My thanks to NetGalley and Oni Press for an advance copy of this graphic novel dealing with family, super heroes, super powers, and death, along with a tour of long ago music scene that was vibrant, strong and diverse, something lacking in both comics and current other forms of entertainment.

I loved the music of the early 90's and the comics that were appearing. There seemed to be a freshness, a newness in what creators were trying to do. When even the Big Two were trying new things, well something was going on. This didn't last. Music become more codified, comics broke up into gritty stories and a chase for Hollywood money. I don't blame them, but so many others were swept aside in that wave. A true independent renaissance seemed lost. However the songs survived, and the stories too for that matter. All shown in this graphic novel, A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts written and colored by Oliver Mertz with illustrations by Alex Diotto, a tale about a boy, his powers, a world of super heroics, and about family. With floating heads and lots of goo.

The time is the nineties. Washington DC has a thriving punk scene, with church basements full of moshing kids, if they want, a club scene and endless possibilities. The skies were once full of super heroes also, but government control has stopped that, with only the Gamut, and a few others patrolling to make sure people don't use their powers, even for good. Powers are in plentitude, but the results can be mixed. Ari Ackerman is sixteen, loves music, hates a lot of people and can turn invisible. The problem is he dissolves his skin and anything in contact while doing so, a power he finds hard to control. The Gamut is is next door neighbor, a friendly fellow, but Ari has a few problems. His father is dying of cancer, almost everyday it seems, being resurrected usually in time to watch Star Trek: The Next Generation with his son. His best friend Maya Weng loves weed, but doesn't understand Ari. And a strange woman is watching him, with an agenda all her own. This is before those with powers start dying, and Ari is caught in a grand conspiracy about doubles, fake families, and giant heads.

There is a bit about the show Seinfeld on the back of this comic, a show according to its creators about nothing. One can't say that about this comic. A lot happens, but answers aren't always there for the reader. Which I enjoyed. This is like a slice of life comic, dealing with characters, high strangeness, and a lot of sad things. Death, missing family, the price of being a hero, and the oddness of having powers. LIke becoming invisible, or turning into furniture. The story is quite good, with lots of references to music that made the characters stand out. Stand out so much that I want to know more. The art is really good. A mix of early independent comics, even a little Acme Novelty Library, especially in the house designs. I found myself looking at pages well after the lines were finished, just taking everything in.

A fun comic, like a said a slice of life, that might not be for everyone. The quirkiness is very Wes Anderson, as name checked on the back, and again questions are not always answered, as are some plot points. However I want to know more, and look forward to visiting these characters and this world, again. As well as reading more by both creators.

**A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts** is a fun, quirky, and strange. It's not really a straightforward superhero story, despite all the superpowers and conspiracies. It's more of a weird slice-of-life story where people happen to have powers and occasionally get murdered.

Ari is sixteen, loves the DC punk scene, can turn invisible, and is dealing with his father repeatedly dying and coming back from the dead. Because apparently having a dying parent wasn't complicated enough. His friendship with Maya and the strange things happening around them give the story a nice, slightly offbeat feel.

I really liked the atmosphere. The '90s setting, punk music, bizarre powers, floating heads and general weirdness give it a strong personality. The dialogue is also a lot of fun, and the book has that indie-comic feeling where you never quite know what strange thing is going to show up on the next page.

The art fits perfectly. It's detailed and often surprisingly beautiful, but still has that slightly odd, unconventional quality that suits the story. I found myself spending more time looking at some pages than I expected.

Not everything is explained, and some of the plot points are deliberately left hanging. Normally that can annoy me, but here it worked. The characters and the world were interesting enough that I simply wanted to know more.

A weird, funny, sometimes sad comic that feels like nothing else I've read recently. Definitely worth checking out if you like your comics a little strange.