Ramblin’ Hobo
the story of a hillbilly having a hippie accident.
Blending biography, psychedelia, and folklore since 2022.
IT’S A TRIP!
The man, the myth,& the legend.
Ramblin’ Hobo is the creation of writer & illustrator Willard C. Watson III.
Based on a second-hand story about his great-grandfather, this comic is O Brother Where Art Thou meets Alice in Wonderland.
The Watsons
Willard Watson, was born in Deep Gap, NC in 1905. He was a moonshiner, banjo player, flatfoot dancer, sawmiller, toy carver, and all around character.
First cousin of famed musician, Doc Watson, Willard found himself in the middle of the folk revival of the 1960s. He travelled the country with the family attending music festivals to dance and sell his handcrafted mountain toys.
He was never far away from his beloved wife Ora or “Oly” for long. She would often travel with him to sell her hand made quilts. The Smithsonian Museum collection has a Willard Watson moonshine still and an Ora Watson quilt.
The Myth
In the early 1970s, Willard befriended a group of square dancing hippies and introduced them to the world of traditional Appalachian flatfoot dancing. Little did he know that the hippies would soon introduce him to the world of psychedelia…
The Legend
Ramblin’ Hobo is an imaginative telling of Willard’s 3-day journey in comic book form. The reader will journey across Appalachia exploring its music, culture, folklore, flora, and fauna. Each issue contains a song sheet, character sheets, and fun world building advertisements.
RAMBLIN’ HOBO IN THE NEWS
Published, September 14, 2026
‘Ramblin’ Hobo’ comic art exhibit to open at Parallel Brewing
Published September 9, 2026
June 9, 2026
Watauga Democrat - Appalachian Roots, Psychedelic Routes: Local man turns great-grandfather’s accidental trip into a comic
Published May 29, 2026