Story Synopsis: The Dead Boy Detectives Vol. 1: Schoolboy Terrors

Two boys have been taking on cases as detectives, but their cases as often quite strange.  The thing is, the boys are ghosts. Find out what kind of trouble two ghosts who are detectives can get into in this weeks Comic Rewind: The Dead Boy Detectives Vol. 1: Schoolboy Terrors.

Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland have a knack for investigating the strange and they use their skills to help those in need.  Their first case was a simple missing cat case, but this case became quite troublesome.

Twinkle the cat was proving to be hard to find.  The pair were hitting the streets hard to see what they could dig up.  When walking by an abandoned schoolhouse the ghost of a headmaster came out and dragged them inside.  The headmaster ran a school for ghost children. These children went into the school, but never came out.  The detectives must find a way out, but first the headmaster must be dealt with.

Comic Dead Boy Detectives

When taking on a second case the pair found themselves in familiar grounds, the place they died.  The boys had taken a liking to a teenage girl, Crystal Palace. She woke up after the boys saved her from dying and she suddenly wanted to go to St Hilarion’s.  Paine died there in 1916 and Rowland in 1990. However, could they keep Palace from dying there too?

The Dead Boy Detectives Vol. 1: Schoolboy Terrors was written by Toby Litt and Mark Buckingham with art by Buckingham, Gary Erskine, Andrew Pepoy and Lee Loughridge.  DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint published the volume in 2014.

Detectives Who Are Ghosts Really Spiked My Interest

I really like a supernatural and spooky theme in my comics and TV.  This was a perfect fit for me. A world with ghosts all around us and looking out for us is something I really like.  However, ghosts trying to cause us harm I like a lot less.

Two boy detectives living out almost every boys fantasy to investigate and solve mysteries is perfect.  A kid at that age would use their ghost skills to fulfill their fantasy and them having until Death finds them makes that possible.  I found it really funny and realistic they would become detectives.

Comic Dead Boy Detectives

Who Are These Boys And Where Did They Come From?

An issue I had with the volume is I wanted a bit more background on the boys.  These boys originated in the Sandman series so maybe there is a little more about them in that.  However, I really wanted to know how they found each other and became friends.  Their death is not fully explained, but is left for the reader to do the math. I wanted to know if they had the same personality when they were alive or if they have changed over the years.

I enjoyed the stories in the volume and found them very interesting.  However, they didn’t grab me very strongly. They were all good and I liked them, but they were missing something.  I can’t put my finger on what exactly, but one key thing was missing which would have made the comic really good.

This is a good solid read and I’m glad I read it, but I wanted just a little something more.

Rating:
4/5

Where To Buy This Comic

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