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Demon Copperhead, born Damon Fields, is raised in extreme poverty in rural Appalachia. His mother struggles with addiction, and his father died before he was born. Demon spends his early years navigating an unstable household, where his closest moments of happiness come from the Peggot family, especially his best friend Maggot and Mrs. Peggot, who treats him like another grandson.
Demon’s world unravels when his mother begins a relationship with Stoner, a controlling and abusive man. Stoner’s arrival forces Demon out of his childhood bedroom, and his influence escalates as he isolates Demon’s mother from her support system, including AA meetings. After his mother overdoses on OxyContin on Demon’s birthday, he is left alone in the world. Social services place him in the foster care system, exposing him to a cycle of systemic neglect and exploitation. His first foster home, run by Mr. Crickson (“Creaky”), is a brutal environment where Demon and other boys are forced into grueling farm labor, skipping school to harvest tobacco. Despite the hardship, Demon forms a bond with some of the other boys, including Tommy and Fast Forward, a charming and beloved high school football star.
Demon’s journey through foster care continues with the McCobb family, who take him in primarily for the financial stipend. The McCobbs neglect and manipulate him, confining him to a filthy room meant for their dog and expecting him to contribute financially despite his youth. He finds solace in his art and in fleeting connections with peers like Tommy, who offers him a glimpse of stability through his love for comics and creative storytelling.
A turning point comes when Demon is placed with Coach Winfield, a high school football coach, and his daughter, Agnes “Angus” Winfield. For the first time, Demon experiences a semblance of stability. Under Coach’s roof, he excels at football, becomes popular at school, and starts to develop his artistic talents under the mentorship of Ms. Annie, an art teacher. Angus becomes his closest friend and confidante, a fiercely independent and sharp-witted girl who helps him navigate his newfound sense of belonging. However, this period of stability is fragile. A devastating knee injury during a football game leads to a prescription for OxyContin, beginning Demon’s descent into addiction.
Demon’s injury and subsequent addiction derail his life. He becomes dependent on Oxy to manage both physical pain and the emotional void left by his fractured family and upbringing. His relationship with Dori, a girl he meets through his job at a farm supply store, grows into a destructive partnership fueled by shared addiction. Together, they spiral into deeper isolation and dysfunction, neglecting their home and themselves. Demon clings to Dori, believing that he can save her, even as he recognizes that their relationship is dragging them both further into despair.
As the opioid epidemic ravages Appalachia, Demon witnesses its devastating toll on those around him. Friends like Emmy and Maggot succumb to addiction, and Emmy runs away with Fast Forward, whose manipulative and dangerous nature leads to her sexual exploitation. Demon and June eventually rescue her, but the experience leaves her scarred. Despite his deteriorating life, Demon continues to create, working with his childhood friend Tommy on a comic strip called Red Neck, which evolves into a deeply personal exploration of Appalachia’s history and struggles.
Demon’s life reaches its lowest point with Dori’s overdose and death. Alone and adrift, he begins living in his car, numbing his grief with drugs. June, one of the few steady presences in his life, helps him enter rehab. Through this process, Demon begins to rebuild, finding purpose in his art and forming friendships with others in recovery. He learns the history of Appalachia’s systemic exploitation and begins to channel his anger and pain into his work, creating a graphic novel about the region’s struggles and resilience.
In his sobriety, Demon reconnects with figures from his past, including Angus, who is now in college and planning a future in psychology. Their friendship, always central to Demon’s story, begins to shift as they realize their bond is deeper than either has admitted. Together, they embark on a journey to the ocean, fulfilling a lifelong dream for Demon and symbolizing the possibility of renewal and hope.
