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Dirtbag Rapture Vol. 1
"A charming, well-crafted tale of ghosts and the people who help them that is sure to delight fans of CBS's Ghosts and The Good Place ." - Comic Book Resources
She’s stoned. She’s selfish. She’s all that stands between us and the end of the world.
Where do you go when you die? Kat, a stoner with a flexible moral code, can answer that, and the answer not very far. Unfortunately for Kat’s peace of mind, a near-death experience left her with the ability to see and hear ghosts, as well as take them into her “mindscape” so she can bring them to locations of their choosing, essentially playing transporter to the deceased. But when Kat discovers she’s inadvertently played into a demonic plan to screw up the whole world, she is forced to take an active role in the battle between good and evil. And she’s not thrilled about it.
Eisner-nominated Christopher Sebela ( Ground Zero, Crowded) , Kendall Goode ( The Doorman ), and Gab Contreras ( Witchblood ) team up for a supernatural, stoner action-comedy that puts the “boo” in booze cruise.
"I loved it, completely original and enveloping.” — Scott Snyder, author of The Batman Who Laughs
She’s stoned. She’s selfish. She’s all that stands between us and the end of the world.
Where do you go when you die? Kat, a stoner with a flexible moral code, can answer that, and the answer not very far. Unfortunately for Kat’s peace of mind, a near-death experience left her with the ability to see and hear ghosts, as well as take them into her “mindscape” so she can bring them to locations of their choosing, essentially playing transporter to the deceased. But when Kat discovers she’s inadvertently played into a demonic plan to screw up the whole world, she is forced to take an active role in the battle between good and evil. And she’s not thrilled about it.
Eisner-nominated Christopher Sebela ( Ground Zero, Crowded) , Kendall Goode ( The Doorman ), and Gab Contreras ( Witchblood ) team up for a supernatural, stoner action-comedy that puts the “boo” in booze cruise.
"I loved it, completely original and enveloping.” — Scott Snyder, author of The Batman Who Laughs
136 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2022
4 people are currently reading
76 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 14, 2025
Katherine "Kat" Garcia sees dead people. And if they can meet her price, she can also transport them away from the area where their spirit has become tethered so they can be closer to family or at least have a new or better view.
Most of the humor in this goofy horror book comes from how miserable Kat is in her situation and how many substances she abuses to numb herself to it, à la Harold and Kumar Get Haunted.
Eventually, she gets in over her head as she is caught between angels and demons and her desire to get high.
It's a silly lark, but it kept me engaged from start to finish.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in single magazine form as Dirtbag Rapture #1-5.
Contents: Chapter One. Sunday Morning Coming Down -- Chapter Two. If There Are Gods, They Must Be Drunk -- Chapter Three. I Think of Demons for You -- Chapter Four. Now the Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes -- Chapter Five. The Day I Tried to Live
Most of the humor in this goofy horror book comes from how miserable Kat is in her situation and how many substances she abuses to numb herself to it, à la Harold and Kumar Get Haunted.
Eventually, she gets in over her head as she is caught between angels and demons and her desire to get high.
It's a silly lark, but it kept me engaged from start to finish.
FOR REFERENCE:
Contains material originally published in single magazine form as Dirtbag Rapture #1-5.
Contents: Chapter One. Sunday Morning Coming Down -- Chapter Two. If There Are Gods, They Must Be Drunk -- Chapter Three. I Think of Demons for You -- Chapter Four. Now the Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes -- Chapter Five. The Day I Tried to Live
May 13, 2025
This author and me seem not to get along. The idea of a girl talking to ghost is cool but this longwinded, TOO much talking, storyline really feels like it babbles its way through and then gets convoluted as hell by the end. This did not work for me.
July 14, 2022
A very original and creative take on ghosts, the afterlife, God and his/her relationship to humans.
I loved the premise - - a character who because of a near-death experience can now see and communicate with ghosts -- who constantly badger her to help them find a new beginning.
Main character Garcia is not your typical narrator/hero - - a plus size, cynical woman with self-worth and meaning-of-life issues who would rather hide herself within drugs and fast food binges.
