H. G. Wells’s War of the Worlds is one of the most important and influential books in early science fiction. The unnamed narrator takes the readers through the deadly invasion of Earth by hyper-advanced martians, whose intellect and technology vastly outstrip anything humanity was capable of. As one of the true sci-fi classics, this novel has been adapted innumerable times in all kinds of different forms. One of the best-regarded direct adaptations was Steven Spielberg’s 2005 movie of the same name. It captured the dread and scale of the conflict in a way that reignited love for the story, but, obviously, it wasn’t perfect. In fact, it completely left out one of the best scenes in the book: the HMS Thunder Child’s last stand.
The HMS Thunder Child was a fictional ironclad that protected a host of refugee ships, taking down three Martian Tripods. It rammed into the final one, even as it sank, giving the civilians enough time to get away. Despite being such a cinematic and uplifting scene, the Thunder Child is almost never adapted, with Spielberg completely ignoring it. Now, the beloved warship is finally getting the respect it deserves. Titan Comics is releasing a brand-new adaptation of the classic book titled War of the Worlds: Thunder Child. This comic follows the heroic and brutal fate of the Thunder Child’s crew from the start of the invasion to their emotional sacrifice.
The new graphic novel following the HMS Thunder Child will take place parallel to the events of the original book. It will focus on the very human crew of the famous ship, showing how they struggle to maintain order and drive in a civilization that could be one day away from collapse, and have to fight each other as much as the Martians. The superstar team bringing this adaptation to life includes the writers Matt Hardy (Cadavers, Last Exit to Brighton) and Rob Jones (Hell in Stalingrad), alongside the artist Kevin Castaniero (The Reason for Dragons, Cocaine Disco).
Rob Jones said, “We set out to make this both a contemporary piece that could be accessible to new readers, whilst also something that fans of the book, the musical, or any other adaptation of Wells’ work would enjoy.”
The Thunder Child is the most overlooked part of the novel in adaptations, despite offering the first true glimpse of hope and human resilience against the impossibly powerful Martians. Titan Comics’ graphic novel will give this wonderful ship and its crew the humanization and spotlight that even beloved adaptations of the novel have so often chosen not to do. This is set to be a must-read for any fans of Wells’s work, and most definitely a book that any comic book fan would be lucky to pick up and get sucked into.
War of the Worlds: Thunder Child hits store shelves on June 2, 2026!
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