GHOSTED IN LA #3 – High Score Aside, Its The Weakest Issue to Date
Ghosted in LA #3 continues Self Identity Issues
Ghosted in L.A. #3 starts with a flashback looking at a small part of one of the ghosts’ past life in sepia tone. This time looking at Bernard struggling with his budding career as a lawyer and his love life in 1980’s West Hollywood. Revealing that Bernard is gay, his boyfriend wonders if he doesn’t want to be seen with him. For fear of being judged by others over what he is as not a lot of people know that Bernard is gay.
In the present, the cliffhanger from before continues as Daphne tries to keep Ronnie from getting into Rycroft. Ronnie tries to convince her that they should get together as he has something important to say, but Daphne refuses to see him as she’s still angry at him for the sudden breakup. As Pam and Bernard were secretly watching the two squabble, Bernard noticed something about Ronnie.
Bernard’s ‘Coming Out’ Party
The next day, during a class trip to an art museum, Daphne sees Bernard, learning he can go way past Rycroft, and convinces her that she should talk with Ronnie in private in front of Rycroft as it may be important. Later that evening, the two meet up and despite initially having trouble with what he was going to say, and Daphne talking over him thinking it was about a new girlfriend Ronnie has, he finally comes out to her as gay. Daphne is surprised by the revelation but is still angry over the fact that she went to college in California for him. When Daphne speaks a little louder about Ronnie being gay, Bernard appears due to realizing he was right.
Ronnie ends up meeting the ghost, and at first is freaked out to see him as he is floating and able to pass his hands through him. Once he stops freaking out and gets to know Bernard, the two take a liking for each other. Daphne leaves and goes back to her room as Ronnie and Bernard continue getting to know each other.
Back in her room, she is visited by Maurice, a ghost who doesn’t trust Daphne and thinks she’s nothing but trouble who will reveal them to the world. Having seen Bernard and Ronnie, he calls out Daphne as a selfish girl who always breaks the rules and that their existence is at risk since she’s been here. Despite Daphne assuring him that Ronnie is here because Bernard asked her, he doesn’t believe her. The issue ends with Maurice threatening to eat Daphne as he turns into a giant monster.
All in all, this is definitely the weakest issue thus far of Ghosted in L.A., mainly due to the ending, but is still a good issue to read. Sina Grace’s writing is still great for the most part, dealing with such difficult subject matter as coming out as gay whether towards friends or even family. The 1980s Bernard flashback and Ronnie’s story both show how despite time has gone by, there are many who continue to fear coming out.
The Weakest Issue
There is still, however, a good blend of comedy and drama that balance each other out. We learn that Daphne’s parents are both psychologists, thus explaining her easy mood changes depending on the person she’s talking to. The artwork by Siobhan Keenan continues to be breathtaking and keeps Daphne’s design from the second issue.
As for the reason why this is the weakest, one problem is that Daphne’s campus roommate, Michelle is a very stereotypically goth who always judges Daphne without getting to know her. If Grace does plan to do something with Michelle I’m all for it, but thus far is the weakest part of the series.
Another problem is that while Bernard and Ronnie have good chemistry and you want to root for them, Ronnie gives a line dealing with Bernard’s ghostly nature that tries too hard with its sexual innuendo. The final problem I have is the ending itself with Maurice turning into a giant monster and threatening to eat Daphne. If there were hints that Maurice could do this, it would have worked a lot better. But a combination of his attitude, reaction, expression, over the top art style when he grows bigger, and how sudden it is kind of ruins what could have been something more awesome to end with.
Though it won’t keep me from reading the next issue and how it will be resolved. The third issue is still worth reading and I’m sure many dealing with the same issues will connect to it.
If you’re an already converted Ghosted in LA fan then by all means pick it up. Or, better still, pick it up for Bernard’s ‘coming out’ party. You can at Amazon
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