The first panels of the graphic novel are engulfed in darkness.  We see a strapping young man, face bloody, starring at some unseen horror.  An obscured but imposing figure holds a sickle at his side. The young man speaks his lines and raises a lighter to a small explosive, and we’re off! 

The Haunted Caves, adapted by Sammy Montana from the screenplay by Michael Stevens, takes the average slasher story and, with just a few interesting changes, keeps it compelling.

The overall story is pretty simple, actually.  We follow a group of teenagers: Steph and her asshole boyfriend Eric, along with their friend Jen and her little sister Amber, on Halloween. These teens go to a haunted house, make some of the wrong people mad, and end up getting invited to a “real” haunted house.  They, of course, make the classic mistakes all horror movie kiddos do (like following the random flyer to their doom), and end up trapped in a horrifying situation at the haunted caves, an old house, corn maze, and murdering psychopath’s abode.  What makes this story different is how the characters are treated and who’s involved in the story.

The dynamic of the group of teens feels like a carefully assembled house of cards.  Remove one, and all credibility falls.  Without Steph, the adventurous girl, there would be no forward momentum.  Without Eric, the hot-headed asshole, there would be no driving force.  Remove Jen and all moral guidance is lost.  The most important member of the cast, however, has to be little Amber, the younger sister.  When a child is placed in a dangerous situation the stakes are automatically raised, so having the fairy-costumed Amber running around instantly made me worried and made me care.

Perhaps the boldest move The Haunted Caves makes is the use of Eric as protagonist.  Normally in slasher films, the asshole boyfriend is either the first to go or framed for the murders.  In Caves, he pushes the story forward.  He’s not very likeable, and it was a big chance on the part of the writers.  It’s as if the creators were saying “Yeah, we know he’s a jerk, tough s**t!” It may make it harder to root for him, but his supporting cast keeps us caring.

The artwork in this graphic novel is a sort of stylized minimalism (if that makes any sense).  The characters are simply drawn, but have a dynamic, interesting look to them.  Even in scenes of exposition the characters remain well drawn and emotive.  The shadowing casts an almost constant veil over the comic, and the action and gore are handled with speed and accuracy.  The story is fast, bloody, and at times, completely shocking.

My one major problem with the comic is where it leaves off.  I won’t spoil anything, but while I love the shock ending (which will leave you speechless…I promise), there are some characters left in limbo.  We don’t know what their fate is, and after following them for over forty pages, we want to know.  Will our questions get answered in another volume?  It’s hard to leave an audience hoping without a guarantee.

Barring these loose ends, what we end up with is a little graphic novel that tries a few different things and gets them pretty much right.  If you’re in the mood for a good post-Halloween read, I recommend checking out The Haunted Caves for the chances it takes.