Random Happenstance

I really don't know if that kid would really complain about her, um, changing there.
Looking back, Ghost is an entertaining yet conflicted book. It almost seems like an exercise or writing challenge: write a comic with a strong female lead, make it appealing to male and female readers, then cram it full of as much cheesecake art and violence against women and men as you can fit in 32 pages. Garnish over a stillborn comics universe: someone like Wonder Woman gets guest stars like Batman and Superman. Ghost got Barb Wire, which hardly seems fair. She would luck out with a couple other crossovers, with the Shadow, Hellboy, and as Ghost ended, the Cassandra Cain Batgirl.

The above is from a short story in A Decade of Dark Horse #2, "Sweet Things" Written by Ghost's first series writer Eric Luke, pencils by Scott Benefiel, and inks by Jason Rodriguez. Ghost (her rarely used real name was Elisa Cameron, in fact, it isn't used in this story) is visiting the grave of her sister, Margo; and remembering the time they lived together. Where Ghost was brooding, serious, and possibly dead; Margo was impulsive, brassy, and mouthy.

Margo puts forth that Ghost's problem (aside from her murder, I guess) was that she had never been in love, which made it easier to hate men. (Again, forgetting her murder...) Furthermore, since she didn't remember growing up, she didn't remember boys. And what better way to teach your sister a lesson than by drugging her with a plot device--I mean, paranormal extract, de-aging her back into a preteen girl?

Both at her sister's mercy and to keep her out of trouble, Ghost is (gasp!) forced to go to the mall. Margo talks to a young boy, and Elisa is interested in spite of herself, and eventually starts looking forward to seeing him. Which quickly escalates into following the kid around invisibly, "memorizing his chin" and listening to see if he talks about her...this is one of those things like the old 'x-ray vision in the girls' locker room,' an abuse of super-powers that I'm positive everyone would try at least once. In fact, shortly afterwards the invisible Ghost accidentally wanders into the showers, but at least has the decency to be embarrassed by it.

Margo is both the best and worst sister ever: along with the initial drugging, she also takes it upon herself to graphically 'educate' Elisa on dressing, boys, and, um, eating ice cream. But, as the unnamed boy kisses Elisa, she realizes what a gift her sister's given her. Like a fairy tale though, the kiss breaks the spell, which means mid-kiss she snaps back from preteen girl to centerfold pinup. Panicked, the boy flees...again, while unusual, I'm not sure why this is a deal-breaker. Just as she felt the loss of the boy; in the present, Elisa misses her sister and realizes Margo did love her, in her horrible way. Not unlike your average family.

This issue also featured a Star Wars cover and story, and it makes me more than a little sad that the secret origin of Salacious Crumb (the little monkey-lizard that rips out Threepio's eye in Return of the Jedi) is a bigger draw than Ghost...

Coming up later this week: Batman kung-fu fighting! Maybe Quasar and Black Widow! And quite possibly Christmas if I get around to it. Merry happy!