THE HILLS OF ESTRELLA ROJA

A slowly building graphic novel full of creepy monsters and tense family dynamics.

Eighteen-year-old Marisol Castillo’s spring break involves traveling to the small Texas town of Estrella Roja to attend the funeral of the abuela she hasn’t seen since childhood due to a family estrangement. Nineteen-year-old Kat Fields, who co-hosts the podcast Paranormal Texas, heads there too after receiving an email tip about strange “devil lights” and learning of the town’s history of unusual events. Eager to pursue these leads for her podcast, Kat changes her spring break plans with friends and takes off alone to explore the mystery. Despite repeated warnings, Kat ventures into the hills but finds locals unwilling to talk about the town’s past. Then she meets Mari. Mari finds her extended family’s detachment and hostility palpable, and she senses they are keeping something from her. Increasingly suspicious about their secrets and eager to spend time with Kat, she joins her quest. As they make terrifying discoveries in the hills and face the townsfolks’ hostility, Mari and Kat realize they can trust no one else, and their fast friendship blooms with an awkward first-crush cuteness that gently slows the plot’s momentum. Franklin’s energetic, full-color artwork pulses with emotion and movement. Kat reads White; in addition to Latine Mari, characters reflect the diversity of the Texas population.

A queer graphic horror with an upbeat vibe.