The Good
You might remember Ghost as a character from 90's comic books. If you were a fan of hers then you'll be happy to know that Dark Horse has brought her back to the forefront of comics in her very own mini-series written by Kelly Sue DeConnick and illustrated by artist Phil Noto. Now, I am a huge Phil Noto fan so seeing him on this title was really cool for me. I'm happy to say that Noto's work does not disappoint on this issue and there are certainly some panels that really blew me away.
Even though this four-issue mini launched with a #0 issue, we still get an introduction to the character in the first few pages of the issue, giving new readers the opportunity to get a feel for her identity and where she has come from. What we learn pretty quickly is that she's fully of sass. She uses some very clever quips and remarks in the first few pages of the comic that really sets the tone for her personality. Although she is not sure of who she is, she is still written in a very definitive way. She has a personality.
I love the way Phil Noto really captures the expressions of the characters in this comic. Because of him, the issue feels really fluid; you could almost tell what is happening in the scenes by simply looking at his art without the dialogue.
The Bad
Maybe I'm just reminded too much of Matt Fraction's "Bro's" in HAWKEYE, but it really feels like Kelly Sue took a note from a page in his book. Adding one too many "bro's" to a character who just doesn't need it. Maybe it was just strange to see that in last week's HAWKEYE and then again here, but I really think there are other ways to convey a jerky type of character.
The Verdict
There seem to be three different ongoing stories in this comic, which might seem like a lot on the surface, but when a comic is this well organized it just sort of works. DeConnick does a great job not only introducing the main character in this issue, but also the two supporting characters and the set-up for two additional ongoing stories. It's well written and really well plotted and it's an overall good read. Aside from the characterization of one of the two supporting characters, I really rather enjoyed this comic. The character seems really interesting and the art in the book is just stunning. This is a great jumping on point for readers who are new to this character and you will definitely be left in suspense and wanting more.
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