The Black Phone Joe Hill
Illustrations by Reiko Murakami
Afterword by C. Robert Cargill
A haunting tale of isolation and resilience, “The Black Phone” by Joe Hill is a masterclass in short-form horror and the inspiration for one of the most critically acclaimed horror films of the past five years.
Thirteen-year-old Finney Blake is abducted by a sadistic killer. Held captive in a locked basement, Finney discovers a disconnected black rotary phone mounted to the wall. At first glance, it seems useless. But then the phone begins to ring. One by one, Finney begins receiving calls from the killer’s previous victims—boys who were once in his place and who didn’t survive. Their whispers echo through the line, offering fragments of advice, warnings and a chance at escape that may be Finney’s only hope.
With razor-sharp pacing and a mounting sense of dread, “The Black Phone” delves into the psychology of terror, the resilience of a young boy forced to face the unimaginable and the chilling persistence of trauma that lingers beyond death. Hill conjures a visceral sense of place in the basement prison and gives voice—literally and figuratively—to the children whose lives were stolen too soon.
Originally published in Hill’s acclaimed debut collection 20th Century Ghosts, “The Black Phone” stands out as a chilling testament to his ability to blend emotional depth with supernatural suspense.
In 2021, the story was adapted into a screenplay by Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill. The film received rave reviews from critics and became one of the top ten highest-grossing films in the United States for seven consecutive weeks. Cargill has written a new afterword exclusive to our edition.
About The Edition
Our edition of “The Black Phone” by Joe Hill is presented in three states. The edition measures 7⅛ x 9⅞ inches and features four color illustrations by award-winning artist Reiko Murakami, and an afterword by C. Robert Cargill. The illustrations in all three states are beautifully printed as fine art giclée prints on Hahnemühle Bugra and are tipped on.
The text pages are set in Monotype Walbaum, and the type was cast in metal and printed letterpress by Pat Randle & Ellen Bills at Nomad Letterpress in Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The edition is designed by award-winning designer Jerry Kelly.
A Note on the Typography
Monotype Walbaum, a revival of the elegant late-18th-century typeface designed by Justus Erich Walbaum, exemplifies the high-contrast, refined forms of the Didone style, with sharp serifs and clean lines that evoke clarity and control. Its restrained sophistication makes it a compelling choice for “The Black Phone”, as the typeface’s poised, formal appearance provides a striking visual contrast to the raw terror of the story. This contrast enhances the unsettling mood, allowing the type to convey a sense of inevitability and finality that reflects the story’s dark, supernatural elements.
Classic Edition
Pre-orderThe Classic edition is limited to 750 copies with a dust jacket illustrated by Reiko Murakami. It is a full cloth binding with a foil blocked front cover. Endsheets are Takeo Tant Select, a unique double-sided embossed paper, and the edition is housed in a cloth covered slipcase. It is printed letterpress from metal type on Munken Pure Rough Cream 120 gsm paper and is signed by Joe Hill and Reiko Murakami.
Numbered Edition
Pre-orderThe Numbered edition of 250 handbound copies is a quarter cloth flat back binding with marbled paper over boards. Endsheets are Hahnemühle Bugra. A fold-out of the Classic edition jacket illustration is included. The edition is housed in a cloth covered slipcase with ends in a complimentary color, and is signed by Joe Hill, Reiko Murakami and C. Robert Cargill. It is printed letterpress from metal type on mouldmade 130 gsm Zerkall with a deckle edge and is bound by Garry Phipps and his team at Green Street Bindery in Oxford, United Kingdom.
The Zerkall Paper Mill
In July 2021 catastrophic flooding devastated Germany’s Ahr Valley, leading to the closure of the historic Zerkall paper mill. Among the casualties of the flood was the mill’s massive cylinder machine. With the mill unable to recover, production of Zerkall’s renowned mouldmade papers ceased, making them increasingly scarce. Though discussions have surfaced about the possibility of restoring the machinery, Zerkall paper remains mostly unobtainable.
For our Numbered state of “The Black Phone”, we are fortunate to be using some of this rare paper, sourced by our printer, Nomad Letterpress. This state is printed on Zerkall 8181, which is an exceptional paper especially when printing from hot metal type. It is a rare opportunity to celebrate one of the finest mouldmade papers, ensuring that its legacy lives on in the hands of collectors and bibliophiles.
Lettered Edition
The Lettered edition is limited to 26 copies and is handbound in the finest goatskin from Harmatan and Oakridge. The leather is die-cut on the front cover revealing marbled paper beneath with gold and blind blocking designed to harmonize with the interior artwork, creating a seamless visual connection between the binding and the art. Endsheets are hand marbled for this edition and head & tail bands are handmade with marbled paper. The book is housed in a clamshell enclosure covered in a premium woven fabric with velour lined trays and marbled paper on the inner spine.
This state is printed letterpress on 120 gsm handmade Velké Losiny from the historic paper mill in the Czech Republic which was founded in the late 16th century and continues to produce beautiful handmade paper to this day. The paper is a special making for this edition and features a custom watermark of the letter “S” referencing our press mark. A fold-out of the Classic edition jacket illustration is included. The edition is signed by Joe Hill, Reiko Murakami and C. Robert Cargill.
About the Author
About the Collaborators
C. Robert Cargill
C. Robert Cargill is the author of Dreams and Shadows and Queen of the Dark Things. He has written for Ain’t it Cool News for nearly a decade under the pseudonym Massawyrm, served as a staff writer for Film.com and Hollywood.com, and appeared as the animated character Carlyle on Spill.com. He is a cowriter of the horror films Sinister and Sinister 2, The Black Phone and Marvel’s Dr. Strange. He lives with his wife in Austin, Texas.
Reiko Murakami
Reiko Murakami is a USA based illustrator specializing in surreal fantasy art. Her work’s subtle textured effect is created by layering a variety of thin paper media such as tracing paper on top of graphite drawings. The image is often finished with a secondary white ink drawing that either emphasizes or counters the symbolic meaning of the base figure. Her illustrations have appeared on many projects such as Tor.com, Magic: the Gathering, and Basketful of Heads (Hillhouse Comics).
The Monotype Casting Process
The typeface, Walbaum (series 374), was cast on a Monotype machine. Invented in the late 19th century, the Monotype caster produces individual type characters from printer’s lead. A melting pot contains the metal in liquid form which is pumped into a cooling mould on top of which sits the matrix (or die) case containing the characters in brass form. This process, producing about three characters per second, revolutionized printing and publishing by making letterpress printing from lead type widely accessible.
Matching Numbers & Letters
A Matching Pre-Order email is sent to owners of our previous publication, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at 9:00 A.M. PT on the day of announcement. If you did not receive the email, contact us here. If your order is not received before the deadline, your designated number or letter will be assigned to the new owner.
Order Limits
Please be aware of the order limits for our editions. You can read more about this in the Order Limits article on our support site.
Illustrations by Reiko Murakami Printed Giclée in all States
Published editions may differ slightly from mockups and prototype designs.
Illustrations © 2023 by Reiko Murakami.