What do you think?
Rate this book
The Cape
The Cape
Every little boy dreams about putting on a cape and soaring up, up, and away... but "what if "one day that dream were to come true?
Eric was like every other eight-year-old boy, until a tragic accident changed his life forever. THE CAPE explores the dark side of power, as the adult Eric - a confused and broken man - takes to the skies... and sets out to exact a terrible vengeance on everyone who ever disappointed him.
This critically acclaimed, Eisner-Award nominated story, written by Jason Ciaramella, based on the short story by "New York Times" bestselling author Joe Hill, with art by Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel, will linger with you long after you turn the last page, and force you to ask yourself the question: "What if?"
Eric was like every other eight-year-old boy, until a tragic accident changed his life forever. THE CAPE explores the dark side of power, as the adult Eric - a confused and broken man - takes to the skies... and sets out to exact a terrible vengeance on everyone who ever disappointed him.
This critically acclaimed, Eisner-Award nominated story, written by Jason Ciaramella, based on the short story by "New York Times" bestselling author Joe Hill, with art by Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel, will linger with you long after you turn the last page, and force you to ask yourself the question: "What if?"
132 pages, Hardcover
First published October 16, 2007
184 people are currently reading
2829 people want to read
About the author
Joe Hill
508 books29.8k followersJoe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
October 18, 2019
I saw this and I was all, Whoa! Joe Hill? Locke & Key is one of my all time favorites - this will be rad!, and then I flailed around for a bit with all the excitement.
I shouldn't have.
Let me save you some time.
Spoilers below!
A loser-y douchebag gets "revenge" on the people who have put up with him for the entirety of his life with the help of a magic cape.
For fuck's sake! It's so stupid!
He has a cape that lets him fly. It doesn't give him strength, super-intelligence, speed, invisibility, or even some weird stretchy power. He can fly. Which, while cool, is the least impressive power to have. I mean, look at poor Angel. They had to let Apocalypse fuck with him just so he could get some little extras in there. Like, super-rage and wing darts or whatever.
Point is, nobody is scared of a dude who can fly.
This is America, goddammit - shoot him in the head.
Boom. Problem solved.
Plus, the cape thing is never really explained. The origin (if you want to call it that) is that he and his brother discovered he could fly with this thing when he was a little kid, but then he fell b/c it got snagged on a branch (or something) and busted his head.
His mother (being a good mother) hid the cape so he wouldn't try jumping out of any more trees pretending to be a superhero. Later - much later - he finds the cape and goes on a rampage. Killing everyone who has ever cared enough to put up with his shit.
Now, that part, the part where an undeserving ass got to have a magical item? That was a bit more interesting. But it didn't make up for the complete lack of any common sense in the rest of the comic.
I didn't realize this was a short story by Hill that had been adapted to the graphic novel medium, so I was expecting a Joe Hill graphic novel...if that makes sense?
There's a cool story waiting to be told here, but it never happened for me.
I shouldn't have.
Let me save you some time.
Spoilers below!
A loser-y douchebag gets "revenge" on the people who have put up with him for the entirety of his life with the help of a magic cape.
For fuck's sake! It's so stupid!
He has a cape that lets him fly. It doesn't give him strength, super-intelligence, speed, invisibility, or even some weird stretchy power. He can fly. Which, while cool, is the least impressive power to have. I mean, look at poor Angel. They had to let Apocalypse fuck with him just so he could get some little extras in there. Like, super-rage and wing darts or whatever.
Point is, nobody is scared of a dude who can fly.
This is America, goddammit - shoot him in the head.
Boom. Problem solved.
Plus, the cape thing is never really explained. The origin (if you want to call it that) is that he and his brother discovered he could fly with this thing when he was a little kid, but then he fell b/c it got snagged on a branch (or something) and busted his head.
His mother (being a good mother) hid the cape so he wouldn't try jumping out of any more trees pretending to be a superhero. Later - much later - he finds the cape and goes on a rampage. Killing everyone who has ever cared enough to put up with his shit.
Now, that part, the part where an undeserving ass got to have a magical item? That was a bit more interesting. But it didn't make up for the complete lack of any common sense in the rest of the comic.
I didn't realize this was a short story by Hill that had been adapted to the graphic novel medium, so I was expecting a Joe Hill graphic novel...if that makes sense?
There's a cool story waiting to be told here, but it never happened for me.
March 25, 2018
The Cape Or How to turn an average horror short story into a terrible comic book adaptation.
I read the original story this comic book is based on in Hill's anthology collection 20th Century Ghost couple of years back, and it was an okay tale. The story was about a man named Eric who is essentially living a loser's life, but everything takes a curious turn when he rediscovers his special childhood cape. It gives him the power of flight, which essentially leads to the question: Does this path lead to 'With great power comes great responsibility' or 'Revenge is best served cold'?
Writer Ciaramella expands Hill's story into a five-part story, with only first part covering Hill's original tale and others featuring the aftermath. Unfortunately, Ciaramella took away the shades of morality from the expanded chapters and turned it into a lackluster good vs evil/ Cain vs Abel arc, and adds a lot of senseless hillbilly style villainy to pad the pages.
Another sin this adaption commits is deviating from the core of source material. In the short, it's implied that the cape only works for Eric. Here, anything goes. I mean anything! Want to drop a huge bear on a car even though the Cape doesn't give super strength or invincibility? Do it! Screw logic! Live on the edge! Waste your time! Who cares?
Two stars for the decent first chapter and art.
I read the original story this comic book is based on in Hill's anthology collection 20th Century Ghost couple of years back, and it was an okay tale. The story was about a man named Eric who is essentially living a loser's life, but everything takes a curious turn when he rediscovers his special childhood cape. It gives him the power of flight, which essentially leads to the question: Does this path lead to 'With great power comes great responsibility' or 'Revenge is best served cold'?
Writer Ciaramella expands Hill's story into a five-part story, with only first part covering Hill's original tale and others featuring the aftermath. Unfortunately, Ciaramella took away the shades of morality from the expanded chapters and turned it into a lackluster good vs evil/ Cain vs Abel arc, and adds a lot of senseless hillbilly style villainy to pad the pages.
Another sin this adaption commits is deviating from the core of source material. In the short, it's implied that the cape only works for Eric. Here, anything goes. I mean anything! Want to drop a huge bear on a car even though the Cape doesn't give super strength or invincibility? Do it! Screw logic! Live on the edge! Waste your time! Who cares?
Two stars for the decent first chapter and art.
November 2, 2022
I finished this graphic novel last year and felt I needed to let it sit for a few months before re-reading. I like Joe Hill and felt I needed to give it a fair shake. I think I have done that. Jason Ciaramella adapting the short story. This is a novella length story told by Joe Hill about the dark side of the superpower, flying. Granted that flying is not the most glamorous of talents. However, it can be cool if used appropriately. In the hands of the main character, the power somehow connected to a cape is used for ill. The MC turns away from every person in his life that ever had the temerity to care about him, and causes pain, destruction, and death to all his familial ties. Sure, there is horror here, but it almost seems pedantic, and falls flat. Although this is adapted from a Joe Hill short story, it really just seems like a throwaway tale with little merit and minor punch. It pessimistically refutes the concepts of charity and altruism that most superheroes embrace for malice and selfishness. This IMHO is not Joe Hill's best work although the art is nice.
January 2, 2020
Now that was just awful.
When Eric was a kid his mother made a cape for him out of his beat-up lucky blanket. For some reason the cape enables him to fly. But when as an 8-year-old he falls out of a tree and badly hurts his head, his mother puts the cape away.
Years later Eric is a complete loser who does nothing but sit on his lazy ass. When his long-time girlfriend finally has enough of his shit and breaks up with him he moves into his mother’s basement, where he finds the cape. And what does he do, now that he can fly again? Of course he’s just going to kill everybody that actually cares for him. Because it isn’t his fault that his life turned out so bad. Of course it is their fault. Yeah, right, asshole!
I think his brother says it best in the following panel:
I mean you just can’t root for the main character here. His mother’s only intention was to protect him. His girlfriend showed so much patience with him, even though he did nothing to earn it, before she finally and understandably had enough. And his brother also always tried to protect Eric, and his only fault seems to be that he is successful in life.
Long story short, the main character is the villain in this story. But he is not a scary villain. He is just a self-centered, sad-sack, mopey fucking cry-baby.
Awful!
1.5 stars, because of decent artwork and some nice action.
When Eric was a kid his mother made a cape for him out of his beat-up lucky blanket. For some reason the cape enables him to fly. But when as an 8-year-old he falls out of a tree and badly hurts his head, his mother puts the cape away.
Years later Eric is a complete loser who does nothing but sit on his lazy ass. When his long-time girlfriend finally has enough of his shit and breaks up with him he moves into his mother’s basement, where he finds the cape. And what does he do, now that he can fly again? Of course he’s just going to kill everybody that actually cares for him. Because it isn’t his fault that his life turned out so bad. Of course it is their fault. Yeah, right, asshole!
I think his brother says it best in the following panel:
I mean you just can’t root for the main character here. His mother’s only intention was to protect him. His girlfriend showed so much patience with him, even though he did nothing to earn it, before she finally and understandably had enough. And his brother also always tried to protect Eric, and his only fault seems to be that he is successful in life.
Long story short, the main character is the villain in this story. But he is not a scary villain. He is just a self-centered, sad-sack, mopey fucking cry-baby.
Awful!
1.5 stars, because of decent artwork and some nice action.
August 15, 2022
The story of two brothers who grew up playing superheroes. One day while falling out of a tree, Eric learns his cape lets him actually fly right before it rips and he falls and suffers a brain injury. Years later, he's a big loser when he finds the cape in his mom's basement and learns he can fly again. He goes to show his girlfriend Angela what he can do and that's when things get crazy. this book was a ton of demented fun. Highly recommended for all horror fans.
Zach Howard's art is very good, reminiscent of Gabrielle Rodriguez's art on Locke & Key.
Zach Howard's art is very good, reminiscent of Gabrielle Rodriguez's art on Locke & Key.
March 10, 2018
This was some twisted ass shit. No other way to say it.
So the story is about a man who gets a cape and then he can fly. Simple right? Well he had the cape when he was a kid, and the first time he flew, when he took it off he fell and nearly died. So growing up he wanted the cape back but his mother told him she threw it away. When he does find the cape again and starts flying he decides to show it off to his ex-girlfriend...and then the horror begins.