She tries to capitalize on her new abilities and make money from the dead. She creates a hotel (The Garcia Arms) within her mindscape to provide her clients temporary residence.
I didn't like her at the beginning, but as the story progresses she becomes more relatable as she becomes attached to some of the ghosts, and actually fears for them when she gets caught up in a war for control between angels and devils. When she finally gets an audience with God, it's with an alien, blob-like entity who would rather play video games than show any interest in humans.
There's a lot to uncover within this story, and I actually found it heart-warming and optimistic. I read this in the original single monthly issues. You won't be able to finish this quickly like most modern comics. There is a lot of dialogue and plot to digest. Writer Sebela doesn't show his hand all at once, and introduces a few more twists every issue. Defininty deserves consideration for Best Original Work/Mini-Series of 2021.
I loved the premise - - a character who because of a near-death experience can now see and communicate with ghosts -- who constantly badger her to help them find a new beginning.
Main character Garcia is not your typical narrator/hero - - a plus size, cynical woman with self-worth and meaning-of-life issues who would rather hide herself within drugs and fast food binges.
She tries to capitalize on her new abilities and make money from the dead. She creates a hotel (The Garcia Arms) within her mindscape to provide her clients temporary residence.
I didn't like her at the beginning, but as the story progresses she becomes more relatable as she becomes attached to some of the ghosts, and actually fears for them when she gets caught up in a war for control between angels and devils. When she finally gets an audience with God, it's with an alien, blob-like entity who would rather play video games than show any interest in humans.
There's a lot to uncover within this story, and I actually found it heart-warming and optimistic. I read this in the original single monthly issues. You won't be able to finish this quickly like most modern comics. There is a lot of dialogue and plot to digest. Writer Sebela doesn't show his hand all at once, and introduces a few more twists every issue. Defininty deserves consideration for Best Original Work/Mini-Series of 2021.
October 30, 2023
To be perfectly candid, I saw this comic and I was not going to read it — the premise seemed entertaining but at the same time when I saw some of the preview pages, I was struck with a dread of cliched story-beats that I have been getting tired off reading and can very easily be written in a tiresome manner. It was purely on the back of the writer, Christopher Sebela, that my decision see-saw chose to see rather than saw.
Also, I now find it harder to think of "dirtbag" as an insult because it's arguably the most useful part of a vacuum cleaner.
The basic premise of the comic contains elements that in a very basic sense you’ll likely find familiar (a) protagonist goes through traumatic experience, in this case nearly dying, and develops a unique ability as a result in this case (b) she can talk to the dead and they want her to help, ala “Ghost Whisperer” and “The Sixth Sense” and lastly, (c) Kat, is a smug, self-absorbed, snarky and “probably smarter than even she knows” and is of course destined to be our hero because, well, she just is our hero - whether you like it or not. That last one in particular is a trope that I find eye-rolling and annoying a bit and was off-putting at the start but Sebela does a very good job balancing out both characters and the story as I will explain.
Kat uses her powers (interestingly) to barter with the ghosts who have taken over her life by constantly wanting her to do things - things that she does if they can offer her something of value in trade, like buried money or something that she can use, which is fair enough I suppose and kind of unique. Over time she has slid into a true dirtbag lifestyle, making her living carting ghosts around to places they want to go or do what they want as and when she sees fit and the rest of the time she lives a totally isolated lifestyle - save a trio of friends and a cat (I think people in these stories just have cats to humanise these characters extra and because you can leave a cat to wander, a dog not so much). Oh and she is utterly and totally hooked on drugs and partying and anything that will numb her and shut out all the ghosts wandering the Earth.
What kept me going the most in the first two issues was, to be honest, the magnificently low-key artwork. I am new to these artists but their work was subtle and had a quality that I can only explain as a combination of mellow, charming and minimalist with nice bright colours nicely on display to make for an eye-catching experience.
What kept me going further however, was the wonderfully creative places that Sebela takes the reader. Yes, the above is familiar territory but then he takes us to unexpected places that engage you - there’s the inner-space of Kats mind which is where she allows ghosts to dwell and is how she helps them travel around and is people by a small group that aren’t ready to move on yet; there’s the sudden emergence of angels/demons which thankfully does not go as it might in most stories, a fun new take on the afterlife and supernatural; and of course Kats friends who may or may not be what they claim and add a much needed note of human relations and levity to a story that tries to make some jokes but struggles in that department with our snarky lead - at least that’s my view.
