Sept. 2026
PBS NewsHour
2 years after the storm, graphic novel shares stories of Hurricane Helene survivors
Television
Watch (opens in a new window)
The Appalachia Comics Project presents
The story of Hurricane Helene as told by those who survived. Eleven true stories, each written by a survivor and drawn by an award-winning comics creator.
“This is the best of the best of what comics can be and the power of graphic storytelling.”
30.3ft
French Broad River at Fletcher
Helene’s crest. The previous record was 20.1 feet. Source: NOAA river gauge FLCN7.
On the road
Coming up
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Tue27OctIslands in the Sky with Andrew Aydin
6–7 p.m. · Hunter Library, Room 101A, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, North Carolina · Andrew Aydin and Cory Vaillancourt · Sponsored by the WCU Communication Department and the SPJ at WCU chapter
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Wed28OctAn Evening with Andrew Aydin Discussing “Islands in the Sky”
6:30 p.m. discussion at Lakewood Art Supply, followed by a 7 p.m. signing at Superscript Comics & Games · Lakewood, Ohio · Presented by Rust Belt Humanities Lab
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Thu29OctMarch, Run, Vote
7 p.m. · Gannon University, Erie, Pennsylvania · Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell, Jefferson Educational Society Global Summit
Every first-year student at Berea College is reading Islands in the Sky this fall.
Want the book on your campus or in your library? See teaching resources or ask about a visit.
In the news
What people are saying
“The stories are meant to affirm common humanity across cultural gaps, not sharpen the contradictions in our current broken discourse.”
“On occasion, a creative project might feature a winner of the Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award or the Eisner Award. But safe to say, it’s extremely rare to find a work that includes contributions from all of the above.”
The people behind the book
Survivors and storytellers
Survivors, most writing professionally for the first time, paired with creators honored with the Pulitzer, the National Book Award, the MacArthur Fellowship, the Peabody and the Nobel Prize.
- Jim & Allie Bourdy
- Greg Pak
- Josh Adams
- Nick Filardi
- Matthew Wilson
- Jodie Troutman
- Cory Vaillancourt
- Steve Orlando
- June Kim
- Josh Reed
- Jessica Stepp Edney
- Matt Fraction
- Aster D’Amico
- Tera & Amy McIntosh
- Gene Luen Yang
- Thien Pham
- Briana Loewinsohn
- Suzanne Palmer
- Anthony Del Col
- Ned Wolfe
- Hannah Roy
- Brian Michael Bendis
- C.A.P. Ward
- Andrew Aydin
- Valentine De Landro
- Shannon Burcham
- Brent Schoonover
- Matthew K. Manning
- Jarrett Rutland
- Angie Stone
- Alex Segura
- Laura Martin
- David Hahn
- Dr. David Easterling
- Nate Powell
- David Marquez
- Jonathan Marks Barravecchia
Get involved
No one saved us. We saved ourselves.
This is a grassroots effort, and it runs on neighbors.
Tell your story
Lived through Helene? We pair survivors with professional creators and pay you as a comics writer.
Submit an idea