Good: The series is extremely fast paced. Never dull and the art gives it this gloomy feeling without feeling TOO dreadful. Also the deaths are extremely fucked up, very horror like, and the build up keeps getting worse and worse which gives it this death-like feeling throughout. Also the ending was satisfying which I can't always say for horror stories.
Bad: It felt a tad bit cut short and another issue to flush out the beginning probably would have helped. Also one death struck me wrong as I wondered if the cape also gave super strength or some shit.
Overall highly entertaining, very dark, and really fucked up. I'd go with a 3.5 but I'll bump it to a 4 because I was always intrigued throughout! Reading all of Joe Hill's short stories next!
So the story is about a man who gets a cape and then he can fly. Simple right? Well he had the cape when he was a kid, and the first time he flew, when he took it off he fell and nearly died. So growing up he wanted the cape back but his mother told him she threw it away. When he does find the cape again and starts flying he decides to show it off to his ex-girlfriend...and then the horror begins.
Good: The series is extremely fast paced. Never dull and the art gives it this gloomy feeling without feeling TOO dreadful. Also the deaths are extremely fucked up, very horror like, and the build up keeps getting worse and worse which gives it this death-like feeling throughout. Also the ending was satisfying which I can't always say for horror stories.
Bad: It felt a tad bit cut short and another issue to flush out the beginning probably would have helped. Also one death struck me wrong as I wondered if the cape also gave super strength or some shit.
Overall highly entertaining, very dark, and really fucked up. I'd go with a 3.5 but I'll bump it to a 4 because I was always intrigued throughout! Reading all of Joe Hill's short stories next!
March 21, 2025
If Carlsberg made graphic novels!
Joe Hill, Jason Ciaramella et al have worked their magic with this enjoyable, captivating and stunningly illustrated work.
A fast-paced story of anti-heroes, superhuman powers, greed, and envy at its heart.
But The Cape is more than just a thrilling adventure. It is also a dark and twisted exploration of childhood trauma, lost dreams, and the corruption of power. The main character, Eric, is a flawed and complex protagonist who will make you question your own morality and empathy. The Cape is a graphic novel that will haunt you long after reading it. It is a masterpiece of storytelling that deserves to be on every comic fan's shelf.
Joe Hill, Jason Ciaramella et al have worked their magic with this enjoyable, captivating and stunningly illustrated work.
A fast-paced story of anti-heroes, superhuman powers, greed, and envy at its heart.
But The Cape is more than just a thrilling adventure. It is also a dark and twisted exploration of childhood trauma, lost dreams, and the corruption of power. The main character, Eric, is a flawed and complex protagonist who will make you question your own morality and empathy. The Cape is a graphic novel that will haunt you long after reading it. It is a masterpiece of storytelling that deserves to be on every comic fan's shelf.
October 17, 2017
This was so bad! Gawd, it was AWFUL!
I have read the short story some years ago and I don't remember it being this bad!! Saying that, this isn't written by Joe Hill but based on his short story of the same name, and my God, it shows!
The story is terrible! Basically, a complete douche named Eric goes round killing people and blames it on his mom taking away his cape when he was a kid (a cape which gave him the ability to fly and somehow made him feel invincible). That's it! He kills his ex-girlfriend, his mom (and a plane full of innocent passengers), a random man on his way to work by hooking a wild bear out of the zoo and dropping it on his car and takes delight in watching the bear maul the man to death! Oh, and he also tries to kill his successful brother, Nicky, who went to Harvard. All I got from Eric's character was that he was a lazy bum, a good for nothing who didn't even want to try in life, who was jealous of his doctor brother, clearly had psychological issues and begrudged his mom for taking away his cape when he was a child purely because he fell out of the tree and was critically injured which makes complete and utter sense!!!
I hated it! There was no depth to the characters, no interesting plot lines; it was Eric just thinking of another macabre way of killing those who cared about him. Th only redeeming feature was the artwork, although even that, at times, was a bit too gory for my liking! Hence my one star rating.
Avoid at all costs!
I have read the short story some years ago and I don't remember it being this bad!! Saying that, this isn't written by Joe Hill but based on his short story of the same name, and my God, it shows!
The story is terrible! Basically, a complete douche named Eric goes round killing people and blames it on his mom taking away his cape when he was a kid (a cape which gave him the ability to fly and somehow made him feel invincible). That's it! He kills his ex-girlfriend, his mom (and a plane full of innocent passengers), a random man on his way to work by hooking a wild bear out of the zoo and dropping it on his car and takes delight in watching the bear maul the man to death! Oh, and he also tries to kill his successful brother, Nicky, who went to Harvard. All I got from Eric's character was that he was a lazy bum, a good for nothing who didn't even want to try in life, who was jealous of his doctor brother, clearly had psychological issues and begrudged his mom for taking away his cape when he was a child purely because he fell out of the tree and was critically injured which makes complete and utter sense!!!
I hated it! There was no depth to the characters, no interesting plot lines; it was Eric just thinking of another macabre way of killing those who cared about him. Th only redeeming feature was the artwork, although even that, at times, was a bit too gory for my liking! Hence my one star rating.
Avoid at all costs!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2020
4
I knew nothing about this story going in and guessed it was about an unknown superhero. This is a book about the villain. If the name Joe Hill has not leaped into your household's, you should check him out. The Cape is no Locke and Key, but it's still worth checking out.
Why the 4?
This becomes a villain as a serial killer and that was an unexpected twist. Reminded me of Nemesis by Mark Millar. This deserved a longer arc and the short storyline robs the series from being something grand. This was good but it could've been great.
I knew nothing about this story going in and guessed it was about an unknown superhero. This is a book about the villain. If the name Joe Hill has not leaped into your household's, you should check him out. The Cape is no Locke and Key, but it's still worth checking out.
Why the 4?
This becomes a villain as a serial killer and that was an unexpected twist. Reminded me of Nemesis by Mark Millar. This deserved a longer arc and the short storyline robs the series from being something grand. This was good but it could've been great.
May 28, 2013
You know that old saying, never judge a book by its cover? Joe Hill's The Cape is the perfect book to apply that wisdom to. On the cover, we see a man hovering above the ground, donning a cape and dressed in a t-shirt, ripped jeans and tennis shoes. Without knowing anything about the story, you've got to assume he's an unlikely superhero. However, if you crack the cover and dive into the story, you'll be as shocked as I was when the story switches gears taking the reader in an entirely different direction.
As an eight year old boy, Eric shares the dream of many children his age, to strap on a cape and fight the never ending battle against evil. However, as a child, Eric suffers a tragic accident and his future becomes forever altered. Years later, Eric's life has spiraled out of control and he's developed a hatred for those he feels have emotionally abandoned him.
The severe headaches that have plagued him since the accident never subside and when his relationship with his girlfriend falls apart, he begins to suspect she's sleeping with his older brother. It's really the perfect storm that creates the monster he becomes. One night after finding his childhood cape in his mother's home, he discovers it gives him the power of flight. Rather than using this new found ability for good, he decides to seek vengeance against those who've wronged him.
Joe Hill's got some great ideas floating around in that furry noggin of his and in my quest to consume everything he's written, I've experienced some fantastic fiction. The Cape is no exception. While he may not have been as hands on in the publication of the graphic novel, he did write the original story on which it's based. Appearing in his short story compilation, 20th Century Ghosts, The Cape is a story about how we choose to react to the misfortunes in our lives. While some can simply take them as learning experiences and move on, others swallow them deep down creating a stockpile of grudges and anger. Unfortunately for those around him, Eric embraces the latter method.
It should be worth nothing that Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel's art is very reminiscent of Gabriel Rodriguez's work on Locke & Key. It has just enough of a cartoon feel to keep the subject matter from getting too dark. It's appreciated because in all honestly, not a lot of light escapes this story.
As an eight year old boy, Eric shares the dream of many children his age, to strap on a cape and fight the never ending battle against evil. However, as a child, Eric suffers a tragic accident and his future becomes forever altered. Years later, Eric's life has spiraled out of control and he's developed a hatred for those he feels have emotionally abandoned him.
The severe headaches that have plagued him since the accident never subside and when his relationship with his girlfriend falls apart, he begins to suspect she's sleeping with his older brother. It's really the perfect storm that creates the monster he becomes. One night after finding his childhood cape in his mother's home, he discovers it gives him the power of flight. Rather than using this new found ability for good, he decides to seek vengeance against those who've wronged him.
Joe Hill's got some great ideas floating around in that furry noggin of his and in my quest to consume everything he's written, I've experienced some fantastic fiction. The Cape is no exception. While he may not have been as hands on in the publication of the graphic novel, he did write the original story on which it's based. Appearing in his short story compilation, 20th Century Ghosts, The Cape is a story about how we choose to react to the misfortunes in our lives. While some can simply take them as learning experiences and move on, others swallow them deep down creating a stockpile of grudges and anger. Unfortunately for those around him, Eric embraces the latter method.
It should be worth nothing that Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel's art is very reminiscent of Gabriel Rodriguez's work on Locke & Key. It has just enough of a cartoon feel to keep the subject matter from getting too dark. It's appreciated because in all honestly, not a lot of light escapes this story.
August 28, 2016
4,5 / 5
Nos narra cómo Eric, un niño marcado desde su niñez al caerse de un árbol y sufrir muchas heridas tanto psíquicas como físicas, tras años llenos de fracasos, ha encontrado en algo en lo que destaca y se le da muy bien, hacer el mal. Recogiendo su poderosa capa de la infancia que le permite volar, comienza a repartir su odio frente a sus seres queridos, desarrollando una serie de desastres, asesinatos y traiciones sin fin. En la antología de relatos Fantasmas (Suma de Letras) de Joe Hill se recogía un relato con el título La capa y este cómic editado por Planeta recopila los cuatro números de una serie limitada, la cual comienza con un primer capítulo que adapta fielmente ese relato para llevarnos un poco más allá dentro de esta historia.
