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Five Ghosts #1
Five Ghosts, Volume 1: The Haunting of Fabian Gray
After a tragic encounter with an artifact known as "The Dreamstone," infamous treasure hunter Fabian Gray was possessed by five literary ghosts and has been granted access to their unique abilities.
Collects FIVE GHOSTS: THE HAUNTING OF FABIAN GRAY #1-5.
Collects FIVE GHOSTS: THE HAUNTING OF FABIAN GRAY #1-5.
128 pages, Paperback
First published September 18, 2013
25 people are currently reading
539 people want to read
About the author
Frank J. Barbiere
174 books42 followersFrank J. Barbiere is a #1 Amazon.com best-selling writer from New Jersey.
Frank is a former English teacher with degrees from Rutgers University and the Graduate School for Education.
After breaking into the comics industry with the creator-owned hit Five Ghosts (Image Comics), Frank has since worked for every major publisher in the U.S., as well as having a global presence in France (Glenat Comics), Italy (Cosmo Editoriale), and Spain (Norma) with his creator-owned work. He has written notable runs on Avengers World and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. at Marvel Comics, as well as the creator-owned series Black Market and Broken World (BOOM! Studios), The Revisionist (Aftershock Comics), Violent Love (Image Comics), and The White Suits (Dark Horse Comics).
In 2017, Frank began working as a writer and narrative designer in the video games industry. He has since contributed to the Destiny franchise and was lead writer on Darksiders Genesis and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story. He currently works as a Lead Writer at Skydance Interactive.
Frank is a former English teacher with degrees from Rutgers University and the Graduate School for Education.
After breaking into the comics industry with the creator-owned hit Five Ghosts (Image Comics), Frank has since worked for every major publisher in the U.S., as well as having a global presence in France (Glenat Comics), Italy (Cosmo Editoriale), and Spain (Norma) with his creator-owned work. He has written notable runs on Avengers World and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. at Marvel Comics, as well as the creator-owned series Black Market and Broken World (BOOM! Studios), The Revisionist (Aftershock Comics), Violent Love (Image Comics), and The White Suits (Dark Horse Comics).
In 2017, Frank began working as a writer and narrative designer in the video games industry. He has since contributed to the Destiny franchise and was lead writer on Darksiders Genesis and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story. He currently works as a Lead Writer at Skydance Interactive.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
November 4, 2020
Eh.
It's not bad but it's not great. It's a wacky premise and I thought the story would have been better served if it had been a bit more detailed with his origin and abilities in the first issue. It's a dorky power set, so the more information you have, the more realistic it might seem.
The gist is that this adventurer dude has somehow been given the gifts of these five literary characters. They're never named, but you recognize them.
Power of Sherlock Holmes - ACTIVATE!
And then he has super-deduction or something.
Power of Robin Hood - ACTIVATE!
And now he can shoot arrows like a champ.
The Samauri, Vampire, and Wizard are pretty useful, though.
Anyway. He's on a mission to right a wrong that happened to someone he loves.
I don't know. There are only two more volumes, so now that it's on my radar I'll finish it out and see if it gets better.
Big thank you to my friend for sending this one to me to check out!
It's not bad but it's not great. It's a wacky premise and I thought the story would have been better served if it had been a bit more detailed with his origin and abilities in the first issue. It's a dorky power set, so the more information you have, the more realistic it might seem.
The gist is that this adventurer dude has somehow been given the gifts of these five literary characters. They're never named, but you recognize them.
Power of Sherlock Holmes - ACTIVATE!
And then he has super-deduction or something.
Power of Robin Hood - ACTIVATE!
And now he can shoot arrows like a champ.
The Samauri, Vampire, and Wizard are pretty useful, though.
Anyway. He's on a mission to right a wrong that happened to someone he loves.
I don't know. There are only two more volumes, so now that it's on my radar I'll finish it out and see if it gets better.
Big thank you to my friend for sending this one to me to check out!
July 15, 2014
Be wary of the word “ORIGINAL” on a graphic novel. It’s usually a great misnomer.
Take this volume as an example:
Relics hunter and Indiana Jones wannabe – Yes
Villains – Nazis and Occultists, see above – Yeppers
Angry African natives right out of King Soloman’s Mines – You betcha
Giant spiders courtesy of Harry Potter – Hello!
Witty (or what passes for wit in this thing), nerd sidekick – Yes, again. Go to the head of the class.
Know-it-all Asian rescuer – Batting 1.000
Now, here’s the premise, a guy (his name is Fabian Gray, it’s in the title) has something called dream stones embedded in his chest. There are five. Each stone gives him the power of something he’s read:
Sherlock Holmes: Reasoning (sure, this comes in handy against a mob of 1000 angry natives)
Robin Hood: Bow and Arrow, stealth (he might have used this once, against those dirty Nazis)
Some mage: Ooh magic
Samurai: Great, if you have a sword.
