Estuary: A Ghost Story launches this week from Oni Press, promising a juicy mystery buried deep in the ocean and a haunting connected to the church. Think treasure hunting meets ghosts seeking justice, at least in this first issue. With striking visuals and a mystery with all the right pieces, it’s a series that will likely hook readers who love books like Rebecca and movies by Hitchcock.
Estuary: A Ghost Story #1 opens on a scenic coast with a great arched bridge in the distance. Looking a lot like Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, we soon see a car on fire barreling towards the bridge. In an epic double-page spread, the wheels are flying off, the car is flying off the bridge, and in the driver’s seat appears to be some kind of phantom. In the last panel, we get a close-up of a woman’s eyes, with flames reflected in them. Turning the page, we see the woman in a church, delivering an effective, cinematic opening.
From there, we meet Maris, who prays at a church that’s less about congregations and keeps itself running by giving tours. In the shadows, a ghost seems to lurk, not before a nun takes Maris outside for a chat. Writers David “DB” Andry and Tim Daniel get key details across, like the church hiring Maris to find a wreck in the ocean, but the convo is a bit more spiritual. They know each other, and Maris is afraid of the ocean itself, yet this job will take her down deep into its darkness.
Think they’ll be okay?
Credit: Oni Press
A large chunk of this issue focuses on Hunt and Maris’ conversation as they take a boat to the location where the wreck might be. Mostly professional, we get to know them both a bit better until it’s time for Maris to put on Scooba gear and search for the wreck.
Between the church being interested in finding this wreck, the underwater sequence, and easy-to-root-for characters, this series has a bona fide uniqueness you don’t see every day.
Maan House’s art is great with a gritty realism that suits the unease you’ll feel while reading the issue. Colors by Steve Canon enhance these scenes, especially the underwater sequence. The blue water casts a striking contrast with the seaweed, as if the underwater grass were blades. The cliffhanger page will leave you with dread, with a great look at our ghost, with panels surrounding her showing close-ups of terrible features like teeth and glowing eyes. Letters by Taylor Espisito are mostly tempered, with good emphasis on quieter dialogue or shouting, though that’s rare in the first issue.
Estuary: A Ghost Story #1 delivers a haunting and visually rich debut that leans into mood and mystery over immediate answers. The creative team sets a strong tone, pairing eerie supernatural elements with a grounded emotional core. While the pacing dips in the middle, the atmosphere and final reveal make it clear this is a series with real staying power.
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