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danielleragsdale02's review
3.0
Thank you @OniPress for sending me this novel. My overall impression of the graphic novel was that it is okay. I really enjoyed the art style they had used, but I feel that the story could have use more polishing and development. Additionally, I think that the novel had great and unique ideas but the execution was lacking. For example, the novel is missing a lot of character development so I was not invested in any of the characters or what happened in the plot. I think that if the novel was condensed, I may have been more likely to finish the novel. However, I think that this is the perfect book if you are looking for a lighthearted and fun paranormal read for the summer. Although I did not finish the novel and loss interest as the story progressed, I am not opposed to trying another work by the author.
legs_mcgee's review
4.0
*I received an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Ghost Dudes: for the dudes’ dude who likes ghosts!
The premise sounded so interesting to me even though I tend to stay far away from comics (in particular) that have almost exclusively-male leading casts. I’m glad I gave it a try — “dudes” and “bros” is dropped constantly by the central characters, emphasizing a light-hearted tone. The women characters weren’t the most central, but I do appreciate that none were fridged nor there for sexual/romantic relationships with the other characters.
Ghost Dudes is a fun read: the art reminds me of old-school Simpsons with the paranormal atmosphere of The Secret Knots. I found myself with a particular appreciation for the lettering and speech bubble work throughout— by utilizing BLEEP throughout, Ghost Dudes plays with reality TV in comic form. The first couple of pages with a ton of bleeps didn’t register, but the longer they went on, the funnier I found it.
I found the horror-humor blend to be fairly balanced throughout - the materialization of ghosts (particularly in the first section) is really fantastic and finds that perfect middle ground between “AHH!” and “oh cool.” I think some of the violence would be a intense for a younger-YA reader on their own, but I can see a teen absolutely devouring this comic in one session (even if they’re not a dudes’ dude!)
Ghost Dudes: for the dudes’ dude who likes ghosts!
The premise sounded so interesting to me even though I tend to stay far away from comics (in particular) that have almost exclusively-male leading casts. I’m glad I gave it a try — “dudes” and “bros” is dropped constantly by the central characters, emphasizing a light-hearted tone. The women characters weren’t the most central, but I do appreciate that none were fridged nor there for sexual/romantic relationships with the other characters.
Ghost Dudes is a fun read: the art reminds me of old-school Simpsons with the paranormal atmosphere of The Secret Knots. I found myself with a particular appreciation for the lettering and speech bubble work throughout— by utilizing BLEEP throughout, Ghost Dudes plays with reality TV in comic form. The first couple of pages with a ton of bleeps didn’t register, but the longer they went on, the funnier I found it.
I found the horror-humor blend to be fairly balanced throughout - the materialization of ghosts (particularly in the first section) is really fantastic and finds that perfect middle ground between “AHH!” and “oh cool.” I think some of the violence would be a intense for a younger-YA reader on their own, but I can see a teen absolutely devouring this comic in one session (even if they’re not a dudes’ dude!)
crowcaller's review
4.0
I received this book in exchange for a free review from Netgalley.
I always really struggle to write graphic novel reviews, which is why despite reading quite a few of them, this blog doesn’t have many reviews of them- somehow adding art changes my ability to critically think? Anyway, I keep reading and requesting them on Netgalley, which is how we end up here.
Dead Dudes is an entertaining little graphic novel about a team of paranormal investigators for a lame ghost hunting show who are brutally murdered by… ghosts. And wind up ghosts themselves.
You might see this catagorized as ‘horror’ just because death and ghosts are involved, but it’s very much a comedy with a bit of blood and gore. The thin-pencil, expressive artstyle (that I grew to adore!) is ill suited to anything about this book being scary, and helps boost up the slightly flat humor. While I still was entertained by Dead Dudes, the plot is quite muddled by the end (despite the simple premise), and it’s actually easy to get lost in who’s where, who wants what, and who people are. It’s disappointing that such a simple concept as ‘dead ghost hunters must stop evil ghosts from killing living ghost hunters’ could end up kind of muddled.
