David Lynch meets the 1990s punk scene in A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts, from Oni Press. The brainchild of acclaimed writer and colorist Oliver Mertz, A Ghost Arm takes readers back to a time and place that seems familiar, but also somehow different. A blast of nostalgia that speaks to our present day, A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts promises to be one of 2026’s best reads.
A Ghost Arm’s writer, Oliver Mertz, made a name for himself not only as a writer on titles such as The Monuments, but also a color artist through his work on books like Drifters. Growing up in Washington DC in the 1990s, Mertz saw a number of legendary acts, such as Jawbox and Fugazi, and this spirit infuses his work. It will also be present in A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts. Mertz’s other works include the indie title First Law of Mad Science.
Growing up in Washington DC in the 1990s, Mertz saw a number of legendary acts, such as Jawbox and Fugazi, and this spirit infuses his work.
Oliver Mertz is a creator on the rise, and A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts is only going to elevate his profile further. Having drawn acclaim from creators such as Matthew Rosenberg and Alex Segura, Mertz is ready to deliver his magnum opus in A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts, and ScreenRant is pleased to offer an exclusive first look.
A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts Is a Punk Rock Comic With Lots of Heart
Mertz will be joined by artist Alex Diotto for A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts. Oni Press provided a synopsis for the book, which reads as follows:
Teenager Ari Ackerman loves the Washington, D.C., punk scene and is trying very hard to process the perpetual impending death (and frequent resurrections) of his cancer-stricken father. Ari’s best friend, Maya Meng, just wants to hang out and go see Jawbox play at the Black Cat. But sadly, an escalating series of unexplained deaths can really ruin a perfectly good day… Charmingly whimsical, darkly funny, and stylistically innovative, A GHOST ARM MADE OF ANGRY GHOSTS is sure to evoke all the feelings that come with being an outsider, making sense of the world around you, and finding your place in it.
In addition to writing the book, Mertz will also be providing colors for it. In addition to plot information, Oni has provided ScreenRant with a handful of preview pages for the book, shared here. The pages transport readers to an alternate 1990s Washington DC, where superheroes and enormous humans are the norm.
This sounds like a set-up to a grand urban fantasy novel, but A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts never loses sight of its human protagonists. The readers meet young Ari Ackerman in the preview pages, first at age six and then again at 16. He is a regular at DC hardcore and punk shows, which he attends with his friend Maya Meng. The preview pages follow Ari and Maya as they hop a train to catch a show.
A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts is not just Mertz’s show. Artist Alex Diotto, who has drawn books such as Youth and Indigo Children, shines throughout the preview pages. In a press release from Oni, Diotto was quoted as saying:
I found many similarities between Ari, Maya, Sona and myself—namely being an outcast and a long time fan of punk bands—and that connection grew even stronger as we progressed working on the book and the book got even weirder. It’s not an everyday thing seeing a bowl of soup talking through its mouth, or a giant head residing in a cabin!
This passion for the project comes through in the preview pages shared here.
Industry Professionals Are Already Buzzing for A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts
A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts Invokes the Best of DC’s Vertigo Line
Diotto is not the only one excited about Oliver Mertz’s A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts. Mertz’s previous works have been a hit with critics and other industry professionals, and many of them had kind words for his new project. Matthew Rosenberg, whose work includes What’s the Furthest Place from Here, had this to say about Mertz’s latest:
A GHOST ARM MADE OF ANGRY GHOSTS is like if Daniel Clowes and David Lapham got together and tried to create the X-Men but really didn’t care that much if they saved the world or not. And I can’t think of a higher compliment I could give
Shelly Bond, who became famous as the editor for DC’s Vertigo line, compared A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts to books from that line, saying:
Here’s your new favorite comic book. Taut pacing, seamless dialogue, and style in spades, A GHOST ARM MADE OF ANGRY GHOSTS is more potent and peculiar than anything you’ve ever read.
The preview pages justify Rosenberg and Bond’s praises.
The preview also gives the reader a surreal vibe, perfect for fans of David Lynch. The 1990s punk scene in Washington DC gave birth to some of the genre’s most acclaimed bands, and Oliver Mertz pays tribute to this era in the new A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts, on sale this Fall from Oni Press.
A Ghost Arm Made of Angry Ghosts goes on sale September 2 from Oni Press. FOC is August 10.