Tokyo Ghost: Complete Edition

Tokyo Ghost #1-2

by Rick Remender (Writer), Sean Gordon Murphy (Illustrator), Matt Hollingsworth (Colorist)

The Isles of Los Angles 2089 - Humanity is addicted to technology. Getting a virtual buzz is the only thing left to live for, and gangsters run it all. And who do these gangsters turn to when they need their rule enforced? Constables Led Dent and Debbie Decay are about to be given a job that will force them out of the familiar squalor of LA and into the last tech-less country on Earth: The Garden Nation of Tokyo.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Cyberpunk, Fiction, Dystopia, Comic Book

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 17, 2017

About the author

Rick Remender is an American comic book writer and artist who resides in Los Angeles, California. He is the writer/co-creator of many independent comic books like Black Science, Deadly Class, LOW, Fear Agent and Seven to Eternity. Previously, he wrote The Punisher, Uncanny X-Force, Captain America and Uncanny Avengers for Marvel Comics.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: A stirring satire, it shines in sketchy sublimity, but sadly stoops to schlock for shock’s sake in its so-so second section.

*Progress updates: Issues #1-2 ◦ Issues #3-6 ◦ Issues #7-8

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely art but the story was somewhat repetitive and the characters never really grew or changed.
Or maybe just not enough for me?



You have an idealistic young woman, Debbie, who refuses to leave the love of her life, even though he's a (tech) junkie. She's special and she becomes even more special because she's a cutie who flips through the air and believes in mother nature & her man and because I SAID SO.
The young man, Led/Teddy, couldn't cope with what he thought were his shortcomings, started using, and became an enforcer for the government - or technically what appears to be the corporation that took the place of the government.
Why did he become such a sought-after badass when it was the drugs and nanobots that made him strong and fast? And I'm sure he wasn't the only one who took those drugs or got those enhancements. Seemed like another big BECAUSE I SAID SO plot hole to me.
And even with repeated chances to get clean, he always chooses to take the easy way out and go back to his drug of choice when life throws hard things his way. I had very little sympathy for his character because...no.
Stand up and dust yourself off, pussy.



There are two bad guys. A narcissistic, idiotic, Trumpesque overlord who walks around with his dick literally hanging out, spouting nonsense that the populace eats up, all while catering to the 1%. And an abandoned experiment named Davey, who is basically a serial killer mashed up with a human version of a computer virus whose goal is to kill everything because he likes chaos.



Tokyo is the last tech-free place on Earth and Debbie's big plan is to get her and Teddy there so they can live happily ever after. Spoilery shit happens and that plan blows up in her face.



Ok, this is one of those books that everyone else absolutely loved and I thought was just sort of ok. There's nothing wrong with it, but it didn't go anywhere surprising for me. I also found the tone too depressing with the idea that everyone has given up and is just being led around by their own most disgusting desires.



Listening to Debbie, as the main character & heroine, made me want to crawl out of my skin. Which was probably what Remender was going for. The way she enabled Led's addiction, and then made excuses because of his bad childhood, and then kept giving him one. more. chance.
All of this in the name of love.
It almost seemed toward the end to glorify her sacrifices, as though it made her somehow a better person than someone who would have said, enough already, and that kind of skeeved me out. Also, where the fuck did the unexplained ninja raccoon that suddenly lives on her shoulder come from?



This was one of those stories that everyone else fell in love with, so take my opinion on it with a grain of salt.

[Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tokyo Ghost is dark romantic cyberpunk. And most importantly, satirical social commentary on contemporary (primarily) Western civilization—our obsession with artificiality through media, capitalism, and self-image.

So Tokyo Ghost, while making deep points about love, culture, and humanitarianism, is also extremely crass, which I think can be off-putting for some. But I find this intentional to the narrative as satire. Look at America: we are crass. Rich, fat, hurried, and obnoxious. Obsessed with sex, guns, and materialism. It's self-reflective! It's self-critical! It's supposed to be funny! I truly believe Remender is reminding us how awful we really are, but we should also laugh about it and try to be better human beings. That's what I get from the crassness.

I really just enjoyed the story itself, too. I deeply cared about Debbie and her codependency, and I could relate to Led and his constant inferiority and rage. These are real human issues that gave these characters credibility. And while the story and ending isn't what you'd expect, it's satisfying.



