Warning: Chained to the Grave is a mature series and contains graphic language and imagery!
Chained to the Grave, from IDW Publishing, puts a new twist on two classic genres: horror and westerns. Fans of either one may have ideas of what they should bring to the table, but this comic subverts expectations at every turn, offering a fresh and vibrant take on a familiar setting that doesn't hesitate to stray into the realm of the weird. It's not traditional, but that's exactly where its charm lies.
The creative team behind Chained to the Grave includes Andy Eschenbach, Brian Level, Kate Sherron, and Micah Myers. Eschenbach has written comics such as Tezcatlipoca Jones, as well as the series (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes. Level's a comic writer and cartoonist who has worked on comics including Star Wars, Batman, Deadpool, and others. Sherron is a professor, artist, and comic writer who worked on Invader Zim, My Little Pony, Adventure Time, and The Amazing World of Gumball. Meyers is a Ringo-nominated comic letterer who has worked with Dark Horse, IDW, and Aspen - as well as other publishers.
Chained to the Grave tells the story of Roy Mason - a man living in the Old West who finds himself caught up in a plot centering around gold and occult magic. He was involved in trying to move gold for some people whose secrets he uncovered, resulting in a failure to complete the job in this IDW series, resulting in his death. Now, he's back from the dead and trying to protect his family while evading and trying to defeat his foe, who goes by the name Big Bad.
When it comes to westerns, this story has numerous familiar elements of the genre. Revenge, gold, Native Americans, horse chases, and trains are all recognizable components. However, this series blends them in a way that is new and, at times, strange. Western traditionalists likely won't find much to enjoy here. The art style is more cartoony than may be expected for the genre and the supernatural elements break norms. This distinctive art style is accompanied by writing featuring a wide range of expletives, emphasizing that this isn't your grandfather's typical western.
This comic does have a few peculiarities to it. The character development's lacking in many regards and it's difficult to feel a sense of attachment to anyone in particular. The main party is diverse and entertaining, though they rarely feel like a cohesive group demonstrating any growth. They're the epitome of a ragtag team. The same is true of the villains, who are a mix of interesting oddities, but also simple motives. The Native American aspects feel slightly disjointed and occasionally stereotypical due to the series' reliance on magic and the mysticism of shamans. Although, it does place a Native American woman in a position where she can be effective as a powerful ally in a fight. That's a nice change of pace for the western genre. However, some plotlines involving her are left without a sense of resolution.
Nonetheless, Chained to the Grave is a vibrant and fresh horror comic. It tells its story in a familiar setting without feeling like it has been done a million times over - like many westerns do. It presents many occult components that completely upend combat dynamics and conflicts. This non-traditional story knows how unexpected it is and embraces the bizarre wholeheartedly. The art in this comic is lively and fun, foregoing typical grit and dust. Comic readers who want something they've never seen before and love genre subversion or surprises will love IDW Publishing's supernatural western Chained to the Grave and can check out the series' collection when it releases on December 7.
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