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Cemetery Kids Don't Die (Issues) #1-4
Cemetery Kids Don't Die Vol. 1
YOU'RE ONLY ALIVE IF YOU'RE ONLINE . . .
The twenty-first century sucks hard, but it's been made somewhat tolerable by the latest media innovation to finally unseat the iPhone. Enter the the first gaming console played entirely while you sleep.
Now the obsession of millions around the globe, it's also the one point of solace for four friends whose lives have been marred by trauma and dysfunction. Together, this group of ultra-online "Cemetery Kids" spend their nights roaming the open world of the most immersive and brutal horror game ever "Nightmare Cemetery." Together they seek to dethrone an enigmatic humanoid monster known only as the "The King of Sleep."
Which was fun—until one of them doesn't wake up . . . and finds their consciousness locked inside a horror game that is anything but imaginary. Now, the three remaining Cemetery Kids must navigate the game's forbidden landscape to rescue their friend . . . and pray that the secret lurking at its center doesn't follow them home.
Experience an exhilarating, terrifying adventure downloading from the cortexes of critically acclaimed writer Zac Thompson (Hunt for the Skinwalker, The Dregs) and blockbuster artist Daniel Irizarri (XINO, Judge Dredd)!
The twenty-first century sucks hard, but it's been made somewhat tolerable by the latest media innovation to finally unseat the iPhone. Enter the the first gaming console played entirely while you sleep.
Now the obsession of millions around the globe, it's also the one point of solace for four friends whose lives have been marred by trauma and dysfunction. Together, this group of ultra-online "Cemetery Kids" spend their nights roaming the open world of the most immersive and brutal horror game ever "Nightmare Cemetery." Together they seek to dethrone an enigmatic humanoid monster known only as the "The King of Sleep."
Which was fun—until one of them doesn't wake up . . . and finds their consciousness locked inside a horror game that is anything but imaginary. Now, the three remaining Cemetery Kids must navigate the game's forbidden landscape to rescue their friend . . . and pray that the secret lurking at its center doesn't follow them home.
Experience an exhilarating, terrifying adventure downloading from the cortexes of critically acclaimed writer Zac Thompson (Hunt for the Skinwalker, The Dregs) and blockbuster artist Daniel Irizarri (XINO, Judge Dredd)!
112 pages, Paperback
Published December 3, 2024
63 people want to read
About the author
Zac Thompson
134 books64 followersZac Thompson is a writer born and raised on Prince Edward Island, Canada. He's written titles like Marvelous X-Men, Cable, and X-Men: Black for Marvel Comics. Along with indie books such as Her Infernal Descent, Relay, and The Replacer.
In 2019, Zac became the showrunner of the Age of X-Man universe at Marvel Comics. His critically acclaimed miniseries, Come Into Me, was called the best horror comic of 2018 by HorrorDNA. His debut comic series, The Dregs, was called "lowbrow brilliant" by New York Magazine. His novel, Weaponized, was the winner of the 2016 CryptTV horror fiction contest.
In 2019, Zac became the showrunner of the Age of X-Man universe at Marvel Comics. His critically acclaimed miniseries, Come Into Me, was called the best horror comic of 2018 by HorrorDNA. His debut comic series, The Dregs, was called "lowbrow brilliant" by New York Magazine. His novel, Weaponized, was the winner of the 2016 CryptTV horror fiction contest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
February 12, 2025
4.5/5 rounded down
I came for the art style and I stayed for the story.
Cemetery kids don't die follows a group of 4 friends who play a video game in their sleep and one of them gets trapped inside the game, seemingly in a coma. It is an intriguing blend of fantasy, sci-fi and horror. I can't say it is the most unique story but it is one of the better examples of this idea I have seen.
"Nothing scares me anymore. My worst nightmare has already happened"..
I don't often put a lot of weight onto opening lines in books, especially not in graphic novels/comics but that is truly a great opener and made me intrigued from the onset.
The design of the Dreamwave technology used to enter them into the game reminded me a little of facehuggers. Overall I really enjoyed the art style of this graphic novel, I feel like it fit the story very well. Every page was beautiful to look, the illustrater did an amazing job.
I liked the idea of the horror game exploiting the characters worst fears and memories against them to keep them in the game. The story tackles heavy topics of grief and depression well.
The ending leaves it open to sequels and if there are any I look forward to reading them in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing an ARC copy for review. All opinions are my own.
