Daphne’s arrival has upset everything at Rycroft Manor. But someone else sees the ghosts, and the mysterious basement door opens! What can be behind it? Find out in Ghosted in L. A. #9 from BOOM! Box.

GHOSTED IN L. A. #9

Writer: Sina Grace
Artist: Siobhan Keenan
Colorist: Cathy Le and Jeremy Lawson
Letterer: D. C. Hopkins
Editor: Shannon Watters
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 11, 2020

Previously in Ghosted in L. A.: Shirley tells her ghostly friends that even though she is fond of them all, she feels it is time for her to move on, if possible. Agi thinks she knows a ritual that could free her – but she needs to possess a human in order to perform it. The obvious choice is Daphne, and the ghosts are divided over whether this would be safe for her. Daphne makes the decision herself and lets Agi possess her. Meanwhile, Bernard decides he and Ronnie should not hang out anymore, and the religious Michelle starts asking about spirits.

DOUBT AND QUESTIONING

Ghosted in L. A. #9 opens not in L. A., but in Denmark where Michelle is talking to her minister, who is concerned about her. She’s conflicted – she is a shoplifter, but she keeps confessing her sin. She also is driven to be not just Christian, but to be the best Christian. This is a very real desire, but when the minister encourages her to experience life and allow herself to make mistakes, Michelle feels she doesn’t understand her. Maybe she doesn’t, but we now understand her a little better.

At Rycroft Manor, Shirley is teaching Daphne how to cook. It’s very sweet, and it’s Daphne’s attempt at trying to help distract Shirley and apologize (in a different way) for Agi’s spell not working. Daphne is trying to start doing meaningful things with her life. Suddenly, the jam that she’s also learning how to make explodes all over the kitchen. Zola accuses Ricky of messing with the stove. Ricky has been feeling left out, and this is developing into conflict, especially with Zola.

Michelle goes to a New Age kind of store and picks up a couple books. The helpful cashier suggests that she check out the Center of Philosophical Research. She starts reading on her way home but doesn’t find that the book makes sense. Then she spots a small, glowing thing and follows it. It goes into the place where Ronnie and his friends are doing their planning for prom. It goes in, and Bernard leaves – and Michelle sees him. Her next stop is the library where she concludes that ghosts may be real, but they do not belong here. I like getting her more involved in the plot. She’s more interesting this way than just the unfriendly roommate.

Daphne is back in the basement where she left the guitar. No sooner does she pick it up than she finds the mysterious door slightly ajar. She looks beyond it, but it is pitch black. But back in the basement, there are strange drawings on the walls that weren’t there a moment ago. By the time she gets back upstairs, Ricky and Zola are in a full-fledged argument. Zola think’s he’s jealous because Daphne likes her; he blames her for messing up his apartment. There are inky drawings all over his walls, like the writing Daphne saw in the basement, and not like Zola’s ink.

INTERESTING TIMES

Ghosted in L. A. #9 has such a clean, fresh style. I like Daphne’s new earnestness as she tries to think about others a little more and tries to do things with a purpose. But we really see a change in Ricky. He’s always been quiet and shy, hanging out on the edge. Now he’s starting to look more disheveled, and we can believe that he messed with the stove to deflect attention away from Zola. I enjoy that the ghosts all have distinct personalities, and even with Maurice gone, there are still conflicts among them.

Michelle is starting to feel a little like a lost soul. Her parents are not religious, but she has taken deeply to religion. We still do not see her smile; it’s like she needs something concrete in her life. Seeing ghosts shakes her to the core almost as much as having to admit that Daphne, the roommate she’s been brushing off as “crazy” may actually be right. I like that she doesn’t just deny things out of hand, but her determination as she leaves the library shows us that this is the beginning of another conflict.

BOTTOM LINE: SLICE OF LIFE WITH GHOSTS

Ghosted in L. A. #9 continues to charm with a cast of diverse characters and the juxtaposition of normal growing-up type situations and a supernatural mystery.

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