Posted in: Comics, Oni Press | Tagged: Cave Grave, graphic novel, western

An Exclusive Look Inside Cave Grave: Wild West Tales by Shawn Kuruneru

An Exclusive looki inside the western graphic novel Cave Grave: Wild West Tales by Shawn Kuruneru from Oni Press

This time last year, we said that Shawn Kuruneru's new graphic novel Cave Grave: Wild West Tales, would be published by Oni Press in the spring of 2026. And it is. In a week's time. It's been a whole year. Shawn Kuruneru is best known as the artist of The Goddamn Tragedy and Black Hammer, who explores stories of double-crossing desperation and hopeless humanity in Cave Grave: Wild West Tales, a duology of wild tales set against a backdrop of the lawless West. And here's a first look at both of those stories.

"In Cave Grave, the art of double-crossing is taken to a new extreme as three struggling thieves attempt to pull off the heist of a lifetime—only to realize they've stolen more than they bargained for. In Poor Moon, a cowboy searching for purpose turns to bounty hunting. Catch, return, reward—it's simple, until he picks up a bounty that'll change his life forever. Until the hunter becomes the hunted …"

"I love drawing the Western environment and wanted to write crime stories in the vein of Alfred Hitchcock—psychological edge, unexpected twists, and a focus on the characters' internal struggles and paranoia," added Kuruneru. "These two stories deal with a constant desire for wealth and power, and how that obsession can manifest into something monstrous."

"Shawn Kuruneru is a Canadian comic artist and writer. He is the artist of The Goddamn Tragedy written by Chris Condon, Fishflies Chapter Six written by Jeff Lemire, and Colonel Weird and Little Andromeda written by Tate Brombal. Shawn's self published comic Burn Man is part of a yearlong exhibition at the Montreal Contemporary Art Museum alongside cartoonists Julie Doucet, Walter Scott, and Connor Willumsen."

"Cave Grave: Wild West Tales is "a powerful and powerburned collection of two previously self-published graphic novellas written and illustrated by acclaimed cartoonist and fast-rising star Shawn Kuruneru. Recently making Oni Press debut as the artist of The Goddamn Tragedy (with writer Chris Condon), Kuruneru is a Montreal-based writer/artist who also appeared in series including Fishflies (with writer/artist Jeff Lemire) and Black Hammer: Colonel Weird & Little Andromeda (with writer Tate Brombal). Slated for release as a uniquely sized and specially designed hardcover collection in March 2026, Cave Grave: Wild West Tales will mark the first widely available solo collection of work from one of the most closely watched cartoonists in the industry today."

"Cave Grave: Wild West Tales features two startling stories of double-crossing desperation and hopeless humanity set against a backdrop of the lawless Wild West. In Cave Grave, the art of double-crossing is taken to a new extreme as three struggling thieves attempt to pull off the heist of a lifetime—only to realize they've stolen more than they bargained for. In Poor Moon, a cowboy searching for purpose turns to bounty hunting. Catch, return, reward—it's simple, until he picks up a bounty that'll change his life forever…"

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