Reading – The Ghoul, by Niles and Wrightson

Written by Steve Niles and illustrated by Bernie Wrightson, The Ghoul was a fun read . . . but it’s by no means perfect. Collecting the three issues of the comic that were published last winter, this hardcover introduces Niles and Wrightson’s very Hellboy-like character, Kevin, who is commonly referred to as “The Ghoul.” He’s a monster who fights monsters. And it’s that sense of “I’ve seen this story before” that takes The Ghoul from a must own book to merely an enjoyable one.

Yeah, Hellboy

Niles’ writing is as cool and fun as ever, and Wrightson’s artwork is gorgeous (though this would have looked much better if the book had been watercolored instead of digitally colored), but in the end I just can’t get past how Hellboy-like the character is. Massive and standing taller than any mortal, The Ghoul (as I said) is a monster who fights monsters. And he works for a special government agency tasked with fighting the supernatural. The Federal Bureau of Supernatural Investigation. Maybe.

Why “maybe?” Because the book is split into two sections, a comic and a three chapter novella, and in the comic The Ghoul works for the FBSI while in the novella he works for the FBI. I hate inconsistencies in my fiction.

And the comparisons to Hellboy aren’t over yet. Nope. In the novella, titled “My Ghoul,” The Ghoul is tired of working for the feds and is thinking about going off on his own. Man, at least Hellboy got established and a few stories under his belt before he set off on his own.

But it is a Fun Read

I know I started by diving into the negative comparison of the title character to Hellboy, but that’s only because it’s such a strong comparison that I wanted to get that thought knocked out and out of our way before I look at the story.

In The Ghoul, we first meet LA Detective Lieutenant Llyod Klimpt, an officer who stumbles into a bizarre cases that calls for the assistance of the book’s title character. The first chapter (issue) deals with the characters meeting, a short intro to the case, and The Ghoul letting Klimpt (and us, the readers) know that in addition to Klimpt’s case there’s a small issue of demons to deal with before dawn. A very simple, almost uninspired setup that’s enjoyable only because of Niles’ use of language and Wrightson’s artwork. Hey, it’s a comic book so if we’re not getting a mind-blowing story then we can at least have beautiful artwork by a master.

The second chapter gets a little deeper into the story, with our two protagonists shopping for guns, meeting one of The Ghoul’s accomplices — Doc Macabre, a young tech-geek who looks like he wants to be a Ghostbuster — and then ending in a battle with demons. A simple continuation to a simple plot, but still fun. And after having read the first issue on its own several months ago, I can say that the collection significantly improves my enjoyment of the story. Like a lot of television shows, The Ghoul greatly benefits from being consumed in a single sitting.

The final chapter of the book wraps everything up as Klimpt and The Ghoul resolve the demon battle and move on to deal with the original case . . . which ties up a little too fast and neat to satisfy me. And the story ends with Klimpt — now that he’s had a taste of the unknown — quitting the police force and moving on to monster hunting.

The comic is all a little too simple a story to be considered a masterpiece or a work of art, but it’s a fun read and enjoyable. If all we got in the book was this comic then I’d say give the book a pass, but fortunately the included novella makes the package worth buying if you’re a fan of Niles’ work.

The Novella

Anyone who loved Niles’ Cal MacDonald books, Savage Membrane** and Guns, Drugs, and Monsters*** will want The Ghoul just for the included novella, “My Ghoul.” This is Niles at his best, with the words packed with as much atmosphere as any of his Cal MacDonald books. And the story is a hell of a lot more involved than the comic portion of the book . . . even if it’s just another monster hunt.

In “My Ghoul,” The Ghoul goes after a human monster and uncovers help in the form of a female creature much like himself. But with one major, disturbing difference. It’s a great read and I can fully see myself rereading “My Ghoul” far more often than I’ll ever reread the main comic. Kinda like how I’ve reread Savage Membrane three or four times now.

Closing Thoughts

This is by no means an involved review of Niles and Wrightson’s The Ghoul but I hope there’s enough here to give you an idea of what’s hiding inside the book. In the end this is one of those books that I’m happy to own but not so overjoyed that I’m going to recommend it to everyone.

The Ghoul is perfect for fans of Steve Niles and Bernie Wrightson, but it’s not a masterpiece that needs to be in every comic fan’s collection. No, this is merely a fun book. And that’s sometimes enough.

*Affiliate link: Orders using this link earn battlegrip.com cash, which is applied to buying toys.
**Affiliate link: Orders using this link earn battlegrip.com cash, which is applied to buying toys.
***Affiliate link: Orders using this link earn battlegrip.com cash, which is applied to buying toys.