Who Are The Main Characters In Goblin Cave Bl?

'Goblin Cave' focuses on two individuals who slowly but surely become the focus of the story, the scared and rather silent human and the somewhat gruff, possessive, yet endearingly protective goblin. I have come to be fiercely invested in the slow arc of their interactions, with every little gesture of warmth or comfort having the greatest impact. The rest of the goblin band is also lovely to read, particularly the surly goblin lieutenant, the mischievous ‘new’ goblin and occasionally the old goblin with his memories of different rules. And of course the external threats such as human hunters or suspicious villagers that make the pair make some very difficult choices.

This awkward, complicated love between two outsider figures is something I really enjoy reading about. This isn’t some instant, easy redemption between the human and the goblin, no, it’s hard-won and felt out through a series of tough negotiations – for food, for sleep, for safety, for consent. The art beautiful captures these moments of intimacy and negotiation through close-up shots of hands, of breath on faces, of moments shared between the two of them. It’s bleak, but it’s also really beautiful and that’s why I love reading this sort of awkward, outside-of-the-norm love stories.

There’s something rather endearing about the way the leads in Goblin Cave are portrayed. At face value we have a human captive and his goblin tormentor. However the goblin is no one-dimensional villain. He’s got a bit of a code to his actions, occasional moments of humor and even of a territorial big brother protecting his home. The human starts off in fear, but as time passes he slowly comes to terms with his situation, developing a reluctant dependence on the goblin before eventually feeling curious about him and testifying to his prisoner’s behaviour in order to try and get back to the outside world.

Supporting characters in the story are well developed, including the goblin’s clan and their various rituals, hierarchies and touching moments. His encounters with the outside world, such as the story’s hunters and various villagers, are marked by a sense of threat and moral ambiguity. The narrative is paced well and the story’s transitions are neither rushed nor forced. The artist’s use of panel layout and negative space effectively conveys the confined space of the cave, and the vastness of the outside world. This perfectly mirrors the story’s progression from a place of tension and fear to one of intimacy and comfort.

This makes me think of other stories where monstrous and domestic are blended – like ‘The Village’ or a number of folk-horror tales – and how Goblin Cave gets the intimacy of these smallest, most unusual spaces just right. A very affecting and lingering short story.

The ensemble in ‘Goblin Cave’ is also new to me and a raw, great little cast who effectively get to show off the menacing side of the goblins, while also conveying a lot of tenderness. And the two leads are a central magnet. The young human captive is introduced as fragile and terrified, but increasingly displaying inner strength and, unexpectedly, cunning. The main goblin is rough, and not nicely spoken, but equally complex beneath his gruff exterior. Good work from artist and writer alike in letting expression do the bulk of the work here – a look, a hesitant hand, shared blankets etc. effectively conveys the emotion in these scenes.

Beyond the two leads, there are also a number of well-developed supporting characters, each of whom add to the plot in various ways. Typically, there is a goblin loyal to the leader and also somewhat of a foil, acting as both a means of providing some comic relief and a conscience. The village hunter or other mercenary serves as external conflict, in some ways an antagonist, while the various villagers react with fear or even cruelty to the captive. While these characters are not simply there to fill space, they also add depth to the goblin’s somewhat unfamiliar society and sometimes even reveal a softer side.

The themes of the book are also excellent. The exploration of survival, consent, and unexpected friendship is wonderful. The book also explores some weird and domestic rituals of the Goblin Cave inhabitants, that make them more human. This is a very complex and interesting read, and if you like paradoxical pairings, where both characters grow in the hard and sometimes ugly intimacy with each other, then this is the book for you. It leaves a warm, but also uneasy after-glow.