Comics
Review: ‘Ghosted’ #3
Anchored by great artistic vision from Goran Sudzuka, Joshua Williamson’s dark and mysterious “Ghosted” #3 is a refreshing read, and easily the most interesting installment of the series so far. Sold as a crime-horror title, the book, in actuality, dabbles in multiple genres, mixing crime with heist and supernatural-horror. All are presented with a knowing ominousness that, by the issue’s end, will have you eagerly anticipating what’s to come.
WRITTEN BY: Joshua Williamson
ART BY: Goran Sudzuka
PUBLISHER: Image Comics / Skybound Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: September 11th, 2013
It was announced last month that “Ghosted” has moved from mini-series to on-going, leading to the assumption that the narrative will most likely progress at a slow and casual pace. But this installment is unexpectedly generous in terms of plot development and Trask Mansion spirit/character interactions; deadly or otherwise. Regarding character development, readers have a basic understanding of who each individual character is, and their roles within the team, but Williamson has yet to delve deep into anyone’s pasts or personalities just yet. He makes a point to explore Jackson Winters’ last botched job a bit more, revealing that something sinister was probably at play.
In “Ghosted” #3, the story begins with the final panel, where Jackson is caught in an extremely dangerous situation at the Trask Mansion, then takes readers back through the events leading up to his predicament. Starting where the second issue leaves off, Jackson and his team of paranormal experts continue planning for the ghost heist at the mansion, but they’re missing an important item that Edzia Rusnak needs in order to detect ghosts and spirits. Unfortunately, this item — a mask which belonged to a voodoo priest — is one of Markus Schrecken’s collected supernatural artifacts. After acquiring the mask under deceitful circumstances, Jackson and his team head back to the haunted mansion where Williamson introduces two new characters.
Goran Sudzuka continues to dish out impressive illustrations of the characters and their surroundings — namely the architectural aspects of the Trask Mansion — which are brought to life through Miroslav Mrva’s dusky colour palette. He doesn’t make any inspired choices when it comes to panel layouts, but there’s a particular page which stands out amongst the rest, for his panel work, overall design, and horrific imagery of death and murder. The sheer terror Sudzuka depicts on Jackson’s face is perfect, and his style when it comes to rendering shadows is excessive and distinguished. His take on particular ghosts and spirits is still something I haven’t taken to, yet. Hopefully that changes in the future.
There’s some great character dynamics and interaction between Edzia Rusnak, Oliver King, and Anderson Lake in this installment. Rusnak’s eccentric medium nature, next to King’s stubborn skepticism, and Lake’s no bullshit attitude, makes for some funny and engaging dialogue and scenes. Hopefully Williamson provides these members with more characterization and backstory soon, because I’m sold on them.
He and Sudzuka have a knack for ending each issue on an extremely high note and “Ghosted” #3 is no different. The last 7 pages steal the show with an increased focus on horror, something that’s been in the undertone of the series until now. Williamson sets up a crazy cliffhanger ending that will, again, solidify most readers’ interest.
4/5 Skulls
Reviewed by – ShadowJayd
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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