Creators: Clowes, Daniel

Original Date(s) of Publication: serially in Eightball June 1993-March 1997, hardcover 1997

Publisher: Fantagraphics

The comic follows two cynical best friends as they hover on the edge of adulthood and the possibility of no longer being together. In 2001, the book was adapted into a film of the same name, starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson.

Plot Summary

Most simply, Ghost World is a story about two young friends who are experiencing life as they grow up and grow apart -- a very common description by many synopsists.

More specifically, these two girls, Enid and Becky, are presented as cynical anti-mainstreamists, who were once content to simply sit back, observe, and make fun of their surroundings. As the story progresses, they become more and more aware of the fact that the world is moving forward and they have to decide if they want to join the spin or let it pass by.

Significant Features

The most phenomenal aspect of this comic isn't the comic itself, but what came after. A motion picture of the same name was released in 2001 and ended up being nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards.

Publication History / Historical Context

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Impact / Influence 

Did the work have any significant cultural impact or any major influence on later writers?

Critical Reception 

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• secondary sources that are significant
• especially academic ones 

References

1. www.goodreads.com/book/show/62953.Ghost_World

Further Reading

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