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Nobrow 17 x 23
The New Ghost
A beautifully rendered, literally haunting tale of the afterlife, Robert Hunter's The New Ghost follows a spectral entity on his first day at work: dark, gentle, poetic, and heart-warming all at once, it is an atmospheric tale to dash the conventions of comics and leave you thirsty for more from this young storyteller. Part of the Nobrow 17x23 series.
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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About the author
Robert Frank Hunter
10 books30 followersRobert Frank Hunter is a London based illustrator. Working on a range of projects in both print and moving image, he is keen to keep applying his work to new disciplines. Robert currently works from Lighthouse Studios in east London and is represented by Everyone Agency and Fillin Global.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
March 2, 2015
Haunting is the only word for this. Literally, because it's about a ghost on his first day of work, trying to figure out what his job is, and figuratively because if you really think about it it's deep.
The artwork style is simple but atmospheric, and fits the story perfectly. This is one of those graphic novels that's more a work of art than a novel. If you read it quickly and put it back down you're not going to get much out of it. You need to take your time, study it and really think about every line.
I just wish there was a little more to it. I'd call it more of a zine than a graphic novel really. But I still enjoyed it immensely, obviously.
The artwork style is simple but atmospheric, and fits the story perfectly. This is one of those graphic novels that's more a work of art than a novel. If you read it quickly and put it back down you're not going to get much out of it. You need to take your time, study it and really think about every line.
I just wish there was a little more to it. I'd call it more of a zine than a graphic novel really. But I still enjoyed it immensely, obviously.
May 5, 2014
A ghost on his first day as a ghost gets separated from the other ghosts floating across the sky. On Earth, he befriends an astronomer before witnessing what looks like an abduction by the other ghosts - and now they’re after him and his astronomer friend!
Robert Hunter’s sweetly surreal comic is an inventive, fable-like story that continuously usurps the readers’ expectations on where it’s headed, managing to keep the reader engaged the whole way through. The book also makes ghosts seem more interesting as a result - rather than wandering aimlessly through castles or manor houses forever, Hunter gives them a far better purpose and a more exciting afterlife.
Though brief at 24 pages - and really more of a single issue comic than a trade paperback/graphic novel - it’s a satisfying read with Hunter displaying a strong understanding of how to tell a story as a comic. Using different sized panels, the story flows very naturally with the text and pictures complementing each other nicely.
I’m not sure I would say the story leaves much of an impression, especially due to its brevity, but if nothing else The New Ghost shows the potential of this writer/artist who could well go on to create something more substantial and powerful in the future. For now though, The New Ghost is a promising beginning and a decent comic.
Robert Hunter’s sweetly surreal comic is an inventive, fable-like story that continuously usurps the readers’ expectations on where it’s headed, managing to keep the reader engaged the whole way through. The book also makes ghosts seem more interesting as a result - rather than wandering aimlessly through castles or manor houses forever, Hunter gives them a far better purpose and a more exciting afterlife.
Though brief at 24 pages - and really more of a single issue comic than a trade paperback/graphic novel - it’s a satisfying read with Hunter displaying a strong understanding of how to tell a story as a comic. Using different sized panels, the story flows very naturally with the text and pictures complementing each other nicely.
I’m not sure I would say the story leaves much of an impression, especially due to its brevity, but if nothing else The New Ghost shows the potential of this writer/artist who could well go on to create something more substantial and powerful in the future. For now though, The New Ghost is a promising beginning and a decent comic.
May 20, 2017
Well that was cute.
July 27, 2016
A short and simple story with some pages I actually would like to tear down and put up on my wall, but won't because that would ruin the cute little graphic novel. For something as brief as it is, you can still see from it the potential of the illustrator/ storyteller if given the opportunity to expand or do something bigger.
May 23, 2017
The Nobrow 17x23 series collects short, self-contained comics, giving new creators a chance to get their stories out in the public eye. There have been some really interesting experiments from the Nobrow line, including some that have spun off into full series (Hilda!!!). Thus, if you spot any of the Nobrow books, they are definitely worth a look!
The New Ghost is an eerie little book about a ghost dealing with his "first day on the job". He doesn't know how to be a ghost yet, so he tries to follow along with the crowd, but everything is confusing and eventually he ends up chilling out with an astrologist instead. Despite his fellow ghost's attempts to get him back into the fold, the new ghost is adamant that he loves his new friend. But this is a ghost story, so don't expect a happy ending...
With muted colours and soft illustrations, The New Ghost is a mysterious, haunting, and beautiful read. Short, but impactful, it's a fantastic example of how powerful a short story can be.
The New Ghost is an eerie little book about a ghost dealing with his "first day on the job". He doesn't know how to be a ghost yet, so he tries to follow along with the crowd, but everything is confusing and eventually he ends up chilling out with an astrologist instead. Despite his fellow ghost's attempts to get him back into the fold, the new ghost is adamant that he loves his new friend. But this is a ghost story, so don't expect a happy ending...
