Adventureman, Vol. 3: Ghost Lights

Adventureman #10-11

by Matt Fraction (Writer), Terry Dodson (Illustrator/Colorist), Rachel Dodson (Illustrator)

The thrilling ADVENTUREMAN saga continues as Claire and her family find themselves drawn into an old war waged by a ghostly gangland empire, and the new realities of a life lived in the old-fashioned pulp hero world of Adventureman set in.

High adventure, all-ages action, and spectacular thrills abound in a gorgeous new volume by this award-winning team.

Collects ADVENTUREMAN: GHOST LIGHTS #1-2

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comic Book, Ebooks

63 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 17, 2024

About the author

"How he got started in comics: In 1983, when Fraction was 7 years old and growing up in Kansas City, Mo., he became fascinated by the U.S. invasion of Grenada and created his own newspaper to explain the event. "I've always been story-driven, telling stories with pictures and words," he said.

Education and first job: Fraction never graduated from college. He stopped half a semester short of an art degree at Kansas City Art Institute in Missouri in 1998 to take a job as a Web designer and managing editor of a magazine about Internet culture.

"My mother was not happy about that," he said.

But that gig led Fraction and his co-workers to split off and launch MK12, a boutique graphic design and production firm in Kansas City that created the opening credits for the James Bond film "Quantum of Solace."

Big break: While writing and directing live-action shoots at MK12, Fraction spent his spare time writing comics and pitching his books each year to publishers at Comic-Con. Two books sold: "The Last of the Independents," published in 2003 by AiT/Planet Lar, and "Casanova," published in 2006 by Image Comics.

Fraction traveled extensively on commercial shoots. Then his wife got pregnant. So Fraction did what any rational man in his position would do -- he quit his job at MK12 to pursue his dream of becoming a full-time comic book writer.

Say what? "It was terrifying," said Fraction, who now lives in Portland, Ore. "I was married. We had a house. We had a baby coming. And I just quit my job."

Marvel hired Fraction in June 2006, thanks largely to the success of his other two comics. "I got very lucky," he half-joked. "If it hadn't worked out, I would have had to move back in with my parents.

- 2009. Alex Pham. Los Angeles Times.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B) 75% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: Two middle parts, no end nor start, a story disconnected, I've zero clue why just these two installments are collected.

*Progress updates: Preamble ◦ Issues #1-2

[Mohan Vemulapalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Adventureman: Ghost Lights", the third in the eye-catching "Adventureman" series penned by Matt Fraction with artwork by Terry and Rachel Dodson is a fun and far too short volume. Comprised of only two issues this book feels like a transitional volume although it does include a lot of desperately needed explanatory material that was missing from previous volumes. The lack of major action and the fact that about a third of the book is comprised of villain monologues does weaken its impact and most readers will be left wanting more story and character development. The ending of the book does promise some pretty spectacular developments in the future and the Dodsons' art is a constant draw for this book and one of its best features. All in all, it is a worthwhile read and hopefully it will lead into a strong and much longer fourth volume.

4.5 stars rounded to 4.

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got lost in how amazing this oversize graphic novel looks..till I came to the end and realised the story had little substance and missing the interaction from the main extended family.

[Peter Van Der Raaij · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I am buying these for the art more than anything. The oversized hardcovers, are gorgeous and show off the art nicely. However, the story is just ok. The first volume started off well, but it feels like its slowed down a bit. And occasionally I feel that I have trouble following the action through the art. This volume is the shortest of the three so far. Not much happens really. But I will still buy the next one

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

What is going on with this series? This volume includes the concluding issue from the previous volume and a new issue to kick off the next big thing... and nothing else! It's 60 damn pages! And most of those are a villain explaining himself! I barely got settled back into the world before it was over. Unless you're reading these volumes back-to-back, they're not worth your time.

At least it all still looks brilliant.

[Shannon Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is exceptional and makes the comics. But this is a much smaller story and volume than volumes 1 and 2 of this incredible series. I hope it isn’t the last book in the series which I’ve been enjoying but I’m knocking it at least one star for being so short and feeling a bit rushed.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entire series plays out like a fever dream, with too many characters and an overly convoluted plot, but it holds together on the strength of the Dodsons artwork. I will happily keep reading these as long as they keep making them

[Alex Sarll]

Daring rescues, grand plots, the rush of everything that was lost coming back – you can't say this doesn't pack a lot in to its two issues, but the brevity means that, for all that major changes happen here, it still ends up feeling like a bit of a stopgap volume.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good, but way too short, 3rd volume in Fraction's & Dodson's new series. Oddly, in the afterward of Vol. 2, Fraction said there would likely be one more volume to wrap the story up, which this volume definitely does not do. As always, the art from the Dodsons is amazing!

[Joel Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe after three volumes, it's time for me to admit that Matt Fraction's writing isn't pulling the story together like I hoped it would. Amazing art, though.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

There seems like there's more story behind the scenes than on the page here - this book is only two issues collected together, which is counter to the back matter description from Volume 2. Did the series lose its financial backing, or did something else happen?
This at least resolves the cliffhanger of the last volume, but where it leaves things isn't much of a resolution. But the story is very propulsive through the issues, and it looks gorgeous as usual. It did leave me wanting more, but at least part of that is because there is so little here.

[Peter Evett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Darn, this keeps sliding down. I just finished and I can barely remember what happened. Its still lovely to look at, but not sure what happened. A two issue collection? The writing is a a mush. Pulp action is Fast and Furious, not plodding like this. The villain here is just unclear, his plot is unclear, and yet we spend way too much time with him. The ghosts are all forgettable because the threat is totally murky. Claire doesn't get to do anything cool. That is not pulp at all..
Sigh.

[Ross · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hahaha!
I read this thinking it was a 'one off' of a series. Turns out it's the middle of a longer run of comics. This volume collects TWO ISSUES?! If you haven't read the series before, I wouldn't recommend starting here.

Art is good, but couldn't save the time i spent reading it.

[Michael Rhode · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. only collects 2 issues as well

[Bo Dixen Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little short story with Adventure(wo)man. Maybe a little too short.

The story is pure Golden Age inspired.

The art is wonderful as always modern and classic at the same time.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting organizations. The ghosts make their move.

[Nevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great story in a lot of ways. The Dodsons go above and beyond with their art. Fraction's writing isn't nearly as ambitious as his best, but he still makes it look easy to update pulp adventure for modern setting and sensibilities. But as a book, this one is pretty unsatisfying. It's much smaller than the first two volumes, and it could have easily become the end of book two or started a longer book three. Either option would have made sense: This one wraps up the whole "gang getting together" thing in a way that would have improved book two's ending, and the villain's scheme kicks into high gear to set up the next story. Putting it alone like this (and with such a long publication gap) turns it into a transition from one incomplete ending to another. Fraction, the Dodsons, and Adventureman all deserve better.
Edit: I now see that there is a "Volume 2" that includes these issues. That's much better, though it's going to be very confusing with two editions that have identical names but different content. I'm leaving my review unchanged, but I recommend finding the Volume 2 that includes Ghost Lights in it.