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A review by wyrmdog
Ghost Omnibus Volume 1 by Eric Luke
3.0
So I'm very torn on this book (and this review applies to all of the Omnibuses, 1-5). I remember picking up the very first issues of this back in the early 90s and this was the one character book that really jumped out at me, and not just for the obvious aesthetic reasons. She was the most compelling and felt the most original, particularly when placed alongside those released around her: Barb Wire and X.
The book itself has a laudable goal (or so it seems without actually knowing Luke's intentions): to open the eyes of its readers to the treatment of women in the real world as well as on the page, tackling their objectification, the violence perpetrated against them, the way men don't see it and often end up contributing to it without realizing that they are. All while also being a superhero book.
For many readers, though, these stories could be betrayed by the fact that the main character is herself objectified by the writer and artist, though I got the distinct impression that was on purpose, as part of the message. And it worked. You could look past the message if you wanted and just enjoy the stories if you wanted, but there were broader, deeper messages there if you decided to pay attention (arguably some couldn't be missed). It could be a bit preachy, ham-fisted, and at times it seemed to betray its own message. I don't think that detracts from what I see as the ambitious goal of the series, however.
Most of it is very much early to mid 90s art, and it's not quite up to modern standards (to the point where a lot of what is intended to be sexy is laughably stupid-looking or just plain uncomfortable), but for a young comic company branching out into superheroes, it was a good start, even if upstaged by Image at the time.
Ghost is adventurous and fun, but seems like it remains a love-or-hate proposition for most readers. There is no guarantee how you'll react either as a feminist or an MRA or anything in between. But make no mistake, this book is trying to be more than just a superhero book laced with no small amounts of T&A: it's trying to say something important. Whether it succeeds probably depends largely on the reader.
The book itself has a laudable goal (or so it seems without actually knowing Luke's intentions): to open the eyes of its readers to the treatment of women in the real world as well as on the page, tackling their objectification, the violence perpetrated against them, the way men don't see it and often end up contributing to it without realizing that they are. All while also being a superhero book.
For many readers, though, these stories could be betrayed by the fact that the main character is herself objectified by the writer and artist, though I got the distinct impression that was on purpose, as part of the message. And it worked. You could look past the message if you wanted and just enjoy the stories if you wanted, but there were broader, deeper messages there if you decided to pay attention (arguably some couldn't be missed). It could be a bit preachy, ham-fisted, and at times it seemed to betray its own message. I don't think that detracts from what I see as the ambitious goal of the series, however.
Most of it is very much early to mid 90s art, and it's not quite up to modern standards (to the point where a lot of what is intended to be sexy is laughably stupid-looking or just plain uncomfortable), but for a young comic company branching out into superheroes, it was a good start, even if upstaged by Image at the time.
Ghost is adventurous and fun, but seems like it remains a love-or-hate proposition for most readers. There is no guarantee how you'll react either as a feminist or an MRA or anything in between. But make no mistake, this book is trying to be more than just a superhero book laced with no small amounts of T&A: it's trying to say something important. Whether it succeeds probably depends largely on the reader.