I came for the art style and I stayed for the story.
Cemetery kids don't die follows a group of 4 friends who play a video game in their sleep and one of them gets trapped inside the game, seemingly in a coma. It is an intriguing blend of fantasy, sci-fi and horror. I can't say it is the most unique story but it is one of the better examples of this idea I have seen.
"Nothing scares me anymore. My worst nightmare has already happened"..
I don't often put a lot of weight onto opening lines in books, especially not in graphic novels/comics but that is truly a great opener and made me intrigued from the onset.
The design of the Dreamwave technology used to enter them into the game reminded me a little of facehuggers. Overall I really enjoyed the art style of this graphic novel, I feel like it fit the story very well. Every page was beautiful to look, the illustrater did an amazing job.
I liked the idea of the horror game exploiting the characters worst fears and memories against them to keep them in the game. The story tackles heavy topics of grief and depression well.
The ending leaves it open to sequels and if there are any I look forward to reading them in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for providing an ARC copy for review. All opinions are my own.
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March 15, 2025this shit boring i cant do it
August 23, 2024
...Why have I never ever heard of 'Cemetery Kids Don't Die'?! This volume was awesome and I really had a fantastic time of this.
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this fabulous ARC.
A solid kudos to Zac Thompson and Daniel Irizarri for their hard work.
Since this is my first time reading a graphic novel like this one and I really want to talk about my experience with it. I was caught up from the very first page, the idea of a horror/scifi fantasy exciting and the art all encompassing. Beautiful. There is so much detail going on in every part of the strip, each window holdings a vast amount of hard work and possibly hours of it. The colours were perfectly well picked and the font was a great choice.
If there does end up being a kindle version do not forget about the ability to select a window to zoom into so that people on smaller devices can see.
Five stars and I cannot wait to recommend this to others.
Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this fabulous ARC.
A solid kudos to Zac Thompson and Daniel Irizarri for their hard work.
Since this is my first time reading a graphic novel like this one and I really want to talk about my experience with it. I was caught up from the very first page, the idea of a horror/scifi fantasy exciting and the art all encompassing. Beautiful. There is so much detail going on in every part of the strip, each window holdings a vast amount of hard work and possibly hours of it. The colours were perfectly well picked and the font was a great choice.
If there does end up being a kindle version do not forget about the ability to select a window to zoom into so that people on smaller devices can see.
Five stars and I cannot wait to recommend this to others.
August 22, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for the advanced copy.
Oni usually publishes interesting comics from interesting writers and artists, so I always like checking out what's new with them. I wasn't very familiar with Zac Thompson's work but I am familiar with the artist, Daniel Irizarri, and I like his work so I knew that Cemetery Kids Don't Die would look good at the very least.
The story isn't very original - it's a classic story of getting stuck in a video game. The first iteration I encountered of this an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark (with one of the darkest endings in the series at that!), and found it terrifying and thrilling, because I love video games lol The idea of the Dreamwave isn't unique but what it actually is does seem to be... unfortunately, not one characters makes one comment on how freaking WEIRD the thing is. Look at the art, it looks like a reverse facehugger. It has veins. It has tentacles. Nobody says a thing. Maybe that's something that'll have a reason in the future but five issues in without one comment on it feels weird and kind of annoying.
Which brings me to the characters. It's a teen foursome, so I don't expect them to all be likable, but then the focus is on two particularly annoying characters. One of them is in a wheelchair, which I felt wasn't handled with the most finesse, making me cringe at points. The dialogue is just kind of cringe in general. I don't know what it was that tickled me wrong on this, because overall it's not a bad story. It's very much a B-level comic and there's nothing wrong with that, I enjoy cheesy b-movies (and this is about the level of Stay Alive, the cheesy video game horror film, in quality, which I love despite it not being very good lol).
I think what has me just liking Cemetery Kids though, rather than loving it, is that the general vibe of the story is a downer. The characters can be self-centered, thoughtless, and mean, their backstories are tragic, their lives are tragic, the video game is evil... just a lot of negative. It made it not so enjoyable to digest, I guess.
Daniel Irizarri's art is wild and gross and beautiful at the same time though, which makes picking up this comic worth it. It's not a bad way to spend an hour.
