I like the illustrations and character style a lot better in Ghostopolis a lot better than I did in cardboard, even though the basic similarities are there (the buggy eyes and skinny limbs, mainly). The color palette in the afterlife is gorgeous, sickly greens and blues and muted vivid colors.

The characters are a little flat - while there's some development in Frank and Garth, it's predictable and falls kind of flat. Cecil is a good character, and I wish he was around a little more and not just relegated to the classic "I had a bad relationship with my daughter because I was a bad person but all I have to do to be forgiven is feel sorry" plot.

The plot is fairly straightforward, but there are some things that could have been explained more and some things that don't make any sense at all. While it's a nice visual touch, why are there different kinds of dead people in Ghostopolis (mummies vs skeletons vs "normal" ghosts etc)? If ghosts aren't forced to look like how they did when they died, why does Garth's son look like an old man? Why is Garth's son even there? He can't be dead yet if he hasn't been born! ( )

Disappointing. I promised myself that I wouldn't approach this book with a negative perspective because I know of the authors strong religious background. And it wasn't the seemingly arbitrary insertion of a redeeming 'God' like character towards the end of the book. The story just felt sloppy with very little attention to details like 'what are these powers that Garth has?' or 'why does Garth have a mysterious disease that's killing him.' I just felt I needed more. That said, the artwork is pretty amazing with great design and dynamic action. ( )

TenNapel is very talented when it comes to compelling characters, drawing style and world-building. His narrative structures and transitions are pretty clunky, but that just is what it is. This is a more traditional story (and more geared at a YA audience I believe) than his weirder stuff like Iron West and Gear.

I'd be very curious to see what Pixar would do with this as a movie and how they'd beef up the character development and story arc. ( )

Pretty decent. ( )

frank Gallows is your quintessential deadbeat detective type except that his job is wrangling ghosts who have strayed into the world of the living and sending them back to the afterlife. On one such mission, he accidentally sends a kid with a terminal illness called Garth Hale back while he is still alive. What then follows is a wild ride in the afterlife for Garth as a relative's ghost sends him to Ghostopolois which is currently under the evil rule of a very powerful person called Vaugner. Along the way, Frank the ghost-wrangler gets himself into the afterlife with the help of a beautiful dead woman called Claire Voyant and they team up with Garth, a dead horse and the Skelton King to stop Vaugner's evil rule.
This is one for those who like their comics on the macabre side but is suitable for younger readers with its themes of loving unconditionally, family bonds and the need to resolve differences before people pass away. There are some very humorous parts too and the artwork does not portray the female characters in that over the top super-hero way ..i.e. all boobs and long legs. Kept me engaged from page one and I think will appeal to YA market. ( )