Children of the Grave

Writer: Tom Waltz

Artist: Casey Malone

IDW Publishing

cover art by Casey Malone

To read an in depth interview with the writer, Tom Waltz, click here.

Pick up this book, and you will have punched your ticket to a 120 page thrill ride that is littered with death, destruction, and redemption. Welcome to Children of the Grave.

Originally published under the Shooting Star Comics banner, this revamped edition of a fan favourite has been retrofitted with enhanced artwork and a brand new introduction. But the story remains just as haunting as ever.

When ‘Team Orphan’, an elite American fighting force, makes their way into enemy territory, they are in search of graves. What they find instead are the ghostly children that occupied them. This is not just a military story (although the writer does have a distinguished military background), nor is this merely a horror tale (although the macabre is present and accounted for). COTG, as fans affectionately call it, is a story of three men, and the journey they embark on when cast into a hostile landscape where the dead do not stay dead and the living do not live for very long. It’s some haunting s***.

When the first of the ‘ethnically cleansed’ children show up to advise the protagonist, it is a ghastly moment of revelation. Somehow the effect never wears off as the spectral children continue to guide the hands of fate.

The lead character, LT, is the leader of his squad. Lil’ Pete and Shiv make up the rest. They are beyond elite. The communication they share while neutralizing terrorists is formidable. The artist’s rendering of the action is both jarring and effective. There is a devoted sense of realism to the proceedings, and the comic’s creators do not flinch away from displaying the brutality of combat. Implied rape, as well as mass murder is also present and Casey Malone’s illustrations are as tasteful as one can get when depicting such horrors.

Art from COTG

The members of ‘Team Orphan’ are well fleshed out, and their background stories are interwoven into the fabric of the plot. The lead villain, Colonel Hassan, is your run of the mill Islamo-Fascist leader. He is a bearded terrorist leading a gang of armed fundamentalist Muslims from his hideout. He is easily a stand-in for the world’s Bin-Ladens, Zarqawis and Nasrallahs. Although he at first seems a little one-dimensional, by the story’s end, we begin to get some insight into his character when some unexpected visitors make an appearance.

The art is well detailed, and the use of black and white is exemplary. The characters are unique, and the action and thrills are unrelenting. If you are a fan of comics that thrill, chill, and delight, you ought to give COTG a chance. It is a smartly written piece of graphic literature which is well worth a read. Just make sure you leave some lights on. 

8/10

Read an in depth interview with writer Tom Waltz here.

The book is in Previews now.

(distribution code JUNE063212) and will be available in stores in August(B&W

* 120 pages * $14.99 * ISBN: 1-933239-93-X).

The book is also currently available from online booksellers.

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