But seriously, Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth led the charge on this book. This artwork is fucking spectacular! I flat out stopped reading to soak in the details in this oversized format. Murphy's style is sketchy yet intricate, dramatic yet humble. And his tech design is phenomenal. Hollingsworth puts a bow on it with his glowing colors: dreamlike and otherworldly. The combination of illustration and color brings this bizarre and terrible future world to life.

A Short Note on the Deluxe Edition...

Rating: A+

Image is the definition of “deluxe.” The DCBS Variant has a beautifully designed jacket-less BLACK hardcover, perfect sewn binding, and semi-gloss pages of an uncanny thickness. Like stupid crazy thick. Image pulled out all the stops for this one.

[Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is now my second favorite Remender comic.



Science-fiction. Romance. And most importantly, a satirical social commentary on contemporary Western civilization, primarily our obsession with artificiality through media, capitalism, and self-image.

So Tokyo Ghost, while making deep points about love, culture, and humanitarianism, is also extremely crass, which I think can be off-putting. But I don't find this to be a shortcoming as much as intentional to the narrative. Look at America: we are crass. Rich, fat, hurried, and obnoxious. Obsessed with sex, guns, and materialism. It's self-reflective! It's self-critical! It's supposed to be funny! I truly believe Remender is reminding us how awful we really are, but we should also laugh about it and try to be better human beings. That's what I get from the crassness.

I really just enjoyed the story itself, too. I deeply cared about Debbie and her codependency, and I could relate to Led and his constant inferiority and rage. These are real human issues that gave these characters credibility. And while the story and ending isn't what you'd expect, it's satisfying.



But seriously, Sean Murphy and Matt Hollingsworth led the charge on this book. This artwork is fucking spectacular! I just flat out stopped reading to soak in the details in this oversized format. Murphy's style is sketchy yet intricate, dramatic yet humble. And his tech design is phenomenal. Hollingsworth puts a bow on it with his glowing colors: dreamlike and otherworldly. The combination of illustration and color brings this bizarre and terrible future world to life.

So definitely check this out!


A Preposterously Short Note on the Deluxe Edition...

Hell yes. Image is AMAZING. THIS is what "deluxe" is supposed to be.

The DCBS Variant has a beautifully designed jacket-less BLACK hardcover, perfect sewn binding, and semi-gloss pages of an uncanny thickness. Like stupid crazy thick. Image pulled out all the stops for this one, so pick it up!

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tokyo Ghost volumes 1 and 2 are collected here. It's an explosive and vulgar cyberpunk thriller in the vein of The Matrix, Mad Max, Akira and Blade Runner. It's not perfect, it's even pretty immature and corny at times. But it was just what I needed at the moment to scratch my nostalgic itch for whacky 80's movies with a similar tone. In spite of its flaws, I really enjoyed the relationship between Debbie and her partner Led recounting their tragic upbringings as they fight a seemingly hopeless battle against a technological dystopian nightmare. Even when the story was on the weaker side, Debbie and Led were great characters that kept me emotionally invested at all times.

The art can be overwhelming with ridiculous levels of sensory overload, but I feel like this was an intentional choice considering the main theme of the story is technological sensory overload. Even though it can be a bit overwhelming, the art itself is wonderfully vibrant and popping with visual cyberpunk flair.

***

Vol. 1

Tokyo Ghost (not to be confused with Tokyo Ghoul) is a twisted dystopian science fiction series that takes place in a world where everyone is addicted to technology to the point of trapping themselves in self-made delusions. Any fantasy can be brought to life. Any fetish can be pleased. You can set your body on autopilot to take care of the more trivial things in life while your mind is free to wander elsewhere. The horrors of reality can easily be escaped at any moment with the push of a button. Unsurprisingly, this makes it quite simple for the evil people of the world to control the masses and rule with tyranny with little opposition.

Debbie and her partner Led work together to fight cyber criminals from the shadows. Debbie is one of the last few people in the world that still has freedom of love and thought. Her partner on the other hand is a recovering addict struggling to regain his humanity. When the two of them are sent to a little paradise somewhere in Tokyo where technology hasn’t taken full control, it might be just the place they need to reignite their romance and escape from the depressing nightmare that’s taken over every second of their miserable lives.

The first chapter is a little messy and doesn’t do a great job setting up the story, but everything that comes after the rough start is a phenomenal exploration of two severely broken protagonists, their journey of recovery and the philosophy of a seemingly hopeless battle against oppressive technological rule.

Debbie is an awesome protagonist and I got emotionally attached to her tragic relationship with Led really quickly. I have a feeling the second volume will be even better.

Tokyo Ghost: Vol. 1
My Rating: 4/5

***

Vol. 2

After a brutal ending to volume 1, Tokyo Ghost spirals down into its explosive final act with even more heartbreak, cyberterrorism and bloody dystopian madness. Debbie and Led found their temporary paradise only for it to be taken away. Now that Led has fully relapsed into his addiction and lost control of himself, it’s up to Debbie to stop the man she loves and put an end to the technological reign of terror that’s been haunting them since they were abandoned as children.

Judging by the building trauma and darkness of the first volume, i just knew volume 2 was going to be an emotional rollercoaster. And it sure packed the punch I was hoping for. I quickly grew attached to Debbie in a short period of time and her character really had a chance to shine to its fullest in the bittersweet finale of Tokyo Ghost.

The series provides a twisted look into a world ruled by a disconnected reality where people retreat into their deepest fantasies to escape reality. The consequences are devastating for everyone involved; an ironic fate for those obsessed with instant gratification, conformity and mob mentality. To be fair, it takes guts to stand up to these things when they’re so easy to lose yourself in.

I enjoyed the classic cyberpunk vibe of the story and the psychological exploration of Debbie and Led’s characters. I also just have to bring up the fact that Debbie’s character design is awesome. She looks like a fusion between Samurai Jack, Black Cat and A2 from Nier Automata. The things she had to sacrifice and bet her odds against in order to fight for the betterment of humanity made me like her a lot in spite of her personal flaws.

Sometimes the dialogue was corny, the pacing was too fast and it got a little preachy, but I thought it was a great miniseries considering how few chapters there were.

Tokyo Ghost: Vol. 2
My Rating: 4.5/5

***

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[Rory Wilding · Rating 5 out of 5]

2089. Set in the Isles of Los Angeles, where humanity is constantly plugged into technology that is a thrill-seeking drug to distract themselves from reality, law constables Led Dent and Debbie Decay chase down hacker criminals. Upon failing their last assignment, the two lovers-turned-constables are assigned to the mysterious garden nation of Tokyo, where their love is put to the test as they fight against the toxic addiction they’ve grown up with.

Please click here for my full review.

[Jirka Navrátil · Rating 5 out of 5]

V první řadě si tento skvělý komiks budu muset přečíst minimálně ještě jednou.

V druhé řadě kresba je prostě parádní. Muphyhy se mi líbí už od té doby co jsem četl White Knight. Prostě paráda.

V třetí řadě příběh. Je vynikající, ovšem větší zhodnocení si nechám na druhé čtení.

Dík Vašku

[Blindzider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impressive. What this lacks in depth it makes up for in style. It carries many themes and messages: a romance, environmental and social commentary, and the way to personal happiness. The story packs quite a punch, delivering its messages sometimes a little too bluntly, but with a panache brought on by Murphy's incredibly unique visual storytelling. There's a lot to look at in each panel, accentuated by Hollingsworth's colors, who chose to still give some color despite the story taking place in a future dystopian world.

Having said all that the characters are a little shallow, with the main characters sharing an emotional bond and is the driving force which carries through to the end. It's relatively short, but the high-octane quick fix is enough to want more.

[Max's Comic Reviews and Lists · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dick shot Central
For 2 years I’ve been anticipating this story. And what better way to finally read it than in the beautiful Complete Edition. Having wanting to read this for over 730 days, I am surprised I have not researched or even read the synopsis. I just knew it was by the guy who wrote Low and Deadly Class and it was Sean Murphy’s art. And you gotta love Sean Murphy’s art. I’d say this was a fairly well written story with a concept we have seen before, and some amazing artwork.

