Ghostlore #1

Ghostlore #1

by Cullen Bunn

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!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror

32 pages, Comic

Published January 1, 2023

About the author

Cullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Jackson. His noir/horror comic (and first collaboration with Brian Hurtt), The Damned, was published in 2007 by Oni Press. The follow-up, The Damned: Prodigal Sons, was released in 2008. In addition to The Sixth Gun, his current projects include Crooked Hills, a middle reader horror prose series from Evileye Books; The Tooth, an original graphic novel from Oni Press; and various work for Marvel and DC. Somewhere along the way, Cullen founded Undaunted Press and edited the critically acclaimed small press horror magazine, Whispers from the Shattered Forum.

All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.

And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.

Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's an excellent indie ARPG called Ghostlore, which you really should give a try, it's a lot of fun.

This book is unrelated to the game, it's just another of the thousands of books Cullen Bunn is currently writing, and wouldn't you know it, it's a horror title.

It's hard to say much about it, Bunn tends to either start bad or quickly collapse in later issues. This isn't a bad start, so I'm giving Bunn the benefit of the doubt.

I like how some of the ghosts are portrayed, although I can't stop seeing the preacher dad as Chris Pine.

[Emilie Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do not read comics often, but I am trying to get more into them. I love how you get written and visual art, making a different reading experience.
However, when I do read comics, I like to have a different experience- something that translates beautifully through the combination of writing and visuals, and unfortunately, that was not the experience I had reading this.

The concept of the comic was that the main characters were able to see and speak with ghosts; that's about it. While this is only the first installment in a series and is not supposed to be a finished storyline, it did not leave me curious about what happens next. I found the plot boring and the kind of ghost-infused story you have read a million times before, and it did little to stand out from the rest of its kind.

However, I did appreciate the visual changes when the comic jumped in time, especially color-wise; I think that worked well and was a smart choice.
Other than that, it did not stand out to me and ultimately left me unimpressed.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reading copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Curious Madra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this graphic novel.

Even though it’s colourful but there was just underwhelming stuff going on regarding blood, monsters and killings. Like it was such a bore to me unfortunately, probably because it’s similar to other horror material I’ve seen before….

[Elizabeth (Miss Eliza) · Rating 1 out of 5]

A self harming teen and her pastor dad survive a crash while losing the rest of the family and have to listen to ghost confessions? Um, okay? Hate Leomacs art style and the vibe was very Midnight Mass without being anywhere near as good. Will probably keep reading if I can get it from the library but this wouldn’t be a buy for me.

[Nes🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not 100% sure if I’ll continue this series or not as the first issue didn’t really capture me fully. I will say that one scene in particular was awesome and I loved the illustrations and gore so just from that alone I’ll give it a shot.

[Dr. Monidipa Dutta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The views are my own. Thanks to Net galley.

As I finished this book, I couldn't stop thinking about the beautifully eerie atmosphere it created. Lucas and Harmony's journey through a haunted land felt deeply personal and hauntingly universal at the same time. The way their strained relationship unfolded amidst the chaos of restless spirits added a layer of raw emotion that stuck with me long after I closed the book.

What truly impressed me were the spirits themselves—each one distinct, with stories that ranged from heartbreaking to downright terrifying. The tension never let up, especially when the nearly-deads with darker intentions entered the mix. It was a chilling reminder that the living can be just as dangerous as the dead.

The art perfectly captured the story’s tone, blending haunting imagery with moments of quiet beauty. The dynamic between Lucas and Harmony, paired with the larger mystery of their abilities, has left me eager to see where their journey leads next. Looking forward to read the remaining parts!

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm gonna read this summer (among other things) ghost stories in preparation for teaching a fall course (yes, make suggestions), and got a taste of this Cullen Bunn (Tales of Harrow Country). So he's a storyteller I like. I don't know his artist on this one, Leomacs, but I like all the ghosts surrounding the car crash. The survivors are a pastor and his estranged daughter, Lucas and Harmony Agate; already traumatized from the crash, they also have the ability to see dead people. Nice. Just want you want.

Bunn says the trigger for the series came with a question: What stories would ghosts tell? That doesn't seem like an original question. Those occupying the liminal space between life and death have reasons for being there, historically, in ghost stories, but ok. Looks like lots of guest artists will draw individual stories. This is worth taking seriously because of Bunn as storyteller.

[The Unknown Scribe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series introduced a cool story idea, with Lucas and Harmony, an estranged father-daughter pair, dealing with their abilities to see the dead, as well as dealing with the loss of two family members. What I really liked in particular was the introduction of the concept of ghosts, their stories, and what they say about the living.
But when I read it, I didn't find it very engaging. I had to look up the characters' names because I couldn't remember them well. I also didn't like that the plot felt a bit scattered after the car crash. This is part of a series, though, so I'll look for other Ghostlore books. Maybe I'll like these books more then I liked the first.

[Hannah Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series worked for me really well. This is such a solid first issue. It took me a couple of pages to get into the art, but the colors and story sucked me in. Beautiful colors. Absolutely gorgeous.

Thanks to BOOM! for an ARC of the collected volume.

[Garth · Rating 4 out of 5]

2023 - 365 Days of Horror

Day 133: I guess part of my year of horror comics will now involve getting to know Cullen Bunn’s work.

[Sera R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice artwork and the story is captivating. But what the heck was that little girl?

[Breanna Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated, but the story wasn't for me

[Riccardo Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to a series, first of 12 and promises so much from the off, can’t wait for the rest

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The artwork is great.  I was confused by the story; I'm not sure I understand the intentions of the ghosts.