If you follow Mark Crilley on Youtube (which is possible considering he has over a million subscribers) then please help me petition him to finish this series tomorrow… yes tomorrow. I was left with so much anxiety from this issue that I’m very impatient for the next volume… but this was an awesome addition to the already thrilling story of the Penny Murderer.
There’s going to be minor spoilers from the last issue and this issue, but honestly if you’re trying to read this review and haven’t read the first three books I’d have to wonder why? Seriously, go buy the books they’re affordable in print and digital so no excuses!
In the last issue Brody learned two major things. The first being that his ex-girlfriend is going to be the next victim of the Penny Murderer and that Talia, the ghost that set him on the path of finding the killer has been lying to him about her intentions on the case. Brody sits at an outdoor café by himself waiting for Talia to show herself. When she does he growls at her to follow him; he heads into the men’s bathroom and after checking that its clear lays into Talia. He tells her that he’s given up his life for this case and that she’s been lying to him about the circumstances of her involvement. She admits that she lied, but then also gives him a scare as she warns him that only pissed off angry ghosts stick around after death. She breaks the mirror and lights in the bathroom and leaves Brody to think for a bit.
After the incident, Brody continues his training still committed to the case and to prevent his ex’s death. His master informs him that he’ll be able to sense his ex-girlfriends death as it grows near because her voice will become quieter and quieter to him. Brody also continues his surveillance of her, including sitting outside her new boyfriend’s house while they eat diner. Talia makes her first appearance since their blow out and explains the true nature of her death.
The story is great as usual for this series and literally my only gripe with the book is being forced to wait for the next installment, which is a ridiculous gripe to begin with. The pacing of the story is spot on as there are plenty of character moments and action to fill the pages. It’s clear that with each chapter we grow closer to the end, but also that as the story continues there are more and more reveals. Brody is an interesting character, he’s too close to the case and it’s messing up his judgment and decision making. You feel for him, but hate that he’s being stupid at the same time. It makes him a fleshed out character instead of one-dimensional which he easily could have been.
Crilley’s art is fantastic and honestly this book isn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Even still the art continues to play a huge role in the story telling with the dynamic facial expressions. The entire mood of a scene can be captured on a characters confused face. There’s not exactly anything new that I can say about Crilley’s art after three reviews of this series. He’s an impressive artist and storyteller and that’s rare to have both in the world of comics. I sincerely hope that we’ll see more stories out of him after Brody’s Ghost concludes.
If you haven’t checked out this series then you really need to. It has some great story elements such as a murder mystery, futuristic cities, anime infused art, action and ghosts. Sure it sounds like a lot of conflicting elements, but they’re not… they’re perfectly balanced and create one of the most interesting mysteries that will be remembered in the world of comics for years to come after it’s conclusion.
Score: 5/5
Writer/Artist/Creator: Mark Crilley
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Price: $6.99
Release Date: 4/10/13