Everything to do with the 2 main characters, Debbie and Teddy is by far the best part of the entire story. Flashbacks are weaved through the story to truly create impact whenever the relationship between these 2 characters is being focused on. Cause there relationship is NOT workin out. But not in the way you are thinking. The book manages to make the concept feel slightly more original than it actually is, and that is a big plus. Near the end I was feelin it. I was gettin the feels and was turning pages like crazy. That’s due to Remender putting extra emphasis on character. And that’s my favourite part of the book. There are 2 villains here. One of them is a spoiler and the other is Davey. Fuckin Davey was insane. I enjoyed him as a villain. He was a cybertronic, networking, body snatching, quirky, mass-murdering, suit and hat wearing ass-hole. His writing is serviceable and he seems like an unstoppable force at one point. The whole story in fact, if you think about it is veeeeeeerrry simply structured. Remender has just found a way to make it feel less familiar.

Aight I of course have problems and nitpicks with the book sooooooo let’s get into it. This book has a lot of tonal shifts. I know the book wasn’t supposed to be taken too seriously. You can tell from the very beginning. BUUUUT I really wish this was taken more seriously. Especially near the end. The ending battle is kick-ass and heavy. If only I could get the residual silliness out of my head. But Rick writes craziness so obviously, that the scene didn’t reach its full emotional potential. So ya tonal inconsistency is my biggest issue with this book. On one page, a main character will blow up a city in a really sad and shocking way, and on the next, a reporter will be graphically sucking off an old dude and commenting about how sweet it tasted. WHat tHe FUCK? There are SO MANY DICKS in this book. There is a guy named Fredrick Von Laserdick who flashes his dick to an entire crowd. I’m sure Mr. Murphy had fun drawing all that meat. The villains final plan makes sense for his character, but the scene where the plan was told had Osama Bin Laden riding in a gokart made to look like a plane and Hitler also racing in it. You can see why that would pretty distracting and the take all the seriousness out of the scene. It also affected the ending. My second biggest problem with the book is that it sometimes doesn’t put the most focus on the very very important stuff. Like Nature vs Technology. Which plays a huuuge part in the end. Or The Tokyo Ghost. The nature stuff was part of the story up until that but not enough man. It kind of came outta nowhere by the end. The Tokyo Ghost aspect of the book was disappointing. I wish an entire issue went into why the Tokyo Ghost became what they became, the thought processes, and the reign of terror on the villains. If you had made the Tokyo Ghost’s time in the book longer then when they finally “give in” to their emotions it would have been more of an “OOH SHIT!” moment. And finally, (this is a nitpick) I never got addicted to the book like I thought I would. I wanted to really badly but for the week it took me to read this, I think that’s too long. I had a shit ton of homework some nights so I couldn’t read it. And to be honest I didn’t care all that much. If I was binging Hellblazer azer or something like that I would be dying to finish by homework bullshit and jump back into the book. As it stands that was never the case which is disappointing.

Sean frickin Murphy. I think most people love his art, and its not hard to see why. The two most incredible aspects of the art that Sean Murphy perfects here is Locations and Combat. The frickin locations Murphy draws here are PHANTASMAGORICAL! (Word of the day kids) I stopped and stared in awe at how beautiful and cool the backgrounds and locations were in the book. I could NEVER and I mean NEVER draw such amazing nature and futuristic city shots. And the combat. HOOO! This ain’t no Frank Miller drawn combat but its damn good. Especially in a fight scene in issue 4. It goes on for the entire fucking issue. It’s awesome. Murphy makes the combat fluid and bloody as hell.

In the end, I didn’t love this story but I definitely enjoyed it. Especially the last 2 issues. Debbie, Teddy, and Davey are the driving force of the comics and provide for light compelling characters. The story has an original yet familiar feel to it and is overall very stylish. Sean Murphy’s art is to die for. The tone is eehhhh, a couple aspects of the book don’t have quite enough focus on them, there is SOO much nudity, and I was just never completely hooked. The good does outweigh the bad though. As for the way The Complete Edition is constructed, its a 9.5. The 2nd most beautiful book I own. (besides Absolute Preacher) There is no dust jacket, sewn binding, huge pages, glossy paper, and a lot of extras. Slight gutter loss is the .5 off the 10.
Letter Grade: (B+)

[Oscar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nos encontramos en Los Ángeles, en el año 2089. La población está totalmente enganchada a la información, y es más que una droga. Aquí conoceremos a la protagonista, Debbie Declive, y a su compañero Led Mella. Debbie ha optado por ignorar la tecnología completamente, algo totalmente opuesto a lo que ha hecho Led, que vive enganchado todo el día, y además ha modificado su cuerpo para tener más capacidades que un humano normal. La misión de estos dos es encontrar a un ciberterrorista que sólo piensa en asesinar a inocentes. Pero el sueño de Debbie es poder vivir un día en Tokyo, ya que dice la leyenda que allí no existe tecnología alguna.