With muted colours and soft illustrations, The New Ghost is a mysterious, haunting, and beautiful read. Short, but impactful, it's a fantastic example of how powerful a short story can be.
April 15, 2018
This book is super short. It has a gorgeous illustration, and cute story.
That’s it.
That’s it.
August 17, 2016
Short, sweet and gentle. The color palette is to die for.
December 29, 2015
Not blown away by the story but the artwork is pretty
February 27, 2018
I found this on some sort of list for graphic novels not to miss, so I ordered it in at work.
Unfortunately, I did not connect with this one at all. It is just not for me. If there was a story or deeper meaning here, it flew right over my head. Everything about it felt forced and tedious, which is crazy, because it's only 24 pages with very few sentences and words. I also didn't particularly care for the artwork.
This was just a no for me on all fronts, but it's clear I'm in the minority.
Book 82 read in 2018.
Unfortunately, I did not connect with this one at all. It is just not for me. If there was a story or deeper meaning here, it flew right over my head. Everything about it felt forced and tedious, which is crazy, because it's only 24 pages with very few sentences and words. I also didn't particularly care for the artwork.
This was just a no for me on all fronts, but it's clear I'm in the minority.
Book 82 read in 2018.
September 16, 2016
For what this is, it's gorgeous.
The art drew me in from the initial purchase, and it carried me through the 24 pages the story inhabits. (Nobrow Press should be extremely happy with the quality of work, and product, they're producing.)
Really, though, if the art doesn't get you, then I don't think this will be for you. The story works well enough in carrying us through a mini-arc in these few pages, but it didn't resonate with me as others have. Honestly, though, that's not a bad thing.
For me, half of a comic is simply being drawn in and absorbed by the way the graphic story is told, and the artwork and page design / layout in THE NEW GHOST is nothing short of fantastic. I love the colors and parallelism and the tone they create.
In short, if you think the cover is gorgeous, you should probably spend the dollars to buy the whole book.
The art drew me in from the initial purchase, and it carried me through the 24 pages the story inhabits. (Nobrow Press should be extremely happy with the quality of work, and product, they're producing.)
Really, though, if the art doesn't get you, then I don't think this will be for you. The story works well enough in carrying us through a mini-arc in these few pages, but it didn't resonate with me as others have. Honestly, though, that's not a bad thing.
For me, half of a comic is simply being drawn in and absorbed by the way the graphic story is told, and the artwork and page design / layout in THE NEW GHOST is nothing short of fantastic. I love the colors and parallelism and the tone they create.
In short, if you think the cover is gorgeous, you should probably spend the dollars to buy the whole book.
September 5, 2016
The New Ghost is a short and simple graphic novel, but it still conveys a ton of emotion. The story follows a new ghost on his first day. As he is flying around trying to get the hang of things he gets separated by the group and crash lands. An astronomer in an observatory nearby sees this happen and comes to help the ghost. As his new friend shares his town with the ghost they witness what looks like an abduction by another ghost. I won’t give away any more than that, but it’s a beautiful little story.
March 23, 2020
This was really cute. The art style fit the story quite nicely and this was one of those 17x23 stories that actually made sense and had a proper arc.
We follow the new ghost who's trying to figure out what his acutal job as a ghost is. Turns out that it's less fun and spooky but more sad and depressing. But oh well, I liked it!
We follow the new ghost who's trying to figure out what his acutal job as a ghost is. Turns out that it's less fun and spooky but more sad and depressing. But oh well, I liked it!
April 21, 2016
An extremely beautiful graphic piece - I adored the illustrations in this one!
A tiny little read that follows the tale of a new ghost (as the title suggests!) - we see how the ghost tries to work out it's role in death and comes to settle in it's new form.
I really love these little graphic works from Nobrow - beautifully crafted and I would recommend to all!
A tiny little read that follows the tale of a new ghost (as the title suggests!) - we see how the ghost tries to work out it's role in death and comes to settle in it's new form.
I really love these little graphic works from Nobrow - beautifully crafted and I would recommend to all!
June 5, 2017
For some reason I hadn't notice while purchasing this that it would be only 24 pages. I was disappointed to find what looked like a pamphlet rather than a book in my Amazon package. Despite the size I enjoyed this short graphic novel. I wasn't wowed by it, mainly due to its shortness, but the artwork and use of color was wonderful.
March 7, 2016
Lovely artwork and story
October 1, 2024
it's a short and sweet story, and beautifully illustrated.
part of the the 17×23 graphic short story series. Launched in 2010, the 17×23 graphic short story series is designed to help talented young graphic novelists tell their stories and can act as a springboard for more ambitious projects. Other than having to be a 24 page comic that measures 17 by 23 cm, the brief is left open to interpretation.
3 stars.
★★★ ★ ☆
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Star ratings and their meanings:
★★★★★: I loved everything about this book! I would re-read it and would highly recommend it to you, your family and your cat!
