REVIEW: ‘Specter Inspectors,’ Issue #4

Specter Inspectors #4 is a spooky, kid-friendly comic from BOOM! Studios imprint BOOM! Box. It is created and written by Bowen McCurdy and Kaitlyn Musto with art by McCurdy and letters by Jim Campbell. The inSPOOKters are running out of leads, and Astrid, still possessed by a demon, is starting to feel like she’s a burden to the group.

In Specter Inspectors‘ penultimate issue (BOOM! Studios, please extend this series, thank you), the plot doesn’t go too far, but the characters sure do. Particularly Astrid. As the issue begins, there’s a little boy’s spirit sitting by the dock. The tenderness and love that Astrid shows him is precious and has me completely back on the boat of wishing this series wouldn’t end. Her and Noa’s times together are always sweet, and as Astrid falls into personal despair and self-loathing, their relationship continues to enamor me. Unfortunately, we don’t get more of the great development that Ko and Gus got last issue; they don’t get much panel time, but it’s worth it to have gotten the great parts of Astrid and Noa, separately and together.

A big part of what makes this series so successful is the art. The characters just have so much personality to them. Drawn with great detail on every page, this issue, in particular, feels like it’s letting Astrid shine. Her possessed side has always been drawn with great little details like her pointed teeth and doubled eyes. But in this issue, her non-possessed side is given lots of facial expressions and body language. There is a scene in particular where she is pretending to be possessed, and the way it is drawn is this perfect cross between her normal face and her possessed face. There are also several outdoor panels where Astrid and Noa’s hair is drawn billowing, and I think that is a really, really nice touch.

Much of this issue occurs in the dark, but the coloring has several moments where fire or moonlight, or even the glow of a spirit, emanates light and bask everything in color. These panels are so well colored, overlaying the glow so that the natural color is blended with the glowing color just right. It’s an excellent touch.

A number of panels in Specter Inspectors #4 contain journal entries that the team is reading through. To catch the full context of what is going on, the reader has to read them as well. Unfortunately, they’re a tad hard to read between the small text and placement on the page. I like the concept and zooming in digitally, they were legible, but larger text would have helped, certainly.

I’m not ready for Specter Inspectors to be over. The relationships between the characters and Cape Grace’s mysteries all have me enraptured, and I can’t see how all of this will be wrapped up to satisfaction in just one more issue. Issue #4 may not be plot-heavy, though it does set up the final issue. Rather, it excels as it deepens Astrid and Noa’s relationship and each as individuals.

Specter Inspectors #4 is available wherever comics are sold.