I've never seen so many Xs in a comic-book title outside of a Marvel mutant book. This is a far cry from the super-hero genre. The idea at the heart of this book is a fun one, and it's full of potential. The creators behind this self-published effort are to be commended, but the raw quality of their storytelling also show through here. Some awkward panel layouts and some initial confusion between characters early on in the book make for a difficult read at times. Touched By an Angel meets Hack in this schmoltzy but occasionally effective small-press title.
A trio of ghostly cabbies compete for "fares" around New York City. Their job is to guide the recently deceased to their portals to the afterlife, but first, they can give them two hours with which to do as they please. Some yearn to see their loved ones for a final time, others seek adventure and others still seek to act on the anger they feel at being robbed of their lives. Meanwhile, the metaphysical cabbies work to meet their quotas, hoping for a chance at promised rewards in the hereafter.
Arambulo's style reminds me of the work of Tim (Batman: Gotham Adventures) Levins and Pedro (My Uncle Jeff) Camello. There's a simplicity in this style that's light and appealing, but occasionally, he renders some stunning cityscapes. His panel progressions don't quite flow properly at times, though, and the characters are rendered somewhat inconsistently. The difference between Charon and Dom isn't entirely clear early on in the book. His eye for perspective and anatomy aren't as refined as they could be as well. Arambulo performs pretty well overall, but he still has some development ahead of him as a comics artist.
Greek myth tells of a ferryman named Charon who escorts people into the realm of the dead. Goldman takes that idea and recasts it in a modern, urban context, and it's a cute concept, full of potential for humor and drama. The writer certainly sets out to explore that potential here, and he offers a diverse array of plotlines.
The problem is that he offers too many, really. We don't get to spend much time with any particular character, so we don't get to know individual players or their stories all that well either. Furthermore, the opening sequence is focused on establishing the "rules" for the premise, but not everything is communicated all that clearly. And the rules... they're not that important at this point. The premise needs to be established firs and foremost, not explained.
