A tech-savvy teen strives to become the first in his family to go to college. Can he and his two best friends hold on to hope when the forces of greed, trauma, and corruption collide beneath the shadow of The Organization? Or will the relentless pressures of injustice and despair destroy them and the future of North Falls?
North Falls Graphic Novel Series
Mental Health California and the Sacramento County Department of Health Services, Division of Behavioral Health Services through the voter approved Proposition 63, Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), present the North Falls Graphic Novel Series, a teen spy-thriller about a tech-savvy high school senior and his two best friends trying to outsmart an AI operative.
In North Falls, an underserved area on the far side of town, innovation collides with corruption when a powerful tech company’s promise to “uplift the community” hides a darker agenda. As Markos, Isiah, and Yasmine compete in their school’s AI Codebreaker Challenge, they discover a secret network manipulating their neighborhood under the cover of goodwill. The trio must navigate betrayal, mounting mental pressure, family drama, and social divides while trying to protect the people they love. Through a gripping story of courage and survival, the series explores the intersection of friendship, trauma, and resilience in underserved communities. It sheds light on behavioral health challenges faced by youth: stress, anxiety, depression, substance use, and the struggle to stay hopeful when systems fail them.
Each episode is story-driven and visually rich, designed for classroom and community use with companion tools that encourage meaningful discussion, reflection, and collective healing. Administered by the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), North Falls is both an edge-of-your-seat thriller and a call to awareness, reminding us that even in the shadows, resilience can rise.
improving youth behavioral health across sacramento county and beyond
The North Falls Graphic Novel Series is the result of a deeply collaborative effort among community youth, youth mentors, storytelling experts, clinicians, developmental editors, and illustrators, all united by a shared commitment to elevate youth voices and experiences. Together, the team explored real-life challenges and behavioral health topics, such as trauma and substance use prevention, through inclusive, workshop-style sessions that combined education, creativity, and healing. Every element of the series reflects their dedication to producing a story that resonates with young people who have faced similar struggles, while inspiring hope and resilience. Offered to the public, schools, and youth-serving organizations, including those in the Into the Classroom partners network, this project continues to advance the mission of improving youth behavioral health across Sacramento County and beyond.