Battlemouth

Last week I followed a link from writer Steve Niles, via twitter (@SteveNiles), to a contest being held by Calliope’s Realm Comics that offered a chance to win an advanced copy of Mr. Niles newest book The Ghoul. As a fan of Mr. Niles (30 Days of Night, Criminal Macabre) and artist Bernie Wrightson (Creepshow, Batman, Swamp Thing, The Shadow, The Spectre, and many many more), I had planned on picking this book up anyways upon its release November 11 (yesterday), but as luck would have it I ended up winning the contest and received my very own copy shortly after! After my little hiatus from writing (sorry Battle-fans) I thought that a review of this book would be a great way to get back in the saddle as well as spread the word about what will surely be an unforgettable series!

Published by IDW, The Ghoul, tells the tale of Los Angeles Detective Lieutenant Lloyd Klimpt, and his encounters with a Federal Bureau of Supernatural Investigation agent known only as The Ghoul.
The Ghoul, called such for his pale skin and hulking “monster like” size (not his hunger for the flesh of the dead as he so politely points out himself) has spent nearly a century working for the FBSI (a branch of the FBI. He is the one called in when things get a little strange and a…different…approach is needed to solve a crime.

Here is the official solicitation:

blockquote>Acclaimed creator Steve Niles teams up with industry legend artist Bernie Wrightson for his latest fright-fest, The Ghoul #1, now in stores!

When Los Angeles Detective Lieutenant Lloyd Klimpt finds himself in the middle of a Hollywood mystery that falls way outside the norm, he knows he’s going to need a different kind of help than he’s used to. He finds it in the bizarre form of The Ghoul, a monstrous investigator with a reputation for solving the world’s weirdest crimes.

Never lacking in wit, Niles brilliantly introduces both Detective Klimpt and The Ghoul in a way that is both memorable and entertaining. It is obvious that while the supernatural does exist all around the people in the world of The Ghoul, most remain oblivious and thus are rather startled by the appearance of The Ghoul…Detective Klimpt is no exception. However, while the sight of such a massive man is terribly imposing, Niles does a splendid job of showing that The Ghoul is not to terribly different from you or I.
While Niles crafts a masterpiece of a story, Bernie Wrightson does wonders with his pencil work. His unique “close-ups” provide both an intimate and detailed feel to the story that is seldom experienced in such a tale. From page one, I found myself being more immersed in the rich detail of the story thanks to panel after panel of fantastic art. Detective Klimpt resembles slightly, John Constantine (Hellblazer), with his hand rolled cigarettes, styled blonde hair and shadow filled features…as a big fan of Hellblazer, this did nothing for me but add to the story. It becomes clear right away that while Klimpt may resemble Constantine he is anything but, with his stiff posture and tense demeanor. Colorist Tom Smith also deserves some recognition for his work as colorist in this story. His combination of warm colors and deep shadows add complexity to each panel.

On the whole I can say nothing more than, BUY THIS BOOK…Steve Niles is surely one of the master story craftsmen of our day. I cannot wait to see where this story takes us!

For a Preview Click HERE