‘Tokyo Ghost’ no ha llegado a gustarme en casi ningún momento. El dibujo de Sean Murphy es muy bueno, y el guión de Rick Remender no está mal. Veo la clara crítica a los medios de comunicación, pero hay excesiva violencia, a veces sin sentido. Desde luego, no me ha maravillado.

[Lukasz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading "Tokyo Ghost" by Rick Remender and Sean Murphy is like diving headfirst into a futuristic, cyberpunk dreamscape. The story opens in the middle of the action in a high-tech Tokyo. The setting looks stunning - Murphy's artwork is top-notch. Seriously, the guy knows how to make a gritty, neon-soaked world pop off the page.

And Remender's storytelling? A true rollercoaster of action and drama, sometimes campy, sometimes serious, and mostly over-the-top. Serious parts center on the consequences of tech overload and its impact on human connections. Over-the-top elements, and there are lots of them, include violence (lots of it), explicit and edgy content, and breakneck action/fight scenes.

The vibe of "Tokyo Ghost" is on point. The dark and atmospheric tone fits the dystopian setting. You've got these stunning visuals of a city in decay, and it’s dope. Parts outside the city are equally good. Visually, it's amazing.

Let's talk characters. Debbie Decay and Led Dent are tormented souls who deal with addiction and are on a journey to redemption. Will they get there? Spoiler.

But, fair warning, the series isn't for everyone. The breakneck pace might leave you catching your breath, and the heavy themes—addiction, loss of humanity—can hit pretty hard. Over-the-top violence won’t sit well with everyone, too. The decadence and over-the-topness is tiring, too.

In a nutshell, "Tokyo Ghost" is a wild ride. It was interesting to read, but I can't say I loved it. But I think it has its place on every cyberpunk must-reads TBR list.

[Dávid Novotný · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like cyberpunk, I was expecting cyberpunk, but at the end I've got something different and better. Remender is using many established genre tropes, but he is playing with them and result is different.

'Beautiful' decadent world, where humanity lives enslaved by internet. Few people are living at the top, with all benefits, rest of them just trying to make ends meet and living day by day.
In such cases, I usually have trouble with lack of world building and missing concept of how such world could work. Either from economic aspect, or social, political etc...
But here I wasn't thinking about it at all. I just went with the flow and it worked.

Somewhere in the middle I realized that this is mostly fairy tale about love. Yes there is quite brutal dystopic setting,
and some political and social commentary about technology that is ruling everything and everybody. And fight of few individuals trying get free from it.

But mostly, it's about two people, deeply in love, deeply in quite toxic relationship. From start you maybe won't understand why they are still together,
why is Debbie putting up with everything led is putting her through. But then there are some flashbacks, showing how they found each other,
how they survived everything and that founding somebody who complements you, helps you through obstacles but also makes you stay in relationship because you don't have anything else.

I love when some book or movie suddenly hits you with some strong moment. In this case it was flashback from childhood when they try to save tomatoes from acid rain connected
with present and suddenly you are speechless with tears in you eyes.

I really enjoyed contrast between technological and corrupted LA and Tokyo, ridden of bad technology, existing in harmony with nature. Kind of paradise you know can't last.
Remender has successfully created villain, that I really hated and was wishing only the worst for him.
Also some imperialistic concept, where some civilization will exhaust their own resources because of their irresponsibility and they think they are entitled to steal from somebody else...
That really get on my nerves.

Murphy's art is great. I love his sharp sketchy edges and overall tone. He clearly enjoyed drawing all that modern cars and technological advances. Lot of details and easter eggs from other Remender's series.
Alternating between big and small panels helps keep focus on important things, managing pace, but also creating great overview of the whole world. Some action sequences, where fight is happening in shadows felt like cheating at start, but it actually brought something new and fresh.
Keeping readers attention.