Oni usually publishes interesting comics from interesting writers and artists, so I always like checking out what's new with them. I wasn't very familiar with Zac Thompson's work but I am familiar with the artist, Daniel Irizarri, and I like his work so I knew that Cemetery Kids Don't Die would look good at the very least.
The story isn't very original - it's a classic story of getting stuck in a video game. The first iteration I encountered of this an episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark (with one of the darkest endings in the series at that!), and found it terrifying and thrilling, because I love video games lol The idea of the Dreamwave isn't unique but what it actually is does seem to be... unfortunately, not one characters makes one comment on how freaking WEIRD the thing is. Look at the art, it looks like a reverse facehugger. It has veins. It has tentacles. Nobody says a thing. Maybe that's something that'll have a reason in the future but five issues in without one comment on it feels weird and kind of annoying.
Which brings me to the characters. It's a teen foursome, so I don't expect them to all be likable, but then the focus is on two particularly annoying characters. One of them is in a wheelchair, which I felt wasn't handled with the most finesse, making me cringe at points. The dialogue is just kind of cringe in general. I don't know what it was that tickled me wrong on this, because overall it's not a bad story. It's very much a B-level comic and there's nothing wrong with that, I enjoy cheesy b-movies (and this is about the level of Stay Alive, the cheesy video game horror film, in quality, which I love despite it not being very good lol).
I think what has me just liking Cemetery Kids though, rather than loving it, is that the general vibe of the story is a downer. The characters can be self-centered, thoughtless, and mean, their backstories are tragic, their lives are tragic, the video game is evil... just a lot of negative. It made it not so enjoyable to digest, I guess.
Daniel Irizarri's art is wild and gross and beautiful at the same time though, which makes picking up this comic worth it. It's not a bad way to spend an hour.
August 26, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advanced copy of Cemetery Kids Don't Die Vol. 1. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I rated this one 4.25 rounded down to 4 stars.
This graphic novel follows a group of kids who play this terrifying VR game while they sleep/in their dreams. However, when one of them gets stuck in the game, his sister and group of friends must find out why he can't separate himself from the game, any why he isn't allowed to return back to the real world.
The artwork was amazing, and the story was actually pretty scary. Even though this follows a group of kids, it definitely isn't meant for children to read. There are underlying themes of grief and loss, along with depression, which were touched on nicely. I did wish there was a little bit more backstory at the beginning, because it was a little hard to follow initially. However, once the story got moving, I was able to pick up on what was happening. The ending was well done and gave me chills, but I feel like there was more to the story and some questions were left unanswered. I'm assuming there will be more installments later on, and I look forward to seeing how this story progresses.
I rated this one 4.25 rounded down to 4 stars.
This graphic novel follows a group of kids who play this terrifying VR game while they sleep/in their dreams. However, when one of them gets stuck in the game, his sister and group of friends must find out why he can't separate himself from the game, any why he isn't allowed to return back to the real world.
The artwork was amazing, and the story was actually pretty scary. Even though this follows a group of kids, it definitely isn't meant for children to read. There are underlying themes of grief and loss, along with depression, which were touched on nicely. I did wish there was a little bit more backstory at the beginning, because it was a little hard to follow initially. However, once the story got moving, I was able to pick up on what was happening. The ending was well done and gave me chills, but I feel like there was more to the story and some questions were left unanswered. I'm assuming there will be more installments later on, and I look forward to seeing how this story progresses.
December 24, 2025
3.5 stars.
I freely admit that I love the trope of characters getting trapped in a video game. One of my childhood favourite novels is that kind of story, and I've been very drawn to it ever since. Other than the very Goonies title, I was most drawn in by that premise. A ragtag band of teens escaping their problems into a video game system that lets you play through your dreams finds themselves trying to escape the fantasy horror game they've all been hooked on. The art is cool and chaotic. The characters are sympathetic. The story is interesting. It's a fun read! It deals with some bigger themes about grief fairly well. One of the protagonists uses a wheelchair, which is handled reasonably well here (it doesn't linger too much on this, more so on the trauma of the event that got her there [a car crash she lost her mother in], and when it talks about it, she talks about the wheelchair as an extension of herself and is angrier about the world making it harder on her, which is solid casual rep). I feel like it's a bit too short for everything it's doing and I don't know how I feel about the ambiguous ending, but I enjoyed reading it overall. There's a second volume due to release in a few months, and I definitely intend to check that out.