In the end, this is a remarkably charming little ghost-facing adventure and character journey and the saving graces that keep it from devolving into cliche are some of the creative ideas, a realistic character arc for the protagonist wherein she is not totally transformed to a heroic being but instead is an awkward hero feeling her way there.
What keeps it from scoring/rating higher for me is frankly that it’s too short - and I mean that as a genuine compliment, because the many ideas both little and big that are introduced, we have no time to explore, let alone the philosophical and metaphysical areas the story touches on by the halfway point onwards. Not to mention that Kats’ friends get far far too little time on-screen because I found them personally way more likeable and interesting than her (which is fine, it happens); but the bottom line is that there is a LOT of potential here for a far more interesting and impactful story that here feels like it was rushed and crushed to fit five issues OR the creators didn’t want to delve any deeper and focus instead on the quick pace and get to the big finale - either way, it adds a watered down feel to what is a fun read I would not discourage you from could have been an outstanding story to read.
Also, I now find it harder to think of "dirtbag" as an insult because it's arguably the most useful part of a vacuum cleaner.
The basic premise of the comic contains elements that in a very basic sense you’ll likely find familiar (a) protagonist goes through traumatic experience, in this case nearly dying, and develops a unique ability as a result in this case (b) she can talk to the dead and they want her to help, ala “Ghost Whisperer” and “The Sixth Sense” and lastly, (c) Kat, is a smug, self-absorbed, snarky and “probably smarter than even she knows” and is of course destined to be our hero because, well, she just is our hero - whether you like it or not. That last one in particular is a trope that I find eye-rolling and annoying a bit and was off-putting at the start but Sebela does a very good job balancing out both characters and the story as I will explain.
Kat uses her powers (interestingly) to barter with the ghosts who have taken over her life by constantly wanting her to do things - things that she does if they can offer her something of value in trade, like buried money or something that she can use, which is fair enough I suppose and kind of unique. Over time she has slid into a true dirtbag lifestyle, making her living carting ghosts around to places they want to go or do what they want as and when she sees fit and the rest of the time she lives a totally isolated lifestyle - save a trio of friends and a cat (I think people in these stories just have cats to humanise these characters extra and because you can leave a cat to wander, a dog not so much). Oh and she is utterly and totally hooked on drugs and partying and anything that will numb her and shut out all the ghosts wandering the Earth.
What kept me going the most in the first two issues was, to be honest, the magnificently low-key artwork. I am new to these artists but their work was subtle and had a quality that I can only explain as a combination of mellow, charming and minimalist with nice bright colours nicely on display to make for an eye-catching experience.
What kept me going further however, was the wonderfully creative places that Sebela takes the reader. Yes, the above is familiar territory but then he takes us to unexpected places that engage you - there’s the inner-space of Kats mind which is where she allows ghosts to dwell and is how she helps them travel around and is people by a small group that aren’t ready to move on yet; there’s the sudden emergence of angels/demons which thankfully does not go as it might in most stories, a fun new take on the afterlife and supernatural; and of course Kats friends who may or may not be what they claim and add a much needed note of human relations and levity to a story that tries to make some jokes but struggles in that department with our snarky lead - at least that’s my view.
In the end, this is a remarkably charming little ghost-facing adventure and character journey and the saving graces that keep it from devolving into cliche are some of the creative ideas, a realistic character arc for the protagonist wherein she is not totally transformed to a heroic being but instead is an awkward hero feeling her way there.
What keeps it from scoring/rating higher for me is frankly that it’s too short - and I mean that as a genuine compliment, because the many ideas both little and big that are introduced, we have no time to explore, let alone the philosophical and metaphysical areas the story touches on by the halfway point onwards. Not to mention that Kats’ friends get far far too little time on-screen because I found them personally way more likeable and interesting than her (which is fine, it happens); but the bottom line is that there is a LOT of potential here for a far more interesting and impactful story that here feels like it was rushed and crushed to fit five issues OR the creators didn’t want to delve any deeper and focus instead on the quick pace and get to the big finale - either way, it adds a watered down feel to what is a fun read I would not discourage you from could have been an outstanding story to read.
