Comics
Review: “Five Ghosts” # 7
“Five Ghosts” #7 brings more pulp flavored goodness with the promise of another riveting adventure, a protagonist who never fails to amuse, and a supporting cast that chew the scenery whenever they can. All of which is brought to life by Chris Mooneyham’s incredible pencils.
Frank Barbiere and original artist Chris Mooneyham reunite this month to bring the first chapter of “Lost Coastlines” an adventure that sees Fabian entering the world of swashbuckling pirates and mysterious islands. Another thrilling adventure begins in one of the best series of 2013.
WRITTEN BY: Frank J Barbiere
ART BY: Chris Mooneyham
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: November 27, 2013
The five ghosts that inhabit Fabian Grey come together to make him the ultimate pulp hero. The thought that he may lose said powers at any moment makes him all the more alluring, and the fact that he blindly lusts to toil with the dreamstone yet again makes him a little daft. It’s a recipe for disaster that’s impossible to resist.
As the issue begins we’re treated to Fabian at rest, if you want to call it that. He’s still hard at work, but not like we’re used to seeing. He’s actually sitting down. Sebastian interrupts his work with the delivery of a package, and we’re off on another adventure.
The set up is intriguing enough; yet, Barbiere makes the choice to flesh out some supporting cast for this new adventure. We’re introduced to Jezebel in the grandest of fashions. Barbiere’s script introduces the sultry cat-burgler in quite possibly the best sequence of the issue.
If you forgot the majesty of Chris Mooneyham’s work, then you’ll immediately remember his charm upon Jezebel’s jaunt through Barcelona. It’s an incredibly well paneled sequence of her abilities and intellect. Mooneyham hits full stride with something as subtle as a flashlight falling from a limp hand. Only to show off even further on the next page as he intelligently displays Jezebel’s ability to crack a safe.
He briefly dips his toes into pirate-infested waters inside a run down bar during his introduction of Asif Quintano. Something that I’m sure we’ll see more of as the arc continues.
The issue is light on the action but still moves with near flawless pace. The relevant details of the oncoming adventure are laid out on the table, and the complicated history of Fabian and Jezebel is established. Never trust a cat burglar I say, but we’ll see. Right now she’s all he’s got.
The set up for the next issue and the remainder of the arc offer a tantalizing tease at what’s to come. Fabian’s charm will only get him so far, and his inability to see the inherent danger in pursuing the dreamstone only adds to the intrigue of the character. Is he really that naïve? Does he believe redemption lies in the revival of Silvia?
These are questions only Barberie can answer, and I’m sure he will. In the meantime the promise of a swashbuckling adventure has just begun and I can’t wait to see more.
Rating: 4/5 Skulls.
It should also be noted that Barbiere’s pulp bro Fabain Rangel Jr and Ryan Cody have a fantastic Doc Unknown backup in this issue. Rangel does a fantastic job at quickly introducing his protagonist for the uninitiated. Cody’s art is clean and echoes Bruce Timm’s work on Batman: The Animated Series. The story kicks into high gear almost immediately and serves as the perfect pulp dessert after the main course.
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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