La trama es sencilla y cerrada, ofreciendo un desarrollo justo en su medida tanto de contexto como de personajes, aunque sí que me gustaría ahondar más en algunas cosas, como de donde sale la capa y sus poderes o en algunos secundarios por ejemplo, aunque creo que esto se trata en la precuela La capa:1969. Una historia sobre un villano amargado, que representa un fiel reflejo de muchos adultos hoy en día perdidos y frustrados en su vida, que siempre buscan la culpa de todo en una persona exterior a ellos mismos con la que pagan todos sus fracasos. Gráficamente es impactante con unas escenas espectaculares que hacen del cómic una historia narrativamente ágil, con el dibujo atractivo y potente de Zach Howard complementado con el oscuro color de Nelson Daniel. Must read.
Nos narra cómo Eric, un niño marcado desde su niñez al caerse de un árbol y sufrir muchas heridas tanto psíquicas como físicas, tras años llenos de fracasos, ha encontrado en algo en lo que destaca y se le da muy bien, hacer el mal. Recogiendo su poderosa capa de la infancia que le permite volar, comienza a repartir su odio frente a sus seres queridos, desarrollando una serie de desastres, asesinatos y traiciones sin fin. En la antología de relatos Fantasmas (Suma de Letras) de Joe Hill se recogía un relato con el título La capa y este cómic editado por Planeta recopila los cuatro números de una serie limitada, la cual comienza con un primer capítulo que adapta fielmente ese relato para llevarnos un poco más allá dentro de esta historia.
La trama es sencilla y cerrada, ofreciendo un desarrollo justo en su medida tanto de contexto como de personajes, aunque sí que me gustaría ahondar más en algunas cosas, como de donde sale la capa y sus poderes o en algunos secundarios por ejemplo, aunque creo que esto se trata en la precuela La capa:1969. Una historia sobre un villano amargado, que representa un fiel reflejo de muchos adultos hoy en día perdidos y frustrados en su vida, que siempre buscan la culpa de todo en una persona exterior a ellos mismos con la que pagan todos sus fracasos. Gráficamente es impactante con unas escenas espectaculares que hacen del cómic una historia narrativamente ágil, con el dibujo atractivo y potente de Zach Howard complementado con el oscuro color de Nelson Daniel. Must read.
Read
February 11, 2023"The Cape" was one of my favorite stories from 20th Century Ghosts, and so I was pretty disappointed by this graphic novel adaptation.
I expected this to be a more fleshed-out version of the original story, perhaps adding some more depth to the characters and their backgrounds, and that it would arrive at the same powerful ending. But it's not...only the first issue (of five) covers the original, and it feels rushed. The remaining four issues are simply a continuation that feels unnecessary, and ultimately diminishes the emotional impact of Joe Hill's tale.
I found all the characters to be unlikable, and there was absolutely no development. This story just felt like it was dark and bloody for the sake of being dark and bloody. I didn't necessarily need a happy ending, but it would have been nice if a certain character changed/learned something from this overall experience.
Finally, the artwork was technically competent, but just not a style I enjoyed.
I can't say I would recommend this, but I do recommend Joe Hill's short story collection 20th Century Ghosts for anyone who wants to read the source material for this graphic novel.
I expected this to be a more fleshed-out version of the original story, perhaps adding some more depth to the characters and their backgrounds, and that it would arrive at the same powerful ending. But it's not...only the first issue (of five) covers the original, and it feels rushed. The remaining four issues are simply a continuation that feels unnecessary, and ultimately diminishes the emotional impact of Joe Hill's tale.
I found all the characters to be unlikable, and there was absolutely no development. This story just felt like it was dark and bloody for the sake of being dark and bloody. I didn't necessarily need a happy ending, but it would have been nice if a certain character changed/learned something from this overall experience.
Finally, the artwork was technically competent, but just not a style I enjoyed.
I can't say I would recommend this, but I do recommend Joe Hill's short story collection 20th Century Ghosts for anyone who wants to read the source material for this graphic novel.
March 20, 2017
Based on a story by horror-master Joe Hill, this one features a boy who had a cape that allows him to fly (who doesn't want to read about that?!), who grows up and turns evil and enacts revenge on all those who ever slighted him, (including those who threw away his cape at one point… The slights increasingly don't seem enough justification for the evil, though that objection may miss the point. I mean, it might just be that Hill wants you see a bitter guy who becomes evil out of spite. Hill is generally a terrific writer and he writes well here in places and the premise is interesting to me, but it doesn't quite come together for me. The art work is very good, by Zack Howard and Nelson Daniel, and is reminiscent of but not as good, maybe, as the work for Locke and Key by Gabriel Rodriguez. This is, for horror, pretty good, and is either happily or disturbingly gory depending on your view of horror.
March 28, 2021
Well that was disturbing! Great story though, probably would have been even better as a series so we could learn more about Eric's mental state. I wonder if there would have been a way to help him if things had gone differently.
July 11, 2012
This is the story of Eric, who is a jerk, and Nicky, his brother. At some point, Nicky tells Eric, "I'm sorry she [their mom] took your cape. Who the fuck cares?!" Exactly.
February 17, 2016
Quick read about a young man who has lost his mind after gaining the power of flight. Nice, compact plot. Good artwork.
March 13, 2025
Yikes!
Dark superhero story! Excellent graphic novel! Five star story, four star art for a total 4.5 stars rounded up to five!
Dark superhero story! Excellent graphic novel! Five star story, four star art for a total 4.5 stars rounded up to five!
