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
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
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
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
- 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.