For Crownsville, a new five-issue comic from Oni Press, creator Rodney Barnes took a cue from his past. The actual Crownsville Hospital Center used to be referred to as the “Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland” and has since shuttered. Barnes talked with Cemetery Dance about his personal connection to the hospital, the dark stories around it, and the importance of knowing history.
(Interview conducted by Danica Davidson)
CEMETERY DANCE: How did you first learn about the Crownsville Hospital Center, and why did you want to make a comic around it?
RODNEY BARNES: Crownsville was in the town over from where I grew up. It was like an urban legend that was real and terrifying. Since I was seven or eight years old I’ve thought about it as being a perfect backdrop for this type of story.
What sort of research went into this project?
As I said, the hospital is located close to my hometown of Annapolis, Maryland, so I knew a lot of the story from growing up nearby. I actually have family members who worked at the hospital and were patients there. In my childhood the hospital operated as a sort of boogeyman in my mind. A common threat for not behaving was the possibility of being sent to Crownsville. Over the years I always kept up with it until it eventually closed for overcrowding, neglect, and darker, more persistent rumors of patient abuse and illegal medical experiments.
Crownsville is described as a “fusion of true crime, tension-addled thriller, and roaring supernatural horror.” How did you blend these things?
I pulled from the things that I love. The main characters in this story are an amalgamation of the people I would pretend to be as a child while I was in imagination land. I love a good horror story and I also love a good mystery. Being able to write a story that blends the two is a real treat.
What would you like readers to take away from it?
That the past matters. In history atrocities can fade due to the passage of time. Ghost stories are great at giving the reader a look into what people once endured. I hope people walk away with a better idea of what the people of Crownsville suffered.
Is there anything else you’re up to these days? Are there any updates with Zombie Love Studios?
Too many things with not enough time. Most recently I collaborated with IDW for 30 Days of Night: Falling Sun. That drops October 15, which I’m super excited about. I also recently teamed up with Panick Entertainment for a new four-issue comic series Last Words which will come out next year.
Beyond that I have a lot in the works on both the comic and film and tv side, but I’ll build the tension a little bit more before I spill any more details.
