Ghosted in LA #1 Proof Siobhan Keenan Masters What She Does

Ghosted in LA #1 Proof Siobhan Keenan Masters What She Does

Ghosted in LA is the All New Supernatural College Drama on the Block

Ghosted in L.A. #1 is the first issue of a new comic book series published by BOOM! Box, a division of Boom! Studios that specializes in content for kids and adults that are experimental and gleeful. The comic was created and written by Sina Grace, who had worked on Iceman comics for Marvel, while also doing the artwork alongside Siobhan Keenan, whose previous works include Jem and the Holograms for IDW and Adventure Time also for Boom.

Grace’s story revolves around a young woman’s desire to be with her boyfriend for college, only to deal with some setbacks that then lead her to the start of an interesting and extraordinary situation. Ghosted begins as a small slice of life romantic drama that then turns into a supernatural comedy.

It all starts with Daphne Walters and Kristi Misti, two long time best friends, spending time together as they prepare to leave for their own colleges. When Daphne mentions her boyfriend too many times, Kristi looses it and tells her that moving to California is a bad idea as Daphne tends to change too much about herself whenever she has a boyfriend that she obsesses too much over. Daphne has never liked the ocean and she got a bike for an area of Los Angeles that has hills. Believing that Kristi is just jealous, Daphne tells her off that she got into a better school, actually has a relationship, and is tired of Kristi being so controlling. Daphne leaves the cafe in anger and heads to her college, without the two friends mending their relationship.

Once she’s in her new dorm, Daphne tries to befriend her new roommate who’s not as exited or energetic as she is. Wanting to go to a party with some other friends she’s made, Daphne waits in the Commons for them. Having waited for them there for a little over two and half hours, she learns that they were already at the party miles from the campus. With nothing else to do, Daphne takes her bike and goes to see her boyfriend, Ronnie, on the other side of the campus. Despite her excitement, Ronnie feels that they should brake up as he doesn’t want to be in a bubble throughout his time in college.

Real People vs Unreal Circumstances

As Daphne walks back to her dorm, after being too angry at Ronnie to grab her bike, she tries to text something to Kristi but can’t decide what to write. She ends up walking right into an open metal gate of an abandoned and dark building. Since there’s a pool in front of the gate and not finding anyone else, Daphne goes for a swim. While in the pool contemplating over what she has gone through, Daphne meets her first ghost.

Running out of the pool and into the building, the college student runs into more ghosts and faints from the shock. Upon waking up to even more ghosts, Daphne is terrified until she learns that they aren’t dangerous and have no ill intentions towards her. They just want to be left alone and not let anyone else know about them or the building.

At first, Daphne agrees to leave, until she realizes that the loneliness she feels is the same as the ghosts’ and decides to befriend them. Figuring that if there are favors that the ghosts need that they can’t do, Daphne will do it so that she can hang out with them. The ghosts agree on the deal, and Daphne is happy to have the place all to herself. At the end of the issue, Daphne leaves the building go back to her dorm again and she texts Kristi about missing her and hoping to one day patch things up.

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A Perfect Start to an Interesting Series

All in all, Ghosted in L.A. #1 thus far has begun a very interesting story that starts and ends in a way that wraps you in. You want to read more about such a simple story and thus you want to know when the next issues will be released. Sina’s writing takes what could have been a huge cliche and turns it into a fresh and sweet story, with dialogue and characterization that is very relatable and never feels forced or trying too hard to be hip that many writers would have done.

Daphne herself is so charming and lovable that you want to root for her, even when you know she’s going to make a dumb decision. The writing really exceeds once we meet the ghosts as each one is given their own personality, whether one is rude and upfront and another is kind and welcoming. Ghosted’s artwork is so good, that it almost feels like it’s taken from an actual animated series. Siobhan Keenan is master at what she does since the first few pages of Daphne and Kristi together is done in a different style and less colorful before switching to another and more colorful look once Daphne is in L.A.. Both are still done phenomenally, though I find no reason for the sudden art shift.

So with phenomenal writing and an art style that makes you wish it was an animated series, Ghosted in L.A. #1 will no doubt hook anyone in looking for something new to read.

Available from BOOM! Studios or through your local comic book store.

How did we rate Ghosted in LA #1? 6 Sodas
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