Series: Ghosted
Published by Image Comics on December 19, 2013
Genres: Crime Fiction, Horror
Pages: 144
Format: Paperback
Criminal mastermind Jackson T. Winters is in jail after his last heist proved unsuccessful…and deadly. During a violent jailbreak, he wakes up in the home of Markus Schrecken, an extremely wealthy man with the most unusual collection. Schrecken promises Winters a life of freedom on a remote island if he will bring him one item to add to his collection: a ghost from the infamous Trask mansion. The Trask mansion was the site of numerous killings; the family would bring in the homeless for dinner and spend the evening hunting them on the mansion’s expansive grounds. Schrecken was once a resident of this mansion and, learning it will be demolished, is hoping to obtain one of its many ghosts as a souvenir.
Winters has experience in this sort of thing and agrees to take the job. He pulls together a motley crew to help him in this endeavor, including a con man turned stage magician, a myth buster/skeptic, two ghost-hunting TV personalities and, at Schrecken’s urging, a medium. Winters has a few rules regarding this heist: they enter the mansion only in daylight and, above all else, he is not to be photographed or recorded on film.
As the enter the mansion, the sheer horror contained within its walls are quickly revealed. Finding a ghost won’t be the issue, but transporting it from within the mansion walls will. Winters soon realizes they must use the most dangerous of methods to successfully complete this heist.
Labeled as “Ocean 11 meets The Shining,” this first trade volume of this crime fiction/horror series combines the very best of both genres into one incredibly addictive and chilling volume. The artwork is brilliant, with full-two page spreads that are captivating:
Williamson only shares the bare minimum about each of his characters, adding another level of intrigue and mystery to the story. He reveals just enough of their backstory to suit the current storyline; I can’t wait to watch the characters as they develop further.
Released in individual issues, I found myself waiting until the trade volume was released before I started this series. Reading the issues individually, I found, had me begging for more, barely providing me enough flow and continuity to keep my attention. That said, once I began reading the volumes (this first volume is a collection of issues 1-5), I found my attention instantly held captive by the truly chilling story.
This is a must read for fans of ghost stories and the supernatural. It reminded me a great deal about the Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson and Hell House by Richard Matheson. I’m thrilled to see this series continues long beyond this first heist (currently at 20 issues!), I’m anxiously awaiting what unbelievable heist Jackson becomes involved in next! Highly, highly recommended.
