Comics
Review: ‘Ghost’ #1
The numbering of Ghost #1, by writer Kelly Sue DeConnick and artist Phil Noto, is more than a little misleading. The issue picks up where “Ghost” #0 left off, so if you haven’t read that issue, you might find yourself at a bit of a loss jumping head first into this not-quite #1. The pickle that the title’s three main characters find themselves in is established in #0, when disgraced journalist Vaughn Barnes and his less than savvy partner Tommy Byers awaken the eponymous apparition. This issue of “Ghost” isn’t terrifically action packed but it does let us into the mind of the as yet unidentified Ghost and introduces a villain of Biblical proportions.
WRITTEN BY: Kelly Sue DeConnick
ART BY: Phil Noto
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE October 24, 2012
The very first page, DeConnick and Noto are at their finest. The book opens with Ghost relating the story of Athena’s birth. Ghost can’t remember her own name or family, but she remembers with vivid detail the origin of the goddess of wisdom, who sprung forth from the cleaved head of her father, Zeus. In a jaw-dropping full page splash, Ghost dons her own ephemeral armor, flowing white drapery fit for a Grecian legend.
The story takes a turn towards exposition as we join Ghost, Vaughn and Tommy a diner where they plan their next move. The trio is left with more questions than answers as they deduce that Ghost isn’t the spirit they intended to call – Resurrection Mary – and they still have no clue as to her real identity or her origins. Their meal is interrupted when Ghost hulks out – a reaction to mysterious blonde woman torturing Alex, the man who sold Tommy the magical ghost summoning box that started it all.
DeConnick has proven herself time and again to be a masterful storyteller, capable of crafting believable heroines full of nuance and spunk. Ghost’s buddies Tommy and Vaughn are somewhat less fully realized than the ghost with no name. They’re yanked into Ghost’s gravitational pull, just as we are, and so far it feels like they’re simply on for the ride. Hopefully, we’ll get to see their personalities flesh out in coming issues.
Noto’s art is as consistent as it is lovely and there’s something delightfully retro in his style that works with Ghost’s angular features and flowing lines. Noto’s work is virtually unassailable and it almost feels like unfair nitpicking to point out that all of his men have the same exact jawline.
Overall, “Ghost” #1 is a pleasure to read, with gorgeous visuals and a story that’s bound to leave you yearning for more. It’s a promising start for DeConnick and Noto and it’s definitely worthy of being added to the monthly pull list.
4/5 Skulls
Written by MelissaGrey
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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