Very nice, pleasant book, to which I will gladly return to in future. Not really five stars but almost there 4.5*

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun. The setting is the Isles of Los Angeles. The year is 2089. The masses are addicted to entertainment, anything to distract from the toxic squalor in which they live. The wealthiest 1% control the media and law enforcement. Two of the top law enforcers around are Debbie Decay and her partner, Led Dent. Debbie is a rarity: a tech-free human. Most of the population have media feeds implanted, but not her. Led, however, more than makes up the difference, constantly binging multiple feeds at all times.

And of course, there needs to be an antagonist. That would be Davey Trauma--demented, amoral, and possessing the ability to control anyone with tech enhancements, which is pretty much everybody. Like all memorable villains, he steals just about every scene he’s in.

Debbie’s dream is to wean Led off his tech addiction so the two of them can live somewhere off the grid in peace and happiness. But her boss,--THE Boss--Mr. Flak, wants them to do one more job: investigate rumors of a tech-free paradise, the mysterious garden nation of Tokyo …

The whole thing is gloriously over the top. Yes, there's sex. Yes, there's violence. Yes, there are satirical elements clearly inspired by our present day. Does any of it go too far? Personally, I’m inclined to say no, but your mileage may vary. Do I love it unreservedly? Eh … not completely. There's this annoying cliche aspect to the end that … well, you’ll see.

The artwork is lovely! The story reminds me a bit of Frank Miller's Ronin by way of Judge Dredd. As the front cover says, this is the Complete Edition, with all of the extra script pages, alternate covers, sketches, &c. that that implies. Recommended!

[Chris Greensmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Some irony. The girl who couldn't face her own bullshit....suddenly forcing everyone else to."

[Gabriel Llagostera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy entretenido, como todo lo que suele hacer Remender: mucha acción, momentos emotivos, epicidad y personajes bien delineados. Le criticaría que en la segunda parte se pone un tanto repetitiva. El dibujo de Murphy es extraordinario.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

Tokyo Ghost takes many modern inspirations and combines them into one fairly seamless story. From A Clockwork Orange to Princess Mononoke, Nineteen Eighty Four to Idiocracy, author Remender takes us to a dystopian hell where technology has run rampant and the masses are drugged with inanity. Our codependent main characters navigate this brave new world while seeking their own paradise. The storyline is hard hitting and doesn't pull any punches - graphic sex, violence, and debauchery is offset by beautiful illustration work and a very alarming view of the future.

Story: Debbie has a strong moral code and followed her upstanding father by remaining unplugged - thereby avoiding the despised addiction that ruined her mother and most of society. As a young girl she friends neighbor Teddy - a boy nearly abandoned by his disaffected parents. Together they grow up and grow in love - until the day Teddy is unable to protect Debbie from anarchists and she must protect him. Thus Teddy spirals into self loathing over his weakness and he enlists in a program to make him nearly invincible so he can protect Debbie. But he loses himself in the process - and that's where our story begins, with Debbie and Teddy (now called Led) working as constables for the City. When they are given an opportunity to infiltrate a luddite city in old Tokyo, Debbie grabs at the chance to finally detox Teddy and get him back from Led. But what they find is what neither expected - nor can they escape bringing their own poison to the paradise.

The story has three main settings: first in a Los Angeles of 2089, a city drugged by mindless programs that ease people into an oblivion of escape. Then to Japan where they find a culture grown up around Bushido and honor. Then back to Los Angeles. Each of these arcs is distinct and have their own story but of course are part of the large picture. Most of the book is Debbie's struggle to bring Teddy back from Led while also separating him from the technology and those who manipulate him through it.

Remender does not pull any punches. From a "Hentai" amusement park where women 'ride' the octopus tentacles to Led completely destroying his foes in very violent methods. This is coupled with a very dark, hopeless, and fatalistic storyline; much as with a horrific car crash that one cannot turn away from while driving by, Tokyo Ghost sucks you in while also making you feel more than a bit sick from it all.

There are many statements being made throughout the story. One theme that came up the most, though, was A Clockwork Orange (the main villain bore more than a striking resemblance to Alex the Droog). From the sex to the ultra violence, masses drugged into stupidity by broadcasts/shows rather than chemicals, where sex and nudity is as casual as mass destruction. Each panel is a statement and worth exploring for all that is being said, and not said, about modern society. Not just American - but many societies around the world.

