Review by C.J. Bunce
I’m a fan of the obscure, so when a writer wants to take a piece of a classic work and blow it up into something new, count me in. That’s true for the new graphic novel War of the Worlds: Thunder Child, available for pre-order now here at Amazon, from Titan Comics. HMS Thunder Child isn’t a real ship, but a creation of H.G. Wells for his 1898 science fiction novel. In the novel the ship is a Royal Navy ironclad torpedo ram that sacrifices itself at the Blackwater river off of Essex, ramming and destroying two Martian attack machines, thereby stalling the attack and protecting a fleet of civilian rescue vessels. So what’s the full story of the boat and its noble crew? Writers Matthew Hardy and Rob Jones and illustrator Kevin Castaniero and colorist Simon Gough offer up their version in an over-sized, full color book devoted to the ship’s crew. It’s all very Victorian British, complete with characters that may conjure the vibe of Jules Verne’s 1870 novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
This is, of course, a doomed mission in the vein of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. For me stories like this have a Tennyson vibe–it’s a story with no witnesses, which frees up a storyteller to use their imagination to create any kind of detail. I was at first surprised at how informed the crew is of the invasion, the details and communications throughout the Royal Navy, but the invasion lasted a full three weeks.
The writers clearly spent time with the original to create similar imagery, discussions of politics and social economics, while filling in the crew with familiar Victorian British archetypes. A surprise may be found in the ship’s Captain, who is widow of the late Captain McDonald. She becomes the heroic force behind the assault and battle of the final act.
The mechanical Martian invaders will be why most seek out this book, and artist Kevin Castaniero renders them all very evocative of both the film adaptations and illustrations that have peppered 128 years of editions of Wells’ novel. It’s all good sci-fi blending what you’d expect, with a dash of Spielberg look here, some Live. Die. Repeat. there. Is it me or do the covers of the invading machines appear to be inspired by early German soldier helmets?
If more traditional style is your preference, you’ll find Major Makepeace, a gruff, tradition-led sailor that looks every bit of the era. First Mate Silas is straight out of a Patrick O’Brian or C.S. Forester ship. And it’s Captain Bava’s design that conjures the Captain Nemo feel.
This edition includes 35 pages of extras, like a cover gallery, pin-ups, illustrated, detailed blueprints of the Thunder Child, and lots of good sketches and concept artwork featuring the alien machines and ship in combat. The story was originally a three-issue series and part of a Kickstarter project.
It’s an intriguing look at an interesting snippet from a classic science fiction work. You can pre-order War of the Worlds: Thunder Child now here at Amazon. Or add it to your pull list at Elite Comics or your local comic shop. It’s scheduled to arrive in stores June 30, 2026.
