Mini Mania! - Five Ghosts

Five Ghosts is sold as a “literary-pulp adventure” (o the post-modernism!) and it’s drawn in a pulp cover-inspired, Gothic minimalism. So yeah, it’s kinda like Hellboy. And like Hellboy, it’s a rip-roaring gothic-fantasy adventure overflowing with great ideas. It may even be one of the best miniseries of 2013 (I didn’t do the tallying yet). Best of all, it’s is being continued as an ongoing series returning this month with a one-shot, then a new arc.

Fabian Gray is a master thief, or treasure-hunter. A globetrotting playboy who looks for magic stuff.  After a magic Dreamstone crystal explodes in his chest, he gets possessed by five ghosts of literary archetypes. There’s the Wizard, (Merlin); the Detective (Sherlock Holmes); the Vampire (who’s more powerful but less talkative than Dracula); the Samurai, (speechless Samurai); and finally the Archer (Robin Hood). Gray can summon these ghosts whenever he really needs them, not necessarily at will. Mostly life and death situations. He can also combine their powers to make kickass fight scenes interesting the whole time. He also can tap into them to find out new things like magic (wizard) or anything at all (detective). Very cool concept that’s just begging to be pushed to its limits.

The plot of the story thus far shows Gray at the clutches of a jungle Spider cult; then he fights a dragon-riding evil-doer not coincidentally named Iago. Both stories were high-flying adventure--the kind you read quickly then immediately reread because it was so cool. Gray also learns more about his dreamstone powers, which are controlled by a dreaming realm very much inspired by Neil Gaiman’s Sandman. The supporting cast has mostly been limited to two characters: Sebastian, Fabian’s rich friend and adventure companion and Fabian’s dead sister who motivates all his actions. Sebastian is witty through sarcasm, which is fun. Hopefully, the dead sister gets reincarnated in something soon.

Frank Barbiere’s writing is pretty good. Very well plotted and fast paced. But the real story teller here seems to be Chris Mooneyham, who panels a scene frighteningly well for a first time published artist. He really breaks down the scene with exceptional timing and shows you all the best details. I like this book a lot and will pick up the new issues. Plus, you can get the trade for crazy cheap on Amazon too. Truly, a spooktacular book.