The artwork conveys the story perfectly. Debbie is beautifully drawn and Led is, if perhaps a bit too Judge Dredd Square jawed, captured neatly in his addiction. Imagine kids in front of a TV or YouTube screen for hours and you get the idea - it's impossible to drag them away and they have tuned out the world. The art is truly top notch - everything is very well done from character designs, to locations, to the panels themselves. It's hard not to appreciate just how much artistry went into the book and how well the artist and the author worked to create the final story.

This deluxe edition is a large book - I set aside a large block of time to read it because quite a lot happens. It's a book that greatly rewards on rereads, especially if one takes the time to really analyze and appreciate the statements being made in the art and the dialogue. There's a lot being said or shown and a lot to think about afterwards.

Tokyo Ghost is, in every regard, the very modern graphic novel - a story of its time though set in the future. I couldn't help but think of the movie Idiocracy and how this is a prescient and all too believable future, especially considering our modern politics. History tells that societies always love their dictators. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Pete Apple · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed Mr. Remender's previous works. Low is one of my favorite favorites, both in style and writing. Because of that, I gave this a read. I didn't find it as well done. The story seemed fairly simple and clearly laid out from the start. I found the protagonist somewhat derivative of his other works both in styling and co-dependency traits (and platinum blonde... again?) More frustrating was the fairly one note villain who started out in #1 and essentially ended unchanged in issue #10. One note, repeated over and over made me start skimming through his dialogue a bit.

Saying that, I'm giving this two stars as the artwork, coloring, lettering, et al are just lovely. The juxtaposition between the LA techno-horror and the garden of Tokyo was so well done.

[James Alexander Butcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had no idea what was going on for the first issue but at least we had some pretty drawn dicks. Never one to say no to dicks.

[Adam Spanos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A intriguing, dystopian future of technology vs nature. Rick does a great job in making us realise how tech is dominating how we socialise, act, think, learn. He highlights so much and it's so clear to see the message he is trying to put out there.

The artwork is also so detailed, on point.

I highly recommend buying this gorgeous hardcover. I'm sure once you have it you will keep revisiting it.

[Jonas Salonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is again Remender at his best. The story is highly interesting. It's quite sick at the same time as being very current in the modern world. The themes are quite straight forward dealing with modern world, entertainment, individuality and technology.

The art is superb, the characters great and the story interesting. What more could you want from a comic? Go buy this stuff already.

[John Funderburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's put this out there first - Sean Murphy's art is a 5/5 any day of the week. The story is engaging and interesting, but some of the content is a bit over the top, which is why I can't give a full recommendation. That being said, this oversized hardcover showcases Murphy's art and is of excellent quality.

4 1/2 stars

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty damn good cyberpunk story dealing with issues like codependency, addiction, and fragile masculinity. Some of the dialogue, particularly from the main villain, is a little irritating, but overall it is really enjoyable.

[Beth Braun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an unoriginal story... technology is bad and nature is good and almost non-existent. That being said it is still a good/quick read that has amazing art. (A lot of male genitals watch out haha) I enjoyed reading this although I don't know if it is something I would read again.

[Mustapha مصطفى · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great allegory for our modern times.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sean Murphy is an effortlessly cool illustrator (see also Batman: White Knight).

[Aildiin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Had already read the single issues but this is a fine book to re-read..

[J.M. Giovine · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the dystopian future of 2089, the world is consumed by the excessive use of technology, to the point where people became addicted to it, living in a virtual reality that offers an escape for everyone, and enriches the highest society members. A gangster named Flak is controlling the entertainment and media, which essentially covers everything, since the world is facing a terrible wave of unemployment. Constables Led Dent, and Debbie Decay, a couple that basically works for this gangster, is about to be given a job that will force them out of the familiar squalor of Los Angeles to take down the last tech-less country on Eart: The Garden Nation of Tokyo, and it all goes down to the mysterious “Project Akata”, which holds the secret to the replenishment of natural resources, meaning the key to salvage the decaying society of Los Angeles, but our main characters will realize, what is happening at Japan might be more complicated than they could think.

If I could describe ‘Tokyo Ghost’ as a concept, it’d be a mix between ‘Blade Runner’, ‘Ghost in the Shell’, and ‘The Matrix’. Rick Remender places all these previously mentioned properties with a strong thematically influential touch that, fair enough, brings unique life thanks to Sean Murphy’s art, alongside Matt Hollingsworth’s colors to really sell the visual experience. 

