The Hexiles

A demonic inheritance haunts a group of siblings in writer Bunn and artist Bocardo’s graphic novel of gothic horror, teenage angst, and family secrets.

As the story opens, Jamison Kreel lies dead in a creepy funeral home in Boston, surrounded by his seven children from seven different mothers. Drawn together for the first time ever, the half siblings discover that they’re the product of a hellish pact: Jamison made a literal deal with the devil, and, in return, each of his kids inherited infernal powers and a soul-crushing curse. Argyle, Jerold, Dominic, Madison, Romy, Britton, and Luna begin to unravel their father’s sinister legacy as each is haunted by grotesque manifestations tied to their pasts. Jerold is murdered by a demon and, one by one, the other siblings receive cursed packages containing pieces of his body, which then transform their mothers and loved ones into monstrous embodiments of guilt, despair, and regret. United by Britton’s control over her demon, the siblings converge at a Chinatown restaurant and uncover the twisted origins of their existence. A quest later takes them from Boston (via Freiburg airport) to a castle in the Black Forest. Demons, ghosts, and living nightmares close in as they seek answers, vengeance, and possibly redemption; in the end, the “Spawn of Kreel” learn they’re not alone. Over the course of this tale, Bunn and Bocardo deliver a satisfyingly blood-soaked depiction of the myriad dramas of young personhood. Driven by rich, lively, full-color illustrations, the writing is also fresh and realistic, avoiding the trap of inauthentic Gen Z–speak. Classic themes, such as absent parents, growing pains, questions of identity, and general angst come alive (or fall dead) in ways that are sometimes brutal—wrist cutting, cannibalism—and other times slightly camp, involving demons apparently inspired variously by seafood, Gremlins, vagina dentata, 1950s horror tropes, and manga.

An accomplished work that explores the horror of being young and cursed.