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The Gravediggers Union #1-5
The Gravediggers Union, Vol. 1
The supernatural world has gone berserk, and it’s all tied to a powerful cult called the Black Temple. They want to unleash ancient dark gods on mankind and bring about the apocalypse. The only thing that stands in their way are Cole, Haley, and Ortiz. They’re members of the Gravediggers Union, a brotherhood sworn to defend the living from the undead. At the center of the Black Temple’s plan is a street kid named Morgan. She’s the key to the coming apocalypse. Also, she’s Cole’s estranged daughter. To find her, the Gravediggers will have to contend with a witch who hates their guts, a former cult member who used to be the world’s biggest movie star, yuppie vampires, steroid-zombies, junk golems…and no overtime pay. DEADLY CLASS co-creator WES CRAIG teams up with artist TOBY CYPRESS (Omega Men) to introduce you to the weird horror of THE GRAVEDIGGERS UNION. Collects THE GRAVEDIGGERS UNION #1-5
152 pages, Paperback
First published May 2, 2018
3 people are currently reading
1153 people want to read
About the author
Wes Craig
240 books38 followersWes Craig is the artist/co-creator of DEADLY CLASS with Rick Remender, and the writer/co-creator of THE GRAVEDIGGERS UNION with artist Toby Cypress, both published by Image Comics.
Working out of Montreal, Quebec, he has been drawing comic books professionally since 2004 on such titles as Guardians of the Galaxy, Batman, and The Flash.
Working out of Montreal, Quebec, he has been drawing comic books professionally since 2004 on such titles as Guardians of the Galaxy, Batman, and The Flash.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
May 19, 2018
An intentionally weird and subversive commentary on tropes of the supernatural, occult, conspiracy theories, and the apocalypse, it falters to transcend those tropes beyond a generalized chaotic mashup. A bloated cast of stock characters populate this world drawn in that rough “adult swim” style now becoming standard.
October 5, 2018
It took a little while to warm up but I found it fairly enjoyable by the time I was done reading it so this is probably more of a 2.5 but I'll be generous and round up. It's a pretty standard zombie/cthulhu mash-up style thing and the characters definitely take awhile to grow on you because they're barely more than two-dimensional. I like the art in theory because it's pretty to look at but it's also hard to tell what's going on sometimes because a lot of the random characters look the same. It's definitely not amazing but I'll probably check out the second volume before deciding if I want to continue with it. I could see it being enjoyable if they're only planning on doing a few volumes but if they draw it out I think I would quickly lose patience.
September 8, 2018
Not really my cup of zombie tea.
August 1, 2018
The art in this book is buried under so many layers of filters that it becomes impossible to tell the underdeveloped characters apart.
Blah blah blah Lovecraftian horrors.
Blah blah blah End of Days.
Blah blah blah "humans are the REAL monsters".
Blah blah blah Lovecraftian horrors.
Blah blah blah End of Days.
Blah blah blah "humans are the REAL monsters".
August 27, 2019
Everyone: Feel free to start your story at the point at which stuff starts happening. We don't need to debate about going to see a witch if we're going to go and see the witch regardless of that debate's outcome. Let's just go see the damn witch.
That's how I felt about that movie about witches, The VVitch. By the time you get to the end, there are three possibilities:
1. She's not a witch, nor is anyone, because witches ain't real.
2. She is a witch.
3. Other ending that I didn't come up with that would have been a genuine surprise.
The ending of that movie is not #3. So you kinda check the box, solve the "mystery," and then...regret getting the large popcorn.
That's how I felt about that movie about witches, The VVitch. By the time you get to the end, there are three possibilities:
1. She's not a witch, nor is anyone, because witches ain't real.
2. She is a witch.
3. Other ending that I didn't come up with that would have been a genuine surprise.
The ending of that movie is not #3. So you kinda check the box, solve the "mystery," and then...regret getting the large popcorn.
February 12, 2019
Stereoīdu zombiju aizsardzības sistēmai pat pašiem sava zvaigzne.
May 14, 2018
Great supernatural storyline, believable characters you can empathise with, and awesome art with a trippy 70's vibes. What's not to like?
June 15, 2018
Review courtesy of All Things Urban Fantasy.
THE GRAVEDIGGER’S UNION is a dark horror trip with a good dose of eco-crazy on the side. It’s got Lovecraftian tentacles, ghost tornadoes, disgusting vampires, and an evil religious group that wants to take over the world. Oh, and a group of overworked monster hunters armed with shovels.
The art is fabulous. It’s simple and almost ugly; it’s gritty and fits the feel of the story perfectly. There is just enough detail to get the point across, but enough noise and overlaid colours to confuse the eye and keep you wondering.
I also love books where you get to understand where the villain is coming from. The book spends as much time with Cole as it does with his daughter, Morgan. Morgan is amazing. She manages to stand up to the rich white men who fund the Black Temple, who look down on her for being young and black. As much as Cole hopes his daughter isn’t heavily involved in the Black Temple when he finds her, in a weird way I’m proud of her for having got to where she is.
With the stakes reaching world-wide annihilation levels, and most of the population lost in their lives and their phones, Cole and his fellow Gravedigger’s are the last hope. The world may not be worth saving, but they’ll try anyway.
Sexual content: Non-explicit orgy scene, nudity.
THE GRAVEDIGGER’S UNION is a dark horror trip with a good dose of eco-crazy on the side. It’s got Lovecraftian tentacles, ghost tornadoes, disgusting vampires, and an evil religious group that wants to take over the world. Oh, and a group of overworked monster hunters armed with shovels.
The art is fabulous. It’s simple and almost ugly; it’s gritty and fits the feel of the story perfectly. There is just enough detail to get the point across, but enough noise and overlaid colours to confuse the eye and keep you wondering.
I also love books where you get to understand where the villain is coming from. The book spends as much time with Cole as it does with his daughter, Morgan. Morgan is amazing. She manages to stand up to the rich white men who fund the Black Temple, who look down on her for being young and black. As much as Cole hopes his daughter isn’t heavily involved in the Black Temple when he finds her, in a weird way I’m proud of her for having got to where she is.
With the stakes reaching world-wide annihilation levels, and most of the population lost in their lives and their phones, Cole and his fellow Gravedigger’s are the last hope. The world may not be worth saving, but they’ll try anyway.
Sexual content: Non-explicit orgy scene, nudity.
February 4, 2019
2.5/5 Questionable world-building, but intriguing nonetheless. It has some pacing issues and the characterization feels underwhelming sometimes, but overall I had fun reading it. Personally I like the artwork and coloring (especially parts drawn by Toby Cypress), but I understand that many would find this style less than appealing.
February 12, 2019
Remember when your pal made a 'zine and promised to read it? And it had convoluted writing and messy hard to follow art? Hold fast for some deja vu then...
This book isn't horrible, it just isn't a finished product. It has potential, but currently is too flotsam-jetsamy...
This book isn't horrible, it just isn't a finished product. It has potential, but currently is too flotsam-jetsamy...
May 26, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable entry in an overstuffed subgenre of comics, but will need to up its game to compete or stand out. Cypress's art is a loose and expressive joy, though the otherwise stylish colouring is too dark and occasionally swamps the art. Censored profanity is really @&$*ing aggravating, especially so often in a book featuring spilled brains, blood and disembowelments.
(Read as single issues.)
(Read as single issues.)
September 9, 2018
The description sounded so promising! And this was recommended by Fiona Staples. But, I've found time and again: authors (and artists) I like reading don't always like to read what I like to read.
The art is difficult to follow, the colors are a dark, muddy palette, and the lines are vague and scribbly. The story is dull, and vague, with far too many paranormal monsters thrown at it.
Plus, the dialogue is eye-roll-inducing.
Really? REALLY???
The art is difficult to follow, the colors are a dark, muddy palette, and the lines are vague and scribbly. The story is dull, and vague, with far too many paranormal monsters thrown at it.
Plus, the dialogue is eye-roll-inducing.
[Morgan and Priestess walk into a conference room]
Priestess Zephon: The great prophet is before you! Seer of the unseen! Destroyer of the seals! Breaker of chains!
random old businessman:Can we just cut to the chase here? I don't mean disrespect, Priestess Zephon, but this girl you got ... she's a pup. I never even heard of her.
PZ: (gestures at Morgan) She is the CHOSEN.
Morgan: Ya. The Chosen.
ROB: How's this PUP gonna lead us?
PZ: "The dark god's shall rule, and with the you at their side." ... It is written.
Really? REALLY???
June 28, 2018
As much as a lot of this bugged me that ending has me needing more asap.
September 1, 2018
Really enjoyed this series! I picked it up because the art was so different from anything else thats coming out at this time. Its very abstract, a lot of dark colors but then they have this really bright, beautiful color splashes swimming across the pages. Which is perfect for the occult setting. I liked the story although I was confused about the side "history" story at first. If you wait it out, it all comes together perfectly in the end. I really enjoyed the father/daughter relationship in the story, it felt very real and loving. There's a lot of funny moments in this book as well, which I wasn't expecting. My favorite had to be the army of "Bro" zombies.
This series actually started out as a short story in Wes Craigs other book! It's really neat to see a full world come from something so small.
This series actually started out as a short story in Wes Craigs other book! It's really neat to see a full world come from something so small.
February 13, 2019
Just O.K. accross the board in story, characters and art. The undead are attacking earth and the gravediggers union has to stop it... yeah thats pretty much the premise. Wes Craig did add a few elements to make it interesting like the father daughter story but other than that its not very exciting. Honestly the story is nothing new, the characters are O.K. at best and and while the colorist did a good job I cant say the same for the actual panels. One thing that really bugged me was the language, apparently all the zombies are hipsters saying " bro" or "brah" among other weird choices from Craig. I will probably pass on the series.
August 1, 2018
Colourful horror comic collection – quite good but nothing special
The premise behind this comic collection is that gravediggers not only dig graves but also spend their nights killing zombies, vampires and such like. The problem is getting worse and they are struggling to keep up. There are unclear flashbacks which try to explain why this is happening. The characters are reasonably developed but the artwork is not always clear, partly to an excess of colour and partly because of the style.
Quite interesting and original but nothing particularly special in my opinion.
The premise behind this comic collection is that gravediggers not only dig graves but also spend their nights killing zombies, vampires and such like. The problem is getting worse and they are struggling to keep up. There are unclear flashbacks which try to explain why this is happening. The characters are reasonably developed but the artwork is not always clear, partly to an excess of colour and partly because of the style.
Quite interesting and original but nothing particularly special in my opinion.
November 27, 2018
Mostly confusing and chaotic. It starts out with a story line, but nothing is explained or resolved before the volume closes--not the type of story that can get away with no explanations... there are so very many supernatural and unique-to-this-world elements all happening at once. I think I picked this up based on a Goodreads readalike suggestion and wheeeeew it was wrong. At least it only took me 20 minutes to read!
January 1, 2021
The opening was solid, but the later issues lost some of my interest as it pulled away from the Union job itself. I feel like the plot hook could have been better if issue one was used for some worldbuilding & character introduction, instead of pulling instantly into the plot. The plot and the supernatural lore is interesting - the concept of the dead not staying dead as simply an act of life is one that captures my attention. Overall, I can’t wait to pick up the next volume
September 26, 2018
Another series with some really cool ideas and intriguing art that isn't quite powerful or coherent enough to grab me. I love the idea of the Grave Diggers as working-class defenders against the supernatural, but the rush to tie them to a cosmic storyline preempts the idea of establishing them and their world - the book doesn't quite earn our attachment to what's happening.
June 30, 2018
Weirder than it is good, but compelling enough to make me keep reading it. The art is pleasantly jarring and bloody messy, and the story is jammed with a lot of history and voodoo and Lovecraft and mythos and five solid characters. Will stick around for more of this.
July 15, 2018
I didn't think it was bad, it just doesn't rise to the level of Hellboy, Chew, or Ghostbusters which all clearly have an influence in its themes. I give full marks for the design and thematic covers showcased at the end of the book. Way to launch a brand.
September 14, 2019
I really liked this story, but found the characters hard to identify and the backstory was difficult to figure out. Otherwise it was entertaining enough. I don't think I will continue reading this series just because it was a bit vague.
May 28, 2018
Stylish, but the characters aren't dug six feet deep. Yet.
July 9, 2018
what a neat idea, what a cool world
July 18, 2018
This was just weird. The plot line was very hard to follow and the art style didn’t add anything to the story. 👎🏼
August 12, 2018
Review to follow on No Flying, No Tights
September 4, 2018
I did enjoy the concepts and the art was delightful
September 17, 2018
This was really interesting and I will absolutely read volume two, it just didn't blow me out of the water.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews