By Kelly Sue DeConnick, Chris Sebela & Ryan Sook
The fourth series for Ghost begins! Being completely unfamiliar with the character and mythology made this read a real adventure. Former Journalist Elisa Cameron has been brought back from a hellish dimension and now is caught between the two realms as Ghost. She is trying to put together her fragmented memory and past, while banishing demons back from whence they came.
The first page of the comic gives the premise and some backstory for the series. This was a smart move so the uninitiated reader won’t read the comic blind and wonder what the heck is going on. Kelly Sue DeConnick and Chris Sebela waste no time jumping into the action! We see Ghost take down a demon, but at a cost…the human host died in the process. It’s a smart plot element to add that extra dimension to the events. Most comics would have the heroine/hero defeat the bad guy and continue the story. In Ghost, they do the opposite. They linger and focus on the aftermath of that seemingly inconsequential fight, but that leads to something bigger and some self-reflection for Elisa. With a little diversion from the normal plot structure the writers are able to further Ghost’s character development and make the book/character more intriguing. Also, a Faustian deal is made, which having literary allusions tends to enrich a comic, and will no doubt be great conflict and story development as the series progresses.
Ryan Sook’s work was such an awesome surprise! I hadn’t seen any of his work before, but the detail he put right on page one instantly stood out. His designs for the demons are so imaginative and diverse. Seeing a two-headed wolf demon in a close-up panel, sends chills down the spine. Sook was able to convey the serious stakes and fear that these creatures emanate. Also, Ryan’s depiction of people is very clean and full of emotion; his work on Elisa is amazing when she looks at herself in a mirror. I’m an instant fan!
This book will hook you instantly if you like supernatural stories. There’s drama, action, mystery and, surprisingly, it’s all well-written and illustrated! Don’t worry if you aren’t familiar with Ghost; just go along with this fun comic.
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