May 9, 2023
Enjoyable but much too complicated by the end. I did like the art a lot and almost wanted more from this world. Maybe more of a series exploring helping the ghosts? The good/evil motif was confusing and I don’t understand how it can just be over?
March 16, 2022
I really enjoy comics where the main character can talk and see dead people.
October 22, 2022
I saw this and thought it was cool but I found it boring towards the end.
September 21, 2023
Not for me
I tend to struggle with the stoner protagonist genre, while I liked the idea of a mind palace hotel for ghosts, I never really found myself caring about the plot or stakes. I think I liked "the pack," her squad of paranormally diverse friends, the most but it was pretty minor in the "good" VS "evil" conflict that I found kind of dull. I guess I was hoping it'd be closer to the show "Deadbeat." There was enough there that I wouldn't say it was bad, but I just didn't find myself caring about the characters or plot.
I tend to struggle with the stoner protagonist genre, while I liked the idea of a mind palace hotel for ghosts, I never really found myself caring about the plot or stakes. I think I liked "the pack," her squad of paranormally diverse friends, the most but it was pretty minor in the "good" VS "evil" conflict that I found kind of dull. I guess I was hoping it'd be closer to the show "Deadbeat." There was enough there that I wouldn't say it was bad, but I just didn't find myself caring about the characters or plot.
February 27, 2022
(Loved the little cameo from the It's Always Sunny gang!)
October 16, 2022
I enjoyed this one, it's refreshing to have such an unlikable heroine! I mean, Kat isn't a completely horrible person, but she's a lot to put up with. She does have a good heart, it just doesn't come out much. As the story progresses, her attitude and behavior become more and more understandable and relatable, and by the end I really liked her. It would be a pain in the ass to have to deal with ghosts all the time like she does, especially if you then find out you're actually an important part of an evil plot to destroy the world and get caught up in a war between angels and demons, and that could make anyone crabby. At any rate, this was fun and snarky, and a good read!
March 2, 2024
I really loved the art style of this graphic novel, but unfortunately the story wasn't as strong. I was interested until the last quarter, where it felt like they were trying to escalate the tension but it just ended up dissipating. And the ending was just way too nice and neat for what started off as a messy story about a very imperfect person.
April 11, 2022
While I'm not sure that the author intends to be exploring the topic of body autonomy, how this series grapples with that topic in this extraordinary circumstance, make the whole thing much more interesting to me.
March 28, 2023
Love it, wish it was longer! Hoping for vol. 2 but can't find any info if it will continue. Could def see this as a tv show as well. Somewhat similar vibe to the show ExtraOrdinary with a dash of Buffy.
June 8, 2023
73%
I liked this more than I thought I would! The title and blurb made it sound like Kat was a pretty shitty person, but considering her circumstances, I didn't think she was all that bad and I quite enjoyed following her journey.
I liked this more than I thought I would! The title and blurb made it sound like Kat was a pretty shitty person, but considering her circumstances, I didn't think she was all that bad and I quite enjoyed following her journey.
February 11, 2022
Snarky. Selfish. Stoner. Kat Garcia is gonna save us all from the Apocalypse. Universe help us. Literal LOL read. Loved it.
Want to read
February 16, 2022Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
October 12, 2022
It was fun and quick. Got a little dragged out at points and the message was a little ham fisted, but the main character was a lot of fun and we love some plus size representation.
October 17, 2022
I kind of love everything about it. I need more.
December 22, 2022
Dirtbag Rapture was a fun read. Girl likes her drugs and that coping mechanism is not far fetched. Colorful graphic novel, easy to read and get into. Good time with a great plot.
July 15, 2023
Couldn't get into it, becuase I wasn't connecting with or invested in the main character.
July 20, 2023
I think this might be the first graphic novel I've read with a fat female protagonist? I love her.
September 26, 2024
This comic should be legally recognized as a crime against humanity.
April 20, 2025
fun take on good and evil
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews