Ghosted #1 Review


Looks like Image has another hit on its hands. Ghosted is a fantastic riff on the bank heist genre.  A strange blend of Point Blank, The Haunting, and Ghostbusters, which is perfectly paced and executed.

Here’s the official description from Image:

A HORROR/CRIME MASHUP THAT’S EQUAL PARTS OCEAN’S 11 AND THE SHINING.Jackson T. Winters is one of the greatest criminal masterminds to ever live…except he’s rotting in jail after his last, doomed score. But when a filthy rich collector breaks him out, he’s tasked with putting together an elite team of paranormal experts to do the impossible: Steal a ghost from a haunted house of horrors!

The idea for Ghosted is easy to grasp: instead of stealing money from a casino, they’re stealing a ghost from a haunted house. Jackson T. Winter, our hero/criminal, breaks out of prison thanks to the aid of a  rich occult collector and assembles a team to steal a ghost from a haunted house  What a wonderful premise for a comic series, the type of idea that you kick yourself for not thinking of.

Joshua Williamson delivers a taut script which gets the story moving quickly. Often in heist stories it takes awhile for the criminal to assemble his team, possibly a whole chapter or issue, depending on the format. Thankfully, this isn’t the case here. Jackson T. Winters is briefly meets each member of his gang including a magician, a pick pocket, a paranormal cameraman, and a psychic who knows more than she lets on.  There’s absolutely no padding. By the end of the issue, Winter’s team is already investigating the haunted house. I did have a few questions, which hopefully will be answered soon. Who is the collector? What is his motive? Why does he want Winters to steal the ghost?

The Croatian artist Goran Sudzuka’s (Y: The Last Men and Hellblazer) illustrations are fabulous. His realistic style slightly resembles Sean Phillips’ work on Criminal and Fatale. Perfect for a gritty crime series. Equally impressive are Miroslav Mrva’s colors, which nicely complement Sudzuka’s line work.

Overall, this is a great first issue that immediately pulls you in from page one. Williamson’s script keeps the pages turning and Sudzuka’s art is stunning. Yet another Image title to add to my subscription. Thanks a lot Image, you’re making me very poor. Make sure to grab this comic fast before it sells out.

4/5

 

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