“Five Ghosts” #14 is a fantastically paced piece of pulp that introduces new characters, puts old favorites through hell, and pushes us somewhere I never thought we’d go. It’s the perfect example of how well Frank J Barbiere and Chris Mooneyham work together, their collaboration is poetic, and the results are thrilling.
WRITTEN BY: Frank J Barbiere
ART BY: Chris Mooneyham
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: Dec 3, 2014
It often feels like far too long of a wait between issues of “Five Ghosts.” This is thanks to the issues reading like silk. The pacing is always on point, and Barbiere’s scripting methods remind me a lot of Rick Remender. There is only the pure cream of the storytelling here, and just when you think you know where you’re going, Frank takes the issue off the side of a metaphorical cliff, forcing you to rethink everything.
This month we’re introduced to Van Helsing, he’s perfectly at home in this world, and beside Fabian he is incredible. The two make fantastic allies. There is a particular scene in the middle of this issue that shows the two heroes back to back. It’s thrilling, but a little foreboding. Van Helsing is a hunter, he’s no-nonsense, and you can already tell he won’t stand for Fabian’s shit.
So after his awesome display of skill and power the fight ends with a nice twist. Fabian is “turned” by a vampire. Now, I’m only guessing here, but it seems Fabian is about to have his ass handed to him as he submits to the power of the vampire. He might easily become the villain of this arc, if we shift focus to Van Helsing.
Right now, I hope that’s the case. Since the mysterious masked villain from last issue rears he’s awesomely cool head once more. Except he’s spitting on the nose dialogue and feels like a mustache twirling moron who’s just tied Fabian to the train tracks. I know “Five Ghosts” is capable of more, and right now this masked guy isn’t doing it for me. The horror of the story should be two-fold we’ve got the genuine loss of control, but where is the thing that inspires terror?
Chris Mooneyham… I’ve yet to find the right hyperbole to explain how incredible his work on this series really is. Every single time I think he’s outdone himself he does it again. This issue has a phenomenal two page spread that shows scope and action all in one. While his fight scenes are awe-inspiring. I could watch Fabian and Van Helsing fight the undead all day.
“Five Ghosts” constantly revives the pulp genre in new and fascinating ways each month. It reads like the work of creators with decades of experience, but establishes itself as uniquely contemporary. It’s a joy to read each month, and while this issue is a little light on the horror, and little heavy on the action, it’s still a damn good comic. Seriously, you won’t find better value for your $3.50.