And Then I Read: THE GHOST, THE OWL by Franco & Sara Richard

Image © Franco & Sara Richard. Lettering by Marshall Dillon.

In appearance this large but slim hardcover seems to be a picture book for young children, but inside is a 48-page comic with themes that young children might not understand or find frightening.

An owl becomes friends with the ghost of a girl child. Other birds tell the owl to ignore her, but he decides to speak to her instead. The ghost does not remember her origin or even understand that she is a ghost, and together they try to find out more of her history. The search takes them to the home of a young woman who is being threatened by an imposing, angry man who wishes to hurt her for rejecting him. The ghost and the owl try to help the woman, each in their own way.

Not a bad story, but I had an issue with the art. The owl and other birds are depicted very realistically while the ghost seems rather cartoony and manga-like, making their interactions seem strange and not very convincing. The adult man and woman are somewhere between the two.

Mildly recommended.