The Grim Ghost #1
Published and © by Atlas (Seaboard), January 1975
Title: “Enter the Grim Ghost”
Synopsis: Colonial-era highwayman Matthew Dunsinane is put to death, but makes a deal to do Satan’s work in the 20th century.
Writer: Michael Fleisher
Artist: Ernie Colón
Review: The Grim Ghost is introduced in this strong debut, one of the best single issues of the Atlas (Seaboard) line. Tapping into both the Satan and specter motifs popular at the time, writer Michael Fleisher crafts one of the few characters from the upstart company to even threaten originality. The Colonial-era origins of the time-transplanted Grim Ghost give the series both a unique flavor and a lot of potential. Meanwhile, Ernie Colón’s art here is quite nice, offering a unique blend of ground-level and mainstream styles. Really, this series could have been a contender.
Grade: A-
Cool factor: Love the concept, and the cool Ernie Colón cover.
Not-so-cool factor: The series would go to hell – literally – by the third issue (see review).
Character quotable: “You have style, my boy! I like style!” – Satan, tail and goat legs and all
A word from the artist: “… the concepts were given to me, and I created the look in both cases.” – Ernie Colón, talking about the Grim Ghost and Tiger-Man in Comic Book Artist #16, December 2001
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on March 2, 2010.