Dracula: Vampire power. (He goes berserker (hey, Wolverine) on people)
So he channels the stones, brings up a power uses it and promptly falls asleep. Rinse and repeat.
The artwork is about as exciting as the story.
Take this volume as an example:
Relics hunter and Indiana Jones wannabe – Yes
Villains – Nazis and Occultists, see above – Yeppers
Angry African natives right out of King Soloman’s Mines – You betcha
Giant spiders courtesy of Harry Potter – Hello!
Witty (or what passes for wit in this thing), nerd sidekick – Yes, again. Go to the head of the class.
Know-it-all Asian rescuer – Batting 1.000
Now, here’s the premise, a guy (his name is Fabian Gray, it’s in the title) has something called dream stones embedded in his chest. There are five. Each stone gives him the power of something he’s read:
Sherlock Holmes: Reasoning (sure, this comes in handy against a mob of 1000 angry natives)
Robin Hood: Bow and Arrow, stealth (he might have used this once, against those dirty Nazis)
Some mage: Ooh magic
Samurai: Great, if you have a sword.
Dracula: Vampire power. (He goes berserker (hey, Wolverine) on people)
So he channels the stones, brings up a power uses it and promptly falls asleep. Rinse and repeat.
The artwork is about as exciting as the story.
March 5, 2014
2 1/2 Stars.
Part Indiana Jones, part Gambit, part James Bond, and all pulp, Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray starts off as a fun throwback to the classic adventure narrative of the 30's and 40's. And then it does a cannonball into an empty pool, which is to say the creators really should have paid more attention as to where this thing was going.
Fabian Gray is a charming and handsome master thief who has spent his life acquiring some of the world's finest antiquities, with the help of his twin sister. However, when he and his sister attempt to steal The Dreamstone, things go cockeyed. Now his sister is in a coma and Fabian has five shards of The Dreamstone lodged in his chest--and within each stone is the essence of an archetypal figure: the detective, the samurai, the wizard, the archer and the vampire. Trapped within Gray's body, Gray can draw upon the powers of these "ghosts" to aid him in his newest quest--to find the artifact that will cure his sister.
Set in the 1930's, Mooneyham evokes the look and feel of the pulp comics from that time period adding to the overall narrative. Things won't be easy for Fabian--supernatural forces are working against him, exotic locales must be visited, beautiful women need ravishing, and the "ghosts" are becoming increasingly unhappy over their imprisonment within Gray. And this is where the narrative lost me. Fabian must pass a test created by each of his ghosts, from which he will gain profound insight. These "tests" are anticlimactic, confusing, and miss the opportunity for some creative integration of the literary world inhabited by each of these ghosts. Each test could have been an issue in and of itself.
While Barbiere squanders this opportunity, I'm hoping it's simply because Five Ghosts started as a limited 5 issue story arc. Since it has been granted ongoing series status, I will cautiously read the next few issues and remain optimistic that Five Ghosts will deliver on the initial promise I saw in the first two issues.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
Part Indiana Jones, part Gambit, part James Bond, and all pulp, Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray starts off as a fun throwback to the classic adventure narrative of the 30's and 40's. And then it does a cannonball into an empty pool, which is to say the creators really should have paid more attention as to where this thing was going.
Fabian Gray is a charming and handsome master thief who has spent his life acquiring some of the world's finest antiquities, with the help of his twin sister. However, when he and his sister attempt to steal The Dreamstone, things go cockeyed. Now his sister is in a coma and Fabian has five shards of The Dreamstone lodged in his chest--and within each stone is the essence of an archetypal figure: the detective, the samurai, the wizard, the archer and the vampire. Trapped within Gray's body, Gray can draw upon the powers of these "ghosts" to aid him in his newest quest--to find the artifact that will cure his sister.
Set in the 1930's, Mooneyham evokes the look and feel of the pulp comics from that time period adding to the overall narrative. Things won't be easy for Fabian--supernatural forces are working against him, exotic locales must be visited, beautiful women need ravishing, and the "ghosts" are becoming increasingly unhappy over their imprisonment within Gray. And this is where the narrative lost me. Fabian must pass a test created by each of his ghosts, from which he will gain profound insight. These "tests" are anticlimactic, confusing, and miss the opportunity for some creative integration of the literary world inhabited by each of these ghosts. Each test could have been an issue in and of itself.
While Barbiere squanders this opportunity, I'm hoping it's simply because Five Ghosts started as a limited 5 issue story arc. Since it has been granted ongoing series status, I will cautiously read the next few issues and remain optimistic that Five Ghosts will deliver on the initial promise I saw in the first two issues.