On its very core, ‘Tokyo Ghost’ plays as an action-packed cyberpunk ride, with a cautionary tale of pro-environmentalism, and basically a hate-letter to the abuse of technology in modern society. Considering this came out initially in 2015, it essentially released on the very peak of social media impact, and a time when essentially everyone had access to internet in almost every way imaginable. Remender’s work is a curious one to analyze being a writer that has worked for both, mainstream and indie companies, without really impacting in either with standout titles, this one surfaces as a unique piece that truly came and went, but I’d dare to say it holds up mostly because of Murphy’s art rather than Remender’s script, which, is not bad, at all, but it has ideas that we’ve all seen before, in similar projects. You either go full pro-nature when it comes to depict the horrors of an industrialized and technologically driven future, or you go full Orwellian with the message against fascism and tyrannic regimes, or both, in the case of the better works of science fiction. 

Regarding ‘Tokyo Ghost’, the plot is truly serviceable thanks to its protagonist, Debbie, which I honestly didn’t think she will be when starting this. The way her character is depicted shares a little similarity to Rebecca Buck in ‘Tank Girl’, the comic book created by author Alan Martin, and artist Jamie Hewlett (who’s style could be of a strong influence on Murphy himself), but without the extravagant and flamboyant personality of her. Instead, Debbie works mostly as a mediator for her boyfriend, the technologically modified Led, whose real name is Teddy, and is Debbie’s childhood friend turn lover. The thing is, Teddy has become addicted to the nanotechnology supplied by Flak, therefore, he’s physically enhanced, but mentally restrained. The heart of the story lays on these two, and the relationship they’re struggling to protect. It comes as one of the weirdest couple-protagonists I’ve seen in the past decade in any comic, and I respect Remender to craft something of the sort for this. The themes, the ideas, the sci-fi development of this horrific world, and the way nature juxtaposes the needs of our modern society are all well-handled, although, at times, the script goes full preachy in its messages, and perhaps the villains could’ve used a lesser “cartoony” personality to them, at least the character of Davey Trauma, who’s an individual with the power of corrupt the minds of the people injected with nanotech, and who is basically a mix between Batman’s Riddler and the Mad-Hatter, with a tendency to homicide on a great scale. There was potential for a character like that, but there wasn’t much to him. Again, the heavy weight on this story falls on the characters of Debbie and Led, since the whole plot alludes to the struggle a drug addict faces when dragging a loved one to the mix.

But there’s no point in hiding it, the better aspect of this comic book, and the selling point easily goes to Murphy’s artwork. There’s few people out there capable of achieving a dystopian-techno-fascist future the way he does in each frame, added to his sketchy and excessively detailed pencils, Murphy is often acknowledged for the way he draws vehicles and machinery, but the reality is that even his humans, and the way he works with nature, and wild-life is equally impressive, mostly when adding the already familiar aesthetics of Japanese style in this genre. It’s simply a case where the visuals steal the whole show.  

I don’t think people will find this a 100% original, but again, Remender’s ideas, and Murphy’s art are enough to give this one a try. It might abuse the typical and familiar sci-fi traits, but it does have its merits, and the amount of violence and nudity depicted in here caught me by surprise. It’s a classic tale of discovery, revenge, and liberation, sustained by an amazing display of artistic achievement, so any hardcore fan of Murphy (such as I) will appreciate this as part of their collection.

[Camilo Guerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hace su tiempo lei el primer tomo de la serie, que me gusto, pero no me sobrecogio...nada que me llamara la atencion hacerme al segundo libro pero esta edición había tenido sus recomendaciones y lo que mas me gustaba era el arte de Sean Murphy...pues ¿como negarme a verlo en tamaño gigante?, te roba las pupilas y te da imagenes que se funden en tu cerebro, es un comic destructivo, con violencia, algo obvio, pero entretenido.

[Jonah Ableman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unbelievable art and color work with a solid supporting story that just seems to come up short in a few ways. I found Tokyo ghost to be a little too in your face at times and it really lacked subtlety on all fronts, but it’s still an overall pretty enjoyable, if short, ride. Enough great moments packed into a fun package.

[Adan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sean Murphy ❤️