In the Pines - 5 Murder Ballads

In the Pines: 5 Murder Ballads, published by Scratch Books from 2016 onward, is a single-issue comic by Dutch creator Erik Kriek that adapts five classic murder ballads into stark, evocative visual narratives. Kriek, serving as both writer and artist, translates these folk songs into a graphic medium, exploring themes of violence and tragedy through his distinctive, moody art. This series matters as a unique, literary-minded fusion of music and comics, offering a fresh lens on traditional storytelling.