Beyond the Pale, written by Christofer Emgärd (The Secret Land) with artwork by Tomás Aira (Dragon Age: The Missing), is a rough, gritty and brutally honest new comic series that explores an unsettling mystery surrounding the disappearance of black soldiers in the Vietnam War. War correspondent Hetta Sawyer is determined to uncover the truth behind the loss of these soldier at Firebase Tartarus, where something more sinister happens to be lurking.

The debut issue of Beyond the Pale sets the stage and foundation for a gripping and mysterious story that had us hooked from the very first page. Hetta Sawyer is strong, determined and doesn’t take shit from anyone which is just the protagonist we need in this type of series. She will stop at nothing to unravel the secrets hidden at Firebase Tartarus. When she starts diving deeper into her investigation, things get a bit weird and we are here for it.

Beyond the Pale is a raw and unflinching portrayal of war and its impact on anyone involved. This is a brutally honest story with a supernatural twist to keep us engaged. Emgärd approaches sensitive topics such as race and war with honestly, adding a layer for depth to the story that is thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. A comic series that doesn’t shy away from tackling things head-on, creating a wonderful and emotional reading experience.

War is brutal and the depiction of this story by Tomás Aira’s artwork is a perfect fit. Aira captures the gritty and rough location of war-torn Vietnam with great detail. You can almost feel the weight of what is going on with a great story, but the dark and atmospheric illustrations set the tone for the eerie mystery unfolding on the pages.

We are not typically a reader that gravitates towards stories surrounding war, just not a subject the peeks our interest. However, something about this comic series was calling us to read and were are glad for it. This is a unique war story that has a supernatural element lurking in the background. The creative team behind Beyond the Pale portrays a feeling of caring for the story and the art of creating purposeful, yet enjoyable comic books.

Beyond the Pale #1 hits local comic shops on June 5, 2024 from Dark Horse.