Kelly Sue DeConnick returns to the world of Elisa Cameron, bringing co-writer Chris Sebela and artist Ryan Sook in on the team as “Ghost” shifts to an ongoing. There’s a hidden network of demons hiding in the political power network of Chicago and Elisa is on the hunt to take them out while the spectre of her forgotten identity lingers over her.
Written by Kelly Sue DeConnick & Christopher Sebela
Illustrated by Ryan Sook
Ghost, the hero trapped between two worlds, fights to protect Chicago from extradimensional demons disguised as humans. When a familiar stranger destroys an el train, Ghost makes a deal with a devil for the chance to uncover her own mysterious past. The perfect issue to join this action-packed superhero title!
I really liked the “Ghost” miniseries. I should probably be objective about this whole thing, but I went into this issue having already enjoyed the miniseries that, in retrospect, almost serves as an extended prelude to this new ongoing. In the miniseries Kelly Sue DeConnick and Phil Noto deftly reintroduced the character of Elisa Cameron as Ghost in a mystery that slowly unravelled the nature of her identity and powers. It all left enough threads dangling to be picked up here by DeConnick who is joined by Chris Sebela as co-writer to create a whole new mystery surrounding Elisa. Another new name for the issue is Ryan Sook, who is taking over artistic duties for the ongoing and bring a whole new feel to the book.
When it comes down it to, “Ghost” operates as a mystery more than anything. Sure, there’s action and even a little bit of romance with the slight overtone of superheroics, but everything boils down to the mystery of Elisa Cameron. That mystery is what drove the miniseries forward and it still drives this issue forward because even though Elisa knows her name and knows information about who she was before her death, she isn’t that person anymore. DeConnick and Sebela really dig into the identity issues of knowing you should be someone, but not actually being them. While it’s a relatively small part of the issue, the sequence where Elisa is left alone to be a detective and mull over her sense of self-identity (or lack thereof, rather) is a stand-out moment of the issue. It allows DeConnick and Sebela to dig into who Elisa is as a character, convey that to the reader (especially those who missed out on the miniseries) and set up her arc for the series going forward. Even though Tommy and Vaughn, the ghost hunters who found Elisa as a ghost in the first place, still feature to round out detective/demon-hunting team, there is no mistake that Elisa is focus of the story.
The feel of the mystery story even seeps into the art by Ryan Sook, who steps away from the minimal fantasticism of Phil Noto’s art to immerse the story in the real world. The story takes place in Chicago and Sook takes full advantage of that to create a somewhat dour realism in the city landscape that gives the feel of a David Fincher movie. This gives this series a very distinct feel as well as allowing Sook to juxtapose the fantastic elements of the story, like Elisa’s ghost form and the demons she hunts, to a much harsher effect. Especially because Sook’s designs for the demons not only incredibly unique for demon designs, but also pretty horrifying allowing the book to slip into horror territory at times as well. Sook really makes the book feel his own allowing this issue to stand apart from what came before while the story is a continuation.
What’s curious about this issue is that while it is most definitely a first issue, it also doesn’t really feel like one at the same time? DeConnick and Sebela rather impressively build a story in this issue that conveys all the information necessary for new readers to be caught up while also operating as an enjoyable story in itself. The issue doesn’t bend over backwards to exposit about the events of the previous miniseries and instead allows the story to naturally clue readers in to what happened through events of the story. Even Doctor October and the demon formerly known as the Mayor Of Chicago only get a few name drops despite being the overarching antagonists of the series yet it works because it allows the mystery to build, especially given the twist ending of the issue. What they have created her is possibly the best example of a first issue which combines an engaging story in its own while presenting all the information new readers need to catch up with the series organically within the story.
Overall, this is everything you could hope for from this issue whether you read the miniseries or not. DeConnick’s ear for dialogue and focus on unique, personable characters is in full force here which is backed up by a story that just shows a hint of what is come, dripped in mystery and action and even horror. Not only that, but this issue shows how perfect a co-writing team DeConnick and Sebela are as the whole package feels like a seamless whole that never once plays it’s hand with who wrote what and is instead focused on simply telling it’s story. Ryan Sook’s art contributes that seamless package by creating a real world atmosphere to the setting of Chicago which makes the mystery elements of the story work even better while allowing the horror and action elements to stand out. All this and it still has time to set up plot points to pay off later down the road make it one of the better #1 issues in recent memory and an incredibly strong start to the series.
Final Verdict: 9.1 – Buy, even if you missed the previous issues. Especially if you missed the previous issues.