The book focuses on a trio of ‘friends’ who are fairly unpleasant people. Well, two of them are. Much of the levity thus ends up being how dickish the main dudes are to each other and in general, which gets old fairly fast. That and the fact they are super ‘bros’ who constantly talk like bros, dude, and swear nonstop.
The main appeal to me was the focus on paranormal investigators and ghost hunting, since childhood I was always really, really, really into those shows and loved the homages and references to that whole phenomenon. Of course the main characters’ brutal deaths would fuel a ‘new generation’ reboot of their dying show! Obviously another cheap, weird sci-fi ghost hunting show would do a tasteless investigation a year after their death!
Dead Dudes is a fun, not particularly long graphic novel that’s great for fans of the ghost hunting era. The art is springy, unique, and fun (seriously, I really came to enjoy it), but the plot was a bit of a let down, and the characters aren’t all that endearing. I still had a lot of fun reading it, but I’m not sure it’s the sort of book I’d want to reread.
I always really struggle to write graphic novel reviews, which is why despite reading quite a few of them, this blog doesn’t have many reviews of them- somehow adding art changes my ability to critically think? Anyway, I keep reading and requesting them on Netgalley, which is how we end up here.
Dead Dudes is an entertaining little graphic novel about a team of paranormal investigators for a lame ghost hunting show who are brutally murdered by… ghosts. And wind up ghosts themselves.
You might see this catagorized as ‘horror’ just because death and ghosts are involved, but it’s very much a comedy with a bit of blood and gore. The thin-pencil, expressive artstyle (that I grew to adore!) is ill suited to anything about this book being scary, and helps boost up the slightly flat humor. While I still was entertained by Dead Dudes, the plot is quite muddled by the end (despite the simple premise), and it’s actually easy to get lost in who’s where, who wants what, and who people are. It’s disappointing that such a simple concept as ‘dead ghost hunters must stop evil ghosts from killing living ghost hunters’ could end up kind of muddled.
The book focuses on a trio of ‘friends’ who are fairly unpleasant people. Well, two of them are. Much of the levity thus ends up being how dickish the main dudes are to each other and in general, which gets old fairly fast. That and the fact they are super ‘bros’ who constantly talk like bros, dude, and swear nonstop.
The main appeal to me was the focus on paranormal investigators and ghost hunting, since childhood I was always really, really, really into those shows and loved the homages and references to that whole phenomenon. Of course the main characters’ brutal deaths would fuel a ‘new generation’ reboot of their dying show! Obviously another cheap, weird sci-fi ghost hunting show would do a tasteless investigation a year after their death!
Dead Dudes is a fun, not particularly long graphic novel that’s great for fans of the ghost hunting era. The art is springy, unique, and fun (seriously, I really came to enjoy it), but the plot was a bit of a let down, and the characters aren’t all that endearing. I still had a lot of fun reading it, but I’m not sure it’s the sort of book I’d want to reread.
giralka's review
5.0
Love that I'm reading this while in the mood for something spooky and I was just watching Buzzfeed Unsolved Supernatural the other day. This was fun to read, I'd love to see more of the Ghost Bros, I know ghost hunting shows are typically the same most of the time but it'd be cool to see it in the form of a graphic novel too.
ceilidhwilliams's review
3.0
3.5 stars
An interesting tale, wish we could have seen more of the different stages of being a ghost and nurse frenzy's story. The ending was kind of naff. My main issue, however, is the drawing style, the characters lack much distinction between one another so it's hard to tell who is who made worse by the fact that when we are first introduced to the Parawarriors, the blond guy is Todd and the bald bearded guy is Jones, but later in the story, they switch places.
An interesting tale, wish we could have seen more of the different stages of being a ghost and nurse frenzy's story. The ending was kind of naff. My main issue, however, is the drawing style, the characters lack much distinction between one another so it's hard to tell who is who made worse by the fact that when we are first introduced to the Parawarriors, the blond guy is Todd and the bald bearded guy is Jones, but later in the story, they switch places.
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