Writer: Rick Remender / Artist: Sean Murphy / Image Comics
Rick Remender’s Tokyo Ghost has proven to be a strange yet entertaining affair. It’s a techno-parable that has taken several twists and turns in getting to its finish line. I suspect it’ll read a lot smoother in trades, but it has remained every bit as intense as we’ve come to expect from the guy who writes Low and Black Science. But as we come to the home stretch, can the series finish strong?
Issue #10 sees the battle between Debbie and her techno psuedo-god nemesis, Davey Trauma. Their final showdown is hugely suspenseful for a scenario that basically boils down to a yes/no choice. Remender seems to be at the point where he stops playing coy (by the standard of his usual work) about his anti-group mindset and outright tells you the moral of the story with his heavy narrative. That said, the issue is a bit talky, but it’s so well written, it still proves effective and entertaining all at once. It’s an honest referendum on social media culture that forces the reader, unplugged or not, to be real with themselves. Visually, Sean Murphy pulls out all the stops to make this finale as fun and immersive as Remender’s script allows. This world jumps out at you right out the gate and is so beautiful and gritty at the same time. I don’t know if I’d want to live in this techno opium den dystopia or burn it to the ground. That was a joke, by the way. I’ve read enough William Gibson books to know better.
Bottom Line: It’s a little top heavy on exposition, but for the most part, Remender stuck to his guns and comes out on the other end with the clean, satisfying ending that readers deserve. For maximum enjoyment, pick it up in trade to keep up with the pacing. Other than that, Remender can add another hit to the “win” column.
9 Ghosts In the Machine out of 10
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