Written by: Rick Remender
Art by: Sean Murphy & Matt Hollingsworth
Publisher: Image Comics
The sheer absurdity of Tokyo Ghost is what has, in my mind, propelled it past so many other comics. The lengths that Remender, Murphy, and Hollingsworth are willing to go are insane, and for the penultimate issue, they seem to have pulled out all the stops. I mean, the book opens with Davey go-karting alongside historical figures such as Hitler, Mao, and Genghis Khan. I mean, of course these are Davey’s confidants – he’s just a far more insane version of all of them.
In my mind – and in the minds of many others, I’m sure – it seems very easy for this scene to go wrong. It could easily be played off solely for shock value, and somewhat distasteful shock value at that. However, Remender navigates the entire exchange with care. It actually has a reason for existing beyond just being shocking, and in the context of Tokyo Ghost, it feels kind of natural, actually.
After this scene, Remender quickly reminds the reader that behind all of it, there’s a complex emotional story being told in Tokyo Ghost. The character relationships form the core of this book, and those are further explored and fleshed out here. There are pages of exposition that delve into those relationships, but the writing doesn’t get in the way of the work Murphy and Hollingsworth are doing. Their art acts as an exclamation point after each bit of text that Remender writes, driving home the book’s many incredible moments.
Of course, it would be remiss to not touch on the main conflict between Debbie and Davey. The two contrast perfectly, making their conflict that much more interesting. Somehow, this issue manages to find time to set up their (presumably) final confrontation while also having them come to blows here. It’s a jam-packed issue, and yet, Remender handles the pacing with ease.
Essentially, Tokyo Ghost #9 is a culmination of everything that has made this book so incredible thus far. It’s all here, from the quiet character moments to the overstated action sequences to the hyperbolic social commentary. That being said, I am really left with the sense that this series is ending long before it should have. And yeah, part of that definitely comes from the fact that I’ve absolutely adored this book. But I do believe that taking some more time to delve into a few elements of the series would have vastly improved it overall.
While it is unfortunate that we’ve already reached the penultimate issue of Tokyo Ghost, the story that we’ve gotten has been absolutely incredible. This issue is certainly no exception to that rule. Remender, Murphy, and Hollingsworth all seem to be bringing some of their absolute best work to this book, and it shows. At this point, it’s likely too late to jump on and pick up the singles, but when this is all collected, it’s something that will almost certainly be a blanket recommendation.
