Her boyfriend dumped her, her roommate barely talks to her, and her only new friends are ghosts. Find out how Daphne is starting to cope in Ghosted in L.A. #2!

GHOSTED IN L.A. #2

Writer: Sina Grace
Artist: Siobhan Keenan
Colorist: Cathy Le
Letterer: D.C. Hopkins
Editor: Shannon Walters
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 14, 2019

Previously in Ghosted in L.A.: Daphne Walters is headed for college in L.A. to be with her boyfriend. Her BFF Kristi thinks she’s making a mistake with said boyfriend, so that creates a rift between the two of them. As soon as Daphne reaches L.A., everything in her life seems to fall apart. Her roommate is her exact opposite, right down to being of a different religion. She meets some other young women who invite her to a party, but don’t give her the information on how to find it. Worst of all, her boyfriend breaks up with her. She feels alone and friendless, until she happens on a beautiful old house inhabited by half a dozen ghosts…

DECISIONS THAT COME BACK TO HAUNT US

Ghosted in L.A. #2 opens with Agi’s past, which appears to be in the 1930’s. She’s just been divorced and uses her money to buy Rycroft Manor, with an eye to making it a rooming house for single women. On the flip side, none of her former friends will have anything to do with her now that she’s divorced.

Daphne has questions for the ghosts, but they are not inclined to talk much until she agrees to answer their questions. It’s a cute way to impart more information to us – including a hint that there’s something they’re hiding.

But Daphne still needs to run off to school, where things continue to be awkward. A guy tries to flirt with her by being rude. Her ex is there, eating with his gorgeous (and clingy) new girlfriend. The rude guy (Brint) comes back, offering her the chance to take him out and, if he’s not totally bored, take him home afterward. Without thinking this through, she agrees.

Back at Rycroft Manor, she rapidly realizes she’s not finding a cool place for a date. At least, not until she starts talking with Ricky, who died only five years ago, and who was (and is) really into music. He just can’t switch out records by himself. It turns out that he, of all the ghosts, has a knack for making electronics go on the fritz, like Agi is the only one who can possess people. I kind of like this.

Daphne goes out with Brint, which starts out okay but ends with her date being kicked out of the club. Daphne tries to ditch him, but he insists on walking her home. She realizes she’s in over her head and he’s not going to take no for an answer, so she takes him back to Rycroft Manor and pleads with the ghosts to frighten him off, which they do. Daphne knows she’s violated Agi’s rules and asks for her to wait until the following morning before kicking her out.

Maurice is not pleased with this and tantalizingly reminds Agi about something that happened in the past, and she agrees to talk with Daphne. Daphne, in an epiphany of self-awareness, realizes she’s making bad decisions after her breakup and they haven’t helped her feel any better. Agi agrees to let her off the hook…if she does her a favor.

THE HEIGHTENED EMOTIONS OF YOUTH

Ghosted in L.A. #2 does such a great job of depicting the characters and their emotions, and I love the contrast between Daphne and other young characters versus Agi and the rest of the ghosts. Daphne, in particular, covers a huge range. With the ghosts she is relaxed and wide-eyed, intensely interested in the and sympathetic to them. When she’s dealing with her whole Brint situation, she tries to be confident, but also has moments where she is unsure of what she’s gotten into. She is so darned cute when she’s mad.

I love the opening with Agi. The sepia tones cue us into it being a flashback, but there is care taken with the clothes from the time period. I also like seeing a young Agi – so sure of herself as a ghost – as she is first being faced with the social fallout of her divorce. She makes a decision then and there that I think carries through to her being the de facto leader of the ghosts.

We see more of some of the other ghosts in this issue, such as Ricky, who often looks sad and shy. He does have moments where he opens up, but they are fleeting. We finally see more of Maurice, the angry ghost, although we don’t yet know why he is so angry.

BOTTOM LINE: SUCH INTERESTING CHARACTERS

From the engaging heroine to the fascinating ghosts who are becoming her friends, Ghosted in L.A. #2 is a charming story to curl up with. It’s very relatable with just enough touch of the supernatural to make it stand out from the crowd.