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67 reviews for:
Five Ghosts, Volume One: The Haunting of Fabian Gray
Christopher Mooneyham, Frank J. Barbiere
3.19 AVERAGE
67 reviews for:
Five Ghosts, Volume One: The Haunting of Fabian Gray
Christopher Mooneyham, Frank J. Barbiere
3.19 AVERAGE
Recommended by my local comic book shop. Beautiful, retro looking art and a great start to a promising story. Fabian is blessed and cursed with the 5 ghosts of a wizard, a samurai, Sherlock Holmes, Dracula and Robin Hood. He calls on them for their powers which stem from a magical stone that is embedded in his skin. The odd mix of ghosts makes for a literary mash-up and epic battle scenes. Looking forward to more.
Enjoyed it, it was a little predictable but excited to see where it goes!
I'd give this book 3.5 stars - it really reminded me of a combination of Indiana Jones and the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. The concept isn't terribly original, but putting a spin on it by adding possession into the mix was rather interesting. I plan on reading on and I'd recommend this if you don't mind reading a bit of an overdone concept with a more paranormal spin on it.
This is a good premise for the comic medium: Fabian Gray is an Indiana Jones type who suffers a misadventure and ends up possessed by five literary ghosts, including Sherlock Holmes and Dracula. He can use their abilities as his own when he calls on them, but it comes at a price. It has a very pulp feel to it, with plenty of action.
The adventures he gets into are engrossing (though I really could have done without all the giant spiders in the one plot) and the way he can use the abilities is not always obvious, which is nice. Fabian's background is told a bit at a time, which is a great way to keep a reader coming back for more. And there's a chase going on throughout, but you don't get a clue as to who is doing the chasing until the end of this first volume. The artwork is more abstract than realism, which fits the premise and plot well. I like the way the ghosts are represented, with a pale, smoky look yet still recognizable for the characters they are.
This is a good read for anyone into pulp adventures with a healthy dose of the paranormal.
The adventures he gets into are engrossing (though I really could have done without all the giant spiders in the one plot) and the way he can use the abilities is not always obvious, which is nice. Fabian's background is told a bit at a time, which is a great way to keep a reader coming back for more. And there's a chase going on throughout, but you don't get a clue as to who is doing the chasing until the end of this first volume. The artwork is more abstract than realism, which fits the premise and plot well. I like the way the ghosts are represented, with a pale, smoky look yet still recognizable for the characters they are.
This is a good read for anyone into pulp adventures with a healthy dose of the paranormal.
Well... I read the whole thing and I can't tell you which five literary ghosts this dude possesses. Sherlock Holmes....robin hood... uhhhh maybe dracula? Some asian dude and a wizard...hm. It's rare I'd ever say a comic needed more text, but this one did. There would be one speak bubble for every 2 or 3 pages. I could guess but I couldn't follow it. That and the lack of thought bubbles didn't make me care for the main character. Neat idea, but it wasn't executed well at all.
I received a free copy through NetGalley. "Five Ghosts" is a new comic from Image starring Fabian Gray, an adventurer with a "unique" gift. He has the power to call upon five literary ghosts who grant him their abilities to help him out of whatever sticky situation he finds himself in. Of course, most every great power comes with a price and Fabian's is no exception.
Right from the start, it's clear where "Five Ghosts" finds its inspiration. The characters and action all hearken back to the golden age of pulp adventure stories like Doc Savage, with a little Indiana Jones thrown in for good measure (who, himself, is an homage to pulp adventurers). The literary ghosts add a unique dimension to the story that separates it from many other would be neo-pulp comics. Chris Mooneyham's art is also fantastic and spot on for this type of story.
Overall, the first couple issues lay quite an exciting framework to what could be a very fascinating and fun ride. There's a good mix of action and mystery to the story that keeps things interesting and also paced well. It will be interesting to see what adventures are in store for Fabian in the future.
Right from the start, it's clear where "Five Ghosts" finds its inspiration. The characters and action all hearken back to the golden age of pulp adventure stories like Doc Savage, with a little Indiana Jones thrown in for good measure (who, himself, is an homage to pulp adventurers). The literary ghosts add a unique dimension to the story that separates it from many other would be neo-pulp comics. Chris Mooneyham's art is also fantastic and spot on for this type of story.
Overall, the first couple issues lay quite an exciting framework to what could be a very fascinating and fun ride. There's a good mix of action and mystery to the story that keeps things interesting and also paced well. It will be interesting to see what adventures are in store for Fabian in the future.
I liked this one. Started off as a sort of mix between doc savage and league of distinguished gentlemen but it's good in its own right. Lots of good 20th century nostalgia
A tragic turn of events resulted in a Dreamstone embedding itself in adventurer Fabian Gray's chest. On the plus side, he now can call upon the abilities of the five literary ghosts trapped within the Dreamstone to aid him in his treasure hunting. The comic is written and drawn in a retro pulp fiction style and when Fabian Gray is first introduced, we immediately get to see his ghosts in action, conveniently aiding him in his daring feats. My first real introduction to pulp fiction was [b:A Princess of Mars|40395|A Princess of Mars (Barsoom, #1)|Edgar Rice Burroughs|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1332272118s/40395.jpg|1129624], where readers are frequently reminded of how awesome the manly main character is. I feared I'd be subjected to the same with Fabian Gray, but after the dashing introduction, we discover Gray might not be so awesome and that his exceptional powers come with a heavy price. Gray's connection to the Dreamstone means that others know of him and are now hunting him, including the Nazis.
The art took some time to grow on me. I liked the pulp style, though the art itself wasn't as clean as it could have been. Eventually, both story and art settled in to a comfortable groove. I appreciate the depth Barbiere attempts to give to the character, though the lessons Gray learns during his trials do take a bit of a leap. Still, with everything now established in the first volume, I think the story has a lot of potential to go places, with lots of opportunity for exciting adventures. Hopefully we'll learn why these particular ghosts have manifested for Gray and what his personal connection is to them.
With thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
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The BiblioSanctum
The art took some time to grow on me. I liked the pulp style, though the art itself wasn't as clean as it could have been. Eventually, both story and art settled in to a comfortable groove. I appreciate the depth Barbiere attempts to give to the character, though the lessons Gray learns during his trials do take a bit of a leap. Still, with everything now established in the first volume, I think the story has a lot of potential to go places, with lots of opportunity for exciting adventures. Hopefully we'll learn why these particular ghosts have manifested for Gray and what his personal connection is to them.
With thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
See more reviews at
The BiblioSanctum
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes