Old Man’s Cave (1999)

Old Man’s Cave Review

Old Man’s Cave is the sixth volume of Bone comics written and illustrated by Jeff Smith. It was first published in 1999.

This book reveals more of the plotting between The Hooded One and the Lord of the Locusts, and it follows the inhabitants of the valley as they pick up the pieces after the attacks by the Rat Creature army. This is one of the darkest entries in the series that has become quite suspenseful in recent volumes. The humor is still there, but this time around it’s awkwardly incorporated as that final twist about the origins of the villains’ fear of Phoney Bone did not quite work as it was way too silly in comparison to the much more serious overall plot and imagery.

With that being said, this volume was terrific as it significantly moved the plot forward. The realization of who The Hooded One really is was emotionally powerful and just perfect. I did not see it coming and it made sense in the context of the story. The Rat Creatures area also quite memorable here as they are at their most dangerous when in a group.

This volume works as well as it does because it integrates a genuinely strong build-up toward its superb climax. That final action set piece was splendid and epic, but everything that came before it set it up so well. It actually had the markings of a final part of a story, so it will be interesting to see where it continues from here.

Not all characters got their proper due here, but I loved the villains and I particularly liked what they did with Gran’ma Ben. She continues to be a very mysterious figure. Thorn going on her own against her grandma was quite powerful and I loved her progression from a co-dependent to a fully independent, daring woman. The illustration work was expectedly brilliant here. The imagery was consistently gorgeous to behold and quite menacing at times. That final setting was so memorable.

Old Man’s Cave is one of the best Bone volumes for sure. It features a terrific conclusion that is a true spectacle, but the build-up toward it was also splendid. It’s so well illustrated and particularly well written with a darker tone than usual and excellent characterization. The mythology has become quite intricate by this point and I can’t wait to see where this all leads.

My Rating – 4.6