There are these stories in which not much takes place, but give off an eerie and unsettling vibe. The premiere issue of The Folk of Dooney Hollow is just such story. Writer Jeremy Haun and artist Alex Lins craft a story that is as mysterious as it is frightening and with a ton of leftover questions still needing answers.
Deep in the Ozark Mountains lies the village of Dooney Hollow, hidden away from modern society for over a century. Its existence is only spoken of around campfires, in hushed tones, by people who don’t necessarily believe. Those who stumble upon Dooney Hollow never return to prove that it’s real, because dark forces lurk in the woods just outside the town gate.
Kerri is a young graduate student who goes to the Ozarks to get a feel for the land and its people — and its local legends. Little does she know how close to these legends she will get, as a chance encounter in the forest leads her to ceremonial grounds and the terrifying monster that keeps the citizens of Dooney Hollow living in fear.
Haun definitely has this keen ability to create stories that leave lasting impressions and The Folk of Dooney Hollow follows suit. The first issue is mysterious and unsettling in ways that are hard to explain. Jeremy gives us just the perfect amount of information to tug us along for the story, but not enough to take away the mystery. It’s a bit frightening. A lot of weird stuff happens in this debut issue, all without answers, which just makes the mystery all the more enticing.
The Folk of Dooney Hollow might be set in the secluded woods, but we meet some very interesting characters, all with what seem to be positive motives, but how can we really tell just yet. Otis is lovable and caring, but it’s hard to tell if that is all an act or if he is hiding more than we know. Our protagonist Kerri definitely has more to her story, her background, and cannot wait to follow along with her during this journey.
The vibe from start to finish of The Folk of Dooney Hollow‘s debut issue is creepy and eerie. The quiet woods has some frightful things ahead and the mystery is strong throughout. I tend to figure out path a story is taking, but with The Folk of Dooney Hollow it’s hard to see where Haun is going in the most positive way possible. Mystery, horror, and overall unsettling feelings make the series all the more attractive to pickup.
Lins brings a horror vibe to each and every panel with dark and uneasy artwork. His grittiness is evident and his style of illustration lends itself to this series. Trish Mulvihill‘s color palette works well with the illustrations and story at hand, only rounded out by AndWorld Design‘s wonderful lettering. When a story has such a crazy vibe, artwork that lends itself to the story just adds to the overall appeal.
The Folk of Dooney Hollow is mysteriously creepy and just the right amount of unsettling. Writer Jeremy Haun and artist Alex Lins deliver on the hype of horror that gets under your skin and sit for a while, begging for answers. The Folk of Dooney Hollow features the kind of unpredictable story that begs for answers that we hopefully get in future issues.
The Folk of Dooney Hollow #1 hits local comic shops on September 9, 2026 from Ignition Press.
The Folk of Dooney Hollow #1 Preview