I freely admit that I love the trope of characters getting trapped in a video game. One of my childhood favourite novels is that kind of story, and I've been very drawn to it ever since. Other than the very Goonies title, I was most drawn in by that premise. A ragtag band of teens escaping their problems into a video game system that lets you play through your dreams finds themselves trying to escape the fantasy horror game they've all been hooked on. The art is cool and chaotic. The characters are sympathetic. The story is interesting. It's a fun read! It deals with some bigger themes about grief fairly well. One of the protagonists uses a wheelchair, which is handled reasonably well here (it doesn't linger too much on this, more so on the trauma of the event that got her there [a car crash she lost her mother in], and when it talks about it, she talks about the wheelchair as an extension of herself and is angrier about the world making it harder on her, which is solid casual rep). I feel like it's a bit too short for everything it's doing and I don't know how I feel about the ambiguous ending, but I enjoyed reading it overall. There's a second volume due to release in a few months, and I definitely intend to check that out.
January 31, 2025
3.25
This was interesting in its conception, and pretty fun over all, but it also felt a bit teenager-y, and like something that has been done before. And, unlike others, I didn't love the art; or, better said, I enjoyed the one in the real life parts of the story, but not the drawing used to depict the game world, which was often a bit confusing in the action bits.
Also, it might be the migraine, but I'm not 100% sure what happened at the very end. Oh, well...
This was interesting in its conception, and pretty fun over all, but it also felt a bit teenager-y, and like something that has been done before. And, unlike others, I didn't love the art; or, better said, I enjoyed the one in the real life parts of the story, but not the drawing used to depict the game world, which was often a bit confusing in the action bits.
Also, it might be the migraine, but I'm not 100% sure what happened at the very end. Oh, well...
January 7, 2025
Super fun read. Wish there was more.
May 26, 2025
Loved most of it but the ending lost me
October 27, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
This was a very interesting graphic novel. I enjoyed the art inside of it and the overall plot but it didn't sit right with me that the POC characters (Wilson and then and young asian girl I can't remember her name but she was very minimal to the plot) were the ones who were shown like being killed or viciously changed. It also happened to Eri too but nothing as bad as what happened with Wilson. The ambiguous ending was very chilling though so I enjoyed that part of it. I wonder if there will be more to this story.
SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
This was a very interesting graphic novel. I enjoyed the art inside of it and the overall plot but it didn't sit right with me that the POC characters (Wilson and then and young asian girl I can't remember her name but she was very minimal to the plot) were the ones who were shown like being killed or viciously changed. It also happened to Eri too but nothing as bad as what happened with Wilson. The ambiguous ending was very chilling though so I enjoyed that part of it. I wonder if there will be more to this story.
November 25, 2024
4.0 stars
The pitch for Cemetary Kids Don't Die reminded me a bit of the anime Goodnight World, which is why I initially picked it up. Both are about kids that escape their fraught family lives into a VR MMO that hides a dark secret, and I hoped that Cemetary Kids Don't Die would bring what I was missing from Goodnight World (namely, likeable characters and a good plot [because, look, while Goodnight World is fun garbage, I wouldn't call its plot particularly engaging or unique]).
Cemetary Kids Don't Die did, for the most part, deliver on that! Although sometimes shitty to one another in the way that teens are, the main characters were really quite likable, especially the main character Birdie. After a car crash that killed her mother, Birdie is disabled, and uses a wheelchair--my favorite moment comes when one of her friends accuses her of being obsessed with the game Nightmare Cemetary because it allows her the full mobility that she no longer has in her waking life, which Birdie shuts down immediately.
The setting was also really interesting. A la the 1999 film eXistenZ, there is a splash of bio-tech horror with the eerily fleshy Dreamwave, the gaming console that the kids put on at night. The game's visuals are delightfully busy, with gorgeous art and lush colors that really make it pop. I love the kid's avatars--they feel very accurate to what edgy teens would make for themselves--and while the mechanics of Nightmare Cemetary are a bit up in the air (is it an MMO or a multi-player game? How do the levels work?), the fact it doesn't really quite read like a functioning video game doesn't really matter much.
Ultimately, reading this novel really brought me back to books I loved as a teen: Discordia (which absolutely no one else has ever read or remembers) and Malice.