Cross posted at This Insignificant Cinder
October 7, 2017
Again we run into the sad situation of "cool idea but bad presentation". Five Ghosts really tries to channel the '80s with the art style and the format. Sadly, the 80's art style for comics rather sucked. That awful art has managed to transition to the year 2017. It should have stayed in the '80s where it belongs.
Basic gist- Fabian Gray is haunted by spirits. He can channels these spirits, somehow tied to his dreams, into doing things. So if he is attacked he channels a samurai spirit and is able to fight, or the spirit of Sherlock Homes to solve a riddle. Sounds cool but the story never really did it for me. I am not going to waste too much time for a book I gave a 1 star rating towards.
Basic gist- Fabian Gray is haunted by spirits. He can channels these spirits, somehow tied to his dreams, into doing things. So if he is attacked he channels a samurai spirit and is able to fight, or the spirit of Sherlock Homes to solve a riddle. Sounds cool but the story never really did it for me. I am not going to waste too much time for a book I gave a 1 star rating towards.
September 18, 2015
Another handsome but completely generic pulp homage... Who cares?
July 24, 2020
2.7 stars
Con una vibra semejante a La Momia, son aventuras de un caza tesoros slash ladron de tumbas quien resultó afectado por un aparato mistico llamado "El Dreamstone", que le hace ser 'poseido' por 5 'espiritus' literarios
, y busca respuestas a su predicamento por estar perdiendo el c0ntrol sobre la magia y por su sentimiento de culpa porque su hermana melliza permanece en tanto en coma por su ambicion.
Bastante pulp feeling y cliche.
Con una vibra semejante a La Momia, son aventuras de un caza tesoros slash ladron de tumbas quien resultó afectado por un aparato mistico llamado "El Dreamstone", que le hace ser 'poseido' por 5 'espiritus' literarios
, y busca respuestas a su predicamento por estar perdiendo el c0ntrol sobre la magia y por su sentimiento de culpa porque su hermana melliza permanece en tanto en coma por su ambicion.
Bastante pulp feeling y cliche.
January 30, 2020
Really good artwork and very good premise for a story.
November 1, 2014
For some time now i had a streak of mediocre comics series, so i didnt
expect much from this.
i was totally surprised!
this is a grand supernatural adventure!
all world's mythologies have similar roots and archetypes.
all of our greatest ideas come from this place its like humanity dream-place. and there live gods and demons. they can be embodied in our plane using dream stones. and this is how fabian got his rather peculiar problem. ...or problems:)
i absolutely love the art of this comic, its visually stunning and says much without many words. so at times when it does say more, i still didn't have that feeling where whole pages are full of big walls of text. love that!
expect much from this.
i was totally surprised!
this is a grand supernatural adventure!
all world's mythologies have similar roots and archetypes.
all of our greatest ideas come from this place its like humanity dream-place. and there live gods and demons. they can be embodied in our plane using dream stones. and this is how fabian got his rather peculiar problem. ...or problems:)
i absolutely love the art of this comic, its visually stunning and says much without many words. so at times when it does say more, i still didn't have that feeling where whole pages are full of big walls of text. love that!
February 13, 2017
The idea's very fun even though you can see the convenience of having such a gift, the story itself is not very original but it was a pleasant and entertaining reading anyhow! A real first book, meaning it was setting up the power more than anything else.
Loved the art, and will read the second book!
Also, see Scott's review!
Loved the art, and will read the second book!
Also, see Scott's review!
July 14, 2014
FIVE GHOSTS wird von vielen Lesern geliebt - und genauso viele finden es schlecht. Ich habe das Buch auch mehrfach zur Hand genommen und jedes mal wieder weggelegt, ohne bis zum Ende zu kommen. Das liegt nicht in der Artwork, die ganz nach meinem Geschmack ist und perfekt den Geist der Abenteuergeschichten der 30er und 40er Jahre wieder gibt, selbstverständlich im Stile der Pulps; Nicht nur die Zeichnungen sind toll gelungen, auch die Colorierung ist klasse, ein Lob, das bei mir etwas heißen will, da ich oft Schwarzweiß bevorzuge.
Probleme hatte ich schon eher mit dem Helden Fabian Gray, der sich in fünf Meister der Pulps verwandeln kann: in einen Bogenschützen, einen Samurai, einen Detektiv, einen Zauberer und einen Vampir. Es gibt anfänglich nur vage Andeutungen, wie er zu dieser Fähigkeit gekommen ist, die offenbar zugleich ein Fluch ist, da er auch unter so heftigen wie geheimnisvollen Anfällen leidet. Das alles ist zunächst sehr verwirrend und vor allem dick aufgetragen, paßt zugleich aber zu den literararischen Vorbildern.
