A new tale written by Skottie Young and illustrated by Jorge Corona, sign us up. Ain’t No Grave premieres with a double-sized first issue that kicks off a Western journey that is sure to hook you from the start.

Ain’t No Grave is brought to you by the creative team behind Middlewest and The Me You Love In The Dark. This dynamic duo delivers another tale that is worth the journey. Young’s storytelling ability shines through in this genre-bending adventure that combines Western elements and fantasy. Young allows Jorge Corona’s art to shine through with less dialogue bubbles than most comics, allowing the illustrations to take center stage. The unique style of Corona’s art, mixed with the colors of Jean-Francois Beaulieu has each panel jumping from the page. This is not to say the lettering from Nate Piekos is not wonderful, just that the artwork shines through.

Ryder, the fierce protagonist of Ain’t No Grave, is a complex character whose journey will resonate with readers. She is faced with tough decisions that we all would not want to make and embarks on a mission to confront Death and protect the ones she loves. All this while confronting her violent past and embracing her inner strength. Skottie weaves together themes of love, loss and redemption to make a wonderful debut issue.

While most are used to see Skottie Young play with baby variant covers and the crazy world of Fairyland, he has proven over and over that his storytelling can take on many genres and Ain’t No Grave is just another example. Young loves the journey plot point for his stories, which we once again see here, but this journey is different that the others allowing it to stand out.

As Ain’t No Grave unfolds, Corona and Young give us vast landscapes, elements of horror and action. The masterful storytelling combined with stellar artwork creates a synergy that elevates this comic above others. While we don’t think it is to the level of Middlewest and The Me You Love In The Dark, readers of these comics should consider Ain’t No Grave a must-read in 2024.

Ain’t No Grave #1 hits local comic shops on May 8, 2024 from Image Comics.