The main issue stopping me from giving this a full five stars is the end. It felt rushed, unfulfilling, and a little rote. I'm not going to knock the creators for it, since the vibe it gave me was that the series was suddenly canceled and they had to wrap the story up quick, but it still left me feeling disappointed.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The pitch for Cemetary Kids Don't Die reminded me a bit of the anime Goodnight World, which is why I initially picked it up. Both are about kids that escape their fraught family lives into a VR MMO that hides a dark secret, and I hoped that Cemetary Kids Don't Die would bring what I was missing from Goodnight World (namely, likeable characters and a good plot [because, look, while Goodnight World is fun garbage, I wouldn't call its plot particularly engaging or unique]).
Cemetary Kids Don't Die did, for the most part, deliver on that! Although sometimes shitty to one another in the way that teens are, the main characters were really quite likable, especially the main character Birdie. After a car crash that killed her mother, Birdie is disabled, and uses a wheelchair--my favorite moment comes when one of her friends accuses her of being obsessed with the game Nightmare Cemetary because it allows her the full mobility that she no longer has in her waking life, which Birdie shuts down immediately.
The setting was also really interesting. A la the 1999 film eXistenZ, there is a splash of bio-tech horror with the eerily fleshy Dreamwave, the gaming console that the kids put on at night. The game's visuals are delightfully busy, with gorgeous art and lush colors that really make it pop. I love the kid's avatars--they feel very accurate to what edgy teens would make for themselves--and while the mechanics of Nightmare Cemetary are a bit up in the air (is it an MMO or a multi-player game? How do the levels work?), the fact it doesn't really quite read like a functioning video game doesn't really matter much.
Ultimately, reading this novel really brought me back to books I loved as a teen: Discordia (which absolutely no one else has ever read or remembers) and Malice.
The main issue stopping me from giving this a full five stars is the end. It felt rushed, unfulfilling, and a little rote. I'm not going to knock the creators for it, since the vibe it gave me was that the series was suddenly canceled and they had to wrap the story up quick, but it still left me feeling disappointed.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an eARC via Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
April 4, 2025
Zac Thompson , Daniel Irizarri, and Gegê Schall explore the future of interactive gaming with their graphic novel Cemetery Kids Don't Die. Siblings Birdie and Pik, alongside schoolmates Wilson and Enid, comprise a fantasy quartet within the virtual world of Nightmare Cemetery. In order to play, the kids plug their brains into the bioorganic system named Dreawave; while the body rests during a sleep cycle, their minds enter an immersive world with monsters and quests. One night the, group is besieged by a shadowy monstrosity that causes them all to unplug for the safety of the real world - except for Pik. Left comatose by the event, Pik's avatar is still seemingly online. Believing her brother to be trapped in the game, Birdie begins taking pills to help her sleep longer and search the code for her brother. Wilson is gung ho for the adventure as well, but Enid becomes more reluctant after sustaining an eye injury in real life. As videos emerge hinting that Nightmare Cemetery may be more than just an imaginative interaction platform, the crew delves into the dark world searching for the truth. Zac Thompson pokes at the growing separation between real life and virtual worlds, presenting a classic scenario wherein the cost of playing may be too high for humans to pay. The concept, while engaging, feels rushed however. The lives of the kids are hinted at, but never truly given depth. Hints at parental neglect, drug usage, and addiction are barely introduced before the tale drives headfirst into an online rescue mission trope. As such, the final page twist loses its impactful punch. The art from Irizarri and Schall has a cartoonish style that is utilized across the tale; having two artists showcasing two different renditions of the physical and virtual worlds would have been much more utile. Cemetery Kids Don't Die is a quick button-masher, but requires greater lore and graphics in order to entice readers for a second play-through.
November 7, 2024
There is a new online multi-participant game “Nightmare Cemetery”, that you can play while you sleep – so in theory it doesn’t take up time during your day, i.e. doesn’t interfere with school etc. The game is safe, you are automatically thrown out after 4 hours. If you ‘die’ in the game, you wake up. That is the theory. But the title might indicate otherwise. Perhaps it needs a question mark at the end? Or an exclamation mark – as in Cemetery Kids will not/refuse to die!
There may be problems other than actual death – like being trapped in the game, not waking up – slipping into a coma. No physical damage incurred in the game should affect you on waking – but children are waking up with broken bones and other injuries.
We follow four teenager players: Pik, his sister Birdie, and their friends Enid and Wilson. They all have problems. Real life is not good for them, and ‘Nightmare Cemetery’ offers a much-needed escape. That doesn’t mean they want out of real life – just some occasional respite.