Damit bin ich auch schon bei der Story angekommen. Gray stolpert von einem Abenteuer ins nächste, die zugrunde liegenden Zusammenhänge erschließen sich mir nur schwer. Durch die Sprünge erhält die Erzählung allerdings Dynamik und die Sequenzen sind spannend und mit gelungenen Horrorszenen durchsetzt, aber etwas mehr Logik im Aufbau hätte mir besser gefallen.
Probleme hatte ich schon eher mit dem Helden Fabian Gray, der sich in fünf Meister der Pulps verwandeln kann: in einen Bogenschützen, einen Samurai, einen Detektiv, einen Zauberer und einen Vampir. Es gibt anfänglich nur vage Andeutungen, wie er zu dieser Fähigkeit gekommen ist, die offenbar zugleich ein Fluch ist, da er auch unter so heftigen wie geheimnisvollen Anfällen leidet. Das alles ist zunächst sehr verwirrend und vor allem dick aufgetragen, paßt zugleich aber zu den literararischen Vorbildern.
Damit bin ich auch schon bei der Story angekommen. Gray stolpert von einem Abenteuer ins nächste, die zugrunde liegenden Zusammenhänge erschließen sich mir nur schwer. Durch die Sprünge erhält die Erzählung allerdings Dynamik und die Sequenzen sind spannend und mit gelungenen Horrorszenen durchsetzt, aber etwas mehr Logik im Aufbau hätte mir besser gefallen.
September 19, 2015
Five Ghosts by Image Comics was a bit of a letdown in story, but not in artwork. Chris Mooneyham's boldly drawn retro style harkens back to the Golden Age pulp comics of the '30's and '40's, and I loved that. The colorist choices are excellent as well, and while capturing that pulp sensibility, it at the same time keeps the vibrant color palette that (in my opinion) sets Image apart from many of today's comic publishers. Almost every page screams action, and the monstrous creatures and villains Fabian Gray has to fend off while relic hunting got my pulse racing. But, Barbiere's panel narrative seems all over the place and haphazardly tries to cram everything under the sun about our adventurous treasure hunter Fabian Gray into this one volume, while surprisingly detailing almost nothing here about his wingman, Sebastian. Gray can conjure up the powers of five 'literary ghosts' (seemingly an Archer, Vampire, Wizard, Samurai, and erm, Sherlock Holmes) to get himself out of the harrowing pickles that he often finds himself involved in, but we learn little here as to how he lays claim to these abilities. All in all, a frighteningly fun read, and I hope future volumes unearth some of the mysteries about this Fabian Gray character a bit more clearly.
July 7, 2015
Picked up this one on some mention from the Omnibus group.
I enjoyed the story, as past reviewers did say, it was a bit of an Indiana Jones, very close at times, crossed with a possession story, which was the most interesting part.
I will most likely read volume two to find out what happens to our hero.
I enjoyed the story, as past reviewers did say, it was a bit of an Indiana Jones, very close at times, crossed with a possession story, which was the most interesting part.
I will most likely read volume two to find out what happens to our hero.
February 13, 2017
No new ideas. No innovative art. No Story. Nothing to see here.
February 25, 2024
Five Ghosts is a throwback to the pulp-style comics that were churned out in the 1920s & 1930s with a vibe similar to Doc Savage, The Spirit or The Phantom. Treasure hunter Fabian Gray has been possessed by five ghosts/spirits whose abilities he can tap into during his adventures.
Indiana Jones is the obvious comparison to Fabian, as he adventures around the world, seducing many women and stealing historical artifacts. He harnesses the skills of an archer, a wizard, a detective, a samurai and a vampire to help him on his quests although it exhausts him afterwards. We learn some back story of Fabian and meet his best friend and fellow adventurer Sebastian. Sebastian was romantically involved with Fabian’s sister Silvia, who is now mysteriously in a coma, due to the connection to the Dreamstone that gives Fabian his powers. The two men search for the key to save her and have to fight evil Nazis, Occultists and otherworldly creatures as Fabian learns to properly be the vessel of the five ghosts.
The illustrations by Chris Mooneyham are excellent, with a dark sepia-colored palette to match the nostalgic adventure-themed narrative. The lettering, especially in the opening chapters, is evocative of the pulp fiction comics that Five Ghosts is paying homage to. The layout of the story was appealing, with some full-page spreads and some varied panel configurations.