★★★★: I liked it. I didn’t love it but I still liked it enough to still rate it highly. I could see myself still recommending this book to a lot of people
★★★: It was an okay book. There maybe have been a few things that bothered me while reading this book but for the most parts the likes outweigh the dislikes.
★★: the cons outweigh the pros, unfortunately. There might be some things that were lacking in some areas—writing, characterisation, plot etc, but there may have been a few moments that I liked.
★: Nope. I should've just appreciated this book from afar.
part of the the 17×23 graphic short story series. Launched in 2010, the 17×23 graphic short story series is designed to help talented young graphic novelists tell their stories and can act as a springboard for more ambitious projects. Other than having to be a 24 page comic that measures 17 by 23 cm, the brief is left open to interpretation.
3 stars.
★★★ ★ ☆
Novelstorian (Blog) ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter ✨
Star ratings and their meanings:
★★★★★: I loved everything about this book! I would re-read it and would highly recommend it to you, your family and your cat!
★★★★: I liked it. I didn’t love it but I still liked it enough to still rate it highly. I could see myself still recommending this book to a lot of people
★★★: It was an okay book. There maybe have been a few things that bothered me while reading this book but for the most parts the likes outweigh the dislikes.
★★: the cons outweigh the pros, unfortunately. There might be some things that were lacking in some areas—writing, characterisation, plot etc, but there may have been a few moments that I liked.
★: Nope. I should've just appreciated this book from afar.
October 8, 2017
A Nobrow é sinônimo de qualidade gráfica, com edições lindíssimas, cores incríveis, sempre um excelente uso da forma do objeto livro. Eu gosto bastante do tema deste livro - um fantasma "novo", recém-fantasma (que é o mesmo tema do meu livro preferido deste ano, Lincoln in the Bardo), que precisa aprender a conviver com sua nova forma. A arte é maravilhosa, mas a história não é tão bem resolvida.
March 1, 2018
Came across this on Amazon. I'm always drawn in to anything with ghosts and the supernatural, so no doubt I ended up getting it.
The artwork is pretty cool, but for me, the story just didn't satisfy me. I felt like there was something missing or maybe I'm just not getting it. I understand he's finding his way and trying to follow his colleagues and at the end, he finds his way, but like I said, I just felt like something was missing, like there should have been more.
The artwork is pretty cool, but for me, the story just didn't satisfy me. I felt like there was something missing or maybe I'm just not getting it. I understand he's finding his way and trying to follow his colleagues and at the end, he finds his way, but like I said, I just felt like something was missing, like there should have been more.
June 3, 2017
Loved the artwork, it is just stunning.
November 30, 2017
Cortito pero bonito.
Me gustó mucho la propuesta 17x23 de Nobrow y creo que el cuento vale mucho la pena, aunque tenía otra idea de como se desarrollaría.
Me gustó mucho la propuesta 17x23 de Nobrow y creo que el cuento vale mucho la pena, aunque tenía otra idea de como se desarrollaría.
December 30, 2017
Really short and sweet story about a ghost trying to figure out his purpose. I loved the art style and the colours used, I just wish it was a bit longer as it ended with such potential for more.
September 25, 2020
Extremely beautiful but not fully fleshed out as a story. Would recommend for the illustrations, I could only hope to be so good one day.
December 23, 2017
Very enjoyable, great art and a story that brings both the suspense and fear of a haunting, but also a unique perspective, that of a ghost, new to the job of haunting.
I loved taking my time over each page and drinking in the beautiful colors of the art along with the story, which having little written dialogue is inferred on each page. As the ghost becomes more familiar with their task it becomes more frightening.
I loved the twist of the ending, which gave a new light to the entire work.
The story is also brief and I enjoyed that, I feel it takes a talented artist and storyteller to do justice to a story in a small space, and Hunter managed just fine.
I loved taking my time over each page and drinking in the beautiful colors of the art along with the story, which having little written dialogue is inferred on each page. As the ghost becomes more familiar with their task it becomes more frightening.
I loved the twist of the ending, which gave a new light to the entire work.
The story is also brief and I enjoyed that, I feel it takes a talented artist and storyteller to do justice to a story in a small space, and Hunter managed just fine.
September 28, 2016
It is amazing, simple, profound and hauntingly beautiful!
January 16, 2017
It seems like one of those things that are more a piece of art that a grafic novel.
I liked it. I knew it was going to be deep
I liked it. I knew it was going to be deep
June 28, 2016
Una parvada de fantasmas cruza el cielo, un fantasma se separa de sus compañeros, está perdido. Comienza la historia.
Hermoso relato, una pena que sea tan breve.
Hermoso relato, una pena que sea tan breve.
October 7, 2016
Es muy tiernoooooooo ♥
Las ilustraciones son super lindas (los colores son #colourpalettegoals)
Las ilustraciones son super lindas (los colores son #colourpalettegoals)
August 18, 2020
The story in so simple, in about the ghost on his fist day of work; and it's cute.
The colours are really soft.
The colours are really soft.
April 27, 2021
A short graphic story about purpose and maybe a little about destiny.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews