Ghost Machine #1: Previews Galore

Ghost Machine #1 is an inexpensive, extra large sized comic that essentially acts as a taste tester for all of the upcoming series under this new publishing line. It is going to be hard to not compare this to other up and coming publishing lines like The Energon Universe so let’s get those comparisons out of the way. Ghost Machine features entirely new concepts and ideas, none of which are built off of existing intellectual properties. Yes, one aspect of the publishing line has already been solidified as of 2019; however, these are all still brand new ideas from some of comics biggest creators. It’s clear that the creators are all gambling big with how many books are teased within the starter issue of this franchise, and unfortunately, the short teases within this issue do little to set up hype for any of these series.

The first odd part of this issue is that it makes it clear that this publishing initiative is not all just one shared universe, but it is instead four separate ones. There just seems to be way too much content coming at once, all spread out within multiple different realities, for fans to truly embrace everything. Additionally, this issue features minimal previews for these series, coupled with large text biographies, all of which muddle the concept as a whole. This all makes this feel like several preview pages (like Marvel and DC release for free weekly) are shoved within one comic for $4.99 in hopes that fans will latch onto at least one of the series. Overall, this is a weird piece of marketing that is unlike anything you’ve likely spent money on before.

Outside of the bizarre marketing strategy behind this issue, let’s take a look at some of the imprints that Ghost Machine is yearning to set up, starting with The Unnamed which consists of Geiger, Redcoat, Junkyard Joe, and The First Ghost. This is the only universe that comes with some existing content as Geiger and Junkyard Joe were released within the last three years. Although The Unnamed features these three franchises within, only Geiger and Redcoat get previews as Junkyard Joe does not currently have a series upcoming. The first preview comes from Geiger by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, and Brad Anderson. Geiger follows a man with radioactive powers in the ruined wasteland of America, following a war that destroyed practically everything. The original series saw him discover that the family he thought he was keeping safe were actually long dead, leading him on a tour across America. This preview is fine; however, it may be a better idea just to pick up the original series to see if the character sparks any interest.

The second spotlight series is Redcoat, from Geoff Johns, Bryan Hitch, and Brad Anderson. Redcoat follows a man who somehow stumbled upon immortality in 1776. This concept overall seems fun, especially when such touted creators are at the forefront; however, the preview focuses more on the elevator pitch than it does establishing a character for Redcoat himself. There definitely will be marketing to come for this series, but the content within Ghost Machine #1 doesn’t seem to add more than just a vague biographical introduction for the character.

Although Junkyard Joe and The First Ghost do not receive the same kind of spotlight as the former two, Ghost Machine #1 does give some text based biographies on the books to hopefully spark more future interest. It will be interesting to see if these books get further mentions within Geiger and Redcoat, but for now, biographies are the best we can get.

The second universe advertised within the pages of Ghost Machine #1 is Rook: Exodus from Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, and Brad Anderson. Rook: Exodus takes place in another dystopian future in which people move to a new planet in which humanity is able to control nature. Things go awry when the world engine fails and people start leaving the planet in masses. Rook is one of the few that gets left behind, using one of several masks that can control different animal species. Unlike Redcoat, the preview spends a good amount of time building upon the premise and showing off what kinds of characters will be seen in this universe. It’s important to remember that this is a completely separate universe from The Unnamed, although they both exist under the Ghost Machine imprint.

The third universe explored is called Family Odysseys, with Ghost Machine #1 touting that this universe will focus on relatable characters, extraordinary circumstances, and family. The two books introduced here are The Rockefellers, from Peter J. Tomasi and Francis Manapul; and Hornsby & Halo, from Peter J. Tomasi and Peter Snejbjerg. The Rockefellers follows a group of individuals who are essentially in the witness protection program and are sent to the past (relative to themselves) of 2024 in order to hide. This preview definitely feels the longest and gives a nice overall look into this series. The premise is very intriguing and it will be interesting to see how these characters play off one another.

Hornsby & Halo by far is the best premise introduced within Ghost Machine #1. The book follows a group of angels and demons who facilitate a trade in which the angel’s child will be raised by the demons and vice versa in order to broker peace between the two factions. The essence of the book, however, comes down to the argument of nature vs nurture, and if these kids will grow up to be who they were born to be or who their adoptive parents raise them to be. All of the details, down to the quirky art design and the voices given to these characters definitely makes this series stand out above the rest.

The final imprint set up here is in the way of Hyde Street, a horror imprint. This preview features a lot of thing jumbled together, such as some fake, “Hyde Street Amusements” from Geoff Johns, Lamont Magee, and Ivan Reis; The Hyde Street book itself from Geoff Johns, Ivan Reis, Dan Miki, and Brad Anderson; and Devour from Maytal Zchut, Ivan Reis, Dan Miki, and Brad Anderson. These previews are kind of pushed together in a way to highlight the horror elements of this universe, giving an overall glimpse of what is to come near the end of 2024. Overall this stuff looks intriguing but it is clear that this release is nearly a year away and we are only scratching the surface.