Unsolved murders, mythical powers and ghost girls.
“Brody’s Ghost: The Midnight Train and Other Tales†by Mark Crilley is a compilation of four short stories that were originally published online in Myspace Dark Horse Presents #30-33 as a preview prior to the release of Brody’s Ghost Volume 1.
The artwork in all four stories is well done. It fits with the light hearted and comedic tone of the story. The stories themselves may not have any concise rhyme or reason-in fact, the stories go nowhere- but since these stories were originally used for preview purposes, it can be forgiven. The good thing is they are funny.
It’s obvious Crilley is a fan of anime in that he mixes serious tone with comedic tones and Americanizes them. Sometimes this falls flat on its face, but Crilley manages to pull it off well. Readers who are into this style of storytelling will love it.
As far as how well of a promotional impact these stories have they do an OK job. They show who the characters are, the tone of the story, the setting and the writing style. Where it fails is introducing the characters. All we’re given are the names of Brody and the ghost girl Talia. That’s it. Who’s the Chinese ghost trainer? What is Brody anyway? Yes, these questions are answered in the main comic, although it could’ve been better if we’ve seen the events leading up to Brody getting these powers.
Will it get new readers though? The artwork, interesting characters and comedic tone is enough to make anyone want to know more about the series.
Now, is it worth getting if you’re a fan of the series? The answer is a resounding yes. If you love Brody’s Ghost and got into it from these stories or would like to see where the series began than do yourself a favor and get it.
Despite some rough edges “Brody’s Ghost: The Midnight Train and Other Tales†is a good compilation of comics that were originally online only. Good artwork, interesting characters and light comedic tone makes Brody’s Ghost worth checking out for a few dozen laughs.
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