Pik is the first to be absorbed by the game – the others go in to try to find/save him. They must battle with the King of Sleep, who seems to be reading their minds, focussing on their worst fears. Can they confront their fears and defeat him?
The scenes inside the game are drawn in dark, melting graphics – nightmare enough to scare anyone. Reality is clear cut lines, bright colours. You always know where you are.
I really liked this graphic novel – it reminded me of the Tad Williams ‘Otherland’ series (which I also enjoyed), where people are likewise being trapped in a VR game.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by either the author or publisher.
There may be problems other than actual death – like being trapped in the game, not waking up – slipping into a coma. No physical damage incurred in the game should affect you on waking – but children are waking up with broken bones and other injuries.
We follow four teenager players: Pik, his sister Birdie, and their friends Enid and Wilson. They all have problems. Real life is not good for them, and ‘Nightmare Cemetery’ offers a much-needed escape. That doesn’t mean they want out of real life – just some occasional respite.
Pik is the first to be absorbed by the game – the others go in to try to find/save him. They must battle with the King of Sleep, who seems to be reading their minds, focussing on their worst fears. Can they confront their fears and defeat him?
The scenes inside the game are drawn in dark, melting graphics – nightmare enough to scare anyone. Reality is clear cut lines, bright colours. You always know where you are.
I really liked this graphic novel – it reminded me of the Tad Williams ‘Otherland’ series (which I also enjoyed), where people are likewise being trapped in a VR game.
I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by either the author or publisher.
October 31, 2024
4.5 stars
Four teenagers play the videogame Nightmare Cemetery in their sleep every night. A great escape from their not-always-so-great reality. Until one of them gets stuck in the game, and reality and game seem to blend together more and more.
"Nothing scares me anymore. My worst nightmare has already happened."
This comic surprised me in the best way possible. The story starts off very strong and keeps evolving throughout by constantly raising the stakes. It's amazing how the authors take you on an incredible journey in just 112 pages.
They've taken a premise we've seen before, and still created a wholly original story. This comic made me feel a range of emotions. It handles among other things: friendship, family, grief, trauma, disability, escapism, addiction, and substance abuse. All with the gravitas and sensitivity these topics deserve.
Besides this Cemetery Kids Don't Die instills a genuine sense of terror in its reader through a wonderful combination of story and art. The art style is visceral and perfectly fits the horror and gore.
I adore so many aspects of this comic, but I especially love the characters. The characters are unique, diverse and memorable. As a disabled person it's rare to see this aspect of myself represented in media, and it is even rarer to see it done with the sensitivity the topic demands. The authors absolutely nail true to life representation.
"Contrary to what you may think, my chair is my body! It is my life!"
Cemetery Kids Don't Die is perfect for fans of horror and gore, who love layered storylines and diverse characters.
Thank you Oni Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Four teenagers play the videogame Nightmare Cemetery in their sleep every night. A great escape from their not-always-so-great reality. Until one of them gets stuck in the game, and reality and game seem to blend together more and more.
"Nothing scares me anymore. My worst nightmare has already happened."
This comic surprised me in the best way possible. The story starts off very strong and keeps evolving throughout by constantly raising the stakes. It's amazing how the authors take you on an incredible journey in just 112 pages.
They've taken a premise we've seen before, and still created a wholly original story. This comic made me feel a range of emotions. It handles among other things: friendship, family, grief, trauma, disability, escapism, addiction, and substance abuse. All with the gravitas and sensitivity these topics deserve.
Besides this Cemetery Kids Don't Die instills a genuine sense of terror in its reader through a wonderful combination of story and art. The art style is visceral and perfectly fits the horror and gore.
I adore so many aspects of this comic, but I especially love the characters. The characters are unique, diverse and memorable. As a disabled person it's rare to see this aspect of myself represented in media, and it is even rarer to see it done with the sensitivity the topic demands. The authors absolutely nail true to life representation.
"Contrary to what you may think, my chair is my body! It is my life!"
Cemetery Kids Don't Die is perfect for fans of horror and gore, who love layered storylines and diverse characters.
Thank you Oni Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
December 8, 2024
(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
I had been reading a lot about this comic book prior to getting the ARC and, even so, I found myself happily surprised from page one.
