History ComicBook / BlackPowderRedEarth

* CoolGuns: Overlaps with GunPorn. Each series has Cold Harbor's Contractors using high end AR-15 variants. Starting from ''Syria'' onwards, Cold Harbor exclusively uses weapons made by Bravo Company Manufacturing, who actually [[{{Defictionalization}} produced functional, limited-run replicas]] of the rifles used in ''Syria'', ''Yemen'' and ''Awbari''.

** In ''Syria'', [[spoiler: the Evergreen compound is under attack by Quds Force. Crow manages to bundle JR into an SUV, Token and Grinch have returned with their helicopters and are covering Crow's retreat... and Crow's SUV immediately eats an RPG and all helicopters are shot down, ending in the deaths of Cold Harbor's Kurdistan operation]].

[[http://www.blackpowderredearth.com/ Black Powder Red Earth]] is a [[MilitaryAndWarfareComics Military And Warfare Graphic Novel series]] written by [[Music/DiscordanceAxis Jon Chang]] and illustrated by Josh Taylor. Set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture in an alternate history where Iraq splintered after the US withdrawl, the story follows Cold Harbor, an American PMC, as it conducts operations within the Middle East on behalf of its clients.

In addition to the graphic novels, [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/988490/Black_Powder_Red_Earth/ a companion turn-based tactical videogame]] by Echelon Software has been released on PC and is being developed for future release on iOS platforms, and a 28mm tabletop game is currently in development.

* HighlyConspicuousUniform: Crisis Troop Ember in Awbari rolls up to targets wearing [[https://www.instagram.com/p/B_BAPWhJVwX/ red shirts and jeans]], eschewing camoflage. This is a deliberate choice, as Ember is traveling short distances within the capital city to raid targets, and uses the distinctive attire as a psychological warfare tool.

* AnyoneCanDie: Cold Harbor racks up quite the body count throughout the series while taking some losses of their own but it ventures into KillEmAll territory [[spoiler: when at the end of ''Syria'', [[UsefulNotes/PersiansWithPistols IRGC Quds Force]] commandos [[FalseFlagOperation posing as Kurdish SOF]] attack the Evergreen compound and kill everyone inside]].

** In ''Syria'', [[spoiler: the Evergreen compound is under attack by Quds Force. Crow manages to bundle JR into an SUV, Token and Grinch have returned with their helicopters and are covering Crow's retreat... and Crow's SUV immediately eats an RPG and all helicopters are shot down, ending in a KillEmAll of Cold Harbor's Kurdistan operation]].

* ObligatoryWarCrimeScene: While the main characters are contractors, some of their actions could be considered war crimes.
** In ''Syria'', Token is interrogating two captives for the purpose of turning one of them into an asset. He had Grinch suffocate one of the prisoner with a bag while Token explains to the other that he works for them.
** In ''Yemen'', Crane witnesses the aftermath of several atrocities committed by ISIS, to include the beheading of prisoners and immolation of children in cages. In the same chapter, he oversees an interrogation in which an ISIS facilitator is [[spoiler: waterboarded until he drowns and then resuscitated]]. The very next chapter has [[spoiler: Crane kill a group of captured ISIS recruits from the US and Europe using a machine gun]].

* ''Yemen'' starts with three viewpoint named characters; the story ends with only one of them still alive.

In addition to the graphic novels, [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/988490/Black_Powder_Red_Earth/ a companion turn-based tactical videogame]] by Echelon Software is in Early Access on PC and being developed for future release on iOS platforms.

** In ''Syria'', Token is interrogating two captives for the purpose of turning one of them into an asset. He had Grinch suffocates one of the prisoner with a bag while Token explains to the other that he works for them.

* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: Beginning with ''Yemen'', Cold Harbor starts using color coded patches to differentiate different subunits. As an example from the upcoming [[http://www.blackpowderredearth.com/merch_morale_patches.php Awbari setting]], Grey is used by the Advisory Partner Unit, while Croc is used by [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIKE_Force MIKE Force]], and Red is for the Crisis Troop.

* AnyoneCanDie: Cold Harbor racks up quite the body count throughout the series while taking some losses of their own but it ventures into KillEmAll territory [[spoiler: when at the end of ''Syria'', [[UsefulNotes/PersiansWithPistols IRGC Quds Force]] operators [[FalseFlagOperation posing as Kurdish SOF]] attack the Evergreen compound and kill everyone inside]].

* ''Hypernotes Scorch'' reveals that Cold Harbor now employs loitering kamikaze drones for surveillance and close air support for cross-border raids where air support is not available.

** Cold Harbor contractors are typically former US Special Forces. This leads to friction between JR and Crow in ''Syria'', as Crow, a special forces veteran, is unhappy about being demoted and replaced by JR, who has no special forces experience, and whose last job was at the World Bank (albeit after retiring for the CIA).
** Cold Harbor's activities in Awbari are primarily training and advisory services; Series 4 focuses on Crisis Troop Ember, the Tier 1-equivalent Special Missions Unit, as it conducts raids against high value targets.

* BalkanizeMe: In the years after the US withdraws from Iraq the country splinters into [[{{Qurac}} Basran]] in the south, UsefulNotes/{{Kurdistan}} in the north, and the [[MiddleEasternCoalition Islamic State]] in central Iraq.

* CoolCar: Customised Toyoya Hiluxes and LandCruisers are favored vehicles for Cold Harbor in ''Yemen'' and ''Awbari''.

* ChekhovsGun: Cold Harbor tags all its contractors and important local assets with GPS locator chips; it's brought up as a throwaway line in ''Iraq'', but gains significantly more importance in ''Syria''.

In addition to the graphic novels, [[https://store.steampowered.com/app/988490/Black_Powder_Red_Earth/ a companion turn-based tactical videogame]] is being developed by Echelon Software for future release on PC and iOS platforms.

* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: Cold Harbor contractors are typically former US Special Forces. This leads to friction between Token and Crow in ''Syria'', as Crow, a special forces veteran, is unhappy about being demoted and replaced by Token, who has no special forces experience.

* CoolGuns: Overlaps with GunPorn. Each series has Cold Harbor's Contractors using high end AR-15 variants. Starting from ''Syria'' onwards, Cold Harbor exclusively uses weapons made by Bravo Company Manufacturing, who actually [[{{Defictionalization}} produced functional, limited-run replicas]] of the rifles used in ''Syria'' and ''Yemen''.

In addition to the graphic novels, a companion turn-based tactical videogame is being developed by Echelon Software for future release on PC and iOS platforms.

* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: Cold Harbor contractors are typically former US Special Forces. This leads to tension between Token and Crow in ''Syria'', as Crow, a special forces veteran, is unhappy about being demoted and replaced by Token, who has no special forces experience.

* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: Cold Harbor contractors are typically former US Special Forces. This leads to tension between Token and Crow in ''Syria'', as Crow, a special forces veteran, is unhappy about being demoted and replaced by someone with no special forces experience.

* ElitesAreMoreGlamorous: Cold Harbor contractors are typically former US Special Forces.

* CoolGuns: Overlaps with GunPorn. Each series has Cold Harbor's Contractors using high end AR-15 variants, usually made by real life firearm manufacturer Bravo Company Manufacturing.

* CoolGuns: Overlaps with GunPorn. Each series has Cold Harbor's Contractors using high end AR15 variants, usually made by real life firearm manufacturer Bravo Company Manufacturing.