November 17, 2012
Very nice art but a pathetically laced together story line. Maybe it's the position my life is in right now, but this guy destroying the lives of those who loved him in horrific ways (not to mention taking down many innocent people he didn't know along the way) because he found a cape that dug up old memories and childhood transgressions, is just impossible to get behind from every direction. I wanted him to die as soon as possible.
February 10, 2024
The story begins with two brothers playing superheroes together. The older brother Nick plays The Streak, while the younger brother Eric wears a cape and is named Red Bolt. While climbing a tree Eric falls onto a tree branch that pierces his head. Fast forward to the teen years and Eric is a slacker who inexplicably gains a beautiful and tolerant girlfriend Angie. After numerous surgeries, he is plagued by blinding headaches that he claims prevent him from attending college or gaining meaningful employment. A few more years go by, and Angie has become a nurse and Nick is attending Harvard Medical. Filled with jealousy and resentment, the relationship ends, with Eric moving back to his widowed mother’s house.
In his childhood home, he rediscovers the cape he had worn as a child that he thought his mother had thrown out after his accident. Putting it on for nostalgia’s sake, he is shocked to realize he can fly. He visits his ex-girlfriend Angie to show her what he can do, and this is where the story goes sideways. O.M.G.- what he does next! I will not spoil it, for you need to experience it yourself.
The narrative continues with Nick and their mother getting pulled in. There are some flashbacks, showing the boys with their mother, which does not explain the rage that Eric has inside him. He had a loving mother, a big brother who teased him but also protected him, and a supportive girlfriend. What shaped him into the monster that he became? A final showdown between the brothers occurs at the end, and a bit of dialogue found at the beginning is repeated at the end, this time with a different significance.
The artwork is a perfect match for the ominous story. A subdued color palette represents Eric’s current darkness, while a lighter more colorful palette shows his happier flashbacks. The art has a gritty realism to it, with an interesting layout of panels. I definitely was reminded of the "Locke & Key" series that Hill also penned, although the artists are different. For me, the only drawback of this story was how Eric so quickly became evil. I wish there had been more character development in his story arc to explain his choices. Perhaps after reading the short story this graphic novel is based on from "20th Century Ghosts", it will add more depth, and I will understand how Eric became so depraved.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2017/09/0... *also includes a review for "The Cape: 1969"
In his childhood home, he rediscovers the cape he had worn as a child that he thought his mother had thrown out after his accident. Putting it on for nostalgia’s sake, he is shocked to realize he can fly. He visits his ex-girlfriend Angie to show her what he can do, and this is where the story goes sideways. O.M.G.- what he does next! I will not spoil it, for you need to experience it yourself.
The narrative continues with Nick and their mother getting pulled in. There are some flashbacks, showing the boys with their mother, which does not explain the rage that Eric has inside him. He had a loving mother, a big brother who teased him but also protected him, and a supportive girlfriend. What shaped him into the monster that he became? A final showdown between the brothers occurs at the end, and a bit of dialogue found at the beginning is repeated at the end, this time with a different significance.
The artwork is a perfect match for the ominous story. A subdued color palette represents Eric’s current darkness, while a lighter more colorful palette shows his happier flashbacks. The art has a gritty realism to it, with an interesting layout of panels. I definitely was reminded of the "Locke & Key" series that Hill also penned, although the artists are different. For me, the only drawback of this story was how Eric so quickly became evil. I wish there had been more character development in his story arc to explain his choices. Perhaps after reading the short story this graphic novel is based on from "20th Century Ghosts", it will add more depth, and I will understand how Eric became so depraved.
This review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2017/09/0... *also includes a review for "The Cape: 1969"
February 21, 2017
This was a fantastic little graphic novel that is based off of a short story in Joe Hill's '20th Century Ghosts' collection, adapted by Jason Ciaramella, and illustrated by Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel.
The story is of a young boy named Eric whose life is changed after a traumatic accident. But it isn't the accident itself that changes Eric. It's the fact that he has gained the power to fly but his mother has taken his cape and thrown it away. Sounds like a lead up to a dumb story, I know. But you try being an 8-year old and your mother throws away your most prized possession.
As Eric grows up, he begins to resent everyone in his life that has disappointed him: his girlfriend, Angie, his brother, and his mother. He finds out that Angie, after their break-up, has started sleeping with Nicky and his mother never got rid of the cape in the first place. This, snowballed with all of the severe headaches Eric gets, begins to give him an edge and his anger reaches an all time high. Instead of using his found power for good, he decides to seek vengeance on his loved ones.
The artwork is stunning and reminds me of the Locke & Key series that was illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez. The storyline is a little choppy as we don't see a ton of Eric's life between age 8 and his adult self, but there is enough here for a good 20-30 min read.
The story is of a young boy named Eric whose life is changed after a traumatic accident. But it isn't the accident itself that changes Eric. It's the fact that he has gained the power to fly but his mother has taken his cape and thrown it away. Sounds like a lead up to a dumb story, I know. But you try being an 8-year old and your mother throws away your most prized possession.
As Eric grows up, he begins to resent everyone in his life that has disappointed him: his girlfriend, Angie, his brother, and his mother. He finds out that Angie, after their break-up, has started sleeping with Nicky and his mother never got rid of the cape in the first place. This, snowballed with all of the severe headaches Eric gets, begins to give him an edge and his anger reaches an all time high. Instead of using his found power for good, he decides to seek vengeance on his loved ones.
