Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso Weave a Tale of ‘Moonshine’

At today's Image Expo, writer Brian Azzarello announced Moonshine, an upcoming series with his frequent collaborator, artist Eduardo Risso. Due out in October of this year, the comic feature mobsters, werewolves, and "a sprinkling of hillbillies."

Image released this synopsis to Comic Book Resources:

Set during Prohibition, and deep in the backwoods of Appalachia, 'Moonshine' #1 tells the story of LOU PIRLO, a city-slick 'torpedo' sent from New York City to negotiate a deal with the best moonshiner in West Virginia, one HIRAM HOLT.  Lou figures it for milk run -- how hard could it be to set-up moonshine shipments from a few ass-backward hillbillies? What Lou doesn't figure on is that Holt is just as cunning as ruthless as any NYC crime boss and Lou is in way over his pin-striped head. Because not only will Holt do anything to protect his illicit booze operation, he'll stop at nothing to protect a much darker family secret... a bloody, supernatural secret that must never see the light of day... or better still, the light of the full moon."

While describing the comic at the expo, Azzarello admitting that he's not sure of the correct term to use instead of "hillbillies," joking that when he googled it, all he found was Southern Bastards. I grew up in the Appalachian mountains myself, and I'd like to reassure Azzarello that generally the best word is "hillbillies." My father, who made moonshine in his youth, frequently referred to himself as a hillbilly. For outsiders, if you want to be really sure you don't offend anyone, you probably won't go wrong with "Appalachian Mountain People." Or maybe "Ozark Mountain People" depending on which hillbillies you're talking about at the time.

Azzarello notes that the promo image for the series features government agents who "aren't going to last very long," rather than any of the main characters. In fact the preview pages give us a pretty clear idea of their fate. It's unsurprising the G-men aren't long for this world. After all, revenuers never stood much of a chance even in an Appalachia that didn't have werewolves.