However, I was uncomfortable with the way different cultures were portrayed in this novel, and that would be a collaboration between the author and artist. When Fabian crash lands in Africa (with no more designation than that) he and his friend are captured by primitive loin cloth-wearing natives who worship a spider god, and they are tied up as a sacrifice to the spiders. The only reason why the men escape is due to a mystical Asian man who helps fight off the spear-wielding tribe members and then whisks them off to Shangri-La. This exoticism of the Orient and showing African natives as savage are crude stereotypes that I believe are wrong. I find it ironic that a book that pays tribute to five literary figures would repeat damaging literary tropes elsewhere.
While the storyline is set up for many more adventures, I will pass. I flipped through volume two but did not take the time for a thorough reading, for it seemed to repeat many of the same issues I found in volume one. This throwback book had some intriguing ideas, but I felt the negatives outweighed the positives.
Review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2017/03/1...
Indiana Jones is the obvious comparison to Fabian, as he adventures around the world, seducing many women and stealing historical artifacts. He harnesses the skills of an archer, a wizard, a detective, a samurai and a vampire to help him on his quests although it exhausts him afterwards. We learn some back story of Fabian and meet his best friend and fellow adventurer Sebastian. Sebastian was romantically involved with Fabian’s sister Silvia, who is now mysteriously in a coma, due to the connection to the Dreamstone that gives Fabian his powers. The two men search for the key to save her and have to fight evil Nazis, Occultists and otherworldly creatures as Fabian learns to properly be the vessel of the five ghosts.
The illustrations by Chris Mooneyham are excellent, with a dark sepia-colored palette to match the nostalgic adventure-themed narrative. The lettering, especially in the opening chapters, is evocative of the pulp fiction comics that Five Ghosts is paying homage to. The layout of the story was appealing, with some full-page spreads and some varied panel configurations.
However, I was uncomfortable with the way different cultures were portrayed in this novel, and that would be a collaboration between the author and artist. When Fabian crash lands in Africa (with no more designation than that) he and his friend are captured by primitive loin cloth-wearing natives who worship a spider god, and they are tied up as a sacrifice to the spiders. The only reason why the men escape is due to a mystical Asian man who helps fight off the spear-wielding tribe members and then whisks them off to Shangri-La. This exoticism of the Orient and showing African natives as savage are crude stereotypes that I believe are wrong. I find it ironic that a book that pays tribute to five literary figures would repeat damaging literary tropes elsewhere.
While the storyline is set up for many more adventures, I will pass. I flipped through volume two but did not take the time for a thorough reading, for it seemed to repeat many of the same issues I found in volume one. This throwback book had some intriguing ideas, but I felt the negatives outweighed the positives.
Review can also be found on my blog: https://graphicnovelty2.com/2017/03/1...
October 6, 2013
A tragic turn of events resulted in a Dreamstone embedding itself in adventurer Fabian Gray's chest. On the plus side, he now can call upon the abilities of the five literary ghosts trapped within the Dreamstone to aid him in his treasure hunting. The comic is written and drawn in a retro pulp fiction style and when Fabian Gray is first introduced, we immediately get to see his ghosts in action, conveniently aiding him in his daring feats. My first real introduction to pulp fiction was A Princess of Mars, where readers are frequently reminded of how awesome the manly main character is. I feared I'd be subjected to the same with Fabian Gray, but after the dashing introduction, we discover Gray might not be so awesome and that his exceptional powers come with a heavy price. Gray's connection to the Dreamstone means that others know of him and are now hunting him, including the Nazis.
The art took some time to grow on me. I liked the pulp style, though the art itself wasn't as clean as it could have been. Eventually, both story and art settled in to a comfortable groove. I appreciate the depth Barbiere attempts to give to the character, though the lessons Gray learns during his trials do take a bit of a leap. Still, with everything now established in the first volume, I think the story has a lot of potential to go places, with lots of opportunity for exciting adventures. Hopefully we'll learn why these particular ghosts have manifested for Gray and what his personal connection is to them.
With thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
See more reviews at
The BiblioSanctum
The art took some time to grow on me. I liked the pulp style, though the art itself wasn't as clean as it could have been. Eventually, both story and art settled in to a comfortable groove. I appreciate the depth Barbiere attempts to give to the character, though the lessons Gray learns during his trials do take a bit of a leap. Still, with everything now established in the first volume, I think the story has a lot of potential to go places, with lots of opportunity for exciting adventures. Hopefully we'll learn why these particular ghosts have manifested for Gray and what his personal connection is to them.
With thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
See more reviews at
The BiblioSanctum
November 12, 2022
(Zero spoiler review for the entire series, with the score for this volume) 3.5/5
This is a very good book, with a few notable flaws. Flaws that unfortunately take this from an outstanding read, and one that I would recommend to almost anyone, to a good book that I could only recommend to a certain type of reader. First of all, the art is absolutely stellar. I wasn't quite sure what I thought about it, as I went in completely blind, with little idea of the story and no idea of the art, although it quickly captured me, with its very heavy nods to the action cereals of the past. This book really does feel like a throwback to the seventies, with a slightly more modern colouring sensibility, although one still rooted in the halcyon days of action comics. The characters are interesting, as are their adventures, but the entire thing leaves me a little cold, as there simply is not enough writing in this book to elevate it above its current station. When the author deigns to give us a few words here and there, the whole thing dramatically improves, and I am swept away to some pretty magical places. Unfortunately, page after page after page goes by with barely a word being said, and I can't help feel let down by this rather significant omission. Comics are a marriage of words and visuals. Sometimes one can do more of the heavy lifting at times, but the best comics form an effortless synergy between the two. A synergy this book rarely attains. A synergy that I was left sorely wanting. Oh, how great this could have been. It's still pretty bloody decent though, however frustratingly so. 3.5/5
OmniBen.
This is a very good book, with a few notable flaws. Flaws that unfortunately take this from an outstanding read, and one that I would recommend to almost anyone, to a good book that I could only recommend to a certain type of reader. First of all, the art is absolutely stellar. I wasn't quite sure what I thought about it, as I went in completely blind, with little idea of the story and no idea of the art, although it quickly captured me, with its very heavy nods to the action cereals of the past. This book really does feel like a throwback to the seventies, with a slightly more modern colouring sensibility, although one still rooted in the halcyon days of action comics. The characters are interesting, as are their adventures, but the entire thing leaves me a little cold, as there simply is not enough writing in this book to elevate it above its current station. When the author deigns to give us a few words here and there, the whole thing dramatically improves, and I am swept away to some pretty magical places. Unfortunately, page after page after page goes by with barely a word being said, and I can't help feel let down by this rather significant omission. Comics are a marriage of words and visuals. Sometimes one can do more of the heavy lifting at times, but the best comics form an effortless synergy between the two. A synergy this book rarely attains. A synergy that I was left sorely wanting. Oh, how great this could have been. It's still pretty bloody decent though, however frustratingly so. 3.5/5
OmniBen.
July 23, 2014
This was a lucky find when I was browsing my library's graphic novel collection. I am a big ghost story fan, and I like the idea of a hero who has assumed the powers of different spirits. It's not quite what I thought, but it's still pretty good.
There's a pretty significant old school vibe to this book. I think the creators were going for a pulp vibe. The adventure and ready mix of supernatural elements. The energy is evident in the artwork. It's raw and somehow visceral. Using a lot of warm shades. The cover doesn't quite represent the color palette that dominates the book.
I really liked how Fabian Gray's spirit helpers are famous archetypes from fiction and literature, and how their abilities are harnessed and used by Fabian, although it comes with a price.
I can't give this the highest rating. While there was much I liked about it, it wasn't ground-breaking and it doesn't appeal to me in the execution as much as other graphic novels I'm reading. However, I think it will be interesting to pick this series up again and see what adventure are next for Mr. Gray.
There's a pretty significant old school vibe to this book. I think the creators were going for a pulp vibe. The adventure and ready mix of supernatural elements. The energy is evident in the artwork. It's raw and somehow visceral. Using a lot of warm shades. The cover doesn't quite represent the color palette that dominates the book.
I really liked how Fabian Gray's spirit helpers are famous archetypes from fiction and literature, and how their abilities are harnessed and used by Fabian, although it comes with a price.
I can't give this the highest rating. While there was much I liked about it, it wasn't ground-breaking and it doesn't appeal to me in the execution as much as other graphic novels I'm reading. However, I think it will be interesting to pick this series up again and see what adventure are next for Mr. Gray.
March 22, 2015
I really enjoyed this book! It has a great pulp hero feel to it that reminds me of Doc Savage or the Shadow, both the writing and the art convey this perfectly. Adventurer Fabian Grey is afflicted by five literary "ghosts" due to an accident that lodged shards of an artifact called the Dreamstone in his chest, the same accident that placed his sister into a coma. Now he searches for a way to save her life along with his sister's fiance. Gray is able to call upon the skill and powers of the archer, the wizard, the samurai, the vampire, and the detective for aid, but always at a cost. Not only that, but dark forces are also searching for him in order to recover the Dreamstone and it's powers, it turns out that there are other such relics and he runs across a few more of their wielders, both friends and foes. I thought that this was an excellent read and I enjoyed the concepts that the writer brought forth of mankind's collective unconsciousness and the power of myth. Plus, it has Nazis!
March 24, 2014
The art is great and I love the idea of a comic done as a sort of '20's-'30's serial style. I'm definitely interested to see where it ends up. It reminds me of a cross between Unwritten and Sandman.
October 13, 2015
An interesting and entertaining story.
March 23, 2016
3.5 Stars.
I loved the concept, loved the art. But a few things I wasn't too crazy about.
Full review to come.
I loved the concept, loved the art. But a few things I wasn't too crazy about.
Full review to come.
April 4, 2018
The atmosphere is bombastic in some areas and action-packed in others, so this is a page-turner that kept me interested. Fabian Grey, a thief who describes himself as a treasure hunter, is a combination between James Bond, Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones that always gets results. He has the abilities of five fictional characters called ghosts due to his Dreamstone, but his control over them is not absolute. . A man named Iago is waiting for Fabian's fall so he can obtain Fabian's abilities for his masters.
November 12, 2018
I really admire how the writer, Frank Barbiere, started off as a teacher and now has published stories. This story feels rushed however. I think they should have taken more time with Fabian getting to know each ghost and their powers. The story could've been fleshed out a bit more too. The stakes are high but it's hard to make a connection with the protagonist. I guess since Fabian is flawed the writers don't want to flesh him out because they don't want the readers to hate him, but I think it'd be interesting to know more of his past and his crimes.
May 6, 2018
Classic Indiana Jones/pulp style story with a little twist where the hero has five literary ghosts haunting his body, easy story to digest and art that is great for the story it was given. Nothing too ground breaking but for the pulp hero junkies looking for more to read that like Doc Savage or the Phantom check this series out!
August 22, 2018
Awesome artwork, and liked the pulp feel, but this was way too fast paced to even catch what was going on with the storyline. It flew through so many issues and I still had no idea what it's about.
December 23, 2020
Not a very good read. The art work wasnt great. The story was not really built well. The powers of Fabian werent really introduced well, plus the overall sense of world building seemed distant.
December 14, 2017
A great premise and a strong start - after which it felt ever-so-slightly empty. I appreciate there are never a load of pages to play with in comics, but slightly less action and more emotion would have been good.
Loved the art, and looking forward to reading book 2.
Loved the art, and looking forward to reading book 2.
October 5, 2013
The ‘five ghosts’ refers to five literary entities that have possessed Fabian Gray. He can draw upon them when he needs them to help solve one of his cases, but sometimes they try to take over his body causing uncontrolled bursts of power and requiring him to knock himself out to stop them. A lot of the first part of this book feels very contrived. I remember reading very early Fantastic Four comics where at the beginning of each issue they would find a reason to use their powers to remind the reader what they were all about, often for no reason other than to get somewhere faster. The intro to this story feels just like that, a setup event, tailor made just so he can show off each of the five entities abilities. The problem is, most of the time you wonder if the powers of one would not be better used than the other, but they had to show them all off. It just does not work for me.
Part of the problem for me with this book is that it is not actually one book. Each issue is effectively a ‘done in one’ story that is very loosely tied to the next until the last two issues. Many trades read like one continuous story as they take out the ‘next issue’ boxes and all you are left with is a flashy splash page which was the end of the previous issue, but other than that it feels like one long story. This one rushes to conclude the issue, throwing in the tenuous connection to the next issue, before a complete change of pace as the new issue starts. By the end it all starts to come together, but a good ending does not make up for three issues I really contemplated not reading.
The art in this series gets one thing right and quite a few things wrong. I actually had to break my own rules when reviewing this series. I decided that I did not want to research any of the books I was being given so that they could sink or swim on their own merits, rather than feeling swayed by other peoples’ opinions. The reason I had to look this up was I wanted to know if it was a much older comic reprinted or a translation, or both. This reminds me of reading Tintin, obviously not in the subject matter, but in the printing, the art and the fact that the text in the speech bubbles is always too small for the white space.
This book finishes far stronger than it starts, even the art is more settled at the end. There is a half decent story here, but so much of it feels rehashed from other sources that it struggles to keep my interest. There is an entire issue dedicated to him passing tests to prove himself to this ghosts and this gets so repetitious and stale, especially when you consider how little text there is and how ill defined the art is at this point. This is not a title I can recommend unless you are a big fan of the golden age comics and the pulp heroes that preceded them. In which case this is probably exactly what you were looking for, but for anyone who likes comics from the digital age, it is a definite pass.
Disclaimer: This book was received for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Part of the problem for me with this book is that it is not actually one book. Each issue is effectively a ‘done in one’ story that is very loosely tied to the next until the last two issues. Many trades read like one continuous story as they take out the ‘next issue’ boxes and all you are left with is a flashy splash page which was the end of the previous issue, but other than that it feels like one long story. This one rushes to conclude the issue, throwing in the tenuous connection to the next issue, before a complete change of pace as the new issue starts. By the end it all starts to come together, but a good ending does not make up for three issues I really contemplated not reading.