The artwork is stunning and reminds me of the Locke & Key series that was illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez. The storyline is a little choppy as we don't see a ton of Eric's life between age 8 and his adult self, but there is enough here for a good 20-30 min read.
January 6, 2023
Eric posee una vieja capa que le permite volar cada vez que la lleva encima; pero se encuentra muy lejos de ser un superhéroe, ya que utiliza su superpoder para hacer el mal. Vendría a ser algo así como un supervillano.
Una historia que se me hizo angustiante, principalmente por Eric, el protagonista, ya que es un joven resentido que siente que ha defraudado a todos y cegado por la envidia, puesto que nunca ha logrado destacar en nada. Un personaje que se me hizo bastante plano, personalmente prefiero a los villanos más carismáticos, pero entiendo el contexto y las vivencias que lo llevan a ser como es.
La historia es entretenida y propone un gran dilema psicológico, cargada de mucha violencia plasmada de una manera totalmente explícita, no deja indiferente.
Una propuesta que hace un llamado a salir de lo tradicional, dando un vuelco a la visión que se tiene de las historias de superhéroes.
Una historia que se me hizo angustiante, principalmente por Eric, el protagonista, ya que es un joven resentido que siente que ha defraudado a todos y cegado por la envidia, puesto que nunca ha logrado destacar en nada. Un personaje que se me hizo bastante plano, personalmente prefiero a los villanos más carismáticos, pero entiendo el contexto y las vivencias que lo llevan a ser como es.
La historia es entretenida y propone un gran dilema psicológico, cargada de mucha violencia plasmada de una manera totalmente explícita, no deja indiferente.
Una propuesta que hace un llamado a salir de lo tradicional, dando un vuelco a la visión que se tiene de las historias de superhéroes.
September 17, 2020
Don't ask why, or how - accept it and enjoy.
August 6, 2017
Easily read in half an hour. The story of a young boy who has held a grudge all his life and gets the means to act on his feelings. The art work really adds to the story.
April 13, 2014
The Cape was not one of my favorite stories out of Joe Hill's 2005 short story collection, 20th Century Ghosts, but figured I would still check out the graphic novel adapted from it.
It didn't improve my opinion on that story.
It's not the gruesome nature of the story or the illustrations that get me (I love the blood, bring on more blood), but the story itself makes me feel sad. Maybe I'm still hungover from reading the not-bloody-yet-gutting Mother, Come Home earlier, but it's hard for me to get behind whatever motivation there is behind this story.
And maybe I'm getting old? But I'm really surprised this is classified under Young Adult at the library. Sex, violence, language. I mean, you'd think someone would throw a fit about that sort of thing. I, however, do not have kids and also don't care what they read, but considering books get banned from libraries all the time for totally arbitrary reasons, I'm a bit surprised that graphic novels tend to fly under the radar. As if to say because a book has illustrations, it must be appropriate for younger readers. Derp.
It didn't improve my opinion on that story.
It's not the gruesome nature of the story or the illustrations that get me (I love the blood, bring on more blood), but the story itself makes me feel sad. Maybe I'm still hungover from reading the not-bloody-yet-gutting Mother, Come Home earlier, but it's hard for me to get behind whatever motivation there is behind this story.
And maybe I'm getting old? But I'm really surprised this is classified under Young Adult at the library. Sex, violence, language. I mean, you'd think someone would throw a fit about that sort of thing. I, however, do not have kids and also don't care what they read, but considering books get banned from libraries all the time for totally arbitrary reasons, I'm a bit surprised that graphic novels tend to fly under the radar. As if to say because a book has illustrations, it must be appropriate for younger readers. Derp.
October 20, 2018
Nice little story with great artwork. Truly, more than the storyline the artwork impressed me. The plot was ok, and of course the prospect was frightening. A cape turning real magical! I want something like that. I am sure I can keep it under control.
March 15, 2017
4.0 Stars
This is one of the darkest graphic novels I have ever read. This is an incredibly gritty and violent story. It is best going into this one without knowing too much about the plot. The plot was not what I initially expected. If you enjoy reading dark and disturbing stories I would recommend this twisted graphic novel.
This is one of the darkest graphic novels I have ever read. This is an incredibly gritty and violent story. It is best going into this one without knowing too much about the plot. The plot was not what I initially expected. If you enjoy reading dark and disturbing stories I would recommend this twisted graphic novel.
April 25, 2022
This sorta plays out the classic "Flight or Invisibility" hypothetical.
Would you rather be able to fly or turn invisible?
Keeping in mind that these powers come with NO other powers. So, you are not super strong and could only carry someone while flying if you could carry them while walking. You could fly at a moderate speed, let's say 30 mph, but not like 1,000 mph.
If you were invisible, you couldn't turn other things invisible, like your clothes. I'm going to say we wouldn't see food going through your body, and anything, like let's say you have a metal pin somewhere in your body, would also be invisible. We'll say your outer layer of skin, basically, is invisible and hides everything inside. But again, no other powers.
