Specter Inspectors #3: Somebody's Watching (Review)

The Specter Inspectors live that Scooby Doo life chasin’ ghosts! True believer Noa, her cynical little sibling Gus, credulous camera man Ko, and skeptical Astrid head to one of the most haunted towns in America to prove that ghosts exist, for all the social media likes! The investigations of hauntings uncover something more devilish than just a couple of ghosts, something that will put Noa and Astrid’s relationship to the test… and reveal the centuries-old sinister secrets of the town itself.

Check out our spoiler-free review of issue #3 below. (And if you missed the previous issues, catch up here.)

Specter Inspectors #3 Review

Specter Inspectors spooks up an amazing third issue!

Seriously, I love this series.

In this issue, our gang goes to investigate a new creepy building, but their investigation is quickly turned on its head. Literally – the museum walls start shifting.

I love that when this issue split the team up, it did it along different lines than we’ve seen before. Gus teams up with Astrid, so they get to pester her about her intentions toward Noa. It demonstrates that sibling dynamic super well. (Plus, it’s just another scene adding to Astrid and Noa’s budding romance.)

And it’s great to see Noa and Ko together too. In the first two issues, Ko is the character we least get a feel for. But in this chapter we get to learn more about his background and motivations for joining the ghost hunting team. It was a well-timed inclusion – just as I started to think, Hey, we don’t hear that much from Ko, we learned more about him.

Besides the fun shakeup to the team structure, this issue packs a great ghostly punch. Astrid’s demon really becomes the fifth member of the team, as they start consulting it on their next steps and using its powers to investigate the house. The idea that Gus sees the manor differently than Astrid was really cool, and I like how their different viewpoints came through in the illustrations. The story also uses Astrid’s demon to build the ominous creep factor – it keeps talking about someone (or something) that’s watching them.

The art style also leans into building the creepy atmosphere in the museum. The very distinctive brown-red-green palette definitely gives you the impression you’re inside an old house. The soft glow of the ghost and the intense light of the demon really make the supernatural elements pop.

And throughout, Specter Inspectors #3 keeps the humor and fun group dynamic that makes the series special. You get it all with this one: the ghosts and ghouls, lovable characters, a mystery and just the right amount of laughs.