I believe I have said this before, but if I have not, let me be very clear. I do not believe in ghosts, at all. I’ve visited supposedly haunted locations, watched videos of supposed poltergeist, and spoken to more than a few people who claim to have witnessed the paranormal, and at the end of the day I have yet to see an single thing to convince me.
And honestly, why would anyone want to believe in ghosts in the first place? I mean, I understand believing in an afterlife, but believing that you’ll spend eternity after your death stuck in a single location, usually repeating the same actions over and over, harming or haunting the living; is that really anyone’s idea of a preferred eternity?
But even though there is absolutely zero scientific evidence that I’ve seen to the contrary, we still keep trying to reach out to the other side. It’s certainly not a new phenomena; humans have been doing this since the dawn of recorded history, and no doubt well before that, but the methods keep changing, with audio recording devices and electronic cameras, and any other manner of pseudo-scientific nonsense.
One constant though, is the role of the medium, a person who supposedly can open their mind to the other side, and see and hear people who have passed on. Usually these mediums present themselves as conduits to the other side, allowing those who have unfinished business to pass on last messages to their loved ones still among the living.
Now, no doubt the vast majority of these people are little more than flimflam artists at best, and outright con men looking to cash in on the bereaved at worst, but no matter how much we debunk and disprove them, there are always those who will seek these people out and put their trust in their words.
Now, I bring all of this up because today’s book, Ghostlore by horror writer extraordinary Cullen Bunn, deals with just this person. Not a scam artist or con man though, a person who genuinely can see and hear people on the other side, people who have been through nightmarish, otherworldly trauma and have terrifying tales to tell. The people at the center of this story don’t want these powers, or this burden, but fate has selected them for this role, and so they have no choice but to listen.
So let’s dive into Ghostlore #1 from BOOM! Studios, and see what happens when the dead actually start talking, and have terrifying tales of horror to share!
Here’s the blurb: We’ve all heard of ghost stories… but what stories do the ghosts themselves tell us? An estranged daughter and her pastor father wander a haunted land; they only have the restless spirits, each with its own story to tell, as company along the way. After a deadly accident of which they were the only survivors, Lucas and Harmony Agate can see the dead–an overwhelming amount of the deceased, all with their own warnings, cries for help, and malevolence alike. But Lucas and Harmony aren’t the only ones with this ability; there are other nearly-deads, some of which have malicious motivations… Cullen Bunn of Basilisk and The Empty Man acclaim is joined by superstar artist Leomacs (Basketful of Heads) and guest artist Brian Hurtt (The Sixth Gun)—the first in a haunting lineup of artists featured in each issue–to bring readers the most eye-opening spectral story since The Sixth Sense! This 12-issue series is the newest BOOM! Studios collaboration with Cullen Bunn, with issue #1 featuring a special Spot UV Ghost Variant!
Now, long time readers of mine know that I am a big fan of the work of Cullen Bunn. Even for someone who does not love horror, his mastery of the genre and ability to weave new and interesting patterns out of tried and true thread have even won over my cynical old heart, and Ghostlore is proof of that.
When I read the premise for this one I rolled my eyes a bit because, come on, another story about people who can speak to the dead? I think I made it pretty clear in the intro today why that just wouldn’t appeal to me.
And yet, this story is so good that even a bitter old cynic like me had a good time with it.
This first issue of Ghostlore has a heck of a zig when you think it’s going to zag, and I love that. It starts off with all the tropes, a pastor with a demishing flock, a frustrated wife, a rebellious teen daughter, and a son that has retreated into his own little world and refuses to talk to others.
Heading home from the Wednesday night service, the typical father/ daughter fight breaks out, the daughter swerves to avoid someone in the road, the car crashes, and then she can see the dead.
In the world of horror this is all pretty standard fare, and I had already set myself up for a pretty by the numbers story from that point on, but then, oh boy.
I forgot that I was reading Bunn for just a moment.
You see, when the ghost start talking they tell tales that will pretty much shake you to the bone. I was not ready for that first issue twist, and I loved it. I loved it so much I will not ruin it, but rest assured it is a doozy.
If you like creepy horror, and love a good twist Ghostlore is definitely going to be a book you want to add to your weekly pull.
So call your LCS and ask them to hold you a copy, and let me know later what you thought about it!
Until next week, stay safe!
