characters.[2]
| Year | Award/Honor | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics | Won | [7] |
| Eisner Award for Best Limited Series | Nominated | [8] |
References
[edit source]- 1 2 Schaidler, John (2025-11-11). "Rodney Barnes Exhumes Real-World Horror in "Crownsville"". Twin Cities Geek - MN Geek Culture Magazine. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
- 1 2 3 Jennings, Collier (2025-11-04). "'Crownsville' #1 draws on horrors imagined and real". AIPT. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
- ↑ Hutzell, Rick (2025-11-06). "7 things in Annapolis: Comic book retells Crownsville tragedy". The Banner. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
- ↑ Brooke, David (2025-08-12). "Exclusive interview: Rodney Barnes on the real-life horrors behind Oni Press' 'Crownsville'". AIPT. Retrieved 2026-08-02.
For Barnes, Crownsville is not just a work of fiction but a deeply personal project. "My grandmother was a nurse at the hospital," he says. "As well, a few family members were held there. Crownsville was sort of like the boogeyman. If you're bad, that's where they'll send you." The story, which he describes as "cathartic," uses a supernatural lens to explore a painful history that is tied to his own family.
- ↑ "Crownsville #1 Review: Horror Rooted in Forgotten Pain". 2025-10-30. Retrieved 2026-08-03.
- ↑ Smithyman, Tom. "Advance Review: 'Crownsville' #1 Explores A Frightening Man-Made Horror Story". Comicon.
- ↑ Chiu-Tabet, Christopher (2026-08-01). "SDCC '26: CROWNSVILLE wins the 11th annual Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-08-02.
- ↑ Puc, Samantha (2026-07-25). "SDCC '26: Announcing the 2026 Eisner Award winners". The Beat. Retrieved 2026-08-02.