Comics
Review: “Five Ghosts” # 12
“Five Ghosts” #12 provides an incredible finale to the stupendous Lost Coastlines arc. Fabian is tested in every measure and Frank J Barbiere reminds us of the hero’s ultimate quest with a fantastic turn that’s bound to bring the series in a new direction.
This is pure comics perfection.
WRITTEN BY: Frank J Barbiere
ART BY: Chris Mooneyham
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: June 04, 2014
I’m always stunned with how tightly crafted this series feels. Barbiere wastes no time getting into his finale and does so with bloodshed, history, and an immense challenge for his hero. There is a ton happening on these pages but none of it ever feels forced or out of place, rather everything has bled into this moment organically.
Fabian is challenged by his past, and forced to confront his demons. It’s a beautiful way to bring the whole arc full circle and provides one hell of a battle for Chris Mooneyham to sink his teeth into. Everything moves quickly but the focus is purely on Fabian. His ghosts take a seat out to watch the fight and Mooneyham quickly takes hold. Fabian is raw and determined in this confrontation, but it doesn’t prove enough.
The result is a huge finish to a conflict that’s been bubbling for a long time. The script pushes Fabian to the edge, and forces him into a corner. Luckily he lashes out wildly and the resulting pages are a flurry of awesome death. Amongst all the magic and wonder the book still finds time to inject horror into Fabian’s world. The power he must draw from is dark and draining, and only time will tell how this will permanently affect the hero.
For now it seems for the better. The ultimate choice made within these closing pages comes to define a new era for the book with a glimmer of hope. I’m still not convinced Fabian’s a good dude, but he’s making efforts to become something better. The ultimate question is whether or not he’s capable of it. Something I hope to see more of in the forthcoming arc.
The team on “Five Ghosts” have created a beautiful and polished love letter to pulp storytelling that can stand among giants. It’s terribly entertaining. The magical color work of Lauren Affe will take you to another world and dare you to leave. The visceral art of Chris Mooneyham will sink it’s claws into you and defy everything you know about paneling. While Frank J Barbiere’s script will push you through 24 pages faster than previously thought possible.
Lost Coastlines was decidedly different than what came before, and the risk paid off. “Five Ghosts” is still an insanely good time with relentlessly paced storytelling that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I’m sad to see it go for a couple months, but already can’t wait for it to return.
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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