Review: Ghost Whisperer #1-2

Creators: Becca Smith and Carrie Smith, writers; Elena Casagrande, artist
IDW, 32 pages, color, $3.99 each
So? The CBS series this comic is based on has been a quiet but consistent marketing innovator, having taken the show to Comic-Con the past couple of years and having previously produced a promo graphic novel. (I'm not sure why these efforts haven't paid off more in winning over the kind of vocal and visible fans that keep "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" alive — is Jennifer Love Hewitt's portrayal of psychic Melinda Gordon too feminine and not hip enough for that crowd? I don't really know.) This five-issue outing written by a pair  scribes Smith and Smith show a good grasp on what works in comics, with the each issue's done-in-one mystery tying in quite well to a longer arc involving a larger threat to Melinda that's a bit more fantastic than what the TV show usually pulls off. There's a bit of repetition in that both mysteries revolve around the deaths of pick-on teenage girls whose spirits want revenge, but the clean art, moody colors and solid scripting make this an easy and enjoyable read. Grade: B+