It is true that the pacing is not always consistent, and that some moments that are explained “off camera” feel kind of rushed, but in general I really liked the idea of a video game messing with teenager’s heads (and bodies!), and the scary moments were weird enough to be interesting and keeping with the mystery of it all.
The art was in perfect harmony with the story itself, even if there were some moments in which I was not sure what was really happening. I know fight scenes are messy, but some of them were extremely difficult to follow.
In the end, this was a very intriguing reading that I would recommend to those who are looking for an action-packed, strange and sometimes eerie adventure.
I had been reading a lot about this comic book prior to getting the ARC and, even so, I found myself happily surprised from page one.
It is true that the pacing is not always consistent, and that some moments that are explained “off camera” feel kind of rushed, but in general I really liked the idea of a video game messing with teenager’s heads (and bodies!), and the scary moments were weird enough to be interesting and keeping with the mystery of it all.
The art was in perfect harmony with the story itself, even if there were some moments in which I was not sure what was really happening. I know fight scenes are messy, but some of them were extremely difficult to follow.
In the end, this was a very intriguing reading that I would recommend to those who are looking for an action-packed, strange and sometimes eerie adventure.
January 3, 2025
This graphic novel didn't overly impress me, mainly because the ending wrapped up way too soon in the final pages, was too confusing, and left too many questions unanswered. (This paperback collected the first 4 issues. I don't know if there are others, but I'm not especially interested in finding out.) Also, the art was that kind of green glorpy spit- and blob-laden panels that I don't care for very much. It seems like the last panel meant to say that Pik really didn't return from the virtual reality environment of the Dreamwave, and his consciousness is still trapped there, even as his physical body is inhabited by....something else. Maybe Pik's sister Birdie will figure this out, but I'm not invested enough in either the story or the characters to continue it.
September 29, 2025
Nightmare Cemetery, a VR horror RPG is the hottest game on the market and 4 kids can’t get enough of it. However things take a turn when the game begins to affect them in real life, hurting them in ways that shouldn’t be possible.
I think this was a good read for the most part but it was a bummer that I didn’t really care about the characters as much as I would’ve liked. I didn’t mind our main lead but the others didn’t have much time to get to know them. The artwork is appropriate and it’s cool to see them go through this messed up RPG together. The ending is lacking but there’s a sequel series that has just started this year so if you find you really vibe with this series there’s more out there for you to explore.
I think this was a good read for the most part but it was a bummer that I didn’t really care about the characters as much as I would’ve liked. I didn’t mind our main lead but the others didn’t have much time to get to know them. The artwork is appropriate and it’s cool to see them go through this messed up RPG together. The ending is lacking but there’s a sequel series that has just started this year so if you find you really vibe with this series there’s more out there for you to explore.
October 1, 2025
The comic was okay for a one-shot library read, but I would have been disappointed if I had spent actual money on it. The concept was interesting, and the art was cool, but the story fell short. The action and fight scenes were repetitive. The characters were flat and two dimensional. And there was a lot of exposition without really saying anything.
I get that the commentary is supposed to be on grief, fear, and depression. But I'm not actually sure what the theme or point was supposed to be. The ending really threw me for a loop and made the whole journey feel pointless. Where was the lesson? Where was the actual character development? Did Birdie really face her fears or just relive it?
I probably wouldn't recommend this one unless it's at your library and you want to kill an hour.
I get that the commentary is supposed to be on grief, fear, and depression. But I'm not actually sure what the theme or point was supposed to be. The ending really threw me for a loop and made the whole journey feel pointless. Where was the lesson? Where was the actual character development? Did Birdie really face her fears or just relive it?
I probably wouldn't recommend this one unless it's at your library and you want to kill an hour.
December 2, 2024
This follows a group of friends, who play a game called "Nightmare Cemetery" while they sleep!
At first thought that might not be much, especially looking at a comic book. However, there is much more to be discovered. Cemetery Kids Don't Die deal with multiple topics such as family relations and trauma and grief. All this through a memorable and unique set of characters, who create a one of a kind cast.
Zac Thompson's artwork provides the perfect gory, horror atmosphere that I was looking for - clear cut, great color palette.
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advanced readers copy.
At first thought that might not be much, especially looking at a comic book. However, there is much more to be discovered. Cemetery Kids Don't Die deal with multiple topics such as family relations and trauma and grief. All this through a memorable and unique set of characters, who create a one of a kind cast.
Zac Thompson's artwork provides the perfect gory, horror atmosphere that I was looking for - clear cut, great color palette.
Thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advanced readers copy.
December 7, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC!
This is a common complaint for me in books that involve an alternate reality or some kind of video-game storyline, but I wish we'd spent more time in that universe. That was what drew me into the book in the first place, and while the real-life scenes gave depth to the characters, I just didn't particularly like any of them. Also, making the child who recently survived a car accident that killed her mother APOLOGIZE to someone for her approach to grief was a weird choice.
This is a common complaint for me in books that involve an alternate reality or some kind of video-game storyline, but I wish we'd spent more time in that universe. That was what drew me into the book in the first place, and while the real-life scenes gave depth to the characters, I just didn't particularly like any of them. Also, making the child who recently survived a car accident that killed her mother APOLOGIZE to someone for her approach to grief was a weird choice.
January 27, 2025
The artwork on this one is incredible! Interesting story, but overall I felt the pacing was off, and found myself only mildly interested in what was happening. Also, the dialogue could really use some work. "Wow, they're clueless. Love that for you, hah." - in response to your friend having lost half of his hair, with some serious skin issues and his parents not believing him is actually wild. Ill probably check out Vol 2 if its ever released, because the art really is worth the corny conversations.
October 31, 2024
In a world where you play video games while you sleep, sometimes if you die in the game, you die in life. This book was interesting and I’m not 100% sure I understood the end of volume one. So I would be interested in checking out volume two. We start with the brother and his sister and who they are in this game. You wear this game at night while you sleep. The older brother is withdrawn and kind of going crazy and gets stuck in the game, but his sister is like no you’re not stuck in the game even though you’re at the hospital and still playing the game and I’m going to save you. They enlist their friends to see if they can’t win and figure out why they fall asleep then wake up with injuries. The storytelling this is quite interesting, and the illustrations are beautiful. Volume one leaves one questioning and wanting volume two to figure out if what they thought was the end is the end.
January 1, 2025
A scary read with a story which has multiple twists and turns. What is real? What is the game? What is happening?
The artwork was good and the story was gripping with lots of unresolved issues which are good for a first volume. The story is what I would describe as sci-fi horror, and I do want to know what happens next, but I don’t know if I am brave enough to read the next volume.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Scary!
The artwork was good and the story was gripping with lots of unresolved issues which are good for a first volume. The story is what I would describe as sci-fi horror, and I do want to know what happens next, but I don’t know if I am brave enough to read the next volume.
Copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Scary!
May 17, 2025
Nice cast of horror victims- a sister loses her brother in a brain altering dream game and has to revive him. It is quick and keeps you engaged but it is feeling a bit lacking. The twist at the end with the brother waking up but still really being stuck in the game was fun but felt like a horror movie you’d watch and have fun but not anything you haven’t seen before. The coolest aspect is the game technology but it just never really delves into the device
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2026
3.5 stars -- This had everything going for it but didn't quite grab me like I assumeditwould. The art is infallible but the story is a bit weak. It feels like an extended Are You Afraid of the Dark or Goosebumps episode (the good and the bad). It is still quite good, and I enjoyed it, but wasn't the masterpiece I had built up in my head. Yet another instance where if it was fleshed out a bit more it would have been a slam dunk.
January 29, 2025
I really enjoyed this story! The story line was really interesting and the art was wonderful! I do wish there was a bit more to the ending, and that we delved a bit more into the other characters that had gotten stuck in the game/affected by it. I want more backstory on this game because its a really cool concept.
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for an ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and Oni Press for an ARC!
September 8, 2025
Hmmm it was like a personal trauma turned into a fantasy story, but not done that well. Im not sure if this was a personal story for the writers/writer but if so it did not feel personal on paper. So either the story is a partial lie or they have a hard time expressing honest emotion . Maybe both
2.8✨
2.8✨
May 10, 2025
Very cool background, with how all the technology works, both biologically and how it generates the worlds they explore...... but the actual story and characters were a little bland and one dimensional.
November 7, 2025
such a cool artstyle but the story felt very rushed and underdeveloped, the characters were also kinda bland and it was hard to connect with them because most of them had no backstory or interesting characterisation.
December 27, 2024
Face down some of the scariest nightmares you can think of to save someone you love…. Such a fun adventure!! I love the great graphics and stories that ONI keeps bringing to the world!
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