Warlords of Appalachia

Following the brutal occupation of Kentucky after the second U.S. Civil War, a mechanic and reluctant folk hero named Kade Mercer rises up to protect his small mountain town, becoming the first feudal warlord of Appalachia.

Following the controversial election of an enigmatic dictator, the United States were plunged into a Second Civil War, in the aftermath of which only Kentucky refused to acknowledge the fascist state’s sovereignty. Now a demilitarized zone located in the heart of America, it will take the combined forces of civilians and criminals to overthrow the occupation. In leading this rebellion, former mechanic and reluctant folk hero Kade Mercer will become the first feudal warlord of Appalachia.

Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Last Sons of America) and illustrated by breakout talent Jonas Scharf, Warlords of Appalachia is a grounded military epic with flourishes of sci-fi futurism that explores the lengths one man will go to protect his family in the face of oppression. 

Phillip Kennedy Johnson is a trumpet player with the U.S. Army Field Band, and spends 100 days a year touring the country with the band. He holds a Masters degree in music, and has performed with prestigous orchestras and operas nationwide. He came to comics out of a passion for the medium.  He writes the ongoing horror webcomic The Lost Boys of the U-Boat Bremen, as well as the comic strip BAND! on musicomic.com. He co-created his first comic series, Last Sons of America, with artist Matthew Dow Smith.