The art in this series gets one thing right and quite a few things wrong. I actually had to break my own rules when reviewing this series. I decided that I did not want to research any of the books I was being given so that they could sink or swim on their own merits, rather than feeling swayed by other peoples’ opinions. The reason I had to look this up was I wanted to know if it was a much older comic reprinted or a translation, or both. This reminds me of reading Tintin, obviously not in the subject matter, but in the printing, the art and the fact that the text in the speech bubbles is always too small for the white space.
This book finishes far stronger than it starts, even the art is more settled at the end. There is a half decent story here, but so much of it feels rehashed from other sources that it struggles to keep my interest. There is an entire issue dedicated to him passing tests to prove himself to this ghosts and this gets so repetitious and stale, especially when you consider how little text there is and how ill defined the art is at this point. This is not a title I can recommend unless you are a big fan of the golden age comics and the pulp heroes that preceded them. In which case this is probably exactly what you were looking for, but for anyone who likes comics from the digital age, it is a definite pass.
Disclaimer: This book was received for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 30, 2016
Yeah, yeah I know.... this is a comic book. Sue me! Lol
Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray is fantastic. I don't believe I've ever read anything with a premise anywhere near this book. This is the collected first part. I have two more volumes which I will read and review soon. Fabian Gray is a treasure hunter. A thief, you say? No, he is an adventurer who takes good paying contracts and delivers items back to rightful owners or those who have lots of money and just really want something. Ok, he may be a bit of a thief...
Fabian Gray makes a mistake stealing something called a Dreamstone. The thing blows up and he gets shrapnel from the stone embedded within his chest. He begins to feel strange forces congregating against him and it takes him years to avoid insanity and commune with these forces to become more than a normal man. Here's where it gets weird. Ok, weirder. Is that even a word?
Fabian Gray is possessed by five ghosts, whom he can tap for various powers, though each time he does, it weakens and corrupts him just a little bit more. He contains the souls of The Archer, who seems to be Robin Hood. He also holds The Sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, The Samurai, Musashi Miyamoto, The Wizard, who is Merlin, and lastly The Vampire, Dracula.
Yeah....take all that in for a second.
Fabian Gray suffers for his connection to these powers, and in this first volume he faces the results of this power, and realizes there are greater powers out there still, who want to use him as their tool to rule reality. In doing so, Fabian Gray meets the Master of Shangri-la, who tells him he has a small chance to heal a great deal of the damage to his soul and body due to the possession he suffers from. During this great test, Shangri-La is attacked by the evil sorcerer, Iago. The result is a phenomenal battle and when Fabian joins in, the tides turn.
I tell you, I didn't think I would enjoy this as much as I did. This is an absolute no brainer for a movie as Hollywood is choking to death on bad ideas and remakes. Read this book! It's amazing!
Danny
Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray is fantastic. I don't believe I've ever read anything with a premise anywhere near this book. This is the collected first part. I have two more volumes which I will read and review soon. Fabian Gray is a treasure hunter. A thief, you say? No, he is an adventurer who takes good paying contracts and delivers items back to rightful owners or those who have lots of money and just really want something. Ok, he may be a bit of a thief...
Fabian Gray makes a mistake stealing something called a Dreamstone. The thing blows up and he gets shrapnel from the stone embedded within his chest. He begins to feel strange forces congregating against him and it takes him years to avoid insanity and commune with these forces to become more than a normal man. Here's where it gets weird. Ok, weirder. Is that even a word?
Fabian Gray is possessed by five ghosts, whom he can tap for various powers, though each time he does, it weakens and corrupts him just a little bit more. He contains the souls of The Archer, who seems to be Robin Hood. He also holds The Sleuth, Sherlock Holmes, The Samurai, Musashi Miyamoto, The Wizard, who is Merlin, and lastly The Vampire, Dracula.
Yeah....take all that in for a second.
Fabian Gray suffers for his connection to these powers, and in this first volume he faces the results of this power, and realizes there are greater powers out there still, who want to use him as their tool to rule reality. In doing so, Fabian Gray meets the Master of Shangri-la, who tells him he has a small chance to heal a great deal of the damage to his soul and body due to the possession he suffers from. During this great test, Shangri-La is attacked by the evil sorcerer, Iago. The result is a phenomenal battle and when Fabian joins in, the tides turn.
I tell you, I didn't think I would enjoy this as much as I did. This is an absolute no brainer for a movie as Hollywood is choking to death on bad ideas and remakes. Read this book! It's amazing!
Danny
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