Flight is more amazing. Even flying kinda average speed and whatnot, it'd be pretty awesome. Even if you were going 30, you could probably get to work WAY faster because you'd go straight there, right?
Okay, the actual travel time, if you're over 30 minutes or so by car, is going to be almost identical. But it's gotta be more pleasant.
I guess it'd come in handy if you were ever in danger, your car broke down, whatever. Also, you could bail out of an airplane, so if you had anxiety about flying, that'd make things a little better, I expect.
But.
Invisibility is definitely the ticket to never working a day in your life. Robbing banks would be SO easy. The court cases would be easy. Even if you totally got caught because someone saw a stack of bills float away, how would they prove it was you?
A) "Are you suggesting that I'm able to turn invisible?
B) "If you CAN prove that I am able to turn invisible, somehow, wouldn't it then be plausible that other people can turn invisible, and therefore, how can you prove that I'm the ONLY invisible man, and how can you prove that I robbed the bank? Even if you found my DNA and fingerprints on the scene, we've now learned that something we previously thought impossible is completely possible in terms of invisibility powers, so wouldn't it stand to reason that other things, like DNA and fingerprinting being wrong or my DNA being planted, are also possible?"
I think I'd choose invisibility. But it IS sort of too bad to get invisibility powers after aging out of the interest in spying on a girls' locker room. Maybe it's for the best.
Flying would primarily be of benefit to me in that I could have a more pleasant commute to work. With invisibility, I wouldn't have to go at all. So...that's a slam dunk.
Would you rather be able to fly or turn invisible?
Keeping in mind that these powers come with NO other powers. So, you are not super strong and could only carry someone while flying if you could carry them while walking. You could fly at a moderate speed, let's say 30 mph, but not like 1,000 mph.
If you were invisible, you couldn't turn other things invisible, like your clothes. I'm going to say we wouldn't see food going through your body, and anything, like let's say you have a metal pin somewhere in your body, would also be invisible. We'll say your outer layer of skin, basically, is invisible and hides everything inside. But again, no other powers.
Flight is more amazing. Even flying kinda average speed and whatnot, it'd be pretty awesome. Even if you were going 30, you could probably get to work WAY faster because you'd go straight there, right?
Okay, the actual travel time, if you're over 30 minutes or so by car, is going to be almost identical. But it's gotta be more pleasant.
I guess it'd come in handy if you were ever in danger, your car broke down, whatever. Also, you could bail out of an airplane, so if you had anxiety about flying, that'd make things a little better, I expect.
But.
Invisibility is definitely the ticket to never working a day in your life. Robbing banks would be SO easy. The court cases would be easy. Even if you totally got caught because someone saw a stack of bills float away, how would they prove it was you?
A) "Are you suggesting that I'm able to turn invisible?
B) "If you CAN prove that I am able to turn invisible, somehow, wouldn't it then be plausible that other people can turn invisible, and therefore, how can you prove that I'm the ONLY invisible man, and how can you prove that I robbed the bank? Even if you found my DNA and fingerprints on the scene, we've now learned that something we previously thought impossible is completely possible in terms of invisibility powers, so wouldn't it stand to reason that other things, like DNA and fingerprinting being wrong or my DNA being planted, are also possible?"
I think I'd choose invisibility. But it IS sort of too bad to get invisibility powers after aging out of the interest in spying on a girls' locker room. Maybe it's for the best.
Flying would primarily be of benefit to me in that I could have a more pleasant commute to work. With invisibility, I wouldn't have to go at all. So...that's a slam dunk.
June 28, 2020
A slacker named Eric discovers that a cape he ran around in as a boy gives him the power to fly. He goes on a murderous rampage, avenging imagined slights by friends, family, pretty much everyone who crosses his path.
The plot is interspersed with flashbacks to Eric's happy, innocent childhood with his mom and brother. This death-of-innocence element amps up the tragedy inherent in the plot. It's sad.
The Cape was NOT written by Joe Hill; it's written by Jason Ciaramella based on a Joe Hill short story. I think something was lost in the transition.
-------------------------------------
SECOND READ
Lowering rating from 3 stars to 2. There are hints that a childhood brain injury** is the root cause of Eric's failure to adult and his eventual homicidality, but there's still a wide motivational gap. He kills for implausible, internally illogical reasons.
**This is the second Joe Hill book I'm aware of in which a childhood brain injury causes psychopathic murderiness later in life. See also .
The plot is interspersed with flashbacks to Eric's happy, innocent childhood with his mom and brother. This death-of-innocence element amps up the tragedy inherent in the plot. It's sad.
The Cape was NOT written by Joe Hill; it's written by Jason Ciaramella based on a Joe Hill short story. I think something was lost in the transition.
-------------------------------------
SECOND READ
Lowering rating from 3 stars to 2. There are hints that a childhood brain injury** is the root cause of Eric's failure to adult and his eventual homicidality, but there's still a wide motivational gap. He kills for implausible, internally illogical reasons.
**This is the second Joe Hill book I'm aware of in which a childhood brain injury causes psychopathic murderiness later in life. See also .
February 23, 2014
Very good story on madness and super capes. The artwork is beautiful and very effective. The coloring also contributes significantly to the ensemble.
June 2, 2017
Want to know exact extent of Eric's revenge?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews