Cemetery Kids Don't Die #1 Review: The Kids Aren't All Right

For many members of the younger generation, the advance of technology hasn't alleviated the many problems that have faced the collective in today's world. Even in comparison to one or two decades in the past, mankind's level of technology has united people from all over the world in ways that many thought were impossible, but there are big caveats to that fact. The latest horror comic from Oni Press, Cemetery Kids Don't Die, presents a spooky story that presents a new shade of terror and technology that kicks off in a very strong start.

Cemetery Kids Don't Die follows a group of four teenagers who are enraptured with the latest video game console of the day: The Dreamwave. Playing a role-playing game that perhaps most resembles the brutal indie game, Darkest Dungeon, the Cemetery Kids find themselves attempting to conquer this console entry dubbed "Nightmare Cemetery." Unfortunately, one teen named "Pik" finds himself not just struggling with the game, but the gruesome deaths that he faces in the game itself that appear to be bleeding into the real world. As Pik's gang of adventurers attempts to attain a certain target in the creepy video game landscape, things only go from bad to worse for Pik himself.

Writer Zac Thompson weaves an interesting story, creating a parallel between escaping reality in a world that seems far harsher on its surface, but whose escapism resonates with the teenagers. There's a darker secret that's alluded to here in subtle—and not so subtle—ways throughout the first issue, setting the stage for a thrilling mystery that will hopefully stick the landing in four issues. One caveat I found from the debut is that while Pik is explored well, I do wish that his supporting cast also had more of their individual characteristics spotlighted. It's a tricky feat to introduce all the moving pieces of a story, let alone a horror story, and Thompson does an admirable job. I only wish it was able to maintain a sprint along the way in giving readers more of each character.

Thompson's display is one that I'm a sucker for, as games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Darkest Dungeon have been my bread and butter in recent gaming years. While the Cemetery Kids might be in a virtual world, it still feels dangerous, especially when the effects of the game begin bleeding into the real world. That makes their digital analogs, and the instances where they enter the Nightmare Cemetery, that can most keep readers on edge. The ghastly monstrosities, as well as the dreary, Lovecraftian setting, help to hammer home the horror here.

Artist Daniel Irizarri and colorist Brittany Peer might just be the shining stars of this new horror series. The pair are able to work well in unison, both in the "real world" and the video game settings. They're able to capture the energy of youth in the main characters at high school, alongside the creeping terrors that they find themselves encountering in the Nightmare Cemetery. When the two worlds meet later in the first issue, it feels both natural and unnatural, while slamming home a quite unnerving page in the process as one grotesque sequence is made that much more effective. It can often be difficult to incorporate skin-crawling elements into a series, especially one where a creative team is attempting to take on a more energetic, "manga" style with its art, but the team behind Cemetery Kids Don't Die does so in spades.

Cemetery Kids Don't Die is a strong start for this miniseries. It's not perfect, but it does a fantastic job of dragging readers into its world while giving comic and horror fans alike quite a bit of grotesque eye-candy along the way. I'm anxious to see what territory the Oni Press series explores in its three remaining installments, and if it will open the door for more tales of terror from this talented creative team. 

Published by Oni Press

On February 21, 2024

Written by Zac Thompson

Art by Daniel Irizarri

Colors by Brittany Peer

Letters by Andworld Design

Cover by Daniel Irizarri